4 love apps to help you avoid real-time dating disasters

We found some apps to improve your sex life and put your flirting skills to the test.

In Spike Jonze's film Her, a lonely writer falls in love with the talking operating system on his new computer. Having given his OS a female identity, Theodore Twombly becomes fascinated with her ability to learn and grow humanoid qualities, and a weirdly passionate virtual love affair ensues. This may really happen to humans in the not-too-distant future - but in the meantime, you can practise by dabbling in some sillier forms of digital love, as a crop of virtual-relationship apps has hit our mobile screens.

1) MY VIRTUAL BOYFRIEND

Dating can be a chore, not least when your partner turns out to be a dud in the end. This app might help you survive the labours of love. The developers of My Virtual Boyfriend have created a game in which the player strives to get a virtual crush to fall in love with them. It's not easy: you have to seduce the dude by appealing to his virtual senses. You have hundreds of male types to choose from and, for those who find dating intimidating, this could be a safe and silly training ground. But beware: just because he's not real does not mean he cannot be an idiot.

• Available for free on iOS and on the Android store.

2) INVISIBLE BOY/GIRLFRIEND

This one is another virtual relationship app, except here it's up to you to create the man or woman of your dreams. It's designed to simulate a real relationship: you receive text messages from your virtual boyfriend and even phone calls. The app could suit those singles who are tired of meddlesome family and friends who want you to get hooked up again - it could fool them all without requiring you to deal with a real person.

• App still in Beta phase, rolling out globally

3) GET BETTER SEX

Can R25 really get you better sex? Well, the developers of this app want you to think so. It promises to help improve your technique between the sheets. Designed by German hypnotherapist Kim Fleckenstein, Get Better Sex promises to increase your lust, raise the intensity of your orgasms and sharpen your senses, all through some sexually healing hypnotherapy.

• Available on iOS for R24.99, Android for R20.99 and Windows phone.

4) EMOJIARY

This free app is like a passive friend who allows you to pour out your emotions without ever interjecting with their own little sob story. At regular intervals, the app sends you a notification, asking you to describe how you feel with an emoticon (and text, if you want). Sadly, however, it isn't feeling enough to respond appropriately. So, for example, whether you punch in a smiley or a sad face, the response is the same: "Thank you for sharing." Still, if you want to vent visually and aren't comfortable with human interaction, get in touch.

• Available on iOS and Android