What iPhone/Smartphone apps have you found?

Have those of you with one found any apps which would be useful before/during/after an emergency?

-Blast

There's the Accuweather temperature thing. Could be useful in an emergency, but emits dangerous levels of boredom in peace time.

I have a free first aid book, several e-book readers with about 60 books, skype, several weather apps, and streaming public and emergency radio apps. The emergency radio app is like having a mini-scanner in the palm of your hand.

Got most of them free through the iPhone app store.

The newest iPhone has a magnetic compass built in. It is not available in the first two because there is no magnetometer (i think thats it) within the unit.

I tested one this weekend, and had no complaints. (except I have the wrong iPhone)

All the other compass apps. require motion over the ground to use them and aren't really that great.

Weather.com and i.wund.com (Wunderground.com) are both apps. I use extensively to avoid getting blown away in storms when away from home.

I use my dingleberry to track the weather radar on the commute, that way I know if I have to pick a different train station because mine flooded (sigh, sounding like a broken record now).

This weekend I monitored the cells between Colorado Springs and South Denver on the way home, and was able to find a path between them without getting hammered. Now if I could just find a decent real time traffic channel that my dingleberry would keep up with, I'd be a happy boy.

Aside from the Maps application, the only iPhone app I have that I think might be useful in an emergency is a free app called "GPS Ally" which simply shows your current location and allows you to email it easily (it emails it as a Google map link, using the current latitude & longitude). I figure if you ever get stuck somewhere, you can at least let someone know where you are (a SPOT-ish feature, I guess).

Of course, one other thing I've thought about is looking into some sort of backup power solution for the iPhone, otherwise it may only be useful for a short while if something ever did happen.

Now that sounds awesome. More info (name, available cities, etc)?

-Blast

While not perfect, I use this.
incase power slider

I'm a recent convert to a smart phone for personal use. (BlackBerry in my case.) I haven't run into many particularly fantastic applications yet but I have noticed that some web sites are FAR more smart phone friendly than others. Would it be too much of a hijack to ask folks to list mobile friendly web sites too?

The National Weather Service has a great mobile site with (relatively) high res radar loops and the like.

For web sites that aren't specifically designed for mobiles I find "Bolt" browser to be a great asset. Between the BBrowser and Bolt I feel that I have things covered pretty well.

I find the following useful in your context.

The camera is pretty good and can be used to document things.

There's a gas app that gives you locations and prices of gas stations.

The built in maps app is very good.

As is Accuweather.

I also downloaded a knots book and a pain free book that shows various PT exercises for things that might ail you.

All that and the ability to call, email and text...assuming there is service.

I use my BB built in maps to find where the heck I need to go. (Not the GPS). Other than that I'd love to here what "new" things I could add to it.

I just got a BB Curve, this fight with customs pushed me over the edge to need that immediate email capability, so new to this whole SmartPhone stuff myself. Thanks for the Bolt suggestion, that's much better than the default browser.

Hey Blast, I was taking a look in the iTunes apps store and see an app called zombie survival guide. Thought you might be interested.

Cool! But first I need an iPhone...

-Blast, somewhat behind the curve

Management here has gone all ga-ga over the new iPhone compass feature.
We also just spent 700 bucks on a new Crackberry that has true GPS capability. The guy who has it spends a considerable amount of time in the field. Got it activated, tested, etc. Seems to have worked well.
First place he went...deep in SE Alaska...guess what. No Service.
I laughed so hard it hurt.

Doug, another browser you may want to look into is Opera. Thats what I use...it works great...MUCH better than the standard BB Browser. My brother uses Bolt & lovesd it-nothing wrong with it, I just found Opera to work better for my needs.
I have used the BB maps extensively. Between that & the GPS, you cannot really go wrong.

Glad to hear that Bolt is working for you. I also tried Opera Mini (and I still have it installed ... just in case) but I seem to use BBrowser or Bolt the vast majority of the time. I suppose much of the decision is subjective.

For those so inclined the YouVersion Bible application is kind of interesting. Makes it much easier for me to keep reading the Bible in my schedule without actually lugging around my Bible. Hanging around this bunch seems to keep my pockets very full.

