There's an App. for that!-Preparedness and Survival (water, tractors, good)
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For anyone with a smartphone/tablet I thought a list Apps. for self-sufficiency/preparedness that you've found handy might help guide other's towards same.
I've found (downloaded and used) the following from iTunes:
Food Storage: Several good .pdf files, including shelf-life tips. This App allows you to enter your food storage wants and your inventory by either typing or scanning the barcode with your phone's camera. Creates lists such as items you are lacking or those nearing expiration dates. I love this app.! It is really helping me organize my preps.
American Red Cross: has real-time info. on open shelters country wide for disasters. Personally, I'd be using this as a "where to avoid" guide but it could come in handy during winter driving if one gets caught in white out conditions with road closures.
SAS Survival Guide: like having a pocket survival manual with all sorts of "how to" info at your fingertips.
RadarScope: allows you to see various reflectivities from individual weather radars nationwide. You can choose and travel (pan the screen) across the nation checking different radars. Very similar to what pilots use inflight.
I have a couple of GPS/mapping & topographic but nothing I'm 100% sold on to share here at the time of this post.
The barcode scanner food storage inventory app would likely be the one I'd use the most if I lived anywhere that had cell reception, so had one of those fancy phones that actually ran the apps LOL.
I'm still trying to find a decent inventory app that allows me to combine "recommended" food storage amounts with an actual menu/recipe driven shopping list with a truly robust inventory control system for the pantry/larder/freezer. I find a good cookbook, but it's shopping/inventory blows. I find good food inventory program, but the amounts are geared to institutions. I find a good food storage app, but the recommendations are way off because they aren't really menu/recipe driven. You find a really useful feature, but it isn't tied in to the rest of the app, or the whole thing is just too buggy and not user-friendly. ARG!!
**sigh** I guess hubby and I will just have design and develop the software we want in our abundant free time LOL.
Of course, if the SHTF then virtually all that functionality becomes totally useless. Then when your battery dies, your phone will be used for other purposes, such as a pestle for grinding corn into meal, etc.
Of course, if the SHTF then virtually all that functionality becomes totally useless. Then when your battery dies, your phone will be used for other purposes, such as a pestle for grinding corn into meal, etc.
I dunno, the battery would have to actually die... i.e. no longer charge at all... because my handcrank-solar flashlight/emergency radio also charges small electronics. The phone part might be useless, but the CPU part would still be useful for several years... not all of us rely on a wall plug for necessary power
Of course, if the SHTF then virtually all that functionality becomes totally useless. Then when your battery dies, your phone will be used for other purposes, such as a pestle for grinding corn into meal, etc.
I have a back-up battery storage and a solar charger. Back-up systems are part of prepping. Not all Apps require cell reception 100% of the time. The Food Storage App. only requires it to verify barcode info. .
Moderator cut: DerailIf you have an App. you've found helpful for self-sufficency/preparedness, feel free to share.
Last edited by MissingAll4Seasons; 01-21-2012 at 05:53 PM..
I dunno, the battery would have to actually die... i.e. no longer charge at all... because my handcrank-solar flashlight/emergency radio also charges small electronics. The phone part might be useless, but the CPU part would still be useful for several years... not all of us rely on a wall plug for necessary power
It's not the battery that's the problem. It's the network.
This past October the New England area had a freak early snowstorm that, due to leaves still on the trees, took down significant power lines, and also affected the cell towers. People couldn't call anywhere at all for several days, especially if stuck on a road with many downed tree trunks and wires. They couldn't even leave home.
I realize that information technology has become important in our lives today, but I feel that it would be a BIG mistake to depend upon it in a real emergency scenario. Grid power, the internet, and cell towers may not be functional. This is a very fragile system. It's NOT enough to know that the info is "out there" and to have the app for it. I suggest that people print out hard copies of any information that they consider crucial. Just when you need it, it may not be available to you!
While I think it is one of the least likely scenarios whats an EMP burst going to do to you Ipod thingy? I like books! perferably with nice soft pages so they'll serve double doody.................
It's not the battery that's the problem. It's the network.
This past October the New England area had a freak early snowstorm that, due to leaves still on the trees, took down significant power lines, and also affected the cell towers. People couldn't call anywhere at all for several days, especially if stuck on a road with many downed tree trunks and wires. They couldn't even leave home.
I realize that information technology has become important in our lives today, but I feel that it would be a BIG mistake to depend upon it in a real emergency scenario. Grid power, the internet, and cell towers may not be functional. This is a very fragile system. It's NOT enough to know that the info is "out there" and to have the app for it. I suggest that people print out hard copies of any information that they consider crucial. Just when you need it, it may not be available to you!
If as the OP said, the content was downloaded to the device, there can be no network, and it will have zero effect on you getting access to that content. Now if the content is in the cloud, then you could have a problem.
The big problem with hardcopies is they're bulky, heavy, and delicate, they also make ideal fire-starting materials, and makeshift toilet paper. If you use an inkjet don't even let them think they're getting wet. So the problem with hard copies is that just when you need it, it may not be available to you . Then you have to decide which one's to print and bring, which would be the same as deciding which should be downloaded to a device.
Now that's not to say there's no use for doubling things up that are of life critical necessity (like taking a map and compass AND a GPS). However you can carry a lot more data electronically than you could ever hope to carry physically. A simple 4Gb thumb drive could contain more than 8000 very large books (we're talking War and Peace, or the Encyclopedia Britannica large books too) your average 300 page novel will take up as little as 2-3kb depending on the format, I've had one of these run over in a parking garage and still work perfectly. Yes you need power, but my laptop has a 65W power supply, that's at or below the average light bulb consumption, you just need to ensure that you have power or a battery. If you have something like a Kindle, my wife's will run for about 4-5 hours/day for a month between charges if the wireless networking is turned off. Yes there are factors that you need to consider for electronics that you don't for paper, however this would apply to paper for someone who only uses electronic media.
But the notion of an iPhone app to assist survivalists during EMP bursts, destruction of the power grid and cell networks, and general social chaos is really hysterical when you think about it.
Oh, sure, you could possibly rig up a solar recharger, etc., etc. But how long could you really make it last? I think I'd rather have an old-fashioned compass and waterproof maps.
Last edited by MissingAll4Seasons; 01-21-2012 at 05:57 PM..
Reason: orphaned reference
I for one am very fond of old technology. Yes things like steam tractors, windmill pumps, horses, wood stoves etc all have limits and are somewhat labor intensive. I think they are more reliable\valuable than some of the more advanced technology. IMHO a balance must be found in your prepping plans...... for example, GPS is wonderful I agree but some abilities in practical land nav are skill one ignores at their peril! A good old fashioned bolt action rifle might be handy when you auto loader runs out of spare parts....A crossbow better than bolt action etc.etc..etc...
Last edited by MissingAll4Seasons; 01-21-2012 at 05:58 PM..
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