I just got a new i-Phone (the 5) and have been researching all kinds of apps. Ran across this short list for preparedness apps:

http://www.preparis.com/blog/2013-best-emergency-preparedness-apps-app-5/

The apps listed (all free) include:

FEMA
Red Cross Shelter List (contains a disaster news link)
Red Cross First-Aid
WISER
Accu-Weather


I'm continuing the search and will add ones here that I find worthy. Such as:

WebMD


Anyone else have further suggestions?


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I've got the built-in Compass app, "Here I Am" which grabs your lat/long from the GPS and allows you to send a message containing that information, a flashlight app, Red Cross Tornado, Spyglass (very cool navigation app), MotionX-GPS with downloaded topo maps, and probably too many reference apps for my own good.

Chaos - that Spyglas app looks very interesting. Am downloading it, thanks:

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/review/spyglass_for_ios_powerful_navigational_instrument



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Chaos, there are a few "Here I Am" apps. Is your s the one by Yang Shunwen or Adiante Ventures. Apparently both will send your location. Adiante Ventures is free but I dislike some of the "extras" that come with apps.

I have the Arboretum Software version. I seem to recall it was free when I got it.

Stuff like this makes me realize that I still need to get a cell phone for emergency use. I really need to get on that. I just have the worst techno karma, and I'm a recovering blackberry addict, so these smart phones and their apps always make me nervous.

Free is good if there are no annoying extras that make it a PITA. I'll try it before buying one of the others. Thanks.

This is my first smart phone. Verizon e-mailed me a deal too good to refuse.

Now I just have to avoid being mugged for it -- i-Phone muggings are rampant here. So I'm doing a lot less talking on the phone while dog walking.


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I think I'm waiting for one of those deals, Dagny. I made it into the store a couple of months ago but just bring myself to do it.

How are you liking it so far?

Great thread, why didn't I think of this?

I recommend Google Maps for getting position on a map if your GPS is working (boring answer I know). Also, I prefer the native compass over a few other compass apps I've tried.

It might be good to carry around at least the cord part of the charger. Keep the lighter portion in your car if you don't feel like lugging that around. If you can find a USB port somewhere (probably your car) and you're stranded, then you can at least charge up and most likely maintain the ability to send/receive text.

Are you all familiar with the "Waze" app? My nieces rave about it -- users are active participants in making it better. I just started this week but I don't drive much so will be slow to get a good sense of it.

http://www.waze.com/

"Waze is the world's fastest-growing community-based traffic and navigation app."

Imagine 30 million drivers out on the roads, working together towards a common goal: to outsmart traffic and get everyone the best route to work and back, every day.

Get alerted before you approach police, accidents, road hazards or traffic jams, all shared by other drivers in real time. It's like a personal heads-up from a few million of your friends on the road.

An active community of Waze map editors works to constantly improve and update Waze's maps. That's why they're the first to reflect changes happening in your neighborhood, constantly improving routing for everyone."


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OT -- I'm not sure it will stop you from being mugged, but it will help you not run out of battery life just when you need it most. I bought a Mophie Maxboost Atomic Air Battery Case. It functions as a case and makes the phone appear bigger than an iPhone (so maybe the mugger will pass you by), but it's also an external battery which increases the overall battery capacity of the iPhone. 2200 mAh per the Amazone write-up.

The Mophie Juice Pack Air I have roughly doubles my talk time and it recharges (both iPhone and Mophie) from any mini USB connector, rather than needing a proprietary Apple cable.

I have mine switched to red so it normally uses the iPhone battery and keeps the Mophie as a 100% charged reserve. If I drain the phone for some reason, I can switch to green and the iPhone recharges from the Mophie. Or you can just leave it in green all the time, but as I understand, for some reason the iPhone uses more power when the battery is fully charged, so you actually conserve battery life by letting the iPhone battery draw down -- or so I understand and FWIW... I like a fully charged battery when I walk out the door.

