Image credit: CouchCachet

A pp Name: CouchCachet

Price: Free

Available Platforms: Desktop

What does this app do? It's the weekend and you feel like you should go out to hear that new indie rock band your friends are talking about, but you would rather stay at home and polish off the rest of your Valentine's Day candy. But you have appearances to keep up and people you feel you need to impress.

No need to worry. CouchCachet takes care of your social life for you.

CouchCachet, a web-based app born at a recent New York hackathon and developed by Brian Fountain, Harlie Levine and Justin Isaf, works in conjunction with your Foursquare account to "fake" check you into trendy places when you're really home for a quiet night of "Law and Order" reruns or sorting socks.

Begin using the app by logging into Foursquare, and then checking into your residence. The app will access your profile information, analyze your check in history and friends list as well as events and goings-on in your neighborhood. Search a category on the CouchCachet widget, like "Artsy Fartsy" or "Feeling Outdoorsy," and CouchCachet will check you into venues on your behalf. For example, I was out at Brooklyn Bowl last night according to the app (No, I wasn't. I was home testing the app and watching "The Big Bang Theory").

The Web-based app will take your cool, manufactured profile a step further by sending fake tweets and comments ("These guys are the best!!!) and posting fake song lyrics, too.

Is it easy to set up? CouchCachet requires some effort to start. You will need to log on to the app's website ( http://www.couchcachet.com/) and connect it to your Foursquare account to begin using it. Make sure to check in to your home first each time you want to use the app. You can disconnect anytime by going to your settings on Foursquare.

Should I try it? The pressure many people feel to live in a whirlwind of venue-hopping and party-going, especially on the weekend, can wear out the most zealous of socialites. CouchCachet will let you get away with skipping out on the party scene, particularly if you just can't muster the energy or interest. Once we got it set up, we found the app easy to use on both iPhone and Android devices. How comfortable you'll feel using it to fake a social life is up to you.