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Video LazyHusband Smart Phone App Compliments Your Wife for You (Video) 190

Posted by Roblimo from the yes-honey-that-dress-looks-great-on-you-no-you're-not-fat dept.
Video no longer available.
The guy who came up with the LazyHusband app, Ethan Duggan, isn't married. That's good, because he's only 12 years old. One of his local (Las Vegas) TV stations says this about him: "...the 12-year-old from Henderson, Nev., said he was tired of always replying to his mother's questions of how she looked in an outfit, he came up with common phrases that, with a touch of the screen, can tell his mother, 'You look amazing today.'" The app costs 99 cents for iOS, Android or Kindle. Ethan admits that Dad helped, but says the app is his own work and was his idea. He's now working on Lazy Kid and Lazy Wife. The TV story says, "Phrases for Lazy Kid include, yes, I did my homework and I love you. Ethan said he is having a hard time coming up with common phrases that a wife might say to her husband." Pro basketball retiree turned business guy Shaquille O'Neal is reportedly interested in LazyHusband, which means you may hear plenty more about LazyHusband and the prodigy who created it.

Tim: Ethan what are we looking at here?

Ethan: Well, the app is called LazyHusband, and what it is is the wife comes home and she asks how do I look, and you pull out the app and say, “You look amazing today.”

Tim: You look amazing today. What were you inspired by?

Ethan: Well I come home and I am resting, and my mom she has like 20, 30, or 40 dresses, she goes into her room, tries them on, and comes to me; I am playing on a phone not really caring, she asks, “How do I look?” I say, “You look amazing,” not even looking. And she does this a couple of times, and I realize, I hold in my hand a smart phone. So I hold it over my head, with my video, and then I go “You look amazing” and a couple of other phrases, and I hold those above my head and I play them instead of actually answering.

Tim: So there must be a pretty good market of lazy husbands out there?

Ethan: Yes, there is.

Tim: Are you just launching this out now?

Ethan: Yes. We are launching at South By Southwest.

Tim: Okay. What sort of tools did you use in creating it?

Ethan: We are using Twitter Bootstrap, Phonegap, and we are also using a lot of W3 Schools, and stack overflow. I learnt to program JavaScript with the help of my dad, and Codeacademy.com.

Tim: Did you find Codeacademy to be a pretty useful course then?

Ethan: I found it really useful.

Tim: Are you making money from your app?

Ethan: Yes, it is 99 cents.

Tim: Alright.

Ethan: It is on Android, iPhone, and Kindle.

Tim: What about desktops?

Ethan: No.

Tim: So what other apps are in your future?

Ethan: We have LazyWife and LazyKid coming up. We also have a bunch more features for Lazy Family in store, and one of our next app is Bargument which allows you to create a Wikipedia page that is completely fake, to prove arguments at bars, so that you are right and the other person is wrong.

Tim: So Apple has an age limit. How did you get around the age limit for being such a young app developer?

Ethan: My dad made the account.

Tim: Okay. So in a sense he is your employee in that way.

Ethan: Yes, yes.

Tim: Is it a family enterprise overall, both your parents are involved?

Ethan: Yeah, my mom is really supportive, my dad helps me if I am stuck, and I do most of the bulk of the programming.

Tim: If somebody is also younger than the average developer who wants to get started at it, do you have any good advice for them?

Ethan: For every hour that you spend coding, you are going to spend at least seven hours debugging. And Stack Overflow is your friend.

Tim: How many hours did you spend in creating this app overall?

Ethan: I don’t have an estimate, I don’t really know, but I think it is around 12 weeks that I spent building it. We had a lot of betas.

Tim: Do you have a lot of friends who are in your age bracket who are also developing?

Ethan: No. I actually have one friend who programs in I believe Ruby.

Tim: Okay. The fact that your app is targeted towards lazy people, there should be one for lazy employees. And you want to do this for your life? Do you see programing as a job option?

Ethan: Yes I do either programing or computer building.

Tim: What do you expect in the future of hand held apps?

Ethan: A lot more and a lot cooler stuff.

Tim: Are you ever without a phone on you?

Ethan: In the pool, in the shower. And that’s it.

Ethan: Then there are phrases, recordings.

Tim: And if I can hold that right by my mike, let me have you activate some of the phrases _____3:51.

Ethan: It easily starts recording, and then you start.

Tim: Can you play a few of the phrases you’ve got like “You are beautiful”?

