Sure, your Saturday afternoon Netflix binge-fest may be a relaxing activity, but do you really feel good about it? A little “do-nothing” time is good for everyone, but indulging in too much of it can let a little self-loathing creep in on the best of us. Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start with that whole getting-out-and-doing-things business though. Lucky for us, adventure is out there – and Google’s latest app may soon be available to help!
Fostering Ties of Friendship
Meet Shoelace, a new app that “aims to help people find things to do and others who share your same interests.” Unlike other social media apps, Shoelace’s primary aim is to enable real-life activities through digitally-made connections.
According to TechCrunch:
Shoelace – a name designed to make you think of tying things together – [allows] users [to] browse through a set of hand-picked activities, or add their own to a map. For example, someone who wanted to connect with fellow dog owners could start an activity for a doggie playdate at the park, then start a group chat to coordinate the details and make new friends.
The end result feels a bit like a mashup of Facebook Events with a WhatsApp group chat, perhaps. But it’s wrapped in a clean, modern design that appeals more to the millennial or Gen Z user.
Coming Soon to a Street Near You
When asked to discuss the project by TechCrunch, a Google spokesperson described it as “an app that helps people meet others with similar interests in person through curated activities,” but that “it’s an early experiment, so there aren’t many details to share right now.” While Shoelace is currently in its trial phase and is only available in New York City, Google hopes to work out the kinks and eventually “bring the app to cities nationwide.”
If you want to connect with new people who appreciate the same activities as you, you can send Google a form requesting that your location be considered as a test site.
Until then, let’s hope that it will knot be long till Shoelace is available everywhere.