| It seems as though many iPhone apps gain popularity | | | | Another cool, but ultimately unproductive app is |
| not because of utility or productivity value, but simply | | | | "Expando", by Happy Appy. Expando is a cute little |
| based on their "cool factor." Out of the 90,000+ | | | | game that presents you with a screen filled with tiny |
| applications available through the iTunes store alone, | | | | red balls that bounce around the screen like popcorn |
| one could possibly speculate that at least half of | | | | in a 70s style hot air popper. Your mission is to |
| them serve little function other than to be humorous | | | | destroy these balls and fill up the screen with happy |
| or "look cool." One of the greatest iPhone apps to | | | | faces. You accomplish this by pressing your finger on |
| possess such coolness would be the "vitaminwater | | | | an empty part of the screen. Pressing the screen |
| sound lab," a mini DJ application allowing you to remix | | | | creates a happy face. The happy face grows bigger |
| 50 Cent's latest single, "Baby By Me." | | | | the longer you hold your finger to the screen. Be |
| The sound lab presents you with a screen full of | | | | careful though, as you must let go of the screen |
| buttons, each of which allows you start at stop | | | | before your happy face comes into contact with a |
| various elements of a typical hip hop track, including | | | | red ball, or else you lose the happy face. |
| drum lines, vocals, and special effects. You can touch | | | | Expando takes full advantage of the iPhone's |
| a a special effect for a brief, "one off" soundbite or | | | | accelerometer, as tilting the iPhone around causes |
| press and hold for continuous play. You can either | | | | your happy faces to shift around the screen. With |
| experiment in free play mode or record mixes for | | | | enough shifting, you might be able to manage |
| upload to the vitaminwater remix contest. Winners of | | | | "squishing" all the red balls off the screen. This tactic |
| the remix contest can win cash, product, and possibly | | | | is particularly useful in later stages when there are |
| a meeting with 50 Cent himself. The app is obviously | | | | too many red balls to make happy face creation |
| designed to promote vitaminwater's products, but | | | | easy. |
| that doesn't stop it from being cool. This | | | | This game, however simply it may be, is very |
| vitaminwater sound lab is extremely engaging for hip | | | | addicting. Its simplicity, use of the iPhone's orientation |
| hop heads, and will "get yo iFone blowin' up fo sho, | | | | sensing capabilities, and shear addictiveness are what |
| ya dig?" | | | | gives Expando its cool. |