I use Waze and love it. However, if I could only pick one mapping app for a survival situation, it would be Google Maps. Waze is great for showing the fastest route and general happenings on the road, but I trust the reliability of Google Maps more. It's a good thing you can have both apps on your iPhone!

I don't understand the need for both. Can you elaborate why you are using both of these?

Google Maps on the iPhone is great, if you have data connectivity. If you don't, it's worthless, as it does not cache map data. Make sure to have an app that caches map data and cache the data for your AO.



Good advice. I also carry a LiOn battery to charge my iPhone and/or iPad. I don't use it often but when I need it, it's a (figurative!) life-saver. A small external battery may make sense when off the beaten path.

Got any suggestions?

Anyway, if data is down, I think that means GPS for navigation on any map is down. For map only without GPS, I'd prefer to use a paper map and conserve my battery, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to have on my phone a pure map of my then current area.

Both? Maybe it's me being unclear. The link is to a Mophie designed for Dagny's iPhone 5. I have a similar version for my iPhone 4S.

OK, both products you mentioned are available for iPhone 5 on Amazon, and you previously didn't mention anything about iPhone 4S. So, it read like you had both products for your iPhone 5.

I used to like iTopoMaps but it kept crashing my iThings. Perhaps the November update will make it better, I'll try it again. More recently I've been using Motion-X GPS. It's decent but not great.



That is not the case. On the iPhone, GPS has its own receiver and as long as the satellites are working and you have a decent-enough view of the sky, you'll get a position fix. Data relies upon WiFi or cellular data. There are plenty of places where the GPS receiver will work but you won't be able to download map data on the fly.

Paper maps are good and I'm in favor of them. I use the GPS on my iPhone as a backup. In the backcountry, I mark important locations (campsite, trailhead, etc.) in my map app. After that I put the phone in airplane mode to conserve battery -- that way it won't keep trying to find a cellular signal. It's very quick to turn airplane mode off and get a position fix if I need one.

Are you sure? Maybe I'm not understanding something.

I thought the GPS gets its location independent from the cell network, from the satellites in orbit. Then (I assume) all it needs to do on the phone is to overlay that position (hopefully correctly) on the map cached on the phone. . .I think you could still use that for navigation. Thus, you would want the relevant map data stored on your phone.

The following iPhone apps are mostly only applicable in the UK;

Tivizen App - but you will need a Tivizen DVB-T WiFi receiver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcfzriQigKE


Memory Map - 1:50,000 USGB DVD of the complete UK is available and maps are transferable to the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoNorronqFU



Other non-uk applicable apps;

Denon Audio App - Excellent audio app graphic equalizer and Internet radio.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/denon-audio/id520604518?mt=8



3CX app - turn you iPhone into a VIOP mobile phone and use a 3rd party VOIP provider

http://www.3cx.com/VOIP/voip-phone/


SPOT connect app - You will need a SPOT connect though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ar1niSpGWQ



If you find yourself in a poor reception area an unlocked MiFi which will take an external antenna for the various microwave frequencies bands to cover 2.5G, 3G and 4G networks could prove useful as a backup using another wireless network provider may prove to be invaluable. i.e. a high gain antenna could provide 10dBi or more signal gain

http://dx.com/p/1710-2170mhz-12dbi-direc...ma-female-37398

Not entirely portable for everyday use, but the external antenna's can be kept in a vehicle.

Edit.. A dual band microwave antenna for a ZTE MF60

http://www.amazon.com/T-Mobile-Hotspot-E...;keywords=zte60

I don't rely on my smart phone for long term assistance during a disaster. I do have Help Bridge installed on my smartphone, and that's available on Windows Phone, iOS and Android. Its a simple app to signal your status - get help - and also if you are remote from a disaster, has ways to give help immediately.

The status signal is an email or SMS text to sets of contacts, "I'm OK" or "I Need Help". There's also a free text option. It has the option to send your coordinates if you need help (or I'm pretty sure if you say you're OK). So if I'm under rubble when it happens, they know where I am and can direct assistance to me, or if I move to a shelter they can also correlate that. I have several lists of contacts pre-made, those for work, my extended family, and for the Red Cross.

