Watch Out, Old Man Winter, I’m Armed with Android Apps
Posted Thursday, January 6th, 2011 at 8:01 pm by Jen Dorman 1 CommentsUser Rating5.00/5
Last week thousands of travelers were stuck stranded at Northeast airports due to the blizzard. It’s the heart of wintertime, and we are all impacted by the weather. A storm in one area of the country can have a domino effect causing cancellations and delays to our business meetings and family vacations. Luckily, Android apps can help us plan ahead.
Here’s a roundup of five valuable apps that can help users stay ahead of Old Man Winter:
Check out these Android Apps, we’ve included the QR barcode to scan or Chrome to Phone/Firefox to Phone direct buy & download links from the Android Market.
1. FlightView’s Android Elite app is perfect for tracking the status of flights and checking destination weather at the same time. The Elite version comes loaded with seven-day weather forecasts for over 900 airports and destinations around the world, helping travelers stay on top of weather-related delays.
FlightView Elite FlightTracker $3.99Real-time flight tracking from industry leaders. Track flights live & save to My Trips. View Arrivals & Departures Boards for US & Canada’s largest airports. See gates, delays & cancellations. Instant flight status change alerts. Send trip itinerary or flight status to others or calendar. View airport delay map + weather. (for Android version 2.2 and higher)Share Android App Review
2. The AccuWeather.com app is a global GPS-based weather center with forecasts and radar.
AccuWeather.com FreeThe AccuWeather.com Application is a global GPS-based weather center. Complete with worldwide forecasts and radar, the AccuWeather.com Android application helps weatherproof your day by staying up to date on weather conditions wherever you travel.Share Android App Review
3. The WeatherBug app provides notifications for current conditions based on location and has live weather cams.
WeatherBug Free, $1.99Check current conditions, view animated Doppler radar images and get the latest local weather information and severe weather alerts for your city and thousands of locations around the world. Plus, you get extended 7-day detailed forecasts, enhanced contour weather maps, live weather station camera images…and much more!Share Android App Review
4. iMap Weather gives actual radar loops and the ability to zoom in the map to continent, state, city and street level with 1 click.
iMap Weather™ FreeiMap Weather provides: -looping radar -lightning strikes -current conditions -forecasts Your location and other including international. Auto map scroll on your location. *v1.0.r276 fixes radar load after settings *v1.0.r275 fixes radar loop; removes unnecessary permissions; new radar server; new ads & brandingShare Android App Review
5. Snowstorm Weather Widget provides forecasts regarding snowstorms; this is great for the winter.
Snowstorm Weather Widget FreeSnowstorm, weather widget. Snowstorm works as both an application and as a widget. Can display forecasts for hardcoded locations, or for your current location. Fully skinnable, and has many configuration options. Press menu in forecast view to see options/skins. Make sure “Settings > Security&location > Use wireless networks is turned on” or “Setting > locations > use wireless locations” for network locations to work. Snowstorm will otherwise not be able to detect your location, and you’ll see an error message in the report. Create an exclusion rule for Snowstorm if you are using a Task KillerShare Android App Review
As winter weather continues to roll in for much of the east coast, we thought we'd provide you with some Android Apps to help you get through. This article from Android Tapp introduced us to some apps we had never heard of before.
Our President, Terry Dolan, speaks to CBS 21 about using GPS to help find criminals.
This morning I read an article that hit close to home for myself and I'm sure many others. The article, entitled Smartphone Angst: Why Are We So Anxious to Connect and edited by Jasmine Grimm, discussed the total devastation that we feel when our smartphone takes a dive in the toilet, gets left behind at a restaurant, or becomes inoperable. At our office we have a habit of saying 'oh it's just a phone' but we all know full-well that it's much more than that. With the way technology has advanced, losing your smartphone is like losing your calendar, computer, phone, contact book, camera, GPS, and connection with the rest of the world all in one swoop.
Being able to communicate with someone at any hour of any day is something we often take for granted when our smartphones are in working order, but the moment that something goes wrong we truly realize our level of dependency on what some people have affectionately called their 'crackberry.' I know my friends have been known to call my phone my 'handroid' since it always seems to be in my hand. As a society we are proud to have constant availability for the ease of others. For example, Grimm states in the article that "working 40 hour weeks is a thing of the past. It's about pushing people further ahead and working 80, 90, 100 hours a week. It signals 'Hey, I'm working harder than you. I'm on top of it'." We all receive that work email on our phones and regardless of where we are we check it, choose its level of importance, and react. I've forwarded emails to co-workers while at dinner with friends, at the grocery store, walking my dog, and countless other places just to make sure it gets done. Once we do this, we set a precedence for the future; we are constantly available and we're willing to get the job done. Besides, if they didn't want us to reply, they would never have sent it after hours, right?
