New Cool Android App

[Drago]

http://smartchartais.com/ is a new app that you might be interested in. It enables AIS over cellular networks http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_ ... ion_System has US NOAA nautical charts, and Augmented Reality. The Augmented Reality feature might strain a mobile devices bandwidth but it sure sounds interesting. It apparently can superimpose data on top of a camera image at your current location and direction of pointing. The app is free but new so most likely buggy. I just heard about it and am at home so cannot really try it out.

[HandymanHerb]

My device isn't compatible with your version,

[PlaynDoc]

Not ready for apple.

[tuned]

Upon further reading, this app is sponsored by DHS. They are hoping that users will trade their tracks for some VERY cool features. Augmented reality looked great. So did the Nexrad radar overlaid on NOAA charts, all for FREE! All in the 'name of safetly/.

This opens up the discussion of how much do you want to tell Big Brother about your movements. Although I have nothing to hide, do I really want to tell them where I am every time I am on the water?

I could see a kiiler app for land based users as well. Hmmmmm......

[OK Toon]

I think I'll stick with my $10 Navionics app for Android. That thing is great and very accurate - as I see the depths changing on the chart, my Lowrance depth finder shows the same depth readings.

[Drago]

[quote="tuned"]Upon further reading, this app is sponsored by DHS.

This opens up the discussion of how much do you want to tell Big Brother about your movements.

I think it is "funded" by DHS. And if you have a cel phone, I think Big Brother knows all they need to about your movements... at least if they want to. And that is the question that comes to mind. Do they really give a rats ass about your movements??

It just looked like another cool free app. Free always gets my attention. I'm planning on trying it out after the bugs are worked out.

[tuned]

Don't get me wrong Drago. I wasn't dissing on the App. I was just wondering what motivation DHS had to be involved in something like this. If they had ALL the info they wanted just from your cell, why provide funding for this?

I asked several of my friends with cells and they, like me, do not have GPS turned on. Therefore my demographic is probably what they are aiming for. I don't know much about location info just from the cell towers. Doesn't that just provide a general whereabouts?

[Drago]

tuned,
I had the same turned up eye when I ran into that little tidbit about the DHS. What was their motivation to fund it? I can only guess.

As for cel towers locating you, I think it is about a 200' radius if I remember correctly.

[Drago]

http://www.panbo.com/archives/2012/08/c ... _huge.html

has some more details on the class E AIS system.

One of the carrots in the social networking perks is the comment that you might use it to easily find your boat after a night on the town. Oh yea, I can just imagine myself working a cel phone app while tipsy!

[tuned]

http://www.panbo.com/archives/2012/08/c ... _huge.html

has some more details on the class E AIS system.

One of the carrots in the social networking perks is the comment that you might use it to easily find your boat after a night on the town. Oh yea, I can just imagine myself working a cel phone app while tipsy!

On a DOCK . I have enough trouble looking at my phone on level ground.