Strange Apps

It was a Friday, which meant one of the busiest days of the week for her little coffee shop. After setting up shop at 4:30 am, Abigael spent the next five hours catering to her early risers. Coffee after coffee, discount for the lady with the keep-cup, wipe down the tables, make a note to order in some more milk. She could do with a coffee herself but she was so busy that her coffee always went cold before she could finish it.

After serving the IT guys from the firm across the road she quickly rushed out to clear and wipe down the tables before the lunch crowd arrived. Abigael's stomach made sure to remind her of her foolish decision not to cook a proper meal for herself last night, so she had taken out her honey sandwich which she had lying behind the counter and had been taking small bites whenever she had the chance. The hospitality industry could be tough sometimes, and breakfast was always a luxury.

The time was nearing on 10 am and she looked around in a daze after wiping down the last table realising there were no customers left to serve. Thank the heavens she could finally sit down. Wiping coffee grind off her small stool behind the counter she was about to pull out her phone to check her social media when she noticed something flashing.

The watch. She had been so busy she had completely forgotten about it. [Well, I have time right now so I may as well have a look. Maybe I can find that digital manual while I'm at it.] Taking a sip of cold flat white she tapped the screen of the watch and tried to figure out what was the matter with it.

The display screen was set out in the most normal and boring way possible and there were currently only three apps installed.

{Settings}

{App Store}

{Stats}

There was also a bar at the top of the screen labelled {Notifications} that was currently flashing. She decided to start there so tapped the notifications bar. Four notices were waiting for her attention, the first was labelled {Welcome}

Thinking that this might be the elusive instructions manual she immediately tapped it and the watch displayed a wall of text that the screen was really too small for. She glanced through but soon realised that this was just the terms and conditions and privacy policy. Most of which related to her lack of ability to make complaints and waiving of her legal rights as soon as she put on the watch. Grumbling about dodgy marketing tactics that forced her into contracts without letting her see them first Abigael searched fruitlessly for any information on removing the watch.

Becoming frustrated and slightly overwhelmed from the copious amounts of wordy text and contract language she decided to leave the message and open the next notification.

{Using the Pilot Launch Omni-Technical Armour, watch model}

'Now that's more like it.' she said, quickly tapping the notification. Another wall of text, but much shorter this time.

{The Pilot Launch Omni-Technical Armour's sole purpose is to guide the wearer and provide assistance at all times. The watch model is functional and convenient, providing one of the best assistance experiences. Apps can be purchased through the {App Store} You can change your personalisation preferences and find notification and other settings in {Settings}. The {Stats} app has been pre-installed for your convenience. Thank you for choosing the Pilot Launch Omni-Technical Armour, watch model}

That was it?

Abigael read through the notification again, hoping she had missed something. Nothing about how to use the watch, nothing about how it was charged, nothing about where to go for complaints or questions, not even a company name.

She signed in frustration and looked at the next notification. The shortest one yet.

{Stats Updated}

She clicked the notification and it took her to the {Stats} App. Lines of neatly presented data appeared as she swiped through.

{Health: Good (minor injury to left wrist)}

{Stamina: fatigued}

{Heart rate: 92 bpm}

{Fame: (Local) 5}

{Title: Nobody}

What was up with that fame stat? And calling her a nobody? The designers of this app were rude. Wait, minor injury to the left wrist? She quickly looked at her skin near the watch, finding nothing she flipped her hand over to find the small wound the made with the butter knife last night in her frenzy to get the watch off.

[Wow, technology is really advancing. It could even tell this...] Feeling that her personal privacy might have just been invaded and insulted she got out of the {Stats} and opened up the App store, hoping she could at least download some music or social media apps. 'What the hell?!' she cried out in shock. The app store had heaps of apps but they were all greyed out except for one.

{Daily}

She decided to tap on it as it was the only action she could make in this broken and useless app store.

{Daily}

{Description: Complete daily goals to earn rewards!}

{Cost: 10 Credits (requires 5 fame)

{Current balance: 10 Credits)

{Purchase: Yes/No}

It didn't really explain it very well, she assumed it was some kind of health and fitness tracker. Abigael had had enough, this whole watch was just ridiculous. First it refused to get off her wrist, then it gave her the terms of use AFTER she was bound to them, then there was the rude stats and broken app store and now it was requesting her to pay in a form of currency that seemed more than a little dodgy.

'It says I have 10 of these Credits but I've never converted any money to whatever currency this is.' As if in response to her complaint the watch immediately beeped and the final notification, which she had forgotten about, showed up.

{Welcome to the Pilot Launch Omni-Technical Armour. A welcome gift of 10 Credits has been credited to your account. Have a nice day}

'Stupid voice recording assistant thing! I don't give a f*ck about what kind of omni-armour technological watch thing you are or your dumb welcome gift! I just want this off of me!' She ranted furiously, shaking her arm wildly in the hopes the watch would simply fly away.

It didn't.

'Um, excuse me. Are you still open? I just want a cappuccino.' Came a hesitant voice from the counter.

Abigael jumped and quickly covered the watch with her right hand, then went bright red as she realised it was the hot real estate guy from two blocks away who had just witnessed her rant. She suddenly wished she could turn invisible.

'Ah, s-sorry, yes, won't be a moment.' She said quietly and hid herself behind the coffee machine busying herself with making the cappuccino and wishing the day would end soon.