By Chloe Johns
What would make your life easier? If only your phone could make you a smoothie, put the kids to bed, or iron your shirt for the morning. One can only dream...
With something more feasible in mind, here is a list of 10 must-develop apps for 2014.
iProcrastinate
Is your mind constantly wandering? Can't believe where the time has gone? Then download iProcrastinate.
Use the app to select the 10 distracting websites you visit the most, and simply plug your phone into your computer. Every time you log onto Facebook or browse Buzzfeed, your phone will vibrate loudly to remind you of the task in hand. For the daydreamers amongst us, iProcrastinate also tracks keystrokes.
Axe-the-Ex
So you broke up, and it didn't end well. You've deleted, unfriended and unfollowed, but moving on is hard when their face still finds its way into your news feed. 'Axe-the-Ex' scans your social media channels and removes any trace of your Ex's existence. When activated, your Facebook news feed will remove photos where your Ex is tagged by mutual friends, it won't count their 'likes', and you will never see their re-tweets. Axe-the-Ex - for when 'unfriending' isn't enough.
NotExpired
Reports show that we are throwing away more un-eaten food than ever before. All this waste is bad for the environment, and bad for our pockets. NotExpired is your go to app for checking whether expiry dates are accurate. Search your food item, enter its packaging, how long it's been open, where you stored it, and the expiry date. NotExpired will tell you if there is any longevity left in it.
iKettle
Does your team spend more time at the kettle then at their desks? Save their time with iKettle. The app chooses a team member at random, and schedules them to make a daily tea round. It will also send an alert letting them know everyone elses sugar/milk ratio. For time efficiency, tea rounds of more than 10 cups will prompt iKettle to schedule an additional team member to help.
Going My Way?
London black cabbies are required to learn The Knowledge. This extensive exam details the shortest routes from A to B, at any given time of the day. For when you're elsewhere in the World, 'Going My Way?' can ensure you that you're being taken the quickest way, and will send you an alert If your driver deviates from the most efficient route.
iContainGluten
If you've ever been on a restricted diet, you know how hard it is to control what goes into your food. It can look safe, but somehow a splash of soy sauce has found its way in there. iContainGluten works by docking a gluten detector (yet to be developed) to your phone. Lined with thousands of sensors, the detector can measure gluten levels by simply waving your phone over your dinner. N.B iContainSaturatedFats and iContainDairy will be available as add-ons.
Auto Un-tag
It's been a messy night. You wake up at midday with a thousand push-notifications on your phone. Then the panic sets in - You've been tagged. A lot. By granting Auto Un-tag access to your Facebook profile, it will use algorithms from previously untagged Facebook photos to determine the types of pictures that you don't want to be seen. Fat. Drunk. Lazy-Eyed? Never again, my friend!
H2O
With 'H2O', everyone can now measure their hydration levels on the go. By pressing your thumb on a sensor pad plugged into your phone, 'H2O' can tell you exactly how hydrated you are from the moisture in your skin. It can also tell you how much water you need to take in to return to normal levels. Bring on the glowing complexions!
WTFIT?
You're at a party or a conference and someone waves at you from across the room - You have no idea who they are. WTFIT (Who the F*** Is That?) stealthily connects with their phone and scans your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to see if you're already connected with them. Since access was granted during the initial friend request, your phone will determine if there is a match. Along with a name, it will give you 3 headline facts about that person. Look down. Read quickly. Or better yet have Siri whisper it into your ear. Awkward situation averted.
Mootable
We've all stayed up long into the night, drink in hand, discussing the problems in our society, and what we can do to fix them. Come morning, all is forgotten. This app will record your evening's conversations, and pick out the best comments and ideas. This could potentially be the first app to achieve World Peace, or at the very least remind you to go to bed next time.
Thousands of apps are developed everyday, and while your phone can't teleport you to a meeting you're late for (yet!) , none of these 10 apps are unachievable. So, raise that capital and let's get developing!