Here’s another project idea I’ve beem sitting on for a while now. To see other project ideas posted in this blog, visit this category.

Inspiration

Let me conclude it in two lines: This XKCD cartoon and Shannon’s Useless Machine.

Concept

A live wallpaper, with one button and a counter like this. The button simply resets the counter, otherwise ticking up to seconds.

Or it can be an app, too. A useless app which does particularly nothing.

As a bonus, you can have the person walking around, take a punch or two if the user touches him, as in TalkingTom. Or he can go shabby with untrimmed beard and hair, shabby cloths until its reset.

Maybe you can accompany it with a challenge asking how long they can resist the temptation to hit reset.

Please feel free to use the idea, but do leave a word if you are planning on developing it. I’d love to see it in action! Get in touch, if you would like to brainstorm!