If you have always wondered whether you have the punching power to test your skills in Mixed Martial Arts; or perhaps take out that guy who bullied you in fifth grade, then Punch-O-Meter is the app for you. It acts as a power meter for your right or left jab. Provided you don’t mind having your iPhone in hand as you punch away.

Expect for your accelerometer to wig out as you try and punch to a high score. Punch-O-Meter works by putting a meter on-screen, then directing you to take your best swing. The more power you throw down, the higher the meter. After this is a series of messages that either praises your boxing prowess or mocks your meager skills.

One glitch during playing with the app was the iPhone’s tendency to shut down the screen after throwing a solid punch. It seemed like in order to punch hard enough to tip the scale, it meant activating some security screen shut off. Nearly every time I threw a hard punch the screen locked and I had to slide the unlock. So while the crowd was cheering through the speakers and I was getting congratulated for my score, I had to again slide and unlock the screen in order to see anything.

Shadow boxing with an iPhone struck me as probably not the best way to keep it from being damaged. Makes you wonder if some Wii-style disasters are on the horizon. In the early days of the Wii many people lost a grip and tossed their Wiimote into their plasma. The iPhone is fragile enough. Using it for boxing training is a questionable practice.

After registering a score Punch-O-Meter gives you the option of bragging to your friends. There is a form to fill out that lets you text or e-mail your score — a great way to intimidate your opponents or create some good-natured ribbing with friends. Either way, it is a decent way to have some fun with your iPhone. Just hold on tight.

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category: Action, Games, Worthwhile Apps