App of the Week: a bit of fun

Yes, apps are a great business tool, but you know what they say - all work and no play makes Jack and Jill very dull kids indeed.

So in the interests of combating dullness and boredom everywhere, I decided it was time to investigate a few apps that might come in handy when you're waiting for the server to be restored or the bus to come – or settling your nerves before that big meeting.

PAPER TOSS

My kids introduced this to me and I have to admit (grudgingly) that this is a fun little app for both iOS and Android.

The basic premise is - you guessed it - to flick balls of paper into a rubbish bin. There are a variety of scenarios - the boss' office, your cubicle, the intern, or the warehouse - and in each scenario the challenges differ. In the boss' office, for example, the boss is asleep at his desk, right next to the rubbish bin. You lose points if your ball of paper ends up in the fish tank but get more points if you manage to get it in the treasure chest at the bottom of the fish tank. If you choose instead to throw paper at the intern who is holding the bin for you, you'll find he's not so helpful, moving his chair back and forth across the screen. And once the fan is turned on, it's almost impossible to hit the target - trust me, I've been trying for two days.

HUMAN CALCULATOR

This is one of those apps you really want to have at the office party. Simply feed in someone's date and time of birth and this calculator will give you back such fascinating information as:

- your age in years, days, minutes and seconds - how many heartbeats you've had- how many breaths you've taken- how many times you've blinked

and a whole lot more that really you may wonder - at least prior to the Christmas drinks - if you need to know them.

If your trivia team is less than enthused by this app, your teenage son will more than make up for them.

NEWTON'S CRADLE

I refuse to believe my children's insistence that I am the only person outside of the characters on Big Bang Theory who actually loves Newton's Cradle, hence my inclusion of this little app.

Quite simply, this gives you a virtual cradle on your phone. It works exactly as a real one would - pull back the number of balls you want to set swinging and let them go. They even make a clacking noise when they are moving.

Now it may not be the most interactive app but it is funky - especially if you need a little stress relief during the working day.

So there you have it - my pick of the current apps for a little distraction from your working day. Next week, we'll get back to being serious, I promise.