Due to the advancement of technology, our phones can almost miraculous things, and when one isn't working we're lost. Literally. How many of us use our smartphones for GPS purposes to find a friend's new house, locate a business meeting location, or even just to judge how soon we'll be arriving? When our smartphone isn't functioning, we may find ourselves unable to communicate that we're running late, ask if we can meet at a location that (according to our GPS) is closer, and if not how soon our ETA is. Then when you're late, the other party is unhappy because of the previously set-up expectations due to our constant availability. For business owners, this could mean a loss of a sale or valuable client. It's no wonder our anxiety level is high when our smartphones go on the fritz!
Let's face it, our smartphones are a major part of our life, and it's not going to change. Our phones allow us to create and maintain meaningful social bonds and connections (texting, Tweeting, emails, and calls), find out if we need to bring an umbrella (weather app) for our appointment at 3 (calendar) at the coffee shop down the road (GPS), and visit with relatives across the country (video chat). Trust me, you're not alone in your loss when you face the devastation of the dead smartphone.
The Lancaster Chamber, in partnership with Nxtbook Media, publishes Connections, an award-winning digital-only magazine. Connections magazine is a dynamic communication tool that focuses on engaging web content, online videos, flash and social media call outs that prompt readers to take actionable steps to improve their business endeavors.To read the full article as well as the entire Lancaster Chamber Connections Digital Magazine, click the link below.
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/lancasterchamber/connections0111/#
This morning Sprint released a statement that they will be changing their $10 Premium data charge from just a 4G device charge to an all smartphone charge starting January 30th 2011. What does this mean for you?
If you're new to Sprint: starting January 30th 2011 you will be required to pay a $10 data charge on any smartphone (BlackBerry, Android, Windows Mobile) that you activate.
If you're a current Sprint customer: this change will not effect you until you go to upgrade your unit. If you choose to upgrade to a smartphone, you will have to pay the $10 data charge. If you already have a 4G device you are already paying this $10 data charge and should expect no change.
Please keep in mind that this is a good thing! Unlike other carriers, Sprint wants to continue to be able to offer you the best data service possible without limiting you to 2GB a month (which goes very quickly if you're a heavy user) while still keeping your service affordable. By charging their customers $10 for unlimited data access, Sprint can allow you the freedom to use your smartphone as much as you want without worrying about costly overages. Even with the $10 charge, Sprint's monthly charge is still significantly less than other carriers.
Motoroloa i1 Maintenance Release
| Version | Release Date | Description of Enhancement/Fixes |
| ------------- | -------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|
RBE.OO.03 |
01/12/2011 (OTW) 01/14/2011 (OTA) |
- User can get PTT calls while busy in datea over iDEN incorrect pattern entered to prevent Field feedback
|
| ------------- | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| RBE.01.02 | 7/23/2010 | - Intitial Release |
| ------------- | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
Important Notes: - Customers cannot make or receive calls while the download is in process - Over the Wire update cannot use Nextel Online (NOL) Network; must use a Wi-Fi session - The OTA (over the air) update can be inititiated by the customer following the steps below; There may not be a notification pushed to your phone indicating an update is available. Update your software Over the Air 1. Go the the Home screen 2. Tap Settings > About Phone > System Updates 3. Follow the on-screen instructions Update Your Software Over the Wire - Availablility date slipped from 1/7 to 1/12; it is now ready for download to the Root Directory of the phone. the Nextel Online (NOL) Network 6. When going to system updates the phone will check if WiFi available for over-the-air download and if not Check the software version on your phone 1. Go to the Home screen 2. Tap Settings > About Phone > Trace Mode > Unit info > Software 3. The build number and software number will show you the version on your phone. via www.sprint.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ We recommend you do this software update over the air. Please note it is very important that you download and install maintenance updates to improve and continue the functionality of your unit. If you have any problems with your installation, please call tech support at 1-800-639-6111 for assistance.
1. Go to the Home screen
2. Click on Settings/USB/Memory Card
3 Keep the phone tethered to the computer and Download the Software from the Motorola website
4. Set up a Wi-Fi Session (Note: The Software can only be downloaded through a Wi-Fi session; cannot use
5. Tap Settings/About Phone/System Updates
available then will check root directory on SD card
Confused about plan pricing? Use this handy grid to compare our plans with the competitors and start saving money now! Why pay more for less?