In terms of giving help there's an option to send money via PayPal to Red Cross and other responding organizations, something that tracks time and needs for volunteering your time or actual goods. Donating money is almost always preferable despite the good intentioned donations of folks filling pickups with food water and clothing in the initial rush after a disaster.

Its a pretty good tool, and free.

Introduction here:

http://video.app.msn.com/watch/video/hel...r-2-19/qmvyvvhn

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nikon-spoton-ballistic-match/id399224811?mt=8

What would be a nice iPhone app would be one that would control an Auto ballistic Scope controller!

i.e A combined BT communication chronograph, clinometer and Scope turret stepper motor controller.

Plug in the distance to target. i.e Distance data from a IR Laser ranger finder. Plug in the cross wind and bullet weight in grains. Atmosphere air pressure sensor data can also be incorporated along with the ballistic co-efficient of the chosen ammunition.

Muzzle end bullet velocity from the previous chronograph measurement is sent to the iPhone via Blue Tooth and the ballistic drop/gain and left right compensation are sent to the attached scope turret stepper motors after calculation of the ballistic bullet gain or drop etc. Calibration tables of the specific scope calibrations in the iPhone app can be incorporated or can be entered by the end user after testing at the range.

Parralax, magnification and focus adjustment would still be manual use.

It makes sense that GPS works without data capability. I guess my real question is, how does my carrier (Verizon) treat that data coming from the satellite? It's not free, I assume. So, is that data attached to my talk plan or my data plan? Technically, the satellite data is neither, but does Verizon disable satellite data if talk and/or data are disabled? I'll have to call Verizon tech support...

If my GPS works even if my talk plan and data plan are disabled, then I will structure my phone's survival apps to maximize the capabilities of GPS. Satellite communication is likely to be most reliable type of communication on my phone, followed by text, then email, then talk.

No its been paid for from your taxes and the Russian Taxpayer.

Its all free for me being in the UK.

My iPod doesn't have a carrier, doesn't have an inbuilt GPS engine, but it doesn't stop me using GPS apps such as Memory Maps or making very very cheap phone calls.

I just added a Garmin Glo BT GPS and a ZTE MF60.

I don't want Google know what mapping tiles I'm downloading and where I am and I don't want any carrier knowing where I am calling from let alone the telephone number I am calling or the telephone number I am using.

The carrier is legally mandated to be able to track your position using triangulation of your cell phone using timing information from various cell phone towers. This basic geo location is passed back to your phone and provides the GPS engine inbuilt in your phone to more quickly obtain a faster GPS lock just in case you decide to start making and finish calls within 45-60 sec. They really, really want to know where you are calling from with 10-20 square meters rather than 2500 - 4000 square meters.

Apple is even more sneaky as they track log everything even using previously recorded WiFi LANs that Google have surreptitiously and illegally recorded when they created Google street view. These organisations work hand in hand with each other. Considering many companies such as Facebook etc are CIA seeded off shoots this is not surprising.

Does the phone have a GPS chip? If it does then it uses neither data nor voice plan. Hmmm something else to check. I'll put the phone in airplane mode and see if the phone still knows where it is.
Edit: never mind, airplane mode turns that off too.

An important point, espeically with a power hungry smartphone. There are any number of other tweaks--and even apps!--to let you squeeze every last electron of battery life out of your phone by adjusting settings or eliminating unnecessary processes that consume power.

Airplane mode is better than turning your smartphone off because really, your smartphone is just a miniature computer, and it takes a considerable amount of juice to boot it up from an off-state, and we all know how much activity goes on when we're waiting for a computer to boot up.

A phone is for communicating, so finding other options for communications would be logical.

If cell towers are overloaded or down in some incident, but you can still find a WiFi signal, then you can still call or text or even video chat with people with apps like Skype. Pay a little extra and you can dial out to other phones or have a virtual phone number that people can ring you up on (although you're consuming your battery waiting for a call).

And for lots of people, other media such as Facebook and Twitter have replaced voice calls and text messages.

Often, it's just that initial, "Are you OK? Are the kids OK?" that is most important to a person. After that, if you're out of touch, it's not so bad psychologically and you can just carry on.

Does it? just because its not displaying the GPS coordinates doesn't mean it still not recording a geo-track log for Apple.

In the UK there is a paid for network of open WiFi hotspots called British Telecom Wifi, FON and Openzone etc

There are millions of them throughout the UK. Connecting to them for free doesn't represent a problem if you know how to go about it.

http://btopenzone.hotspot-directory.com/results.php?txtQuick=edinburgh

Just ran a quick experiment on my Galaxy s3 (android version 4.1.2); with airplane mode on, GPS still works and generates a position. I went back online, downloaded a local map from Google Maps, went into airplane mode again and GPS found my location on the downloaded map. But it looks like downloading lots of map data will really eat up your storage quickly.

If it is keeping a log, that info is apparently not available to either Tom's GPS or Here I Am. Neither would give me a location until I turned airplane mode off. Turning off cellular data seemed to have no effect. As soon as I turned airplane mode off, both apps had location info immediately.

Am_Fear, are you using GPS on you phone at all?

Also, you are not using any map on your phone that combines with positioning data, correct?

This discussion explains the controversy;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aemyzWnwLXI

View your own iPhone Geo Track log

http://petewarden.github.io/iPhoneTracker/

I understand the controversy. I'm just not clear on how you have setup your system among all your devices.

I really need to get that battery case. Apparently, there is at least one app that I have added that is being a battery hog. I can't figure it out, even after messing with settings. I'm tempted to erase all apps I don't absolutely need.

The iPod Touch isn't a phone and doesn't have a inbuilt internal GPS + GLONASS.

It has multiple GPS applications installed such as Memory Map along with the mapping database installed in the iPod memory. To turn off the external GPS, I push the power button on the Garmin Glo BT GPS, the electronic map viewing and scrolling will still work even with location services turned off and in flight mode.

To make and receive phone calls on the iPod I use the ZTE MF-60 MiFi and the 3CX app configured for a Draytel VIOP account. Calls to the US from the UK typically cost about 1 penny per minute or about 1.5 cents PAYG. Calls from the UK to the UK are actually more expensive. Draytel also offers a PC application for free secure encrypted voice comms to other Draytel users using the same application if required.

The ZTE-60 can also be used with a directional Yagi antenna (rather than a circular radiator antenna) for better location security especially on the edge of a cell network.

The Garmin and ZTE devices can also used in conjuction with a Samsung notebook PC.

Contract iPhones are way too expensive and the money that was saved was used to purchase some nice AKG K702 headphones and FiiO E07K DAC Headphone amplifier both of which still work with the notebook PC.

My iPhone 4S will not download the file.

I am in the US and make calls to, and receive calls from, Eastern Europe using Skype (no affiliation) in voice only mode, using both desktop and mobile versions of Skype at no charge. Skype (at least for the moment) allows free international, including mobile to mobile (if both have Skype on their smartphone) international calls. NOTE; don't use video, just voice; most mobile (and few home internet connections) can handle the video, but voice only works fine. My relatives use Skype frequently for their international calls---pretty much have dumped the traditional phone system. Internet access is the key, and, as pointed out, there are many free internet (via wifi) access points.

The times they are a changin. . .

I have Topo Maps, and it downloads a map to your device so you don't need a connection to view the map.

The costs I quoted for are to call landline numbers (non VOIP) in the UK and the USA. Free calls are also available if both ends of the call are using Draytel VIOP configured clients.

The main problem for the smartphone handset using VOiP is that many portable smartphone handsets will not allow VOIP clients to work if locked to a specific carrier.

It is for the Mac PC that syncs with your iPhone to display the geo track log file data rather than for the iPhone itself.

I've added this "5-0 Radio Pro Police Scanner" app to my preparedness file:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/5-0-radio-pro-police-scanner/id341776037?mt=8


Living in DC, there's usually some chatter going on.

Also got (for free) the Red Cross Tornado, Red Cross Hurricane and Red Cross Earthquake apps.

That WISER app is must-have for anyone interested in biological/chemical, etc. incidents.

Was at the hairdresser today looking through all this stuff. Fortunately she was focused on her task at hand -- my head.


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You will be wanting one of these then to cover the RN in CBRN.

I was thinking of building a portable phone using a rotary retro red GPO 746 and stuffing inside a cheap Edimax 3G-6200NL router and Draytek VigorTalk Analogue Phone Adaptor and Lithuim Battery PSU inside.


It would make for a cool looking portable telephone and wireless Access device WiFi hotspot even if a little bulky.

This looks like a useful app for Californians. So you know what dangers lurk nearby...

http://myfaultapp.com/



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My brother is building a Skype phone box from a traditional old UW West (AT&T) phone box out on the Pacific Coast. the phone box has been empty of a phone for years and the last tenant hasn't ripped it out. There's no cell reception near there, so the idea is use a pay telephone handset to connect to the wifi from the local Inn or Resort 100 feet away, and let folks make calls that way for free. So that the person reporting a loved one having a heart attack can dial 911, or I suppose dial their long lost cousin in Ireland or Malta. Its all free, and doesn't cost the Inn much of anything except the equipment to set it up. I'll make a point to take a picture of it this summer when I'm out there to show the setup.

In my searching for a map app that would be useful if the phone couldn't get a cell signal or wi-fi, I found this. So far I've downloaded DC and some counties in Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax). [ $1.99 ]

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/city-maps-2go-offline-map/id327783342?mt=8


City Maps 2Go - Offline Map and Travel Guide

Interactive offline map PLUS Wikipedia travel guides for the whole world. INCLUDING unlimited map downloads. 100% offline. No data roaming or WiFi required. The most downloaded app of its kind. Ideal for trips abroad and at home.


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Not Free, cost me $1.99, but City Maps 2Go looks like a keeper on the iPad. I always check stuff out on the iPad before downloading to the iPhone. Nice thing is that once you pay for one iDevice, you can download to your other iDevices at no charge.

It's a different signal and a different receiver. Receiving GPS signals has nothing to do with your carrier. Note that your carrier can triangulate your rough position without the onboard GPS sending them "here I am" data, and that your GPS will work better when using WiFi and cellular receivers to know what it's closest to.



GPS is a one-way signal. The satellites broadcast their precise location and the precise time. By listening to the differences in the time signals from multiple satellites your GPS device (iPhone or whatever) can figure out where it is. The trick is getting maps on your device that work without a data connection.

The current version of iTopoMaps seems like it's stable, so I'm putting it back on my list.

Are you saying there is no way possible for the carrier to disable the GPS chip if the entire plan is disconnected?

In other words, if I completely discontinue my services with my carrier, the GPS chip will continue to operate as usual without having to do any kind of workaround?

Just took a walk down to the local park and turned cellphone stuff off like was in the backcountry. One problem I have using maps on an iPhone is that while I can turn off cellular data, I can't turn off all cellular without using "airplane mode" which also turns off the GPS. I tried this in the park and had a good lock on my position turning individual things off until I turned Airplane mode on which kills the cellular signal and apparently the GPS too.

With all the mapping apps out there, you'd think Apple would realize that GPS can function while in Airplane mode because the cellphone doesn't need to transmit, only receive; just give the GPS receiver its own on/off button in the location settings menu. After turning everything off using airplane mode you can turn the GPS back on to get maps working without draining the battery looking for a cell signal. Does that make sense? This should be totally doable with software.

Then again I noticed on the iPhone 5 location is provided by: Assisted GPS and GLONASS. From that I take it that maybe FCC is requiring the GPS be assisted, so Apple only powers the GPS when cellular is also on. IMO that is short sighted.

