A while back, folks representing a new application called Pzizz contacted us. According to Pzizz, the problem with our overworked, overstressed lives is that we aren’t doing enough to take care of ourselves, and one easy way is to embrace the power of naps. And Pzizz was created to help take power naps that would either help to energize you, or to get to sleep. The application actually consists of a few components. The main application is Pzizz, and you can download and install modules, and for my tests I worked with the Energizer Nap, and Sleep Nap modules.
There are a few applications out there on the Windows platform that promise to sharpen mental capabilities, help one to sleep, or de-stress. What makes Pzizz different is its flexibility and focus on napping. It offers a slew of presets, along with the ability to create an exported playlist in iTunes, and you can create a customized “soundtrack” based on your personal preferences. I worked with the initial release and the recently updated Pzizz version 2.
Why did it take so long to post a review? Well ... the reason is that rating the success of an application like this is very subjective, since what helps put one person to sleep might just cause the next person to be wired! So, we really didn’t know how to accurately review it as a product since, like the argument against semiotics as science, without numbers to quantify, it’s not science. This isn’t to say it isn’t valid, just that it’s a bit tough to actually review in terms of how it actually might affect each individual.
That aside, I did find that Pzizz worked, and we tested it in a variety of conditions. Using it on a plane trip when I was exhausted, it helped me to nod off and I awoke feeling rested and alert. Can I quantify how much Pzizz contributed to this? No, not really. Did I find the mix of music and spoken word soothing and meditative in nature? Yes. Did it remind me of a visit to a therapist’s office combined with a soundtrack by Vangelis? Yes. Would any combination of a gentle soothing voice urging me to relax, combined with soft slowly swirling soundtrack, cause me to pass out? Probably.
But Pzizz helps not only to automate the process and create a custom mix for your iPod, but according to the company, the mix of sound, music, and voice has been carefully created for optimum effect. Of course they could also be programming us Manchurian Candidate-style, but at least we would be well rested before taking over the world!
Pzizz represents an alternative use of technology, to allay the damage to our overworked psyches by modern technology, and if you are looking at a tool to help soothe your soul, then take a quiet contemplative and blissful look at Pzizz. You might just feel better for it.
Harris Fogel, Posted 12/20/2007
For more information on Pzizz visit: www.pzizz.com
