Mobile Apps and Computer Software

[JC004]

Piggybacking on the Electronic Flight Bag topic a little (http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=19269.0), I was browsing through CAPTalk search for app and computer software suggestions, but some of these topics are old for this area (like 2011).

I wanted to see if we could come up with some recommendations for mobile apps and regular ol' computer software for CAP - ES, cadet programs, whatever.

I was planning on making a list of suggested apps to include with my UDFT, GT, mission base, and aircrew checklists and gear classes.

[LATORRECA]

Looking forward  to see The list.

[Eclipse]

Google Chrome and Open Office are probably "givens" on the PC.

Android Apps:

Call Log Calendar: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.joao.android.CallLogCalendar&hl=en
Logs all calls, and SMS if desired, to your calendar - very useful for recreating logs and timelines.

Google Keep: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.keep&hl=en
Excellent note-taking application withouth a lot of frills most people don't use.  Allows for photos & timed reminders.
(Also available for iOS)

Google Voice: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.googlevoice&hl=en
Create disposable phone numbers, places free phone calls and text messages over VOIP without cell service.
Incredibly useful in general, but a FSM-send any time you are in an EOC or other hardened building with no cell service but
plenty of wifi.  Can be used in place or or compliment an exiting cell phone number.
(Also available for iOS)

Google Hangouts and Hangouts Dialer: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.talk&hl=en
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.hangoutsdialer&hl=en
Used in concert with voice, useful and free voice, text, and video dialers for conference calls, group messaging, etc.
(Also available for iOS)

Google Drive (including Docs, Sheets, & Slides): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs.editors.docs
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs.editors.sheets
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs.editors.slides
No need to have MS Office any more, nor be tied to a single machine.  Share documents and collaborate in the cloud.
Used by many wings for mission and activity management.   (Also available for iOS)

Google Maps: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps&hl=en
Critical for mission planning and tracking.  Used by the AFRCC for plotting POD rings and NTAP data.
Can be shared and marked up in real time for Situation Maps and crew status, etc.  Maps can be cached for
offline use. (Also available for iOS).

Dropbox: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dropbox.android&hl=en
Cloud storage and file sharing.  Many wings use dropbox as their primary file share.
(Also available for iOS).

My Tracks: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.maps.mytracks&hl=enKeeps
Records position and movement data which can then be shared via standard mapping formats, including Google Maps.

Locus: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=menion.android.locus&hl=en
Alternative to Google Maps using open source maps and images.   Can show movement in real time using GPS
data, and has add-ons for various functions.  Has topo and terrain maps in addition to street views.  Maps are
cached for offline use by default.  Includes tracking functions and sharing of data in standard formats.

Stopwatch and Timer: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sportstracklive.stopwatch&hl=en
Just what it says.   Handy for PT nights, testing, etc.

Ulysse Gizmos: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.binarytoys.ulysse
Displays all informaiton from the GPS, Compass, inclinometer, and accelerometer for precise location and navigation.

Smart Tools: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kr.aboy.tools&hl=en
Incredibly useful toolbag for distance estimates, lights, sound.  Adding new functions on a regular basis.

Conversion Calculator: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.temolder.calculator&hl=en
Convert between measurement formats.


As mentioned in the thread on EFBs:

Aviation Pocketknife: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=europe.de.ftdevelop.aviation.toolknife
Aviation Tools: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.cosinus.aviatool&hl=en
Avare: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ds.avare&hl=en
FltPlan Go: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fltplan.go&hl=en

[JeffDG]

Google Chrome and Open Office are probably "givens" on the PC.
Google Voice: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.googlevoice&hl=en
Create disposable phone numbers, places free phone calls and text messages over VOIP without cell service.
Incredibly useful in general, but a FSM-send any time you are in an EOC or other hardened building with no cell service but
plenty of wifi.  Can be used in place or or compliment an exiting cell phone number.
(Also available for iOS)

Google Hangouts and Hangouts Dialer: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.talk&hl=en
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.hangoutsdialer&hl=en
Used in concert with voice, useful and free voice, text, and video dialers for conference calls, group messaging, etc.
(Also available for iOS)

Google Drive (including Docs, Sheets, & Slides): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs.editors.docs
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs.editors.sheets
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs.editors.slides
No need to have MS Office any more, nor be tied to a single machine.  Share documents and collaborate in the cloud.
Used by many wings for mission and activity management.   (Also available for iOS)

Google Maps: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.maps&hl=en
Critical for mission planning and tracking.  Used by the AFRCC for plotting POD rings and NTAP data.
Can be shared and marked up in real time for Situation Maps and crew status, etc.  Maps can be cached for
offline use. (Also available for iOS).

