Today's list challenge from Become an Idea Machine is to come up with 10 apps that don't exist that I would use. Some of these might exist, but I don't know they exist. I did search for some of them, because if they did exist I would want to use them, but alas they were not there. Do I know anyone who could build them for me, and for the world at large?
Here is the list:
1. Picture Calorie Counter (By the way, we would need to think of way cooler titles than what I have come up with) - This NEEDS to happen. You simply take a picture of the food that you are about to eat and the app calculates how many calories it is. There will be no more laboriously adding ingredient after ingredient into your current calorie counter. You just point, shoot, and figure out how much of that dinner you can eat and still stay within your calorie guidelines.
2. Service/Need Help Connector - This app connects people who are looking for opportunities to do service with people who need help. You need help moving. You could call the elder's quorum president. Or you could enter the fact that you need help moving into the app, and then a few people wake up on your moving day and say, "Hey, I have a couple of hours today that I could really help someone." They log onto the app, see that you are moving and head on over. What if you sprained your ankle and needed someone to do some grocery shopping for you. Just enter the help you need into the app and allow someone the blessing of serving in a way that they, until they used the app, did not know was needed.
My wife probably would not use this app... safety concerns... yeah, legitimate safety concerns. Oh well, at least there are 9 other ideas.
3. 501(c)(3) Finder - You need to donate some money for a tax write off. Or, you just have a hankering to give some money to a worthy cause. You could donate to the big boys, the charities that are in the news a lot, but you want to help out someone who is smaller. Someone that doesn't have the same media exposure. Look no further than the 501(c)(3) Finder. You enter what your interests and passions are, and the app gives you the names and contact information of charities that need your support.
4. Know What People Are Really Thinking of You - I will admit that this idea is a little iffy. But haven't you ever wondered what people really think of you? I am reminded of a book called What You Think of Me Is None of My Business, and it is a great book. We do worry about what others think of us a little too much in our society. But what if you didn't have to wonder? What if you just knew? Just think of all the mental energy it would free up if you already knew what people thought of you. You may spend that extra mental energy being offended or angry, but there is probably some pleasant surprises in there too. What you would really probably find out is that people don't really think of you much at all. Which is always a good reminder.
5. Learning Target Protocol Matcher - If you are a classroom teacher, do you ever wonder what protocol would be the best to help students meet the intended learning target and help you assess their progress along the way? Just type in what the intended learning is and this app will give you suggestions of protocols that will help you accomplish both parts of the previous sentence. Oh yeah, and there is video modeling how the protocol works.
6. Babysitting App - I must admit that my wife helped me think of this idea. 10 ideas a day is harder than you might think. Anyway, the way this works is, teenagers put in their information, dates and times that they are available to babysit and then you just have to look at your app and choose one of these highly qualified and trustworthy teens. Of course there would be a screening process before just anyone could offer their services.
7. Order Your Groceries and Pick Them Up - OK, this one might actually be out there. But it would be nice to be able to notice that we are out of something and then make a list in my app, hit send, pay for the groceries and fee that the store charges to pull the items off the shelf, and then go pick up the groceries. Really, I don't know that I would use this, because I love to shop. But it would save time. I could even probably pay a neighborhood kid to go pick them up for me. Thus, I would not have to leave the house. But I do like leaving the house. Yeah, this app is probably not for me. Which is why, if it does exist, I don't know that it does.
8. Roll Taker App - This is another app for teachers. When it is time to take roll, you take a picture of the class and the app matches the facial profiles of the students that are there with those that are supposed to be there. It then automatically syncs with your attendance software and submits the completed attendance to the office. That would be rad.
9. Garbage Pick Up App - Ever wonder when the city is going to put one of those huge dumpsters in your neighborhood? Well, wonder no more. The city and people in your neighborhood would both benefit from the use of this app. When you have some tree limbs or some other unsightly garbage that you would like to dispose of, and you don't want to call 1-800-Got Junk (whom we have used and they did a marvelous job), then you enter what trash you have into the app. The city is monitoring each neighborhood through their end of the app and when there is enough in the neighborhood to necessitate a dumpster, they bring one. The also let you know when it is coming by an alert that is sent to you through the app. Seamless.
10. The Robot Controller App - This one is for in the future. This app will control the robot that will do the dishes, the laundry, and other sundry household tasks that I hate... Should have put some of those on yesterdays list.
