X

'Oops I'm Late' phones ahead for you

Running late for a meeting? You phone can tell your contacts you won't be there in time.

headshots_rafe_needleman_140x100.jpg
headshots_rafe_needleman_140x100.jpg
Rafe Needleman Former Editor at Large
Rafe Needleman reviews mobile apps and products for fun, and picks startups apart when he gets bored. He has evaluated thousands of new companies, most of which have since gone out of business.
See full bio
Rafe Needleman
Phone ahead.

If you're driving to a meeting and realize you're going to be late, what do you do? Pick up the phone and call ahead, right? But this means, possibly, trying to find the number for the person you're meeting with, which can be dangerous if you're in motion. And possibly illegal.

Mobile app Oops I'm Late does the calling for you. It runs on GPS-equipped Windows smartphones. If you start the app and give it access to your calendar so it knows where and when your next appointment is, it will automatically fire off text messages to the contacts in a meeting when it detects that you can't possibly make it in time. Optionally, it can also tell people how far away you are and your ETA.

The new version works with Twitter and Facebook to send both public and private messages.

There are free and paid versions. No word of iPhone support, and I have not put my hands on this product to try it. Love the idea, though.