Ac(c)ute emergency

For many people, running out of smartphone battery while on the move is not only far too bad, it also happens far too often. Especially if the device is a year or two old and you don't just take it out of your pocket to make the occasional phone call.

That means: Keep your composure and face your digital demise with dignity. The "Die With Me" app celebrates the moments before the zero hour. It is a chat program that can only be accessed when the battery level falls below five percent. Shortly before pulling the plug, you can chat anonymously with other fellow sufferers and doomed people. It's easier to die together.

The app was created by Belgian artist Dries Depoorter and implemented by Canadian developer David Surprenant. "Die together in a chatroom on your way to offline peace", they write. And hold a mirror up to humanity. Is the fear of running out of smartphone battery on the go at least proportionate or even justified? Perhaps "Die With Me" will at least make it a little more bearable. (hae)