If anyone feels so inclined to create any of these apps. Let me know, I really would like to use them... except for maybe #2 and #7.
What apps do you wish were out there? #Iwishtherewasanapp
Here is the list:
1. Picture Calorie Counter (By the way, we would need to think of way cooler titles than what I have come up with) - This NEEDS to happen. You simply take a picture of the food that you are about to eat and the app calculates how many calories it is. There will be no more laboriously adding ingredient after ingredient into your current calorie counter. You just point, shoot, and figure out how much of that dinner you can eat and still stay within your calorie guidelines.
2. Service/Need Help Connector - This app connects people who are looking for opportunities to do service with people who need help. You need help moving. You could call the elder's quorum president. Or you could enter the fact that you need help moving into the app, and then a few people wake up on your moving day and say, "Hey, I have a couple of hours today that I could really help someone." They log onto the app, see that you are moving and head on over. What if you sprained your ankle and needed someone to do some grocery shopping for you. Just enter the help you need into the app and allow someone the blessing of serving in a way that they, until they used the app, did not know was needed.
My wife probably would not use this app... safety concerns... yeah, legitimate safety concerns. Oh well, at least there are 9 other ideas.
3. 501(c)(3) Finder - You need to donate some money for a tax write off. Or, you just have a hankering to give some money to a worthy cause. You could donate to the big boys, the charities that are in the news a lot, but you want to help out someone who is smaller. Someone that doesn't have the same media exposure. Look no further than the 501(c)(3) Finder. You enter what your interests and passions are, and the app gives you the names and contact information of charities that need your support.
4. Know What People Are Really Thinking of You - I will admit that this idea is a little iffy. But haven't you ever wondered what people really think of you? I am reminded of a book called What You Think of Me Is None of My Business, and it is a great book. We do worry about what others think of us a little too much in our society. But what if you didn't have to wonder? What if you just knew? Just think of all the mental energy it would free up if you already knew what people thought of you. You may spend that extra mental energy being offended or angry, but there is probably some pleasant surprises in there too. What you would really probably find out is that people don't really think of you much at all. Which is always a good reminder.
5. Learning Target Protocol Matcher - If you are a classroom teacher, do you ever wonder what protocol would be the best to help students meet the intended learning target and help you assess their progress along the way? Just type in what the intended learning is and this app will give you suggestions of protocols that will help you accomplish both parts of the previous sentence. Oh yeah, and there is video modeling how the protocol works.
6. Babysitting App - I must admit that my wife helped me think of this idea. 10 ideas a day is harder than you might think. Anyway, the way this works is, teenagers put in their information, dates and times that they are available to babysit and then you just have to look at your app and choose one of these highly qualified and trustworthy teens. Of course there would be a screening process before just anyone could offer their services.
7. Order Your Groceries and Pick Them Up - OK, this one might actually be out there. But it would be nice to be able to notice that we are out of something and then make a list in my app, hit send, pay for the groceries and fee that the store charges to pull the items off the shelf, and then go pick up the groceries. Really, I don't know that I would use this, because I love to shop. But it would save time. I could even probably pay a neighborhood kid to go pick them up for me. Thus, I would not have to leave the house. But I do like leaving the house. Yeah, this app is probably not for me. Which is why, if it does exist, I don't know that it does.
8. Roll Taker App - This is another app for teachers. When it is time to take roll, you take a picture of the class and the app matches the facial profiles of the students that are there with those that are supposed to be there. It then automatically syncs with your attendance software and submits the completed attendance to the office. That would be rad.
9. Garbage Pick Up App - Ever wonder when the city is going to put one of those huge dumpsters in your neighborhood? Well, wonder no more. The city and people in your neighborhood would both benefit from the use of this app. When you have some tree limbs or some other unsightly garbage that you would like to dispose of, and you don't want to call 1-800-Got Junk (whom we have used and they did a marvelous job), then you enter what trash you have into the app. The city is monitoring each neighborhood through their end of the app and when there is enough in the neighborhood to necessitate a dumpster, they bring one. The also let you know when it is coming by an alert that is sent to you through the app. Seamless.
10. The Robot Controller App - This one is for in the future. This app will control the robot that will do the dishes, the laundry, and other sundry household tasks that I hate... Should have put some of those on yesterdays list.
If anyone feels so inclined to create any of these apps. Let me know, I really would like to use them... except for maybe #2 and #7.
What apps do you wish were out there? #Iwishtherewasanapp