5 ways to get your rocks off with someone else while self-isolating

This is the second in a two-part series aiming to help you with tips on how to survive social distancing, without entirely giving up your sex life. If you missed the first, a look at how technology has aided our sexual interactions over time, check it out here.

We are definitely living in interesting times, and for many of us the next few months could well involve some voluntary or perhaps involuntary staying at home, and otherwise avoiding from face-to-face encounters.

So what can we do to have some sexy fun times in between washing hands and dropping a line to vulnerable family, friends and neighbors?

1. Instant Messaging

Strange though it may sound the lost-art of sexting is still a fantastic way to stay in touch with lovers that you can’t spend time with in person. If anything modern messenger apps have made it more fun. Most have the ability to intersperse text messages with pictures, video and even audio clips of what you’re getting up to in response to their words.

2. Video Chat

Office meetings aren’t the only application for what we used to call ‘video-conferencing’. There’s a plethora of options out there from the industry dinosaur Skype through to apps like Discord that are popular amongst the gaming and fandom communities.

Single and group calls are usually free and video and audio quality has been massively improved over the last few years. The only drawback might be trying to get a good angle on your webcam…

3. Remote Control Toys

Lots of people staying at home can be a real problem for small independent businesses, but many retailers will still offer online sales and postage. So why not support your local independent sex toy shop by picking up something for yourself or a lover that incorporates remote control over the internet. There are various options, many of which we’ve reviewed, including:

We-Vibe offers an impressive array of app-controlled vibrators including dildos, clitoral vibrators, butt plugs, cock rings and prostate massagers all of which can be controlled from anywhere in the world.

More adventurous users might consider splashing out on “The Cowgirl” a sybian-style ride-on vibrator that can be controlled remotely via app.

These toys tend to offer multiple different control options. For example, Kiiroo offers the Fleshlight Launch a stroking device that can be controlled manually via on-device controls, via the app, or through syncing up to a library of interactive porn and games.

More pertinently for anyone on lockdown away from their partner, devices like the Launch also sync with other devices. These include the Kiiroo Titan, Onyx +, Pearl 2 and Ohmibod Fuse.

In a similar vein, Lelo offers a developer kit for its Lelo F1s app-controlled male vibrator that may also prove to be an effective platform for enabling long-distance fun, though it’s still a bit lacking in that department at the moment.

4. Google Calendar

Calendar apps are near-ubiquitous across smartphones, tablets and desktop computers, all of which makes them a potentially fun toy for people looking for creative ways to surprise a partner.

Using a shared calendar makes it easy to set up reminders, notifications and ‘appointments’. This may be particularly useful for folks in some form of kink or D/s relationship, but then again just receiving a notification when you’re finishing up a work e-mail saying that someone really wants to f*ck you is probably pretty fun no matter what your proclivities.

5. Chat Rooms

One thing that is almost certainly not on the cards for most folks over the coming weeks is face to face dating. Of course, most dating apps have messaging at their core and this combined with some of the above can maybe give you a slow-burning outlet when you can’t meet a new person.

However, dating apps might not be the best place right now for people seeking something short term and fun. Instead it may be worth seeking out the old internet favorite of my youth: chat rooms. These generally have far fewer people in than in days of yore, but a sizeable variety of offerings still exist.

Much depends on the particular platform, needless to say that if you’re on a site mostly dedicated to bonsai then you may find few people responding to your amorous suggestions (although I hear the Penjing enthusiasts are DTF), but tread lightly and who knows.

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