I am going to create a folder on my phone for these types of apps. Never know what might be needed in the tool box. I keep a battery pack but thinking of getting another big one. Would be nice to find a nice sized bank with the hand krink
On 9/3/17, E.T. <[email protected]> wrote: > Until then, there are apps that can fill in the gaps. > > From E.T.'s Keyboard. . . > "God for you is where you sweep away all the > mysteries of the world, all the challenges to > our intelligence. You simply turn your mind off > and say God did it." --Carl Sagan > E-mail: [email protected] > > On 9/2/2017 9:30 PM, Scott Granados wrote: >> Not very yet, it’s very new. I know they are looking at installing video >> and everything up here but that’s still pretty cutting edge. Towns are >> just starting to rally get in to unified communications in a big way. >> >>> On Sep 2, 2017, at 11:29 PM, E.T. <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> Scott, >>> You probably can answer this one. How widespread are the 0-1-1 call >>> centers that support text? >>> >>> From E.T.'s Keyboard. . . >>> "God for you is where you sweep away all the >>> mysteries of the world, all the challenges to >>> our intelligence. You simply turn your mind off >>> and say God did it." --Carl Sagan >>> E-mail: [email protected] >>> >>> On 9/2/2017 6:08 PM, M. Taylor wrote: >>>> Prepare for disaster: How your smartphone can help in an emergency >>>> By Marc Saltzman, USA TODAY >>>> Hurricane Harvey has knocked out a lot of the regular communications >>>> infrastructure in parts of Texas, but a walkie talkie-like app has >>>> emerged >>>> to fill the need. USA TODAY Patrick Tobias seals his phone in a bag >>>> after >>>> taking a picture of his flooded car, behind, as he stands in floodwater >>>> from >>>> Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Kingwood, Texas. >>>> (Photo: >>>> AP Photo/Gregory Bull) The catastrophic events caused by Hurricane >>>> Harvey >>>> put smartphones to the test , raising the question about what our >>>> trusty >>>> mobile companions can do to help in crises like these. After all, we >>>> rely on >>>> these pocket-sized supercomputers for much of our lives, in a normal >>>> state, >>>> so surely they can be useful during natural disasters, among other >>>> grave >>>> situations one might find themselves in. Your survival plan should >>>> include >>>> your smartphone, and there are a few things you can do in advance for >>>> emergency preparedness, but you won't be able to rely on your mobile >>>> device >>>> for everything. Some thoughts, tips, and tricks to consider for the >>>> future: >>>> Rhonda Worthington talks on her cell phone with a 911 dispatcher as she >>>> gets >>>> out of her car after her vehicle become stalled in rising floodwaters >>>> from >>>> Harvey in Houston on Aug. 28. (Photo: LM Otero, AP) According to the >>>> Federal >>>> Communications Commission (FCC), only 4% of the nearly 7,800 cell sites >>>> in >>>> Harvey's path were knocked out, affecting nearly 150,000 people. By >>>> comparison, more than 1,000 cell sites were inoperable during Hurricane >>>> Katrina in 2005, leaving millions without connectivity. In other words, >>>> communications networks are getting better at weathering major natural >>>> events like hurricanes. It's not perfect ' residents in Rockport, >>>> Texas, >>>> suffered the biggest outage last week, and therefore you can't assume >>>> you'll >>>> have service in these situations. You do not need to have an active >>>> phone >>>> plan to call 9-1-1 from any smartphone. (Photo: AT&T/Handout) Presuming >>>> there is cellular service, people are encouraged to send text messages >>>> and >>>> emails and posts notifications to Facebook and Twitter about their >>>> whereabouts and immediate needs, or to look up where local shelters are. >>>> If >>>> your smartphone doesn't have coverage in the area you're in during an >>>> emergency, or you don't have an active cell plan, you can still reach >>>> 9-1-1 >>>> from your mobile phone. You can also text 9-1-1, perhaps if you're >>>> unable to >>>> talk or need to be silent (perhaps in a terrorist situation), but you >>>> must >>>> first be registered for the T9-1-1 service with your wireless service >>>> provider. Because you don't need to pay for cell service to call 9-1-1, >>>> it's >>>> not a bad idea to keep an old and deactivated phone in your emergency >>>> kit. >>>> More: Why you might want to own a 'burner phone In the event you have >>>> power >>>> and Wi-Fi but no cellular, there are apps that let you make video and >>>> audio >>>> calls for help. (Photo: Skype/handout) While not as likely, you might >>>> find >>>> yourself in a situation where you've got Wi-Fi, but no cellular service. >>>> But >>>> that doesn't mean you can't still make phone calls. Using apps like >>>> Facebook >>>> Messenger, Google Duo, Viber, and Fring lets you make free phone calls >>>> over >>>> Wi-Fi ' even if there's no cell service. Some may require you setting >>>> this >>>> up ahead of time. Skype is also free to another Skype user, and in the >>>> event >>>> you need to call a landline or mobile phone, it's dirt cheap to do so >>>> at >>>> about 10 cents per call (if that), but it does require you to deposit a >>>> bit >>>> of cash ('Skype Credits') into your account. Some phones are >>>> waterproof, >>>> which could help during some natural disaster, or else pick up a >>>> waterproof >>>> case or seal your electronics in a Ziploc bag. (Photo: Samsung/handout) >>>> But >>>> if your phone can't withstand water, none of this may matter, and so >>>> you >>>> have a few choices to make going forward. One is to invest