Ethan: [Plays app] “You look amazing today.”“It is beautiful.”“She’s better than that.”“She’s better than that.”“You don’t look a day over 30.”

Tim: These are great. Okay.

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LazyHusband Smart Phone App Compliments Your Wife for You (Video) More

LazyHusband Smart Phone App Compliments Your Wife for You (Video)

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  • Congrats kid (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:10PM (#43215505)

    and the prodigy who created it

    Slashdot thinks you are a prodigy. Of course Slashdot editors aren't that smart either so don't get too caught up on that.

    • Re:Congrats kid (Score:5, Interesting)

      by RussR42 ( 779993 ) on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:36PM (#43215847)
      It took me a second to realize that he may be a prodigy after all. Not for the app, but for the marketing. Sell the same app a couple times to everyone with a different set of canned phrases instead of one generalized app that will let you select from a custom list of messages. Meh.
      • Kids who achieve that kind of thing almost without exception have an adult guiding them along. I'd be willing to bet this is no exception, there's an adult hiding behind him doing all the publicity work.

      • Re:Congrats kid (Score:5, Insightful)

        by Graydyn Young ( 2835695 ) on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @03:12PM (#43216277)
        Or maybe, just maybe, Ethan's Dad is a marketing genius, and his marketing plans involve using his 12 year old son.

      • It took me a second to realize that he may be a prodigy after all. Not for the app, but for the marketing. Sell the same app a couple times to everyone with a different set of canned phrases instead of one generalized app that will let you select from a custom list of messages. Meh.

        Hey, what do you know? This may all end up with a PhD thesis on next-gen natural language generation. ;)

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      The word is progeny .As in child progeny [gocomics.com]

  • aha or uhh haa

    same meaning. answer it every time and you will be OK

  • wat (Score:1, Insightful)

    by chris200x9 ( 2591231 )
    Is this a slasvertisment? What's so novel or important or news worthy of an app that says a phrase when a button is pushed?
  • Really, if we can't even be bothered to come up with a compliment ourselves (even if it is a cliché), but have to rely on an app to do it for us... Next thing you know it's going to automatically message your SO with compliments :(

  • Let feminist complaints begin in.. (Score:4, Funny)

    by poofmeisterp ( 650750 ) on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:15PM (#43215579) Journal

    3.....2.......1.......

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Catskul ( 323619 )

      Complaint about imaginary feminist complaints that will rarely ever show up on Slashdot about topic feminists probably don't care about in 3...2...1... Oh shit! it's already here?!!

      • Complaint about imaginary feminist complaints that will rarely ever show up on Slashdot about topic feminists probably don't care about in 3...2...1... Oh shit! it's already here?!!

        The plan is working perfectly! Mwahahaha!

    • Chirp.... chirp... chirp...

  • Lazy Wife phrase ideas (Score:5, Funny)

    by TimHunter ( 174406 ) on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:16PM (#43215585)
    Pick up your clothes/games/tools, etc.
    You need to shave/bathe/put on nicer clothes, etc.
    Is that all you ever think about?
    You forgot my birthday/the milk/to flush, etc.

  • Lazy! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Impy the Impiuos Imp ( 442658 ) on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:16PM (#43215593) Journal

    Now we need LazySlashdotter, with such gems as:

    "Minus 1 - Troll!"

    "Minus 1 - I disagree!"

    "Ok, mom. I'll put the wash in the drier right after this raid is over!"

    "No, mom. My school doesn't have any dances scheduled this year."

    "No, mom. My college doesn't have any dances scheduled this year."

    "Ok, mom. I will try OKCupid right after this raid is over."

    "Thanks for bringing me my AARP application, which they mail to people at age 50. You really didn't need to come down all these stairs into the basement at your age."

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Mashdar ( 876825 )

      Do colleges actually have official dances? If mine did, I was sincerely unaware. All the dancing I knew of was at house parties or club events. (Club as in a group of students with a common interest, not a loud, sweat bars with limited personal space. Though I'm sure those had some dancing too.) Then again, I went to a University with 35,000 undergraduates, so we didn't even have one graduation. Maybe the Liberal Arts kids got to have dances. :)

  • Brainstorming (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:16PM (#43215603)

    "Ethan said he is having a hard time coming up with common phrases that a wife might say to her husband."

