An email I received about making an app for this company:

[andyplace]

So I'm an iOS developer, yadda yadda. These people contacted my developer support email address. If any else of you received this email, tell us here:

Dear Head of Business Development,

Quick Introduction - Devotion Tech is a start up company focussed on the development and distribution of Christian content through social media and mobile platforms.

We are a looking to develop our first round of Mobile Applications, initially on the Apple platform (iPhone / iPad) and then porting across to Android and RIM Blackberry. I have been researching developers and development houses and wanted to know if you are interested in pitching for the work.

Mobile Application Development Brief:

Platform(s): iPhone / iPad - (two separate builds)

App Name(s): Chastity Ring App & Chastity Ring HD App

Proposed Release Date: November 28th 2010 (first day of Advent)

Creative Brief:
We are looking to bring the chastity ring movement into the digital age and try to make it more relevant to modern day teenagers. The Application needs to look and feel young, vibrant and 'cool' in order to make this app appealing. The best references and the easiest way to describe what we require is to download an iPhone App called Purity Ring that is currently available. Functionally this behaves in the way that we want but it does not encapsulate the message we are trying to convey.

Main Functionality:
1) The Digital Pledge: - The user is able to take a 'digital' chastity pledge via the mobile handset. This is the key USP.

Please download Purity Ring iPhone App - http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/purityring/id322278959?mt=8
(This is the US Store link but App available everywhere we believe) for example of this.

This App contains a lot of the core functionality that we require, specifically in relation to how the user takes the pledge. We would expect any company wanting to pitch for the work to specifically outline how they can both replicate and enhance this feature.

2) Hook into our news section (website in beta to go live on 1st Nov) to pull latest news feed to the users handset

3) Display our Company info - text with some hyperlinks

4) iPhone Os 4.0+ Compatible / Android 1.5+ Compatible / Blackberry Storm Compatible

Budget:
We have a maximum budget of $24,000 (USD) to develop this application across all platforms. Whilst we understand that the main work will be developing the iPhone / iPad App, we would ask that all quotes take into account that further development is required within this budget to create the Android / Blackberry App.

Graphics and Sound Design:
We have a team of inhouse graphic designers and can provide proposed layouts and our company brand guidelines but will need to collaborate with you on how you best want this artwork delivered (psd/giff/indesign etc). We will also provide the voiceovers files (as per the Purity Ring iPhone App) but again will need guidance on best audio formats (AIFF / MP3 etc).

How to Respond:
Please email me the following no later than 18.00pm EST on September 28th 2010:
* Summary of App Specification, particularly in relation to the pledge feature (Purity Ring App)
* Proposed development platform (if you can only do 1 of our 3 proposed platforms (Apple, Android or Blackberry) please clearly state which of the platforms you develop for).
* Proposed Budget
* Proposed Programming Schedule.


I look forward to receiving your quote, if you require further information, please let me know.

Many thanks

Carrie T***** [censored to protect the innocent]
VP of Digital Media
Devotion Tech

 

[vettori]

Me too (and I'm not interested)

 

[elwood2]

What's the problem? Them wanting to copy someone elses app?

 

[a7244270]

The app they want you to copy is $2.99, this may be a way to get suckers to buy it.

My response

Hi Carrie,

Apple has added the ability to "gift" an application in iTunes 10, as documented here.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2736#4

Please follow the instructions there to send me a gift code for the Purity Ring iPhone app so that I can review it properly.

Regards,

This is also a bit suspicious.

mymachine:~ me$ ping devotiontech.com
PING devotiontech.com (85.233.160.70): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 85.233.160.70: icmp_seq=0 ttl=50 time=110.301 ms
64 bytes from 85.233.160.70: icmp_seq=1 ttl=50 time=111.846 ms
64 bytes from 85.233.160.70: icmp_seq=2 ttl=50 time=110.231 ms
^C
--- devotiontech.com ping statistics ---
3 packets transmitted, 3 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 110.231/110.793/111.846/0.745 ms
mymachine:~ me$ ping purityringapp.com
PING purityringapp.com (85.233.160.22): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 85.233.160.22: icmp_seq=0 ttl=50 time=108.811 ms
64 bytes from 85.233.160.22: icmp_seq=1 ttl=50 time=110.707 ms
64 bytes from 85.233.160.22: icmp_seq=2 ttl=50 time=124.891 ms
^C
--- purityringapp.com ping statistics ---
3 packets transmitted, 3 packets received, 0.0% packet loss
round-trip min/avg/max/stddev = 108.811/114.803/124.891/7.175 ms

 

[tpg]

I'm not sure what to make of this... It could be a tactic to drive sales to this app, but how many people could they target with that email? I'm not sure it would be enough to warrant to risk of getting caught & then banned from the app store.

The IP address similarity could be explained if both websites used the same hosting company, which is not impossible by coincidence.

Having said that, you're completely right to ask them to send the app to you.

 

[andyplace]

I posted this because personally I think this has to be the funniest, serious thing i've ever seen.

Seriously go to any high school on earth and ask if they'd want a "Chastity Ring App"....

 

[olmucky]

I got this e-mail too. I followed your lead and asked for a gift copy of Purity Ring. Will see what happens. Any news from anyone else?

 

[a7244270]

three months, no reply.

 

[W1MRK]

I posted this because personally I think this has to be the funniest, serious thing i've ever seen.

Seriously go to any high school on earth and ask if they'd want a "Chastity Ring App"....

You made my day with that comment, Thanks. I love a good laugh. And you hit it on the nose.

 

[return7]

We received it too. Ignored.