This app makes me sad. Developed for face-to-face conversation, iConvo’s creators believe that “being social is more than just being part of an online social networking site.”
Well, duh. If society has devolved so far that we can’t find a way to have a conversation or recover from uncomfortable pauses without the aid of technology, we have more problems than an iPhone app such as iConvo will fix.
The iConvo app’s premise is basic. Choose one of five situations (such as On A Date or Inappropriate Topics) and shake your iPhone or iPod Touch to display a question. Hit “Re-Shake” for a new question for that situation.
I focused my time on what was sure to be the most awkward situation in iConvo: On A Date. The first few questions were harmless enough, “Ideal romantic dinner?,” “Favorite restaurant?,” “Favorite all time movie?”
But then came “How much money do you make?,” “Where did you find money when you were flat broke?,” and “Relatives in jail?”
Put the iPhone down, ladies and gents, you just became part of the worst date in history.
Besides tacky, iConvo’s shake to refresh is unreliable and the same questions pop up often. The grammar, spelling and punctuation are also atrocious—perhaps the ad revenue could pay for an old-fashioned proofreader?
The app is restricted to ages 17+ for frequent alcohol, tobacco and drug references. It offers moments of fun, but please, don’t rely on iConvo for your conversation needs.
