There’s an App for that

Our generation has found itself smack in the centre of a technological revolution. Gadgets have become smaller and infinitely more powerful. These days, when you think you have seen it all, something comes up that tells you, this is just the beginning.

Perhaps the single most significant aspect of technological advancement is mobility. It is no longer just a question of what a gadget can do. It is about being able to go everywhere with it – such as, to the toilet (I, for instance, only access Instagram in the toilet – Don’t ask!).

Programmable Mobile Phones

My brother, who is a computer programmer, tells me that the real revolution in mobile telephony occurred when the manufacturers started using the java language. While phones previously ran on software pre-installed into the hardware, java based phones could be manufactured empty and then fed with whatever a particular user wants. This, I think, is what ushered in the era of what we now fondly refer to as Apps (I guess its short for Applications).

Useful Apps

A lot of apps available today are quite useful. One of the first apps that I ever downloaded when I first got a smart phone was the flashlight app. I needed something to get over having to give up my old phone. I used to have a mulika mwizi, so called because it has a built-in flashlight. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to know that I could actually transform my smart phone into an advanced sort of mulika mwizi.

When I was growing up, there used to be civil servants then known as agricultural extension officers. They would walk around agricultural areas advising farmers on various aspects of farming such as the right seed to plant and the ideal time to carry out various farming activities. I no longer see them and although am not a farmer, I can imagine how hard it is to farm without a good source of reliable advice. That period of uncertainty among farmers is now over. This is thanks to an app known as M-Farm. Through the app, farmers can now get all the information that used to be disseminated by extension officers and more.

I have talked about the evolution of social media before here http://thelaymanspoint.blogspot.co.za/2015/03/the-evolution-of-social-media.html . It is obvious that the old days were not so good as far as communication between people was concerned. It is now easier than ever to keep in touch with friends, relatives, and associates. This is made possible by efficient and user friendly social media apps. We are so dependent on Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and many others, that it is impossible to imagine how we survived without them.

Now that am back to my driving job in a city that is ever expanding and growing more complicated, I need my maps more than ever. I however cannot depend on traditional maps as I did before as I once wrote about it here http://acabdriverstory.blogspot.co.za/2012/11/finding-way-of-not-getting-lost.html . This is because roads are changing every day and maps cannot be updated fast enough. The google maps app is so handy it even gives route suggestions and how long it will take to get to your destination.

Useless Apps

The good also comes with the bad and consequently, there are those Apps that appear to be quite useless to the typical Layman. I have seen Apps whose only possible advantage is that they keep the users out of trouble by engaging them for hours doing absolutely nothing.

Candy Crush

I have warned my friends on Facebook to desist from sending me invites to play candy crush. However, my stern warnings and even threats of unfriending them, has fallen on deaf years. The candy crush craze cuts across all statuses and classes. Even people who I respect profoundly have taken up candy crush as a way to kill valuable time. This is one App I would advocate to be banned by the Government.

Who’s your Best Friend?

There is an App that can apparently tell you who your best friend is. I have no idea who came up with the idea or even how the algorithm works. I don’t think the app works but that has not stopped thousands of idle people from using it. It also appears on the Layman’s list of Apps to be banned.

Where have you Pooped?

Yes, you heard that right! There is an App that allows users (mainly frequent travellers) to record all of the exotic places they have pooped across the world. I don’t know what the objectives of either the developers or users are. I however think they receive a lot of feedback judging from the kind of reviews they get online. So, if you are one of those people who poop just to obey nature, just know there are others for whom it is serious business.

What other Apps?

Can you think of any other App (useful or otherwise) that you may have come across? You can also share.