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geekwireappWe’ve all had those moments – you look at the calendar, notice a holiday or someone’s birthday, and think “oh no, I’ve forgotten a gift.” What’s worse is realizing it at a time when there’s no way you could possibly pick one up before it’s too late.

Amazon has come to the rescue with a new, free app for iPhone and Android called Surprise. It allows users to create e-cards for a variety of occasions, including Hanukkah, Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries and more, with a variety of designs for each holiday and event. The app’s killer feature is the ability to easily attach an Amazon gift card to one of the e-cards with just a few taps.

unnamed-2In addition, the app lets users personalize their card with a photo or video, along with an audio or written message. It integrates with Facebook, so users can pull in media and friends’ personal information from the social network. That also means the app can remind you to send people gifts on their birthday.

Users who are really in a rush can choose a “simple” card that basically replicates a purchased gift card. Users select a dollar value for their gift and sign their name on the touchscreen to fire off a quick present without a whole lot of thought or effort.

Users who receive the surprise will be greeted with a special box-opening animation when they first get their gift, to try to make the arrival of an e-card feel a bit more special.

In a similar vein, people looking for a wide variety of card designs to choose from will be disappointed by Surprise’s relatively limited offering. But hey, you’re sending someone an e-card from your phone. Beggars can’t be choosers.

Overall, Surprise is a great option for people who just want to dash off a quick, personalized e-card to a distant family member or a not-so-close friend. It’s not great for people who you want to impress with your gift-giving prowess, but it gets the job done well on the go for everone else.

Surprise is available for free from the iOS App Store and Google Play Store.

Related Post: Hey procrastinators: Here are the Christmas deadlines for ordering gifts on Amazon


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