Pop-It is an iPad app created by Indian artist K.K. Raghava aimed at young children.
Contents
History
The Pop-It concept was first presented at the INK Conference in Lavasa, India in December 2010 and subsequently at the Singapore Art Stage in January 2011, while the Pop-It application was formally launched at TED Global 2011 (Edinburgh, Scotland).
Gameplay
Pop-It presents itself as a children's book, albeit one without words or discernible narrative. The player is presented with a series of tableaux depicting various scenes of parent/child interaction (bathtime, a tickle session, etc.), and within each tableau, the player may interact with the scene in various ways. The unique nature of Pop-It is that, when the iPad is shaken, the gender of the parents is randomized, so that at one point there might be a heterosexual couple, at the next point two mothers (a lesbian couple) and at the next point two fathers (a gay couple).
Reception
Pop-It has been favorably reviewed with Kirkus Reviews calling it a "first rate mind expander".
Future developments
Raghava has plans to develop more stories in the Pop-It line. His next project is an investigation of the history of Indian independence, presenting each scene alternatively from the Indian, Pakistani and British perspectives.