Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

Ok, here's the deal. I'm always running to the train because I do things at the last moment, so I have an idea for an app that prevents this.

Since I use my phone as my only clock, and I don't have another at home, I would like to request an app that changes the time.

Idea:
At a chosen time, like 4AM ( you can chose whatever time you want ) the app changes your phone clock randomly forward 1 - 10min ( you can chose whatever interval you want ), that means that you never know how much in advance your clock is, it could be 3min or 9min, then you need to stick to the time your phone shows.
Et voilà, never late again.
Is this possible? Anyone out there that would like to make one/has a need for one themselves?

I would make it myself, but my programing skillz are close to zero.

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

you will still be late, you'll mentally factor in that your phone is anything up to ten mins early, if its only 3mins early you'll be extra late. if you think you can overcome the mental aspect of it then just set your frickin phone ten mins early all the time and then forget about it.

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

or, have a friend to randomly forward a min count on your phone. and not tell you about it

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

have a WHAT randomly forward the clock? if this idea has unmet dependencies from the start you may aswell forget it! :P

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

Sometimes you need help with changing your personality, and if that doesn't work, go for a failsafe way. It would work for me.

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

its already there, its called the alarm? and perhaps the calendar?

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

app to prevent you from being late... hmm... calender/alarm maybe? ;)

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

Just checked the date and it isn't april 1st, so the OP must be genuine.

1. set an alarm, and put the phone out of reach.

2. set a second alarm...

3. set tasks and email alerts on something like Remember the Milk.

Get Organised, and get a grip! Your issue is the same as the rest of us have every morning going for work and we cope!

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

I'll have it done tomorrow.

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

are you sure you havent installed an app that sets the calendar forward random intervals so you can get the christmas shopping in on time?

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

Somebody just send him a blank script.

It will serve as a placebo effect and the end result is that he will have to follow his clock anyway, not knowing the actual deviation (none).

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

You could probably do this with a shell script and run it using cron or Alarmed. But the real solution is to plan to leave 5/10 minutes earlier. I do know what it is like, I'm just the same, leaving late does get me running more though ;)

How would you work this though? Would you just have it run once, but then you'd get used to the offset after a while, or would you run it every night, but the the offset would add up and after a week it could be anywhere between 7 and 70 minutes fast. I guess the best way would be for it to check the time via the internet and do a random offset each day based on that.

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

genius! really i love it! well, not that it'll work now he's read that post, but definate brownie points for the theory!

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

You can use evil alarm.

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

That works for me... :p
I have to shake my phone for 2 minutes in order to make it stop... xD

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

It is a great idea, I'm using similar tactics myself. My Microwave in the kitchen (main occupation area in the morning) is set 10 minutes in the "future" and even if I obviously know that, it does add that extra little stress-factor I need to get out of the door with some time to spare.

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

I tried Evil Alarm, and all it did was gently vibrate and play a few seconds of music... Perhaps I didn't set it up properly? :confused:
What I would really like to see is an alarm that can't be stopped until I have opened my eyes and got my brain in gear, solving some math problem, getting through a maze or like something off one of those Brain Train games for instance. Sitting in the dark furiously shaking one's right hand is all too easy. ;)

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

It's an amusing idea, as are many of the responses. How about putting a message in the alarm that pops up saying: "If you miss this train you will probably lose your job!"

That ought to get you going.

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

I do wake up earlier, but that's the point with the app: It gives you the "stress" of not knowing if it is 10min forward or not, it should/would work.
It's not that I need it when I wake up, but in general. Even though I am awake for 2h I would not know the real time.
This is as serious as Jobs is about not allowing Flash.

I like the placebo effect thing though, but that only works with me thinking I got some LSD.

Re: Request for an app that will prevent you from being late.
 

Well yeah, auto updating the time, then change it.
You should be able to choose if it should work everyday or just weekdays etc. For me it would work everyday, since I always have something planned.