On the iPhone and many other smartphones with separate GPS receivers and chips, that's precisely correct. You can cancel your service with the carrier and the GPS will still work just fine. If you already have map data downloaded, then you're good to go.

Some GPS apps won't work without data connections, as they rely upon the cloud service for route guidance.

On the iPhone (and on most other smartphones I know about) that is not the case. GPS works alone. The A-GPS feature improves the speed of acquiring a fix where it is available.

Then why is it that the mapping apps lose location input when I turn on Airplane mode? The GPS is a separate receiver, but it seems to only function when the cellular transceiver is also on.

Because "airplane mode" turns off ALL radio communications, incoming and outgoing. In airplane mode it won't even listen to GPS signals.

Technically, there is no reason why you shouldn't be able to use your GPS while in airplane mode. But regulations state "ALL radio equipment". A GPS receives radio signals from GPS satelites, so formally it could be defined as "radio equipment".

Sometimes it is easier to just comply with the letter of the law than to follow a sensible interpretation of the intention behind the law.

Exactly, however when I turn Airplane Mode ON which turns everything Off, I can then turn WiFi ON and turn Bluetooth ON and I'm still in Airplane Mode. I'm just saying that an iPhone's GPS transmits less than WiFi and Bluetooth so there should be a no issues with giving GPS its own button so it can be turned on separately also.

A GPS doesn't just transmit less, it doesn't transmit at all.

However the reason that you turn off receivers as well as transmitters is receivers down convert the signals they receive by mixing with another signal. So to create that other signal you need an oscillator and that can transmit a small signal. Put an AM radio next to your computer and listen to the interference for a simple example.

Just so you don't think I'm crazy (well I may still be but at least I'm technically correct here)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermediate_frequency

You mix your received frequency with your local to bring the received down to where you can process it. All oscillators transmit a small amount unintentionally.

I wonder if this is a design "feature" of that iphone model? When the engineers sit down and design the hardware and software, somewhere along the line a decision as to what gets shut down when airplane mode is implemented has to be made---and someone decided to shut down GPS also. GPS is a passive receiver: no RF emissions, so it does not need to be shut down to comply with airline regs. But someone might have decided to play it on the safe side.

My Samsung android does keep GPS operating in Airplane mode, but nothing says all phones have to implement Airplane mode in exactly the same way.

WEATHER APPS:

Stormy week here and I was unnerved the other night to not know of a tornado warning until noticing an alert crawl on the television. So I doubled-down on weather apps and am using them all (not that you need them all):


RadarScope -- Doppler Radar $9.99

http://www.basevelocity.com/RadarScope/index_ios.php


RadarCast Pro $1.99

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Radar-Cast-Pro-Puts-a-Meteorologist-in-Your-Pocket-78223.html


iMap Weather Radio $9.99

http://www.wired.com/geekmom/2012/04/iphone-app-review-imap-weather-radio-stay-informed-stay-safe/

"While the name might suggest that it’s a NOAA Weather Radio app, that isn’t quite true. But it’s the next best thing. iMap Weather Radio uses a smart device’s geo-location technology to keep users informed of National Weather Service watches and warnings.

"If the app is left active (in other words, running in the background), when a notification is issued for your current location (or one of five other locations users can input), your phone will issue a distinctive alarm tone — similar to that of a NOAA Weather Radio — and will read the statement to you."


Weather Alerts $3.99

http://weathersphere.com/products/weather-alerts

"Simple, no-nonsense app for quickly notifying you of severe weather alerts in a chosen radius from your current location, including Tornadoes, Hurricanes, Snow Storms, Frost Advisories, Flood/Fire Warnings and hundreds more. Alerts you with sound even when the phone is lying unused with screen off!"


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The usefulness of many of these apps hinges on your drilling into the settings and seeing what it can do for you and adjusting it accordingly.

