By Lakin Dayta, Technology
Editor
Ever wonder when the absolute last second was that you
could leave your house to catch the St. John passenger or car ferry? Or get there so early you feel like you are
waiting for the next transit of Venus? Wonder what the odds were of coming out
ahead buying a round-trip ticket? Or the
odds that guy in the car to your right will try to cut you off at the exit
ramp? While most iPhone apps are about as useful as flip flops for cushion
starfish, this one is genius.
Local digital master, Morgan Barley Geak, has just the
thing for you. Right next to your latest Angry Birds - Islands, you can put his
new iPhone app “Win-Time Ferry.”
In the setup, you must enter your age, weight, length of
inseam and best high-school time on the 100-yard dash. Also you rate each
captain by how well he knows you, etc., etc. for about 600 items. Setup should
take less than two weeks. Be sure you get your driver’s license correct and enter
your opinion on peach yogurt or you will have to start over.
Sophisticated algorithms calculate the most likely time
each vessel leaves from early to way late so you can squeeze the last second. WTFerry
knows the weather so it can figure in that last minute downpour too. GPS keeps
up with you and Siri shouts encouragement or directions. The default GO! signal
is a starter’s pistol, so don’t use it in the TSA line at the airport or in
local banks.
Navigation is easy with four tabs: “Passenger Ferry,” “Car
Ferry,” “Lunch Reservations at Virgilios” and “St. Thomas Shopping.”
The shopping tab is also paired with Siri. You’ll hear
things like, “You can hammer nails with the bananas at Fruit Bowl today,” and
“Home Depot still doesn’t have that saw you wanted no matter what they told you
on the phone.”
There have been a few complaints like, “I can’t find the
iPhone Home button.” But largely the beta was well received. Evaluator, Rafe Boudin, says that it really
needs an undo button. “I could use an
undo button for other things too… like my dad selling Trunk.” Morgan said he
would work on it.
There is a mailbox key and a bottle opener.
Beta tester, Susan Chair, says, “The next time you arrive
just as the ferry is pulling away, you will think WTF!”
