Hundreds of iPads destroyed by bogus apps

by +Alexa Rankin

It seems that technology is making us dumber and the iPad is the leading cause of techtardation. Ever since the first iteration of the i-device, people have been developing apps to make life easier and keep us entertained, but recently there have been a number of apps designed to test peoples stupidity.

The Traffic Light Controller App

What started as just harmless fun, writing joke apps like traffic light controllers, x-ray cameras or lie detectors to make a bit of cash from peoples gullibility soon tuned in to a deliberate and malicious test of how stupid the app buying public can be.

There are many apps which are causing permanent and irrevocable damage to i-devices, but the 3 top ones are Underwater Camera, Water Thermometer and WeighPad. The first two are pretty much self explanatory, and involve submerging your iPhone underwater which is not advised by Apple and will void your warranty. The iPhone should only be placed underwater when you want to sink your contacts...

How not to sync your contacts

WeighPad is an app designed specifically to take advantage of the iPad 3's pressure sensitive touch screen (so the app tells us) to allow the user to weigh themselves. 

"Simply place the iPad 3 on a firm flat surface, remove your shoes and socks and then stand on the screen. After a few moments your weight will be displayed on the screen. You can then track your weight over time and export the data to other apps to assist in dieting and weight loss programs."

WeighPad on the iPad 3 - not to scale

Crap. This app is designed to test the stupidity of people, especially the overweight ones who want a quick fix thinking that technology will make them slim. I say if people are stupid enough to fall for these phony apps then they deserve to have a large crack... in their screen.

These days, fake apps are required to add the words "For entertainment only" in the app description to prevent dumb people doing dumb things. However, this doesn't stop dumb people from doing dumb things. People are still taking underwater pictures or cracking their iPad screens by standing on them, and quite rightly Apple is not taking any responsibility for the damages.

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There is no way of knowing exactly how many i-devices have been damaged because of misuse due to joke apps, numbers released by an independent tech insurance company suggest that between three and four hundred i-device warranty claims have been denied so far in 2013 as a result of damage caused by a combination of rogue apps and stupidity.

Do you think that these apps should be banned? Should the Apple warranty cover damage from malicious apps? What's the dumbest thing you have done with your iPhone? Share your bogus app stories below in the comments section.

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