I use Topo Maps, Motion X GPS, The Weather Channel app, pUniverse (Astronomy stuff), Multi Level (hanging pictures and leveling the RV), Tides, Geocaching, Emer. Radio (scanner in your pocket), Installed Map program, and Google Earth...

"Emer. Radio" is the one I have, it works well enough. My only complaint is it jumbles our local radio channels together on one feed.

I have a couple reference applications on my iPhone, "HazRef" and "Emergency Response Guide". I also have a PDF reader and a bunch of reference documents on my iPhone, using "Air Sharing" my iPhone can also be used as a WiFi file sharing server allowing me to access my documents from any computer on a wifi network.

"GPS Formats" not only allows you to convert a GPS coordinate to another format, but it also allows you to email your current location.

Please don't tell me about any other great app's for the SmartPhone/IPhone. I cannot really afford new toys now. If you make it sound much better I will have to abuse some part of what I laughingly call my budget.

Really, I have been watching a friend use his IPhone and I am pretty conviced I need to get one for all the above plus many other reasons.

I hate to say it but mine has already saved me more than it cost. When I upgraded my phones I signed up for a new two year contract. After the dust settled I was actually a couple hundred dollars ahead. I paid $300 to upgrade two phones & have two $100 mail in rebates in process. Then my carrier shot me a $300 thank you for re-signing since I'm a long time customer.

Not two weeks after I got the BlackBerries I got a phone call from a local business that I frequent. The sales person I always deal with called me on a Saturday evening & said they had a fantastic deal but I would have to move on it that night. I was out of state at the time but I was able to use the phone to transfer money from my savings account to my checking account so that a debit transaction could be done. That transaction saved me a couple of thousand dollars.

(Before I get lectured/flamed too bad. I don't plan on doing banking from my phone in the future since I seriously doubt that's it's very secure but it's good to know that it's possible in a pinch.)

So this topic is leaning towards the SmartPhone slant, but I'm wondering, are there any similar apps for IPhone? I just got my new 2-yr phone upgrade last week and specifically did NOT want a B-berry.

But... I also want to go buy an ITouch this week b/c of the number of medical apps avaible on it.

This thread is good timing - what good resources are out for IPhone/Touch, and are they only via the apple store?

Thanks.

I can still send an email using this old junk I just pulled out of the botton of a drawer faster than I can using an iPhone. Well nearly!

Its no more insecure than online banking from your home PC which is still way more secure than writing a paper check.

One generic (ie non-iPhone) Java app I like is called Compass. It actually just gives you information about the sun and the moon. If you can see either of them, it'll help you work out which direction is north. It also has an information page with rise and set times, which may be important if you need to set up camp before it gets dark.

For BB's Shazam song ID & GPS Logger (takes a bit of getting used to but its free!)

Since this thread was so fortuitously revived and I now have a smartphone again (had a company-supplied BB a few years ago), I'll toss in my $.02.

I have a Motorola Droid running Android 2.0

I use:

Droid Light (uses camera flash as LED flashlight)
Weatherbug
Google Voice (will let me make calls using an available WiFi internet connection if my cellular carrier is off-air)
Google maps with voice turnXturn nav and topo layer
Banking app (can transfer money between accounts in a pinch)
GeoPointer (Compass, Lat/Long)
MyTracks (overlays my movements on a local map; good for backtracking out of the woods)
Toddler Lock (interactive lights and sounds, keeps them from unlocking phone without unlock sequence; keeps them entertained in an emergency)

Under heavy usage conditions I can run my phone battery down in about 3-4 hours. To address this I have a Solio charger that can slowly solar charge its own battery then move that power to the phone battery. I also have a couple chargers from Energizer that let me run/charge the phone from AA batteries (I have a few of this size around), USB cable to charge from my laptop battery, and a car charger in each vehicle.