in a >>>> waterproof >>>> phone, such as the latest Samsung Galaxy or iPhone models. Samsung's >>>> latest >>>> crop of devices are IP68-rated ('Ingress Protection'), meaning it could >>>> be >>>> submerged in water up to 5 feet and for up to 30 minutes, while iPhone 7 >>>> is >>>> IP67-certified for water resistance up to 3 feet, up to 30 minutes. If >>>> your >>>> current smartphone isn't waterproof, consider a waterproof case for it. >>>> As a >>>> last resort, have some thick Ziploc bags as part of your emergency kit >>>> to >>>> lock your phone into. More: Your smartphone got wet. Here's what not to >>>> do >>>> first More: A cellphone drying company drove 1,000 miles to rescue >>>> Harvey-soaked phones Back-up batteries are essential in an emergency >>>> situation, but if power is out you might consider one of the hand-crank >>>> models like this product from Et'n. (Photo: Eton/Handout) Even if you >>>> have >>>> cellular service in your area, you may not have power, or be able to >>>> access >>>> a working power outlet. And without power, your smartphone is as useless >>>> as >>>> the box it came in. And so it's important to have a backup power >>>> solution, >>>> such as a portable battery charger (a.k.a. 'booster') on hand, and keep >>>> it >>>> charged up, too. An even better idea is to pick up a battery booster >>>> for >>>> your phone with a hand-crank, such as this $29 Eton model, so you can >>>> charge >>>> up the battery using the integrated hand turbine power generator. If >>>> your >>>> vehicle is around during an emergency, you can plug your devices into >>>> your >>>> car's 12-volt port ('cigarette lighter'). You might also consider a >>>> backup >>>> phone that takes batteries. Some also keep a cell signal booster for >>>> their >>>> home or vehicle. More: Any port ' or bowling alley ' in a storm: Harvey >>>> evacuees flock to unlikely places Download maps to access offline, in >>>> case >>>> you're unable to get reception ' but you need to do this before there's >>>> a >>>> problem. (Photo: Google/Handout) If you don't have cell service and need >>>> to >>>> find a way out of town in case of an emergency, will your mapping >>>> function >>>> work on your smartphone? Yes it can. Just like the standalone GPS >>>> navigation >>>> units we used to mount to our windshields or dashboards, your smartphone >>>> can >>>> still help you get from point A to point B without cell service ' by >>>> solely >>>> relying on the GPS sensor inside the device. But there's two things you >>>> need >>>> to know. One, you'll need to download map apps that don't require >>>> service ' >>>> such as Navmii, CoPilot Premium, or Navigon ' or take advantage of >>>> Google >>>> Maps' new offline feature, but you'll need to download maps ahead of >>>> time. >>>> Secondly, while GPS directions will work without service, some of the >>>> extras, like real-time traffic, will not work without a mobile data >>>> connection. Accuracy may also be off as smartphone use GPS-A >>>> ('assisted') >>>> technology, aided by cell towers to help you in areas with tall >>>> buildings, >>>> tunnels, and other challenges to communicating with satellites about >>>> the >>>> Earth. If downloaded before you need them, these free emergency >>>> preparedness >>>> apps are important to keep on your smartphone (Photo: Red >>>> Cross/screenshot) >>>> A handful of free emergency preparedness apps can help you in the event >>>> of a >>>> crisis ' even if you don't have cell service. Red Cross offers numerous >>>> apps, in fact, including a Shelter Finder app, First Aid, Hurricane >>>> app, >>>> Earthquake, Wildfire, and others. Each one includes checklists, advice >>>> during emergency situations (from performing first aid and CPR to >>>> handling >>>> food and water during power outages), quizzes, signing up for emergency >>>> notifications, and more. Similarly, the official FEMA (Federal >>>> Emergency >>>> Management Agency) includes information for all kinds of disasters, >>>> including tips to creating an emergency kit, and emergency meeting >>>> locations, maps of important locations, and so on. Finally, the >>>> aptly-named >>>> Disaster Alert app offers a real-time map that shows activate (or >>>> impending) >>>> incidents, deemed as 'potentially hazardous to people, property, or >>>> assets' >>>> according to the PDC DisasterAWARE application. This includes >>>> hurricanes, >>>> floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanos, as well as 'manmade' >>>> emergency >>>> situations. Follow Marc on Twitter: @marc_saltzman. >>> >>> -- >>> The following information is important for all members of the Mac >>> Visionaries list. >>> >>> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or >>> if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the >>> owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >>> >>> Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark >>> at: [email protected] and your owner is Cara >>> Quinn - you can reach Cara at [email protected] >>> >>> The archives for this list can be searched at: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>> --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>> email to [email protected]. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the Mac > Visionaries list. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. 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Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark at: [email protected] and your owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at [email protected] The archives for this list can be searched at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
