From ghost radars to baby cry translators: Would YOU buy these useless iPhone apps?


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The Yo app may have been criticised for being useless, but its brilliance was in its simplicity.

It is the latest application to have made it through the Apple's App Store Guidelines by promising to be functional - albeit loosely.

Other apps that border on useless, and have come under similar criticism, include an electric shaver simulator, an abacus and an app that scans for ghosts.

The Electric Shaver Simulator costs 69p and was developed by Mindgrip. It features 'realistic sounds and appearance' and is 'guaranteed to never nick.' There is also a Razor User Guide that teaches users how to hold the phone to mimic the act of shaving
The Ghost Radar: Classic app is a radar that turns a phone into a 'mobile ghost detector.' Developer Jack Jones bills it as being able to pick up paranormal activity using the microphone, and guides the user to the location of the ghost

The Electric Shaver Simulator app (pictured left) costs 69p and was developed by Mindgrip. It features 'realistic sounds and appearance' and is 'guaranteed to never nick.' The Ghost Radar: Classic app (pictured right) claims to be able to pick up paranormal activity using the microphone, and guides the user to the location of ghosts

The Electric Shaver Simulator costs 69p and was developed by Mindgrip.

It features 'realistic sounds and appearance' and is 'guaranteed to never nick.' There is also a Razor User Guide that teaches users how to hold the phone to mimic the act of shaving.

 

Meanwhile, the Abacus app from Pixio also costs 69p and lets users count beads on virtual rows.

The Ghost Radar: Classic app is a radar that turns a phone into a 'mobile ghost detector.'

Developer Jack Jones bills it as being able to pick up paranormal activity using the phone's built-in microphone, and guides the user to the location of the ghost.

The description on the free app reads: 'Ghost Radar attempts to detect paranormal activity by making various readings on the device.

Meanwhile, the Abacus app from Pixio also costs 69p and lets users count beads on virtual rows. There are four frame types and a multi-touch interface. One reviewer wrote: 'Utterly useless, one star is generous'

Meanwhile, the Abacus app from Pixio also costs 69p and lets users count beads on virtual rows. There are four frame types and a multi-touch interface. One reviewer wrote: 'Utterly useless, one star is generous'

The free Virtual Lighter app (pictured)  turns an iPhone into a Zippo lighter. Flicking the screen opens the lighters and produces an image of a flame on the screen
The 69p Hold On! game asks users to competes to see how long players can press the onscreen button. It also adds multiplayer elements, available over Bluetooth

The free Virtual Lighter app (pictured left) turns an iPhone into a Zippo lighter. Flicking the screen opens the lighter and produces an image of a flame on the screen. The 69p Hold On! game (pictured right) asks users to compete to see how long they can press the onscreen button. It also adds multiplayer elements, over Bluetooth

'Traditional paranormal equipment can be easily fooled when simple mundane bursts of normal energy occur.

APPLE'S APP STORE GUIDELINES

To be accepted onto the App Store, apps must be functional in that they must not crash, include hidden features or work in a way other than what the developer advertised.

They must also have a user function and developers can't charge for app that doesn't do anything.

Any app that is defamatory, offensive, mean-spirited, or likely to place the targeted individual or group in harms way will be rejected.

Apps that present excessively objectionable or crude content will be rejected along with apps that are designed to upset or disgust users.

Apps containing pornographic material, defined by Webster's Dictionary as 'explicit descriptions or displays of sexual organs or activities intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings', will be rejected.

In summary, Apple said: 'We will reject Apps for any content or behavior that we believe is over the line. What line, you ask? Well, as a Supreme Court Justice once said, "I'll know it when I see it". And we think that you will also know it when you cross it.'

'Ghost Radar sets itself apart by analysing the readings and giving indications only when interesting patterns in the readings have been made.'

Other apps that have been criticised include the £2.99 Cry Translator app.

It claims to be able to analyse and diagnose a baby's cry, and offer solutions in less than 10 seconds.

The app's description states it can identify if a baby is hungry, sleepy, annoyed, stressed or bored.

And during clinical tests, 96 per cent of babies stopped crying after the app's methods were applied.

The developers caveat these claims by adding it's not a medical device.

The free iNap@Work app helps users sleep in the office by creating random common office sounds to convince colleagues they're working.

And if users are bored at work but can't sleep, they can play the 69p Hold On! game, that encourages people to compete to see how long they can press an onscreen button.

It also adds multiplayer elements over Bluetooth.

The free iFrench Kiss app invites users to snog their iPhone screens, and then rates their effort.

One reviewer on the App Store complained the app kept telling them they were a 'rubbish kisser', and now they are more nervous about their first kiss.

And the free Virtual Lighter app turns an iPhone into a Zippo lighter. Flicking the screen opens the lighters and produces an image of a flame on the screen.

Other apps that have been criticised include the £2.99 Cry Translator app. It claims to be able to analyse and diagnose a baby's cry, and offer solutions in less than 10 seconds. The app's description adds it will identify if a baby is hungry, sleepy, annoyed, stressed or bored with 96 per cent accuracy

Other apps that have been criticised include the £2.99 Cry Translator app. It claims to be able to analyse and diagnose a baby's cry, and offer solutions in less than 10 seconds. The app's description adds it will identify if a baby is hungry, sleepy, annoyed, stressed or bored with 96 per cent accuracy

When the app is first installed you will be asked to pick a username. You can then add the names of friends to send them a yo.
When the app is first installed you will be asked to pick a username. You can then add the names of friends to send them a yo.  When a yo is send the recipient will receive a message that they have received it, and nothing else

The Yo app (picutred) was criticised for being 'useless' and having limited functions, but secured $1 million in funding following its launch earlier this year




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