Smule's Zephyr sends snowy messages around the world

As much as I hate to do it, I'm always willing to admit when I'm wrong, and I was wrong about Ocarina. Not about the app itself, per se -- I still think it's one of the silliest, most pointless apps I've seen on the App Store. But it has been nothing but popular since its release, so apparently lots of people out there are into it. That's fine -- I'm willing to accept that there are best-selling apps out there that I think are dumb.

And maybe this will be another one: Smule, the company behind Ocarina, has decided to follow up with a new app called Zephyr (not to be confused with the MacBook cooling system) that seems just as silly to me. You can draw out messages with an airy sound-and-snowflake interface, and then send those messages blowing around the world (represented, in the official video above, by Las Vegas) to random people who, if they like your messages, will pass them on around the Internet. "What's the point?" you might say, and in that opinion, I'd agree with you. There are lots of ways to send messages around the world, and more than a few of them are quite free and will let you be clearer than drawing snow with wind sounds in the background.

But then again, I didn't see a point to Ocarina, and that made plenty of money. Zephyr is available on the App Store right now for 99 cents. And if you do jump in and buy it, make sure to tell us exactly why in the comments below.

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Source: http://www.smule.com/products/zephyr/

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Analysis / Opinion Odds and ends Internet iPhone App Store iPod touch

As much as I hate to do it, I'm always willing to admit when I'm wrong, and I was wrong about Ocarina. Not about the app itself, per se --...

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MSaldana

In all the time that I have been reading TUAW, this is the first time that a post bothered me.
What an arrogant and pretentious attitude of this blogger.
I hope this will not become a trend in the site.

January 08 2009 at 12:49 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Vikram

Why would you buy a game? - To have fun.

Ocarina was not pointless. It was good fun. Zephyr is similar. The whole point is to have fun. And buying this app is as good as buying any game.

http://iphonegamereviews.wordpress.com/

January 05 2009 at 10:57 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Velinion

Ocarina? Pointless? It's a $1 ocarina. A really crappy off-pitch untuned Peruvian pendent ocarina would normally run you $5. Plus, since you can change what key the Ocarina app is in in the menu, it's like having a whole bunch of pendent ocarinas in your pocket.

It is your right to consider the Ocarina app pointless, but this does raise some questions in my mind. I suppose a real ocarina is pointless and silly as well? A Violin? A piano? A guitar?

January 01 2009 at 8:00 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Mark

Mike strikes again with his holier-than-thou opinion. It is most humbling that you deem us worthy to write for and guide us in what is truly important and what is "dumb".

Too bad we can't vote + or - on his posts.

December 30 2008 at 4:34 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jason A. Quest

It is... not logical. [raised eyebrow]

December 30 2008 at 9:49 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Dave

While I haven't (yet) tried this application, I had the same thoughts you did about Ocarina; but my wife insisted on trying it. I must admit, it's fantastic. Simple, easy, and fun. Plus, I like the fact that as a musician I can take an "instrument" with me wherever I go.

December 30 2008 at 1:03 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

elitemrp

The ocarina app made me buy 2 real ocarinas and learn how to play them. So it wasn't pointless to me.

Their other apps are kind of pointless though, but I still enjoy them.

December 30 2008 at 12:13 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jazzjackrabbit86

Really? This and Ocarina are silly, yet you cover iFart as if it's a relevant piece of software.

Alrighty then....

December 29 2008 at 11:12 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Rahul Krishnakumar

outside of Rolando, Ocarina is the only app I've bought. Why?

Because I'm a musician, and trying out new things is cool. Not only does it allow you to listen to others play, it also saves your music to a Smule account online for playback, and allows for great experimentation overall. Maybe you should try it out sometime.

December 29 2008 at 9:09 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Rudy

ocarina is not dumb, it turned the iphone into a musical instument, thats pretty damn col

this IS dumb though.

December 29 2008 at 8:25 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply