It's new, it's fun, it gets you free stuff and it's free to download. Have you heard of Pocket Points? It's an app that rewards you for staying off of your phone during class. Now you're listening...

Pocket Points is a new, trending app developed by students Cal State University, Chico, according to a Time magazine article, and has traveled to states as far as Pennsylvania to be implemented. The University of Montana is no exception.

Students at UM can earn discounts, and in some cases, even free food and merchandise, by building points on the app that measures whether or not students check their phone while they're in class.

When students arrive at their lectures, they open the app (which can tell when it’s in a campus classroom) then lock their phone. The app then measures how long they go before checking their phone again. The longer it stays locked, the more points they get, and the more hoagies/cheesesteaks/pizzas they get to redeem at participating locations. Because if highly-trained Ph.D.’s can’t get kids to focus, surely the promise of hot cheese can.

It's hard to disagree there. UM is even looking at collaborating with university-based food services to get students discounts. In the meantime, students are also enjoying discounts from other Missoula-based eateries or retail stores like Five on Black, MacKenzie River Pizza and the Green Light located downtown.

So basically, it's like you're getting paid to go to class (er...I mean pay attention in class). Either way, what a brilliant idea!

You can download the app now in the iTunes app store or on Google Play.

Also, don't forget to read the full story of how the app really got going. Click here for more.

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