Overview

My kid (a bit over 3 now) is always fascinated when I shave my beard off. I have an electric shaver and he likes the noise it makes and how the hair just vanishes. I always have to place it though where he cannot reach as he’s always on the look to get his hands on it and try that, no matter how many times I explained it’s not for him. A while back I started a different thing though.

Whenever I shave I also give him a little mirror and on his chair he sits with a toy in his hand that he brushes it against his face pretending he’s shaving too. My shaver does a trimming noise, so he tries to imitate that. That’s when it hit me that, while his humming was totally adorable, I could install on my phone an app that does trimming noises so he could also have a ‘shaver’. Richard Stranberg developed a ‘hair trimmer clipper’ simulator, which basically makes the same noise as a saloon hair trimmer when you tap on an icon. Armed with that, my son now shaves his virtual beard too – sure this simulates a hair trimmer not an actual electric shaver, but the sounds are close so it works for this purpose.

The app

A ‘Hair Trimmer’ simulator app can be useful in other purposes than the one described above. As with Richard’s previously presented app (i.e. ‘Taser Gun’ simulator), this one can be used for pranks. Sneak behind your wife with your smartphone in one hand and a strand of hair, tap on the icon to make the trimming noise and when she turns around show her the strand of hair. Excellent prank, though domestic violence might occur after. The guy in the video below actually had the guts to do this, though he used a scissors and not the more advanced option described above:

I still value my life enough not to do this prank, but if you’re courageous enough do it and record a video – for a fun memory or evidence in court, you never know.

Back to the app, ‘Hair Trimmer Clipper’ is a very simple one that simulates the noise of a real saloon trimmer, with that electric buzzing and an occasional haircut sound. All it displays is the image of a trimmer/clipper and you have to tap on it to activate the sound of trimming hair. While you keep your finger on the image, the margins of the machine will change color and your phone will vibrate by default. It has only two options, that of disabling sound and vibration. You can see how it works in the video below:

The app is of most use for pranksters like the guy mentioned above, but also for kids that want to imitate what their parents do with the electric trimmer. Here are its main features:

  • Sound effects. The core of the app is the sound effects it makes when you tap on the main image. You’ll hear the specific electric humming noise and from time to time also that sound of thicker hair being trimmed. It’s loud enough for others to hear it thus perfect for pranks.
  • Visual effects. The hair trimmer image will change the color of its sides when you tap on it. Consider this an addition to the sound/vibration effects so that you get close to the feeling of holding a trimmer in your hands.

    The sides of the trimmer will change color

    The sides of the trimmer will change color

  • Vibration. The last of the effects trio is the vibration, as your smartphone will vibrate when it’s activated. Adds value to the prank as if the phone is close enough to someone’s head they’ll also feel it vibrate and be fooled that it’s the true thing.
  • Settings. You can modify two settings in the app, turning on/off the vibration and the same for sound effects.

    Settings screen of the app

    Settings screen of the app

  • Free. The hair trimmer simulator app is free to install and includes some ads displayed at the bottom of the screen.

Conclusion

The app successfully achieves its main purpose, that of simulating a hair trimmer. Be it for use in pranks, by kids that imitate their fathers, or girls that want to practice a career in a hair saloon, ‘Hair Trimmer Clipper’ is the app that does its job. You can download it from Google Play here: Download Hair Trimmer Clipper.

Hair Trimmer Clipper QR Code

Name: Hair Trimmer Clipper
Developer: Richard Stranberg
Size: 3.7Mb
Package: net.hairtrimmerclipper.apk
Version: 2.1
Last update: September 27, 2013
Price: Free