Should You Dump Your Boyfriend? There's an App for That
Your phone can now reveal whether your relationship is doomed.
If our Smartphones weren't taking over our lives enough already, they're now butting in on our relationships. If you're dating someone who makes you hot one day and cold the next, your phone can now let you know whether or not you two should just be friends.
Sarah Gray, a Chicago-based programmer, was going through a rocky, long-distance relationship several years ago when she came up with the app, "Should I Break Up With My Boyfriend?" in her living room. Gray said in a statement:
"I wished I had a way to track how I felt about him and our relationship, and could see a graph which would show me if things were mostly good–or mostly sucked. That way, I could do something about it."
Gray said she wanted an objective opinion on the matter.
"Being able to see your relationship clearly and objectively is the first step on the path to a happy, healthy, love life," Gray said. "Sometimes, we need an objective voice to help us appreciate a good thing or accept something painful. And this app helps us tap into the best voice of all - the one inside ourselves."
I can't help but think if you're depending on an app to decide the fate of your relationship, it's probably not going too well anyway. I should also mention that, for now, this app is focused on boyfriends, though I imagine it can be used in the same way to see if you should break up with your girlfriend.
At any rate, here's how it works, according to the app itself:
"To help you track your ups and downs, we'll send you a daily reminder to rate how you're feeling about him. You'll also have the option to add notes to each rating. You can rate him as often as you like, since you never know when he might surprise you."
You enter those ratings for about two weeks, and you're not able to see your results during that time. Once you've told your phone how you feel, you then get advice based on your entry patterns. The app admits it doesn’t replace time with a licensed therapist or best friend, but it does tell us:
"This information is displayed as a graph…"
So you know you're dealing with real science here. I know it's just silly fun, but here's the part where it gets a bit over-the-top:
"We save your entries for past boyfriends so you can review them any time. You'll always have access to all of your diary notes and statistics, which can come in handy if you ever forget what's great (or not so great) about a particular guy."
If there was any doubt that our social lives are suffering because of technology, this should squash it. Because not only are our phones replacing human interaction, they're now reminding us about our own feelings. Who needs memories when it's right there in your phone?
Then again, I suppose it's like revisiting an old diary. If you choose not to take it that seriously, the app is probably an interesting little diversion. Gray's results? She found that she was only happy about 39 percent of the time. She realized it was time to move on from her relationship, thanks to "Should I Break Up With My Boyfriend?"
That's an awkward conversation. Sorry, honey. My phone thinks we should see other people...
"Should I Break Up With My Boyfriend?" is available for the iPhone in the App Store. What do you think? Would you take relationship advice from your phone?
Photo: Courtesy of MercuryApp LLC
More on love & sex from MSN Living:
How to Determine If He's Marriage Material8 Secret Guy Insecurities
On Location: A New Orleans Wedding
love: friendship, dating, sex & marriage
-
25 totally free date ideas
Who says a special outing with the hubby has to empty your wallet? These fresh, fun activities require no cash at all, so work your way down the list.
-
8 body language moves that show him you care
The best method of communication is often nonverbal — your silent actions can have a big impact on the nuances of your relationship. We asked the experts how you can show your honey how much you love him, without making a peep.
-
11 ideas for a summer wedding
Get inspired with these ideas for a fantastic, fun summer wedding!
-
Weirdest wedding gifts ever received
A pet goat and a skeleton nutcracker aren’t gifts you’d typically receive at a birthday party, let alone a wedding! Brides share with us the weirdest things they’ve been gifted by their guests. No-holds-barred. Obviously, wedding registries are created for a reason!
-
Modern day matchmaker: 10 signs he has what it takes to be Your husband
Put an end to casual connections and date the man you're meant to be with — like forever — with this guide from Modern Day Matchmaker Paul Carrick Brunson.
-
Wedding songs of the famous
When these big names get married, they opt for songs that bring the same star quality to the show.
-
20 things you never knew about kissing
A kiss is just a kiss—or is it? We decided to see what researchers, anthropologists and scholars had to say about kissing. Here’s what we found out.
-
25 best wedding photo bombs on Pinterest
Welcome to the world of wedding photo bombs, where there’s always one guest or wedding crasher who can’t keep from jumping in front of the camera.
-
The history of LGBT Pride Month
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender pride has been growing steadily for more than 40 years. Pride month officially kicks off in June, so we are taking a look at how the LGBT community has evolved.
-
9 things grooms worry about before their wedding day
Brides aren’t the only ones with wedding-day worries. We asked groomsmen to dish on what the groom freaks out about when the bride isn’t looking.
-
10 things men hate to hear in bed
These phrases drive guys crazy — and not in a good way. We got real men to tell us what they don't want to hear between the sheets, ever.
-
The surprising reasons you're not in the mood
If you can't pinpoint the last time you made the first move — or didn't resist when your hubby did, these libido killers may be to blame. Here's how to fight them off.
