L.A. Times Tech Blog: An iPhone application is twice the cost of the actual iPhone

With an extra thousand bucks, you could buy a new wardrobe, take a memorable vacation, or if you're really nice, make a donation to, like, poor people or something.  Or, you could just stare at a red dot that reads "I Am Rich." Technology blogger Mark Milian made the depressing discovery that eight Apple customers spent their grand on the red dot.  For $999.99, owners of the iPhone 3G could download "a seemingly useless application called I Am Rich."  After purchasing the application, iPhone owners will be constantly reminded by an icon on their screens that they are, in fact, rich.  However, a few other people complained that they bought the expensive application on accident, making readers wonder if the title should be changed to "I Am Stupid."

Mr. Hand made a dramatic generalization: "I am convinced the whole world is on dope."

And a nameless reader followed Mr. Hand's lead: "mac users are stupid, point proven."

Not Impressed wrote: "If everyone who wants this application sends me $999.99 instead, I will be rich, and your money will be better spent, signed, your nearby local Children's Hospital."

Iamrichtoo snobbishly spoke in favor of the red dot: "I mean, really, Apple product owners specifically, and rich people in general, are obviously not 'stupid'. At the very least, we are smart enough to have more money than you have.  If you were so 'smart', you could afford nice things like macs and iPhones and thousand dollar useless applications...but you aren't and you can't, so you hate on us...sad, pitiful little insignificant creatures that you are." 

After an update that the app, which was developed by Armin Heinrich, was removed by Apple, vanity wrote: "Good for Heinrich. He made a quick (and honest) buck by providing a small number of extremely vain people with something they value. On top of that, he made a very poignant (and funny) social statement. I think that Apple realized their customers were being mocked and that's why they put an end to it."

Raven wrote a long, wordy post in favor of the application's right to exist.  And then, he undermined his entire argument by calling the other posters "appholes."

Should the app still be available for those who are wasteful enough to buy it, or is it too ridiculous to be worthy of purchase? 

-- Amy Silverstein

Image: Armin Heinrich