Vibernate App for Androids

Vibernate: A Very Practical App

One of the best things about being a parent is to see children growing up and exercising their potential more and more. As a technology geek myself, I do know of a good and practical idea when I see one. This small project is done by a team of University students at the University of British Columbia. They have come up with a really brilliant idea to a common problem. My daughter is one of the members in the team.

Why do you need this app? Well, remember how cell phones can be both a boon as well as a bane? You hate it when it interrupts you or embarrasses you during an important meeting. You also hate it when you fail to pick up an important call because it is on silence mode. VIBERNATE addresses these 2 problems directly.

Problem #1 - Forgetting to Silence One's Phone Before Meeting

The first problem is forgetting to turn off one's cell phone before any important meeting. We all know the irritation that comes when someone else's phone starts screaming out in the middle of a class, interrupting not just our own train of thought but the presenter's program as well. It can be rude and discourteous to all. I remember attending conferences where the organizers will remind attendees to turn off their cell phones. In schools, teachers remind students constantly to silent their phones. The same applies to Church group gatherings, Sunday services, meeting places, and so on. Turning the phone off or switching it to silent mode helps, but only when the meeting is ongoing. What about after the meeting?

Problem #2 - Forgetting to Turn One's Phone Back to Normal Mode After Meeting

This presents us the next problem: When we forget to turn our cell phones ring tones back ON, it leads to missed calls and frustration when people tried to call us in vain. If only we have an app to address both problems. Turning our cells to silent or vibrate mode at the start of the meeting, and automatically turning it back on after the meeting. Enters VIBERNATE, an app that allows us to program the start and end times of each important meeting. Use the app:

• For school days;
• When attending lectures
• On Sundays when you are at Church
• Important meetings
• Conferences and Public Events
• ....

The app works for Android platforms now. It is currently hosted on the project leader's website. If you want to see the rest of the team members, download the app and check out the ABOUT tab. Great job Amelia and team!

If there is popular demand, perhaps the developers can come up with a version for use with IOS, iPhones, and maybe Windows 8 too.

conrade