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#274743 - 04/02/15 03:23 PM Android app like Blasts "Big Binder"
barbakane Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 03/12/09
Posts: 205
Loc: Florida
Firstly, I'm looking for a single Android app that replicates Blasts "Great Big Binder of Everything with Everyting Inside" (GBBEWEI or GBB, for short).

This would be an electronic version of the printed binder. I've looked at eWallet and don't think that goes far enough. If anyone has experience with it, please chime in. I have an android phone and two android tablets, and want auto updates to all devices when updating info on any device..cloud backups too I can access from any device.
Would dropbox do all that?

Secondly, sorry if this has been covered, but when I tried a site search over 25 pages came up and I went thru about ten before admitting defeat.
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seeking to balance risk and reward
Audaces fortuna iuvat...fortune favors the bold
Practice methodical caution...Les Stroud

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#274745 - 04/02/15 04:15 PM Re: Android app like Blasts "Big Binder" [Re: barbakane]
Tjin Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/08/02
Posts: 1821
I prefer a manual independant backup. Any errors or hacks on your cloud will have effect on everything if it's syncronised in the cloud.
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#274746 - 04/02/15 06:50 PM Re: Android app like Blasts "Big Binder" [Re: barbakane]
bws48 Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 08/18/07
Posts: 831
Loc: Anne Arundel County, Maryland
I'm not sure this is an answer, but IMO the simple solution would be to take the "big binder" and scan or convert the native files to .PDF format, and store it where you want.

A couple of advantages that I see:

1. At least in the U.S., .PDF is nearly universal, as .PDF readers are widely available (for free) for computers and most, if not all, smartphones.

2. Converters to produce .PDF files from scans or native file formats (e.g. MS Word) are also widely available, (some versions of MS Word will do this for you).

So, no special "app" is needed to produce or read the file.
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"Better is the enemy of good enough."

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#274747 - 04/02/15 10:49 PM Re: Android app like Blasts "Big Binder" [Re: barbakane]
Alex Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/01/07
Posts: 1034
Loc: -
Dropbox works for me in that regards pretty well. I have my own structure of folders with my personal documents (as well as tons of local and general survival information and eBooks) in PDF, Word, and surely as plain images. I'm keeping them in most common formats, so not to be dependent on any special software in order to view them or print them out. However most sensitive documents (credit cards, ID's, ssns, grand deed) are in a separate folder above the Dropbox structure (so not to expose them during transferring or on the cloud). But still, they are without any special protection. I never part with my phone, and when on the streets I have its lock screen password protection invoked automatically (when leaving the range of home or work wifi hotspot). Still, it is possible to reach them, as they are actually on the removable T-flash card. But that's also important, as if the phone dies (drowned for example) - I can still get my information out and intact.

Also I'm using the aWallet app to store my online passwords, and the Emma Personal Wiki app to gradually build my own knowledge base of local survival information in particular. It's also auto-synchronizing through the Dropbox with other Androids and PCs as well, and supports HTML sytax, so you can build quite complex data sets with it if necessary. This is the only wiki, natively supporting truly functional check boxes in the text - great for making check lists, obviously.

The later could be replaced with a more convenient Evernote app, but I was not able to justify their subscription fee model, nor their proprietary notes format. But that's definitely the best option for those not familiar with Wiki editing or HTML.

In the recent time I've started to take my notes with the Samsung Note 3 pen, using the dedicated Samsung S Note app - very natural way! Also you can add external images to your notes. But still figuring the best way of making them synchronized with Dropbox automatically (plan to write an app for that).

Almost forgot! The fantastic scanner app I'm using - the CamScanner. It creates perfect scans of documents using the phone camera. I have all of my equipment user manuals scanned with it in no time (tried a dozen of similar apps prior to that - you can trust me, this one is the best).

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#274748 - 04/02/15 11:29 PM Re: Android app like Blasts "Big Binder" [Re: barbakane]
Alex Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/01/07
Posts: 1034
Loc: -
Also, I'm very pleased with the File Manager app https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rhmsoft.fm for general file management tasks on my Android devices as well as on the cloud and WAN/LAN.