I worked on this last evening because the overnight forecast was for potentially severe storms including tornado potential. I wanted to make sure the push alerts worked (though my dog probably would have woken me, too).

Alas, the storms did not pan out so no test yet of the tornado-while-asleep scenario.


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And a non-app link -- extraordinary (professional) video of a massive rotating "supercell:"

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/ar...-before/276837/

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I have basically two alerts I want to know about -

Tornado Warning/Emergency and Iceberg Advisory/Warning....

Cause if an Iceberg warning gets issued for Iowa, I know things are going downhill really fast....

The Weather Alerts app just screamed out a tornado warning siren. Impressive.

The tornado warning is 41 miles away -- within the 50-mile perimeter I have the app set for.

http://weathersphere.com/products/weather-alerts

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Life360 is a new app I'm using. I needed a way to track the position of a family member via GPS. This app does that. You could also use it in an emergency situation. For example, you sign up with a group before a hike. If anybody in the group gets lost, use the app.

You could also track where your daughter is taking your car you let her borrow. Put a cell phone in the glove box. The cell phone can act as a GPS beacon that you can track from the comfort of your home.

Just make sure to logout/disconnect when the app is not in use. The invasion of privacy is bold and unapologetic.

I just inherited my hubby's Samsung Galaxy 3 when he got an upgrade. I need an app to help me turn it on. Apparently I'm not smart enough for a smart phone. LOL!

Actually, I managed to add some contacts, text and dial. That's about all I'm looking for from it for now - emergency calls and texts. Looking at this thread though, I can feel my inner geek smiling in anticipation. Thanks gang!

One word: Waze

That's a good place to start apping.

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That is Dagny! I've had it for about 48 hours, and it's now got a flashlight, compass and maps loaded, and I'm perusing the multitude of options out there.

Google Maps now let's you download off line map tiles. Very useful.
One item I strongly recommend you get is a battery powered charger.

I don't think the iPhone version does that yet. And yes, a battery powered charger is in my opinion essential.

I just ordered one of the Goal Zero solar charging kits. I like that it will charge AA batteries or my cell phone directly via USB port. Smart phones are very power hungry beasts; keeping them up and running using solar is probably a good thing.

FWIW, On my S3, I found "assistive light" under the "widgets" section in my list Applications and widgets. There is no corresponding App listed in the App section. Real simple; touch the widget, light on, touch again, light off.

Note; I am new (2 months) to smartphones; there seem to be lots of useful things you can do, most of which are undocumented and if you do find them, no "user guide" on how to make them work. Lots of experimentation is in order.

quite a few nice mapping apps in this thread:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/68418-Overlanding-Phone-Apps

tons of first aid apps listed here:
http://appcrawlr.com/ios-apps/best-apps-first-aid-information

Note: I'm not affiliated with the above, just passing the link.

Just recently got my first smart-phone, Samsung Galaxy Note II.
After playing around I found out that it drains battery within 24h when heavily using internet or gps or other functions.

So now on the way by mail is coming a Samsung portable battery pack with 9000mAh. That will let me charge the phone 1-2 times. http://1.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Samsung-battery-galaxy-s3.jpg

A Goal Zero solar charging kit available through Amazon and other places online will let you charge and recharge your phone indefinitely while away from wall power or during electricity blackouts. All you need is sun. Nice in that it charges AA NiMH batteries and uses the batteries as a voltage regulator to allow charging smartphones (which can be finicky regarding charging voltage.

Not affiliated with Goal Zero or Amazon, but I have the unit linked above.

I just spent the last week at summer camp with my Boy Scout troop, and tried my Goal Zero charger, but we had no sun!!! It rained every day. There was no more than a couple of hours of sun on any day. I got almost no usable charge from that on my phone. I did not need the phone, I was just trying to see how the charger would do. It worlds, you just need ample time in the sun.

I've used http://www.verbatim.com/prod/accessories/power-pack-chargers/aa-power-pack/ on two scout camp outs and when the power was out last week. A few of eneloops in the backpack works fine.