Dropbox: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dropbox.android&hl=en
Cloud storage and file sharing.  Many wings use dropbox as their primary file share.
(Also available for iOS).

We're transitioning from Dropbox to Google Drive for storage...30GB per user for free on Google is pretty tough to pass up, especially since we have every member in the Wing with a wing-specific Google account now.  With >1,000 users, that's over 30 TB of storage that Google is giving us gratis (and if we run out, we just provision new accounts!)

[Eclipse]

An excellent move - I have about 16GB of free Dropbox after running a Google Ad words campaign with my referral
code.  Cost me about $5 certain clients can't or won't use Google services, so it's mainly for that and a couple of
"not all your eggs in one basket" scenarios.

My suspicion / prediction is that Google will move to unlimited storage for their paid accounts within the next year or so.
Microsoft just announced unlimited for Office 365 users and Google is providing the same for their Apps for Education product.

Dropbox must be hearing footsteps. - I think the days of limited cloud storage are growing short.

[Storm Chaser]

Google and Dropbox have different business models and make money in different ways. For-profit companies need to make money to stay in business and continue to offer products and services. Free services are great, but they're not really "free", are they? Even Google needs to make money to stay in business. We're just "paying" them in a different way.

[JeffDG]

Google and Dropbox have different business models and make money in different ways. For-profit companies need to make money to stay in business and continue to offer products and services. Free services are great, but they're not really "free", are they? Even Google needs to make money to stay in business. We're just "paying" them in a different way.

I'm not.

Well, I guess that Uncle Sam is, because I'm pretty sure they're claiming the $30/user/month as a donation to us as a charitable organization.

No ads or anything on mine.

[JeffDG]

An excellent move - I have about 16GB of free Dropbox after running a Google Ad words campaign with my referral
code.  Cost me about $5 certain clients can't or won't use Google services, so it's mainly for that and a couple of
"not all your eggs in one basket" scenarios.

My suspicion / prediction is that Google will move to unlimited storage for their paid accounts within the next year or so.
Microsoft just announced unlimited for Office 365 users and Google is providing the same for their Apps for Education product.

Dropbox must be hearing footsteps. - I think the days of limited cloud storage are growing short.

The other thing Google Apps gives us is the ability to remove folks when they leave.  You expire, the next night your account is disabled and your access to CAP files goes away with it.  We can transfer ownership to someone else to make sure we don't lose stuff.

This makes me pretty free about sharing things that are FOUO on our Google Drive space, while with Dropbox, someone needs to monitor the share list, and since it's very commonly peer-to-peer, that's a nightmare.

[Eclipse]

Google and Dropbox have different business models and make money in different ways. For-profit companies need to make money to stay in business and continue to offer products and services. Free services are great, but they're not really "free", are they? Even Google needs to make money to stay in business. We're just "paying" them in a different way.

Who said Google was "free"?  I pay for my services, as do many of my clients, with the expectation of SLAs and QOS.  Google Apps, are not "Gmail", many people seem to miss the difference.

The GSA uses Apps, and pays for it through it's "Apps for Government" model.

As JeffDG says, they are likely claiming apps for Charities as a tax deduction, which is a fair deal.

(For the record, it's $50 per year per user, not $30 per month, at least in the normal Apps for Business).

Also for the record, I am not a general proponent of "free" services for the average consumer, specifically because they
become the product.  If there's a pro version of the apps I use, I buy it, and I disdain the ad model of revenue
many sites force on users.

[brent.teal]

Foxhunt pro

Df application for iPhone.
http://foxhunt.rail.com/pro/FoxHunt_Pro/Home.html

[JC004]

Foxhunt pro

Df application for iPhone.
http://foxhunt.rail.com/pro/FoxHunt_Pro/Home.html

:clap: