More Ideas For the Ideas For An App App

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More Ideas For the Ideas For An App App

Friday, January 27, 2012 - 09:00 AM

By Jody Avirgan : Associate Producer, The Brian Lehrer Show

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Mobile devices (Yutaka Tsutano/flickr)

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- Original Piece: Apper's Delight

A few weeks ago, I pitched Bob and Brooke on my idea for an iPhone app that gives you ideas for iPhone apps - plus some of the ideas that would be in my app. (They were skeptical.) I then asked listeners to send along their own great ideas for apps by emailing me.

Lots of you did, here are some highlights. If you have more, email me at ideasfortheideasforanappapp@gmail.com or Tweet to @jodyavirgan.

Stuart's Idea:

An app that turns your device-of-choice into a more useful tool, a can opener – iCan

-- This is a fantastic idea. Things you don't even need an app to turn your device-of-choice into: coaster, doorstop...that may be it.

Seth's Ideas:

"The Right Answer App" - This app will give every man the right answer to those difficult social questions women ask such as, "Does this dress make me look fat?" and the slightly mor dangerous, "do you think she's pretty?"

"The Clever Catchphrase App" - Everyone needs their own clever catchphrase. This app randomly generates catch phrases for people to pave their way to stardom.

-- Yes please!

The Fake an Important Call App" - meeting with someone who takes up to much of your time? Just set a time on this app and it will call your mobile number so you can fake an important call allowing you to leave.

-- This exists. It's magic.

Justine's Ideas:

An app that makes the phone behave as if the signal is bad and then disconnects the phone call whenever someone in the phone conversation says "gallbladder surgery."

-- Justine, you and Seth should get to know one another.

An app that matches the colour of all shoes scanned with colours of potential handbags so one can shop for handbags to go with shoes that are at home in the closet.

Crop circle app. Finds the nearest crop circle and predicts where and what shape the next ones will be.

Sycophant app. Randomly generates pandering compliments.

-- One of the best ideas I've ever heard. Seriously.

Andrew's Idea:

I'd like to see an app which could load multiple playlists of sound cues for a theater production and allow the touch-screen activation and mixing of the cues.This sort of thing is done already with touch-screen computers, but it seems to me that the convenience and ubiquity of the iPad vs. full-sized PCs with touch-sensitive monitors would make it a great tool for community theaters to run show cues from.

-- Actually a practical and great idea! Andrew says he's surprised this doesn't exist, but he can't find it. Someone should get on this. App developers, email me if you want to follow up with Andrew.

Janna's Ideas:

App that locates rainbows and pot of gold finder

-- I was originally planning to include "an app that locates the nearest buried treasure" but I think this is better.

App that finds you other apps that are better or more delicious than the ones you already have.

-- Is this about appetizers?!!!

Lewis's Ideas:

App to find Biblical support for chosen behavior past, present or future as in "to commit adultery" "to patronize a prostitute," "to eat steak on Friday," "to switch religions," "to marry someone of another faith or no faith, "to hate the rich," "not to tithe," "to stop smoking, "to not stop smoking," "to donate your body to science," etc.

-- Lewis, do you know AJ Jacobs?

And jcboakes writes with a piece of advice:

Many interesting ideas on your list. BUT MAJOR PROBLEM YOU DIDN'T CONSIDER: US Patent and trademark law was recently changed (to confirm to "international standard") to be FIRST TO FILE rather than "First to perfect", which means that any of your posted ideas can be patented (inspired by) without compensation (or even hush money) to you or WNYC.

-- He's right - it's called the America Invents Act (AIA). But that's okay by me. Have at it people.

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Jody Avirgan, Associate Producer, The Brian Lehrer Show

Follow @jodyavirgan

Jody Avirgan started two days before The Brian Lehrer Show won a Peabody, and he is taking full credit. He comes to WNYC from WFUV, where he produced "Cityscape" with the great George Bodarky. He's worked for KQED Radio in San Francisco, is a founder of Longshot Radio, and has produced pieces that have aired here and there and everywhere.

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Mar. 07 2013 01:06 AM

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