Maybe some things shouldn't be replaced by technology

The Guardian reported this week that the U.K. Clinical Research Collaboration is in the process of developing a way for people to test themselves for sexually transmitted diseases using their mobile devices. If they are successful, users will be able to place their own urine or saliva on a small computer chip that plugs into the mobile device, which will then produce the test results.

According to the Guardian, the app is being produced with technology-savvy young people in mind – those that experts say may be too embarrassed to go to the doctor to be tested though their age group has the highest rate of STDs. The test is meant to be private and quick, much like a drug store pregnancy test, and to reduce the growing number of STDs, which have increased in frequency over the last decade in the U.K.

Appadvice points out that this news may mean one day doctorâ€s offices could be obsolete, or at least less frequently visited. If the average person can test themselves for an STD, whoâ€s to say people wonâ€t diagnose themselves and print out their prescriptions in the future?

We donâ€t see that happening until sometime very far into the future, and the app being developed does not seem to include a way for people to treat themselves in private as well. This could mean it will not actually reduce the rate of STDs. If someone is too embarrassed to see a doctor to be tested, they may be too embarrassed to be treated as well.

And now that weâ€ve discussed all the particulars can we take a minute to talk about how inserting your own urine or spit into your mobile phone is disgusting? Weâ€re sure the creators will have some way to keep the process totally sterile and clean, but weâ€re not planning on sticking anything up against our cheeks and ears that has once housed our own pee. Trying to stop the growing rate of infection any way possible is a great idea and should be commended, but how about educating young people about STD prevention and coming up with ways to make them feel more comfortable talking to their doctors instead?

The app in question is taptaptap’s popular app Camera+.  Camera+ was featured as the “App Of The Week” by Apple shortly after it’s release, and was on the top of the paid app charts as of Wednesday.  Camera+ added useful photo editing and two-finger focusing (one for focus, one for exposure) to the mix, which was a vast improvement over the Apple-made Camera app. {Gizmodo}

For version 1.3 of Camera+, taptaptap decided to include “Volume Snap,” which would allow the volume buttons (on the phone as well as headphones) to act as shutter buttons.  The idea being it would make it easier to get steady shots by holding the phone with two hands, or just easier than having to press the touchscreen button.  Apple rejected version 1.3 of the app, citing iPhone Developer Program License Agreement version 3.3.7.  Basically, changing the function of the volume buttons to do anything but change volume is not allowed by Apple.  Apple claims it would confuse users if the buttons were use in a “non-standard way.”

Volume Snap was originally said to be part of the version 1.2.1 release, though it was nowhere to be found, and with Apple rejecting version 1.3, it looked like Camera+ fans would never get the feature.  It then came out that Volume Snap was included in version 1.2.1, it just wasn’t obvious.  Turns out that if users who had the app went to Safari and went to the address “cameraplus://enablevolumesnap” the feature would be turned on.  A bit convoluted, but it worked and gave users the functionality.

When the news struck, bloggers urged iPhone owners to buy the app before ithe feature was taken away.  Sure enough, shortly after, Apple pulled Camera+ from the App Store while it was still high in the paid apps chart.  That’s where we are now, a great camera app pulled from the store, with no way of getting updates unless the functionality is removed.  It may not seem right, given that Volume Snap isn’t enabled by default, and the current process is such that only those who would want it would bother to turn on the feature.  However, Apple does say you can’t change the functionality of buttons, and it is clear about that in the license agreement.  Perhaps Apple will reconsider, but for now those who are lucky enough to have the app can still use it, and those who want it are out of luck.