Also, keep in mind that you're probably eligible for a monthly access discount through your employer. IBM employees get up to 25% off, UPS employees get up to 25% off, and if you're a member of a credit union your eligible for 10% off!
This phone is amazing. Not in the ways that most of the phones we report about are amazing, especially not in the screen real-estate or high-class camera areas, but in the ruggedness and the only-what’s-required features on it. This is the phone that those of you who’ve hated every step of the way out of the home-only phone generation will want. It does what you think it’ll do, plus a little more, in a completely easy to handle and RUGGED package. Totally bad.
This Motorola i886 meets 810G requirements for dust, shock, vibration, low and high temps, low pressure, and solar radiation. That’d be enough for a hardcore lady or dude like you, but there’s more excellence as well. It’s got a regular numeric pad (surprisingly rare these days) as well as a slide-out QUERTY keyboard. It’s got a small display (just large enough for the things you need to do on it, you basic dude you,) a 2 megapixel camera on the back, GPS capability, Bluetooth, 1380mAh battery, and a microSD memory card slot.
This phone is a tiny 116.3×51.1×18.5 mm and weights right around 141.2 grams. It’s available right this second from Motorola for $79.99 after $50 mail-in rebate and attached to a 2 year contract. I want it – do you? Or is the promise of giant screens, fantastic graphics, and a phone that actually lists what version of Android it’s using in the listing too much to bear?! Do tell.
[Via Sprint]
For those of you out there that just can't abandon your Nextel iDEN unit, here's the solution we've been waiting for. Of course we all love our old-school indestructible phones, but it's time to move on from that i730 to something that can handle today's world.
As a Telecom Manager, it is your responsibility to make sure everything is running smoothly. Our question: is it? Here are some tips on basic changes you can do to your existing telecommunications environment to make sure your company is getting off of the right foot in 2011.
1. Check to see when your contracts are up.
Many times we find that customers are unaware of when each individual unit's contract end date is. Dig out that old paperwork and create a spreadsheet for yourself. Can't find the paperwork? Contact your service provider and ask if they can help. When your contracts are up, it is the perfect time to renegotiate pricing and upgrade older units for the best pricing. Being aware of these end dates gives you time to do research and prepare yourself for any upcoming negotiations.
2. Do unit inventory.
There's no way to tell if you're overpaying if you don't know what you're paying for. The beginning of the year is a great time to dig out those older wireless devices, pagers, aircards, or whatever else you may be using. Older units that don't work? Consider donating to Cellphones for Soldiers. Units just sitting around unused? Check your new contract end date spreadsheet and cut them off!
3. Re-assess your company's current needs.
There's a good chance that your company's telecommunications needs have changed since you originally signed your contract. Technology has changed rapidly over the past 3 years and your business has as well. Are your CEO's able to access their email remotely via smartphone or wireless aircard? Does Jim in accounting have a fancy unlimited plan that he doesn't need? Take some time to evaluate your situation based on where your company is headed. Consider switching carriers, consolidating lines, and changing plans to get the most out of your current contracts. Need help? Our wireless consulting team would be more than happy to help you! Why pay for more than you need?
4. Implement a company-wide policy.
Many Telecom Managers take this for granted. Collaborate with higher-ups to implement a company-wide standardized policy of telecommunications. Consolidate and plan wisely to avoid things getting out of control. Keep in mind, when Jim in accounting finds out he can't have his fancy unlimited plan anymore, he's going to be upset. Having a company-wide policy that is consistent will make your department's new vision clearer and dispel unfairness.
5. Write up an RFP for your telecommunications services.
You've created your spreadsheet, done inventory, determined your needs, and posted the new policies company-wide. Now what? Are your needs met? Where can you cut costs? Can your team be more productive? Sometimes determining the answers to these questions can be difficult. Allow our highly-trained wireless consulting team help you make a decision, negotiate terms and pricing, and see if we can help you meet your goals. We work with businesses one-on-one to help them be reduce their telecommunications challenges and costs, and would love to meet with you.
Telecommunications is a constantly changing industry, and it is very important to stay up-to-date. Technology is advancing and costs are lowering-use the beginning of the year as a time to get caught up!
(tips via http://blog.valicomcorp.com/blog/telecommunications-expense-management/0/0/10...
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