Add in Compass, a nice compass app
Dockrunner, lets you turn on the home clock mode without placing in the dock.
GPS Status
Wifi Analyzer
google translate, never know when you may need to translate to another language
MapDroyd, downloads maps from openstreetmap.org for use if no data is available.

iTunes has the SAS Survival Guide app for iPhones.
Great reading for long waits...
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sas-survival-guide/id357811968?mt=8

Password manager:
http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password

Air Sharing (drag and drop documents between iPhone and desktop):
http://avatron.com/apps/

reQall:
http://www.reqall.com/

Emergency Radio:
http://www.apptism.com/apps/emergency-radio

wxRadar:
http://web.me.com/atlwx/wxRadar/index.html

Just keep in mind that 90% of iPhone "applications" have 0% functionality without the network.

Actually nearly every iPhone application I have works just fine without a network connection.

Having said that there are some (OK, lots and lots) that are designed to use the internet and all of those do require a network connection for full (or in some cases, any) functionality. Similar functionality from any device would also require a network connection of some sort. This list would include the streaming audio stuff like scanners or music, and anything that needs to pull stuff from a central data source, like weather apps or airline flight tracking. Lots of cool stuff but hardly 90% of the available iPhone apps.

- Eric

Okay, 90% of really useful applications?

What the heck, I'll bite. Its been a long rough day and I need to play.

really useful apps that don't need a constant network connection. Lets start with the built ins.
Calendar, Contacts list, iPod (you know the music and video player), clock (doubles as alarm clock, stop watch, count down timer), camera, notes, compass (well only so-so in the usefulness area)

Then we have some really nice apps that I use all the time.

Classic RPN Calculator - get the HP 11, HP 12, HP15 RPN goodness on you iPhone
On the Clock - helps me keep track of how much time on spend on things
Todo - todo list, can sync to computer but doesn't need to
Date wheel - quick start/end/duration calculator
Countdown - counts time to/from a specific date (say your anniversary!)
Level - kind of hokey but works well for hanging pictures
BC reader - "scan" in business cards and add them to your contacts (yes I am lazy)
Flashlight - makes the iphone an underpowered flashlight - better than no light at all

Stanza - Ebook reader - I have over 250 FREE ebooks on my iphone, Mostly Sci-Fi but some good how-to / survival / first aid stuff also Several other ebook readers available also (kindle, Barnes n Noble)

GoSkyWatch - Planetarium - great for identifying stars/constellations etc. Works better with network (more precise location info) but good enough without.
resistorCC - display resistor values based on color codes - I hate memorizing that.
iSeismo - 3 axis accelerometer - very useful if you need this sort of thing
SPL Meter - sound decibel meter - works pretty well and has come in pretty handy several times.
RTA lite - real time audio frequency analyzer
Tuner - musical instrument tuner w/visual readout and spectrum readout
A couple of fitness apps - they have workout routines and track your progress - some do work a lot better with the network but all of them work well enough without.
proloquo2go - augmented communication application
iPrompts - PECs derived scheduling/prompting application
Several other educational apps (sign language, flashcards, tracing)
Emergency Aid - preparedness app
Several photo/video editing apps.


oh yeah, there are also lots and lots of time wasters (I think they call them games )

I also have several really nice network dependent apps and use them a lot but I have found iPhone/iPod touch can be very useful without a network connection. Of course like always, your mileage may vary.

- Eric

Thanks!
At least I see now that I have most of these on my Palm TH55E. The accelerometers based tools looks very interesting though...

But most importantly, I can create my own applications for my Palm PDA, and that I can do that right on my Palm (Onboard C).

Banking from your phone is FAR more secure than banking from your desktop. I know this based on the fact that one of my key clients is one of the top 10 financial services firms in the USA and we developed their iPhone app!

And far more secure than banking by mail, as in paper bill/check.

I used a Palm M505 and a Palm Tx before getting the iPhone so a lot of my "app" habits and preferences were set before I had the ability to be online nearly all the time. I never did get around to programming on the Palm, it was always easier to find something close enough to what I wanted. Of course my claim to fame in software development is that I can make any higher level language read like FORTRAN.

It is possible to write your own apps for the iPhone type devices but if you want to distribute the apps you would have to go through the Apple App store (or go the jail break route). I don't know of any method for non-jail broken iPhones to write and compile (or interpret) software locally on the device. With my software skills that would be a non issue anyway.

