iPhone app lets you get away with napping at work

April 17, 2009 | Dean Takahashi | Comments | |

A new iPhone app lets you nap at work in your cubicle without fear of being caught.

The iNap@Work app makes office-like “productivity noises” so that your co-workers will hear a constant din of activity coming from your space. Even though you may be snoring, your workers will hear sounds like typing, mouse clicks, flipping through papers, stapling, and human sounds such as clearing your throat.

All you do is adjust the settings on the iPhone touch screen to pick the sounds you want to simulate. You can adjust the frequency of sounds to simulate either a light or a hectic work day. You then click on the Start to begin your nap time and Stop when you want to do some real work.

Yes, this is one of those only in America stories, and only on the iPhone. And why not? If apps such as iFart can become wildly popular on the iPhone, this one ought to have its day in the sun and help drive Apple toward a billion app downloads. Clearly, it’s a novel idea and it would be great if it let its owners quit or redefine their day jobs. It’s got a lot of competition with 37,000-plus apps available on the iPhone, but most of those aren’t as silly as this one.

iNap@Work is the product of a two-man show. Trieu Pham came up with the idea and approached Alvin Wong, owner of Silent Logic Studios in San Jose, Calif. Wong has developed a couple of video games for the iPhone. The duo have funded the project themselves for several months.

Of course, since we’re talking about iPhone entrepreneurs here, there already is some competition. Brainwave Apps has created a Power Nap app. But Power Nap creates soothing sounds that let you take a nap. It doesn’t try to disguise the fact that you are napping. Another nap-related app is iNap: Arrival Alert, which lets you set an alarm on your iPhone in case you need to nap on a train.

Pham said he came up with the idea and thought it was funny enough to give it a shot. Even if people don’t really use it, they can show it off to their friends at the watercooler. The app is available in the iTunes App Store now or it can be purchased at the web site for 99 cents. Wong’s Silent Logic Studios has been around for nine years, developing mobile games for a variety of platforms. Its games include Flyz, Gravulous and Jungle Defender.

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About the Author, Dean Takahashi

Dean is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He covers video games, security, chips and a variety of other subjects. Dean previously worked at the San Jose Mercury News, the Wall Street Journal, the Red Herring, the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and the Dallas Times Herald. He is the author of two books, Opening the Xbox and the Xbox 360 Uncloaked. Follow him on Twitter at @deantak, and follow VentureBeat on Twitter at @venturebeat.

  • They should add motion detection from the camera set to trigger your ringtone of choice if it senses movement behind you...and it appears to be lacking a timer, which is an absolute must for naps in my book.
  • Wouldn't the sounds that the app is making keep the user awake?
  • aawindoze2
    I think he bring sup some pretty good points

    RT
    www.anon-web-tools.tk
  • sam
    it kind seems pointless because the sounds would keep you awake.
  • Raul
    Ugly looking app, PC guys
  • Let me share with you a short story: for more than 10 years, I was a loyal PC user and I never thought of switching to neither Mac nor Linux. After having been almost forced to use Mac while working with an events management company, I grew fond of Mac and Apple in general.

    It was then and there when I was introduced to the Mac vs. PC wars and somehow I became a fighter defending Mac with all my might.

    I kept wondering: how could this happen?

    The answer was right in front of me: innovation and personalization!

    Apple is unique, in almost everything it does, ranging from its products and services to its way of promoting and marketing them. Check out this as a proof of my argument: http://bit.ly/DopFL

    I might not fully agree with the iNap application because in a way it promotes chaos, yet I do love the fact that they actually went to the degree of thinking of such an application!

    Great gimmick which is what marketing success is all about!
  • Jenny LaVada
    It's a great idea. Next: an app that generates excuses as to how the boss caught you napping next to a small phone that is making typing, clicking, and coughing noises.