Survival Phone Apps

[painiac]

Recently discovered this one for Android

LBE Privacy Guard – Manage the access permissions of all the apps on your phone. Prevent apps from using permissions the dev thinks they need but have no business using, like games asking for your GPS location. Also can prevent scam apps from sending messages that cost you money. This capability should really come default with every phone.

[ppfd]

Iphone/Ipad -

Epocrates, Micromedix - free drug refs.

Wiser free haz mat app

RH med labs, ERres, Med Lab Tutor, Relief - Free med apps

Iresq, Critical Care Field guide paid med apps

CMC Rescue - rope rescue and confined space rescue - free

Gear Apps - Free
Wikihow
whatknot
take ten (columbia)
ITS tactical
Gear Aid

Mother Earth News How to can and how to garden

For the Fall Out gamers
Pip Clock - paid

General Use
App Box (lite)
Conversions
Converter
Discovr Apps
Unit Convert

Finance
Mint
Page Once
XE currency

And if I can recommend one paid app for the iphone/ipad Good Reader

www.appchronicles.com Sign up for this site, they send out lists of free iphone/ipad apps daily.

[tony d tiger]

I'll be back.

Recently got a smarter-than-me phone, haven't figured out the whole "app" thing... one of my hang-ups is all the permissions they require (as noted earlier in this thread - GPS location, contacts, phone etc... WTF?) but I'ma learnin'.

[swordofthebreeze]

This is more relevant to Kindles, but also applies to the kindle apps on Android and iPhone. Backwoods Home Magazine is available on kindle now, the full unabridged edition for only a few dollars per month. Excellent value, and great info in every edition. I've been a fan of the hard copy version for years.

[painiac]

I'll be back.

Recently got a smarter-than-me phone, haven't figured out the whole "app" thing... one of my hang-ups is all the permissions they require (as noted earlier in this thread - GPS location, contacts, phone etc... WTF?) but I'ma learnin'.

Don't get too hung up on those. Read the app description before you download it: the dev will usually mention why the app needs the permissions it needs, because otherwise tons of users give 1-star feedback ratings while bitching about permission requirements they don't understand.

Permission to access your contacts list doesn't necessarily mean the app will be uploading all of your contacts to a marketing server and spamming your friends. Anything that has to do with messaging, phone calls, or games that allow you play with friends need access to your contacts list, or the app can't do what those features require.

Anything related to phone calls of course needs access to phone call permissions. This doesn't automatically mean it's going to be calling overseas.

Social networking apps need access to account credentials or they can't read from or post to your account.

Many apps ask for "GPS" or coarse location permission. This is necessary for apps that provide location-specific services (GasBuddy, Where, navigation apps, etc), while others only want access to your location for the dev's own survey purposes. The latter can be safely blocked with LBE Privacy Guard and shouldn't affect the app's function.

Just look at the permissions to make sure a random app isn't asking for account credentials, and for any others that seem outlandishly unnecessary (a downloadable wallpaper doesn't need permissions to do anything, so should be avoided if it wants any permissions).

[tony d tiger]

So - I loaded a few of the apps, and deleted one that I didn't much like.
The skymap - whatever - it wouldn't change perspective if you turned around. :p figured it was questionable so it went away.
The ColorNote though, and Scanner Radio have gotten a little use. I like that I can pin a reminder to the screen top - and the list function is pretty handy. Scanner Radio... interesting toy.

[Seakers]

I use IBooks for the Constitution of the Untied States, the Bill of Rights, and The Bible (all free).
Google Maps, The Weather Channel (with locator indicators off for tracking), and time zones, and Scanner Radio (loaded with local Ham Radio freqs and one for local fire and police, then one for scanning Simplex channels.

I also use Gas Chubby it also tracks price, mileage, when you do maintenance and prices every thing is.

[prepper7]

The National Library of Medicine have a page of Disaster Apps and Mobile Optimized Web Pages

Not all of them have to do with emergency medicine. Some others:

National Hurricane Center
provides access to critical hurricane advisories and marine forecasts.

National Weather Service
provides weather, hydrologic, and climage forecasts and warnings for the United States.

Pacific Disaster Center Icon
provides access to information in both a list and on an interactive map about active hazards occurring around the globe.

Outbreaks Near Me
provides real-time, searchable disease outbreak information for your neighborhood on interactive maps.

CDC FluView
tracks influenza-like illness activity levels across the U.S.

ReUnite
provides ability to upload missing and found person information for family reunification during and after disasters. It provides structured information to the NLM's People Locator service.

MyMedList
allows users to electronically manage their medication list(s). Medication lists can be e-mailed or printed, can serve as a reminder for taking medications, or be shown as reference information in doctor’s offices or hospitals.

TOXNET
covering toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health and related areas.

There are even apps for recovering/salvaging library collections after floods and disasters.

[0122358]

Some of those android apps...if i had an android tablet...would they work?

[TheFishinMagician]

Some of those android apps...if i had an android tablet...would they work?

I'm no computer genius, but my understanding is:

Sure...Andriod apps work on Android platform, Apple apps work on Apple platform ("iStuff"). You may need a WiFi connection to download or update some of the apps, though.

[painiac]

Some of those android apps...if i had an android tablet...would they work?

Often yes, but it also depends on which tablet you have.

For example, a guy I work with bought a Nook (which is android-based), and discovered that there is a crippled version of the Google Play store, with possibly less of a selection and with some apps at a higher price (and especially many free phone apps offered for $1 to $3 on the tablet) of those same apps in the Google Play store on his smartphone.

If you root the tablet (and you may have to load a customized ROM onto it), then you can do whatever you want.

[Murph]

Anyone find any new apps out there?

[irukandji]

Looked thru this thread and didn't see it listed, so I'll toss in one. Camscanner I have it on my Android and it's handy as hell. Turn basically anything you take a picture of into a pdf document, works especially well with text/handwriting. Looks like there is a version for Iphone as well.

[KJ4VOV]

I didn't read the entire thread, so if this has been mentioned already just consider this a reminder. An app you might want for a disaster is of no use if it can't function without infrastructure. Test it beforehand by seeing if it's fully functional in airplane mode. If it is then it's not depending on anything besides the phone or tablet itself.