    Let me get you started, kiddo:

    1. No i don't want to have sex tonight
    2. No i won't be cooking dinner tonight
    3. No I don't want to have sex tonight
    4. We are out of food, seriously there is nothing to eat [play this automatically any time user is near a refrigerator]
    5. for the last time, no we aren't having sex tonight so shut up already!

    AC because there *is* a snowballs chance in hell my wife might accidentally google and find this...

    • Think you forgot Honey I have a headache. Do you think she is pretty? I saw you looking at her. How do I look in this? Does this dress make me look fat? Do you know what today is?

      • You blocked me on Facebook
        And now you're going to die

        Now you're going to die

        You blocked me on Facebook

        And now you're going to die

        Now you're going to die

        You blocked me on Facebook

      • Re: (Score:1)

        by Anonymous Coward

        Response from LazyHusband in bold.

        Think you forgot

        Honey I have a headache. You are a headache.

        Do you think she is pretty? Yes.

        I saw you looking at her. I am married, not dead or blind.

        How do I look in this? You'd look better in this (points to sexy lingerie in Victoria's Secret catalogue)

        Does this dress make me look fat? You're not fat but the dress does not complement your figure.

        Do you know what today is? I'm sure you'll remind me.

    • Your wife seems to be the problem. It is more fun if you are the problem.

      1. No, I will not hold your beer for you while you try that.
      2. And I won't call 911 afterward either.
      3. And don't you dare come into the house and drip blood on the floor to use the phone.
      4. I think they put a guard on there for a reason. Why are you taking it off?
      5. Your life insurance policy is paid up, right?
      6. I am going back inside.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by eth1 ( 94901 )

      "Ethan said he is having a hard time coming up with common phrases that a wife might say to her husband."

      Let me get you started, kiddo:

      1. No i don't want to have sex tonight
      2. No i won't be cooking dinner tonight
      3. No I don't want to have sex tonight
      4. We are out of food, seriously there is nothing to eat [play this automatically any time user is near a refrigerator]
      5. for the last time, no we aren't having sex tonight so shut up already!

      AC because there *is* a snowballs chance in hell my wife might accidentally google and find this...

      You're over-thinking this. The LazyWife version just needs to be shaped like a dildo.

    • If your wife doesn't want to have sex with you, maybe you are doing it wrong.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by wjwlsn ( 94460 )

      You forgot the list of things that your wife was probably capable of doing on her own before marriage, but now that you're around, apparently you are the only one that can do them.

      Also, make sure these are phrased as questions so that the hapless husband has a chance to trigger the "wretched harpy" mode with one poorly worded reply (or one that's just stated too audibly).

      1. Can you carry these groceries for me?
      2. Can you get the telephone for me?
      3. Can you take this to my parent's place for me?
      4. Can you ch

    • Here's a few I would expect:

      6. I'm sorry, I fell asleep again, could you pick up dinner for the family on your way home?
      7. I can't find my phone.
      8. I can't find my iPad.
      9. I'm at yoga, can I call you back later?
      10. I'm out buying more $useless_shit, can you take care of it instead?
      11. I'm on Facebook, I'll get right back to you.
      12. I'm on Facebook, uploading pictures is eating all the bandwidth.
      13. I'm on Facebook, did you see what she posted?
      14. I'm on Facebook, I'll check that later.
      15. Go ahead, but I fo

  • With long time favorites:

    "If it isn't broken, don't fix it."
    "It's compiling."
    "It's not a bug, it's a feature."

    and many others!

    • "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

      FTFY

    • I couldn't reproduce the error, so I'm closing this ticket.

    • "No comment."
      "It was done in full compliance with the law"
      "We would love to, but {the_other_party} will block that"
      "That's the fault of my predecessor and he does not work here anymore"
      "Yes, if we get more funding"
      "Yes, it takes away some liberties, but it's for the children!"
      "We would love to, but cancelling that bloody contract is not possible."
      "If we let that happen, then the terrorists have won!"
      "That's a great question"
      "We will appoint a committee to investigate that"
      "Pull down your trousers

    • But it works on my machine!

  • this is prodigy? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by shadowrat ( 1069614 ) on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:24PM (#43215693)
    so this is considered the mozart level of app making? this app will be cherished centuries later?

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by Hentes ( 2461350 )

      Everybody can sell a good app. But it takes a true genius to sell a crappy one.

  • "No, you look fat in them."

    Saves money, incites terror . . .