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#274779 - 04/07/15 03:26 PM Re: Android app like Blasts "Big Binder" [Re: barbakane]
Mark_F Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 06/24/09
Posts: 714
Loc: Kentucky
Not sure if this will help, but it seems relevant. I don't know anything about the particular stuff being asked about in the OP, but our Charter Organization Representative for our Troop (who also happens to be the Cubmaster for the Pack and a super organized teacher as well) handles all our training and other documents this way. Whenever we complete a training, we either send her a screenshot of the certificate, or she takes a picture with her smartphone. What she does after that I'm not sure, although I assume she has a file on her phone or elsewhere of some sort in which to organize all the photos. In this way, whenever she needs documentation for training or other stuff she has immediate access to it and can e-mail it or maybe even text it to where it's needed. I don't see a reason why this wouldn't work with the important documents, however there might be a security risk here if the phone/tablet gets lost, stolen, or otherwise misplaced. Hacking and other such stuff I know nothing about may also be a risk.
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#274780 - 04/07/15 04:11 PM Re: Android app like Blasts "Big Binder" [Re: barbakane]
chaosmagnet Offline
Sheriff
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/03/09
Posts: 3842
Loc: USA
I use Evernote for a lot of stuff, but I would be reluctant to use it for sensitive documents -- if my Evernote credentials were compromised for any reason, it could be a big problem.

Another way to do this is to use a cloud file service (like Google Drive) with files that are individually encrypted. If my Google credentials are compromised that would be Bad but if the critical documents were protected with strong encryption, that would make things much harder for the attacker.

With that said, I'm using a physical binder for most of those docs right now.

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#274781 - 04/07/15 05:16 PM Re: Android app like Blasts "Big Binder" [Re: barbakane]
LCranston Offline
2
Enthusiast

Registered: 08/31/09
Posts: 201
Loc: Nebraska
Can someone speak to the contents of this "GBBEWEI"

It sounds like a GOOD THING....

As someone that has a scanner, I would volunteer to help online it (hmmm, "online it" is that a real term?)


Edited by LCranston (04/07/15 05:16 PM)

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#274787 - 04/07/15 11:58 PM Re: Android app like Blasts "Big Binder" [Re: barbakane]
barbakane Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 03/12/09
Posts: 205
Loc: Florida
Original thread:
http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=197019&page=1

Info to reflect your neck o the woods, of course.


Edited by barbakane (04/08/15 12:00 AM)
_________________________
seeking to balance risk and reward
Audaces fortuna iuvat...fortune favors the bold
Practice methodical caution...Les Stroud

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#274796 - 04/08/15 01:23 PM Re: Android app like Blasts "Big Binder" [Re: barbakane]
Eugene Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 12/26/02
Posts: 2997
I personally don't like to use dedicated apps. I've seen too many companies go out of business or drop support of their app then your stuck re-entering the data again.
What I ended up doing was making a normal office document for my binder. For the pages where things like birth certificates are in the physical binder I scan those then insert the scans into the doc. For the sensitive documents I keep those in a small truecrypt container and edslite can open that.

I used LibreOffice/Apache OpenOffice and Andropenoffice and opendocument viewer.

I used to use dropbox to transfer but have since moved to owncloud since it can sync more than just files.

I mentioned in one of the other threads that I've divided my binder into sections. I have a separate doc for each family member and the physical papers for each person are kept in report covers, this way I can take just one persons at a time to a doctor or school as needed. I then have a 5th doc for all the shared papers and one overall/toc/dr plan/goals document.

Each persons doc is divided into 4 sections:
1. Identity - items such as birth certificate, ss card, diploma, resume, etc (marriage license for the shared)
2. Health - Current meds, health insurance info, medical records
3. Wealth - Listing of all bank/credit/loan/401k/529/ira accounts, latest statement
4. Possessions - Deeds to land/house, vehicle titles, large items with serial numbers, etc.


Edited by Eugene (04/08/15 01:51 PM)

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