Safe App

There is a growing trend that people will find themselves in unsafe situations at some point in their lives. Whether this lack of safety has to do with being distracted, the area you are living, or the party you are at, smartphone apps are being developed to make sure that staying safe is just button press away.

As I talked about in a previous post, people are more attached to their smartphones than ever before. Talking on the phone may be something you do while running errands. Suppose you are in a busy part of town and you are talking on the phone . . . how much attention are you paying to what's around you? An app called WalkSafe uses images from the phone's camera to detect and warn distracted pedestrians about oncoming traffic. According to a 2011 article from MIT:

WalkSafe uses the phones camera to detect oncoming vehicles
 (pic from: technabob)

"When WalkSafe detects a car approaching at 30 miles per hour or faster, it vibrates the phone and makes a sound to alert the distracted user"

This app attempts to help the user avoid accidents that might happen if they are not paying attention to their surroundings.

Another app created to promote safety is the "Sex Offender Tracker" app. This app uses the camera and GPS in the smartphone to identify where the user is and then it shows where registered sex offenders are in the area (see video above). According to the Sex Offender Tracker website "It also includes a photo of the registered offender along with details about the offense."

Not only is this great for personal safety, but it would also be good in a family situation. For instance, Halloween trick or treating can be made safer by knowing areas that may not be safe.

Apps exist to keep the user safe in tough situations.
(pic from: mtv.com)

Another important app is one to prevent assault. As the winner of the White House Apps Against Abuse Technology Challenge, the app Circle of 6 gives you instant access to six of your closest and most dependable friends. Mostly targeted at college students, Circle of 6 is "the mobile way to look out for your friends, on campus or when you're out for the night".

If you find yourself in a dangerous or uncomfortable situation, you can send a pre-programmed text for your friends to pick you up or call you in order for you to get away from a questionable person. According to a 2011 article by MTV, "GPS coordinates and mobile messaging functions give contacts all of the info they need so that they jump into action to get help on its way ASAP."

Whether you are taking an active role in making sure an area is safe or need the help of a friend (or camera), these apps help you take control of your safety. Not all situations may seem unsafe at first, but it is important to be prepared to take action if needed.

Mobile gaming

We've all been there . . . incredibly bored with nothing to do. But wait . . . you downloaded a new game on your smartphone! A perfect time-killer. Games such as Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja, and Words with Friends are on the top of the download charts. The popularity of games such as these is causing a shift in the mobile app industry and have also increase sales in other industries. Not only that, but they also impact our social lives.

According to a March 2012 CNN article, "with more than 60% of users regularly playing games on their mobile devices, games have clearly emerged as a core part of the mobile user experience." Since games are so important in the smartphone world, it is important for developers to create unique games that will draw in new players. A 2012 Wired article talks about the importance of having "buzzworthy" apps that people will talk about. 

One of these games is Angry Birds. As the top paid iPhone app for the year of 2010, Angry Birds gained national attention and drew in many users. For those who haven't played before, the user throws birds in order to try to break the green pigs' castles. Why? View the cinematic trailer for the game to the left for an explanation. The game uses logic and points to keep the player interested and, let's face it, addicted. 

Another game featured at the top of the download lists, and my personal favorite, is Fruit Ninja. This game allows the user to "slice" fruit to gain points and avoid bombs that will end their game. One bonus for Windows Phone owners is the ability to earn gamer points and achievements through Xbox Live. According to a 2011 everythingwm article, "Fruit Ninja has grossed over $150,000 on the Windows Phone 7 Platform."

Another popular game that is taking over the app world is Words with Friends. This game is much like Scrabble, allowing you to face off against friends in order to earn points and bragging rights. This game has been especially popular on my college campus, with some friends sitting in the same room playing the game together instead of talking to one another. 

These smartphone games are so popular that the companies are able to earn more profits by selling associated merchandise. These include shirts, plush, accessories, and also other game setups. For instance, Fruit Ninja now has a Xbox Kinect version that has reached one million downloads as of March 2012 as well as a larger version of the touch game at popular restaurant and arcade Dave & Busters. Angry Birds has plush birds and pigs that can be thrown (and even make the noises) just in case you want to recreate the game in real life. 

While these apps have been popular on smartphones, their popularity has been transferred to other devices and accessories, allowing avid fans to show their allegiance to a certain game. But what are these games doing to relationships? Making us play games against one another rather than talking to each other? I must say that I love playing games on my phone . . . but I would rather play these games when there is nothing else to do. Spend quality time with your friends . . . spend bored time with your apps. 

Save Your Pride

Staying in touch is why many people get smartphones. But, sometimes you should just wait. What I'm talking about are the times where using your phone might cause damage to your pride. Like texting while walking or while drunk or contacting that ex you swore you were done with. While you might not have enough control to stop, there are apps that can help you save your pride.

For instance, there are many people who text their friends while walking (like the woman in the video above). This can lead to a lot of embarrassment as you might walk into a door, wall, or you could even fall down the stairs. Luckily, an app called 'Type n Walk' can save you from this embarrassment. How does it work? According to Digital Inspiration, "they switch on your phone's camera and add the email/texting functions on top of the live camera feed so you can type as before and still not run into anyone."

Another thing apps protect against is communicating while drunk. As a college student, I have received messages from friends who don't remember sending them in the morning simply due to the state they were in. Luckily, there are a couple of apps that can save you from sending embarrassing texts to your friends, parents, or co-workers. One of these apps is called 'the Textalyzer,' and according to the Official Website it has the potential texter play small games in order to tell if they are potentially in a drunken state. However, a May 2011 Tech post states that this app only stops you from texting if you use the app to text, not if texting through your typical text messaging location. It also doesn't protect against calling your intended contact.

'Don't Dial' keeps the texter out of their contact list.
(pic from: Apartment Therapy)

The solution to this could be another drunk app. 'Don't Dial' blocks you from texting, calling, or doing anything revolving around a contact. According to a February 2012 article, the drunk texter can lock contacts for a predetermined amount of time or give a friend the power to decide when the texter is sober enough to have control. The only way around this is if the texter has memorized the contacts phone number, because they will still be able to dial. This app would be useful since many people haven't taken the time to memorize their contact list.

'The Ex-App' has the control you
don't have. (pic from: iTunes)

The final app that can save your pride is 'The Ex-App' which stops you from contacting a certain person. Not only does this app block you from seeing this person in your text contacts, but it also gives you positive encouragement if you attempt to call your ex. According to the iTunes website, "it also tracks the number of consecutive days that you have stopped contacting your ex to help you stay motivated and committed to your new awesome ex-free life."

We all love to keep in touch with the people we care about, but there are some situations that don't work well with being social. Whether walking in a mall, at a party, or overcoming a break-up, there are apps to keep you from causing yourself unnecessary embarrassment.