Looking for a quick escape from “Netflix and chill?” creepers while swiping right and left on Tinder? There’s an app for that. Hoping to revive that unused item in your living room into something trendy and usable? There’s an app for that. There’s an app for that, too.
These locally made websites and apps are made for tech-savvy Torontonians looking for a little more information when navigating the city.
University of Ottawa law school grad Christien Levine understands the problematic police carding that has troubled many in the GTA for too long, and now, he’s offering a way to put a legal end to such troubles like carding and accusations often due to race, with his app, Legalswipe. It’s like having a lawyer in your pocket, without the extreme hit to your pocketbook.
“I felt that the public needed a resource that they could quickly reference to know what their rights were when dealing with police,” Levine says.
Users are guided through police interactions with prompts to back them up on what they need to know concerning their legal rights, and they can even film and upload encounters to a Dropbox on the app or let their emergency contacts know of their whereabouts at the time of the encounter.
With over 5,000 downloads on the day of its launch, it’s clear that Levine’s work in helping the GTA become a carding-free city has had huge success in helping alleviate the problems that carding has presented for many. The app has gotten nothing but praise from freedom advocates throughout the GTA from teachers and lawyers to activists and politicians, and has even been supported by the Toronto Police.
Legalswipe is reshaping the way the public understands legal rights, and is exercising healthy practices in standing one’s ground against police malpractice.
“I feel that as the public becomes more informed, we will be able to collectively hold police accountable for misconduct.” See here.
What began as an online quiz for a school project turned into a revolutionary creep-rejecting site by masterminds Patrick Cameron and Camille von Groll. In a world where online dating apps have taken over the realms of modern day courtship, Cameron and von Groll are making light of the left-swipe-worthy commentary from many on apps like Tinder and Grindr.
“It’s more about giving someone who has been harassed a chance to feel a bit better and feel some support in a humorous way,” Cameron says.
The comeback-generating is a two-step process: first, select the type of creep taking over your phone screen (from the casual but intrusive to the full blown “What are you wearing right now?”). Then, choose one of six weakness options, which can be anything from socks and sandals to sporting sports glasses circa 2002.
Once the process is complete, your comebacks are generated, and you can copy and paste the comeback to the app of your choosing. Keep in mind, it’s all about the humour. Try it out here.
Where modern design meets nursery rhymes, look no further than Tinkir to get the job done. Jefferson Wright and Scott Nason have been providing clients with eccentric ideas to remodel their aesthetic, infusing everything from beauty salons to web pages with a vibrant new appeal.
Functioning under a “tinker, tailor, solider, sailor” nursery rhyme foundation, Wright and Nason build up their team in both their Hamilton and Toronto bases, and ensure an organic creative process by having each role covered by someone ready to make big things happen.
“If you have a philosophy for your company, and you want to have it integrated fully into your design portfolio, that’s what we’re better at than anybody else. That’s the unique advantage that we– with Tinkir– bring,” Jefferson says.
“Never taking anything for granted would be how we are able to potentially be more creative than the competition.”
Ever thought of having a travel agent that helps you plan your trip over an app? That now exists, except the trip planning is drug-related, and the producers of Tinkir are helping you get there. Their newer project Catnip is zeroing in on the stages and intensity of the effects of a generated list of drugs over time, helping the user plan their night with what drug of choice would work best in their system.
Users select the drug they have in mind to find out when the best time would be to drop, and also find out the times in which they will plateau and how long their trip will be.
“Our mantra is, ‘If you’re going to do drugs, do drugs better,'” Jefferson says.
“What we’re promoting is a more responsible appreciation that drugs are powerful, and if you can do them properly, you can make yourself and possibly the world a better place.”
Available on Android, you can make the decision for a better (and safer) trip with the help of Scott and Jefferson.
website@nowtoronto.com | @dianawsmith
