Get wakeup calls from random strangers with Wakie

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Would you find it easier to get out of bed in the morning if you had to have a chat with a random stranger? Then you need Wakie, a new smartphone app that provides wakeup calls from people you’ve never met.

There are all kinds of interesting alarm clocks designed to help bed-lovers get up in the morning; some make you solve sums or puzzles, and others force you to move around. Wakie forces you to be sociable — even in the early hours — because “your brain wakes up faster when someone asks you a question, sings you a song, or tells you a story,” apparently.

Here’s how it works: When you set an alarm for 6 a.m., you’ll get a phone call from a “Waker,” who could be anywhere in the world, at 6 a.m. All calls end automatically after 60 seconds — no matter how well you’re getting along — and the service is completely anonymous; your name and phone number are never shared with other users.

Screenshots: Wakie/Google Play.
Screenshots: Wakie/Google Play.

But Wakie isn’t just a novelty alarm clock; its a “community” that aims to match likeminded people. “Wakie learns what kind of people attract you,” its description reads, and the more you use the service, the better those matches will become. Wakie promises to be the only alarm clock that “makes you happy.”

So, what happens if there’s no one free to call you? Well, don’t worry — you won’t sleep in — Wakie will provide an automated call to get you up.

You don’t always have to be on the receiving end of Wakie, either. You can also become a Waker yourself and provide wakeup calls for other users. The app will tell you how many people need waking up at any given time, and all you need to do is push a button to call them.

Wakie for iOS is currently with Apple awaiting App Store approval, but Android users can download it now by following the Google Play link below.

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