- Eric

Eric. What about the Palm's handwriting feature? Do you miss it on the iPhone's capacitive screen?

On a side note. I'll never bite on iPhone or any MAC product, just because their politics - "Apple knows better what you need and what you don't" - drives me nuts.

One of the same reasons I'll never go with an apple product either.
I've downloaded the Android SKD hoping one of these days I'll get a chance to play with it and see what I can write.

Alex,

I liked the handwriting as a concept, but my penmanship is pretty poor at the best of times so I usually just ended up typing on the virtual keypad with the stylus. So on a practical level the capacitive screen works better for me. My wife did use the handwriting feature on the Palm a lot more but has been really comfortable with the iPhone also.

On that side note. I've never understood computers or software as religion or politics. I buy what works for me and expect others to do the same. For me, Apple products work. They are a relatively small company (compared to MS, IBM etc.) and they really do need to pick their niche / offerings. I started on UNIX systems ( a long, long time ago) and like having full access to UNIX under the hood on my Mac. My wife and kids like the ease of use and I love the fact I don't spend a lot of time managing/maintaining the things. Like a lot of things in life, to each their own.

- Eric

Careful, we're treading on thin ice now! Sheriff Blast is going to have to step in now that the Mac vs. PC debate has taken this thread off topic!

Alas, that debate will never be settled. It is just like trying to say that Ford is better than Chevrolet. Reality is, both have strengths and weaknesses -- both computer and car.

That said, most of my non iPhone friends say that as soon as their contracts are up, they are going with an iPhone. Of course, that comes after they've spent time playing with my iPhone. A couple got tired of waiting, just went ahead and changed.

There are so many apps out there, finding one to fit your needs -- survival or otherwise -- is easy. It can take some dedicated searching and creative thinking to find one specific to survival.

A co-worker who kayaked more than 600 miles last year has been using a GPS for years. Within days of getting his iPhone he discovered that the built-in map app is a lot better than his handheld GPS: It makes navigation much easier on open water because it shows a look-down view of exactly where he is on a lake using a high-resolution photo.

Some of the augmented reality apps that work with the newest phone (3Gs -- OK, so I have not upgraded, yet) are pretty darned cool. Imagine, standing on Pikes Peak, looking east, while holding your phone in front of you. On the screen you see an image of the view with an overlay that shows information -- names of visible landmarks, directions and distance to cities, topography.

Phones are no longer phones: They are full-blown computers that happen to do a great job of carry voice. Oh, and it fits in your pocket. It is coming to the point that if you can dream up an idea, the only reason there's not an app for that is becomes nobody's written it -- yet.

While the iPhone's GPS function is tied to the phone system, within a few years -- or sooner -- it won't be.

That's right. But not with iPhone. It's "if Apple comes with an idea". Simple example: I need to hand draw diagrams on my PDA, but it's impossible physically on iPhone. Fortunately, there are many much more honest and versatile smart phones on the market. HTC for example, which aren't limiting your imagination in any even subtle way. And, by the way, HTC is much smaller and younger company compared to evil Apple.

Trying really really hard to avoid the wrath of the sheriff here so I'll skip past a few things.

On the simple example- a quick search turned up over 100 drawing apps, ranging from brush type (think free hand drawing) to more drag and drop types. So free hand drawing is not impossible on the iPod. The interface will be different since you are using your fingers instead of a stylus.

For rest - well, opinions are everywhere and differences are what makes life interesting. Apple is probably no more or less evil than any other large corporation. They exist to make money, and they make money by offering goods/services that appeal to a market segment. If their products/services don't appeal to you then you are probably not part of the market they are trying to reach.

I like the fact that there are a lot of companies working variations on the smart phone theme. I really like the app concept and am thrilled with the changes in cell phone capabilities and software since the introduction of the blackberry and the iPhone. I see the latest entrants as good things also. More choice is good and in a market this young there is room for lots of different solutions to meet the different needs of different people.

-Eric

A Check is like a freaking wide-open door to your financial information. Don't use checks.

