Opinion: Tell President Obama how you really feel with new iPhone app
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Want to tell President Obama how you really feel? How about using your iPhone?
As in all things social media, it’s not everything it seems: Instead of placing a call to the White House switchboard or your local political representative’s office, you can send a message to Obama via a new smartphone application.
Called Note to Obama, the application -- or computer program for mobile devices -- builds on the popularity of a similar app called Note to God, also released by Medl Mobile Inc., that allows users to post their innermost feelings on religion to a public noticeboard in cyberspace. Anonymously, of course.
And though the notes aren’t directly delivered to the president’s desk, they’ll remain for a long time in cyberspace should the president ever swap his beloved BlackBerry for an iPhone or iPad and download the program. They even make a version for left-handed folks (just kidding).
The forum is moderated by the public, and comments deemed offensive are flagged and removed. Comments also are voted on by other users with the best moving to the top of the display board. It also features a word ‘cloud’ display with the most commonly mentioned words in users’ posts. ‘Economy’ featured prominently, as did ‘job,’ ‘citizens’ and ‘guns.’
The app is only available for iPhones with the latest 4.1 software installed and requires a valid e-mail address. Recent comments include:
‘I think you are pretty cool for someone who is so important. important people are usually quite boring but your cool.’
‘Mr President with two wars and the economy in shambles, I believed that you had an opportunity to become a truly great president. I am sad to say that your obsession for building a legacy for yourself via the ‘Obamacare’ package while totally neglecting the dire situation concerning employment has assured only that you will be another one-termer who has helped Jimmy Carter breathe a huge sigh of relief.’
‘Hey there just a little note from the country up north. I think you’re doing a fantastic job and you were exactly what the states needed ... We Canadians love you!’
The Note to God app was developed after a 17-year-old California student won a nationwide competition to get his personal idea for an application developed by Medl Mobile.
Note to Obama’s blurb points out that the application’s developers are not responsible for the contents of any of the comments posted on the site.
-- Craig Howie
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