Pocket Cemetery - Carving up the Mobile App Turkeys of 2010

Why is it a turkey? Since the dawn of time, mankind has embraced myriad traditions to commemorate death--from the funeral pyres of the Norse to the eternal flame that burns at the gravesite of President John F. Kennedy, these rituals and monuments celebrate life and mourn its loss, paying proper respect to the deceased while offering comfort to those left behind following their passing. Pocket Cemetery does none of these things; a tool to create customizable tombstones complete with photos and epitaphs, it's both ludicrously tragic and tragically ludicrous, like when a clown dies.

Inexplicably and ironically featured under the App Store's "Lifestyle" category, Pocket Cemetery--developed by the same charlatans behind the much-maligned Atomic Red Pain Reliever and Atomic Blue Body Clock Light apps--essentially makes mourning mobile: "These days it's hard to visit the graves of deceased loved ones around the world, but Pocket Cemetery allows you to keep them close in death and pay your respects anytime," its App Store seller's page reads. "It's a meaningful way to cherish the memories of loved ones who've passed on." Apparently, in this case "meaningful" translates to photos pasted onto generic gravestone images, virtual flowers and text-based prayers. Dead goldfish are flushed down the toilet with more dignity than that.

(GSC Products, LLC)