Bumped, looking for apps that Droid users have found useful. I'm on the verge of going for a Droid 2 on Verizon, and a little push from my preparedness-aware friends here might just do the trick...

Re: needing the network: I have still not gotten a straight answer on whether or not the Droid's GPS functions work without access to the cellular network. Anybody know?

Droid have a real GPS chip. The AGPS is completely optional, however it helps a lot when playing with GPS software indoors.

The Droid has a true GPS so yes it works without the cell network, however the built in Google maps needs network access to download apps. Other apps work fine such as mytracks, gpstest, mapdryod, etc. Any app that just logs gps data such as mytracks or the apps like mapdryod that let you pre-download maps.

In addition to the many great programs listed here (particularly the electronic book and manual readers) I want to add some that I use on my EVO 4G and G1 which use the Android OS.

There is a great offline GPS mapping program available for Androids (and Windows Mobile smartphones) known as BackCountry Navigator. You can download USGS or MyTopo maps (or others worldwide) for use even when you don't have a data connection, or even GPS satellites. It does tracking.

Besides MapDroid (mentioned earlier) there are other similar ones such as Maverick and Orux Maps, but I like BackCountry Navigator the best.

I don't remember anyone mentioning the Latitude feature of Google maps which enables you to know location of you and others on the map which can be useful in meeting up. There are other programs that do this also. Just keep OpSec in mind.

There is another program that is neat called Layar. You hold your phone up and pan around and it shows you points of interest showing the direction and distance superimposed on what your camera sees. Great for locating gas stations, ATMs, restaurants, etc.

Google Goggles could help identify unknown terrain features, landmarks or even people (I have used it to identify avatar photos).

Programs like Qik or videoconferencing could broadcast what the phones camera is seeing and thus be used as a security camera.

There are programs that allow the camera LED flash to be used as a flashlight.

For anyone who cannot identify the North Star (LOL), there is Google Sky Maps.

If wimax/4G or cellular wireless is (still) up or within range, the EVO can be used as an access point for computers to access there internet.

I downloaded the trial for backcountry navigator but haven't tried it out yet. I liked how layer would point out things, I wonder if a plugin can be made for the google navigation that works similar so as your driving you can say show me the nearest parks instead of the nearest park.

Incredibly, where I live, ATT is by far the best data/voice network (I have both an iPhone and a Verizon backup phone, the iPhone works where the VZ phone won't. Sprint and TMobile don't work at all).

That said, I'm really liking the direction of the Android hardware and apps, and I'm really thinking about making the next phone an Android phone. If - and this is a big if - I get control over the os updates as I see fit.

The carriers control the updates, and they will always make them mandatory so as to be able to add or remove functionality at their discretion. One option is to simply root the phone (gain Administrator access). You will void your warranty and you won't get the benefit of automatic future updates, but if you are tech savvy you can control your own updates and even unlock features your carrier doesn't want you to have.

i was going to say root as well, I rooted and updated and can prevent the carrier update if I want.

Rootinf doesn't necessiarialy void your warranty, they would have to proove rooting caused the issue, if you ever had an issue then just restore your backup.

I was looking into that too. According to articles like this one, Motorola has installed something called eFuse that detects user rooting and forces the phone into recovery mode. This is not as bad as bricking the phone, but still makes it almost useless.

I am sure, though, that there are Droid hackers... um, 'enthusiasts' who are working on defeating eFuse as we speak...

Absolutely; and it's only a matter of time until they do. Note that this is a problem only on some of the newer devices. I have the original Droid, which is well-compromised at this point. I haven't rooted mine yet, but only because I haven't come across anything I want to do that calls for it. Yet.

I seem to recall there was even a recent court ruling to the effect that it is not illegal to root, jailbreak, or otherwise crack a smartphone's software, so the only real risk is damaging your phone in a way that the carrier will refuse to repair.

And so far its only the Motorola Droid X that has somehting to attempt to prevent root, part of the reason to switch to somehting like Android is the openness and Moto is getting a backlash of complaints due to it so they have reasons to not continue that practice. Other brands such as HTC/Samsung/etc so far haven't tried to prevent it.