We delve into the world of modern dating this week with our guest, Susie Lee, creator of the new app Siren for the iPhone, which aims to improve the dating experience by empowering women to decide who can see their profile and interact with them.

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Susie Lee of the Siren dating app in the KIRO studios. (Erynn Rose Photo)

Lee, a contemporary digital artist, came up with the idea for Siren after getting a smartphone and realizing that existing dating apps didn’t facilitate the type of “unexpected and constructive flirting” that can often lead to successful matches in the real world. Features of Siren include a “Question of the Day” designed to elicit responses that shed light on users’ personalities more effectively than filling out a profile page.

“Think about the dynamic between a man and a woman when they first have chemistry,” explains Lee. “She can give you the signals that she’s actually interested in talking with you.” That’s what Siren is aiming to recreate in the new app.

The app is free to download, but you’ll need an invite code that you can request from Lee at susie@siren.mobi. An Android version is set to debut in October.

The conversation with Lee begins in the second segment of the show, at 9:30. Listen via this MP3 file or the audio player below. We also explain why the picture of Lee in this post is in black and white, and how that relates to the app.

The show begins with our weekly news roundup, as GeekWire’s John Cook calls in with a report from Portland’s TechFestNW. We also talk about Seattle’s efforts to attract a big tech company to the Yesler Terrace redevelopment.

Plus, the answer to last week’s Name that Tech Tune challenge and an App of the Week created by Tom Hanks.

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