A cap that measures brain activity and provides stimulating current, called the Neuroelectrics Cap, was hailed by Wired as a Fitbit for the brain. The device has a noble goal — tackling neurological illness with a do-it-at-home ethos — though the Cap’s creator believes it will take at least five to 10 years for the tech to catch on. What has caught on, with all the popularity of chicken pox at recess, is not neurostimulation hats but the is the “like [App] for [X]” shorthand. (People also seem to like comparing condoms to digital technology, where an app becomes “a condom for your phone” and VPN is “a condom for Internet use”.)
In some sense, the [app] for [x] a natural evolution of There’s An App For That. In fact, there’s something on the order of 1.5 million apps available for Android, with the Apple store close behind at 1.4 million — so yes, there are lots of apps for lots of things. But because people love making comparisons, we get similes. And people love invoking Uber with the enthusiasm of Bill Simmons talking about testicular fortitude. Nowhere is this more apparent than the Twitter bot Uber but for…, which is like Uber but for pointing out both the most enthusiastic as well as the most cynical Twitter users. A few gems:
There were a surprising number of people who wanted Uber but for hugs — so many in fact that we’re worried they may actually be serious. If they are, they should try Cuddlr, which exists and makes us want Uber but for weeping for humanity.
