Pocketized Ltd

If just thinking about the H1N1 Swine Flu virus gives you the chills, Harvard Medical School may offer… well, not a remedy, but a safeguard. It is an app called the HMSMobile Swine Flu Center. Developed by the publications arm of the medical school, the guide offers updates from the Center for Disease Control and public health officials, as well as news of the disease and a program called “Outbreaks Near Me” that tracks reported outbreaks of infectious diseases, in case the Swine Flu alone isn’t enough to scare you. There is also a quiz that helps you tell if you have the flu, if fever and chills aren’t enough of a tip-off. Video guides tell all about the origin of the flu and its spread, as well as how to keep from catching it. Much of this same information is available free in separate apps like Outbreaks Near Me and H1N1 (Swine Flu) Update, but the Harvard has consolidated them at a price of $1.99. If you are think you suffer from something slightly more exotic, the Merck Manual of Medical Information is now available as a $9.99 application for the iPhone. It lists enough illnesses to stump even Dr. Gregory House. it covers everything from Abetalipoproteinemia to Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome. A section on Emergencies and injuries offers practical information on treating everything from life-threatening injuries to bug bites. Warning to hypochondriacs and people susceptible to suggestion: don’t buy these. Read More

Swine flu! It's the panic du jour, far less dangerous than eating poorly cooked chicken or getting in a car, yet apparently infinitely more scary. And now Harvard will take $2 to scare you on your iPhone. Harvard Medical School has just released HMSMobile Swine Flu Center, a $1.99 app that offers all sorts of stuff that doesn't quite seem worth $1.99. This includes: -Videos on how to protect yourself (spoiler: wash your hands) -A quiz on whether or not you have swine flu (spoiler: you don't) -An outbreak tracker to see if the fever has swept through your area -Advice about survival kits, just in case shit gets really fucking serious Read More