From David Byrne, iPhone Apps You Wish Were Real

From the “maybe I can get these on Cydia” department: musician and artist David Byrne has created a number of authentic looking app store listings for fake iPhone apps, as contributions to a social media-related art exhibition being held in New York City next month. One handy offering is called Invisible Me, an auto-reply app for texts and emails allowing you to avoid work while pretending to be engaged. Sweet!

The exhibit is called “Social Media” and is being held at the Pace Gallery in New York from September 16 – October 15. The show’s description reads:

“The exhibition focuses on contemporary artists exploring public platforms for communication and social networks through an aesthetic and conceptual lens. In an era of increasingly omnipresent new technologies, Social Media examines the impact of these systems as they transform human expression, interaction, and perception.”

With social media and smartphones so omnipresent in our lives, Byrne’s contributions act as a playful mirror into how we are using – or want to use – some of this technology. Childster turns your phone into a babysitter for your kids, or aging parents. Many people are doing this already even without a dedicated app.

And for those of us who spend way too much time online, Weaselface will help boost your snark and satire in email replies and comment threads up to the next level.

At $0.99 it’s sure to be a best seller!

[via boing boing]

Adam Rosen

Adam Rosen is an Apple certified IT consultant specializing in Macintosh systems new and old. He lives in Boston with two cats and too many possessions. In addition to membership in the Cult of Mac, Adam has written for Low End Mac and is curator of the Vintage Mac Museum. He also enjoys a good libation.