Popcorn Stop Aims To Get You The Perfect Popcorn Bag
Popcorn Stop (Free) by Game Play Inc. proves that there really is an app for just about anything.
We’ve all been there. We wait patiently for our bag of popcorn to finish in the microwave, only to learn we’ve burnt it. The only thing worse than having to toss a whole bag of burnt popcorn is the smell that takes forever to go away. Conversely, playing it safe and removing the bag early results in less popped kernels.
This app intends to remedy the situation by being your ears for you. Place your iDevice near the microwave (not in it, mind you), and hit the go button.
The app takes about 25 seconds of listening to the microwave’s hum to create a baseline. Once it hears the kernels popping, it will pay attention to the gap between pops. After it hears a gap for the selected amount of time (two seconds would be the best), the app plays a fanfare and displays a screen reading “Popcorn ready!” Hit the stop button on your microwave and enjoy the perfectly popped goodness.
But does this app actually perform? According to the test I ran, no.
For starters, I will provide a disclaimer that this is by no means a controlled experiment. I’ve popped popcorn numerous times using the two second rule, so I used that experience as my control.
My microwave is mounted above the stove, so I placed my iPad directly beneath it with the microphone pointed up. For those curious, I tried a Pop Secret “Homestyle” bag (my favorite). The directions called for four minutes, stopping the microwave when there are more than two seconds between pops.
I started the microwave, but I noticed the decibels weren’t registering well. Holding the iPad level with the microwave fixed that problem. This of course brings up the issue that if I have to hold my iPad up to the microwave, why would I even need an app to watch over the popping for me?
Two minutes passed and gaps longer than two seconds occurred, though the app didn’t register it. I called it quits and stopped the microwave before the app told me to. The app finally told me time was up a few seconds after I poured my perfectly popped popcorn into the serving bowl. That would have been some seriously burnt popcorn if I waited.
As I said, this was by no means a controlled test. I could have figured out the average amount of kernels per bag, and counted how many popped kernels I got for using the app and not using it over three tests each. But in the end, that would be too much work for an app that’s not worth it.
I’d be curious to see if you have any better luck. Download the app (for free) and comment below if you get any butter--I mean better, results.