  • Only a single guy/kid could come up with this (Score:4, Insightful)

    by 93 Escort Wagon ( 326346 ) on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:30PM (#43215767)

    If I ever used a phone app to tell my wife "you look amazing today", I'd be sleeping on the couch for at least a month.

  • Lazy Boyfriend (Score:4, Funny)

    by Looker_Device ( 2857489 ) * on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:30PM (#43215777)

    I agree with you.
    Yes, I think she is a total bitch for saying that to you.
    You fascinate me.
    Yes, I would love to see that romantic comedy with you.

  • ELIZA Revisited (Score:3)

    by foobsr ( 693224 ) on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:39PM (#43215891) Homepage Journal
    That is what deserves to be called progress.

    CC.

  • He's only 12 (Score:5, Interesting)

    by scarboni888 ( 1122993 ) on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @02:39PM (#43215895)

    And he understands the mind-numbing monotony of some peoples' repetitive need for affirmation of their existence.

    Way to go Ethan!

  • They must be, because it just all seems so farcical.

  • Now we have an app that spouts the most overused word in English history; AMAZING. everything's AMAZING, have you noticed how AMAZING everything is these days? It's such an AMAZING word, I'd be AMAZED if anyone ever used any other non-AMAZING adjective besides AMAZING, ever again.
  • Can't wait for a future girl/boy-friend to come up with an app to handle routine/repetitive interactions with him.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by foobsr ( 693224 )
      Can't wait for a future girl/boy-friend to come up with an app to handle routine/repetitive interactions with him.

      Wondering if this does not call for mechanical extensions.

      CC.

  • I find it hard to believe this story even made it to /. Or anywhere for that matter. It's amazing the junk people decide to sell, and even more amazing what people are willing to buy.

    But you know what really takes the amazing cake? It is how low a journalist will stoop to cover a scoop!

  • I had a sister who used to always ask me how her outfits look. So I got honest.
    "Yes, that outfit is great if you want to project an image of an desperate crazy chick trying to hook up."
    "Wow, the belt takes your eyes away from how fat your ass is."
    "Yes, that shirt shows enough cleavage to keep that maybe a drunk dude will try to get some action."
    "I'm sure the other people will be impressed with how you manage to fit all your rolls into those tight clothes."

    Needless to say, I wasn't asked my opinion about c

  • I think he's probably having trouble with the lazywife because when it comes to be compliments, guys like to hear them after sex.

  • Flaw in story (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Why is this woman asking her 12 YEAR OLD SON how she looks in her outfits?

    How Freudian

  • [looks over shoulder] Better not go there right now...

  • Confucius says... (Score:4, Funny)

    by Xphile101361 ( 1017774 ) on Tuesday March 19, 2013 @03:27PM (#43216425)
    Man who is lazy to wife in life, has wife who is lazy to husband in bed.

  • you can see it at work but just reading all the comments on /.

  • ...

    "I'm fine."
    "Nothing."
    "Not tonight honey, I have a headache."
    "Dinner is ready"
    "Honnneeeey, I need your help with something."
    "Your turn to feed the baby."
    "I don't need anything for my birthday, really."
    "You want a B---J--, I want a Mercedes, neither one of us are getting what we want tonight."

  • Because whipping out your phone, unlocking it, opening the app and finding the correct button for the response you are looking for is easier than just forming the words with your mouth?

  • okay Ethan's Dad, it's time to give your kid some guidance:

    from the transcript

    one of our next app is Bargument which allows you to create a Wikipedia page that is completely fake, to prove arguments at bars, so that you are right and the other person is wrong

    making it easier to add crap to Wikipedia is not being a good netizen.

  • I didn't catch the "tools used".
    How in 12 weeks do you get both Android+iPhone apps both out?

    Help eliminate stupid speeding tickets [wikispeedia.org]

    • You make apps with little to no substance. This app sounds like it would take me an hour to write. I'll bet you could find a instructional app like this as an example of how to play multimedia files in an application on w3schools.

      This app is basically just the software incarnation of a lame joke based on a tired premise.

      Normally I would assume the father did 100% of the work, but thought it would be cute if the kid got all the credit. If the kids didn't admit to his dad helping, I might be tempted to bel

  • Pick one or more:

    This is bullshit.

    Slashdot was better 5/8/10 years ago!

    [Obvious thing] results in [obvious outcome]. News at eleven.

    Where is the CowboyNeal option?

    This isn't News for Nerds.

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