Trail Technology SeriesAn Intro to Outdoor Mobile Applications

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Venture Outdoors Experienced Leader Weekend

March 16-18, 2012

Larry Gioialarrygioia@hotmail.com

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Friday, April 13, 2012

AGENDA

• Introduction & Objectives (10 minutes)

• Mobile Intro (15 minutes)

• App Reviews (15 minutes)

• App Demos / Show-and-Tell (50 minutes)

• Wrap-Up / Q&A (5 minutes)

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Friday, April 13, 2012

WELCOME | ABOUT ME

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Friday, April 13, 2012

WELCOME | WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

You tell me ...

My hope is that you all leave here today with ...

• The one thing I want to learn from this class is ____________

• Basic knowledge of at least one new mobile app

• An understanding of how apps can be used in the outdoors

• Ideas for how to use mobile apps on your next program

• New ideas for future “Trail Technology” workshops like this

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Friday, April 13, 2012

WELCOME | DISCLAIMER

Source: "Reception" | The 2012 Chevy Silverado | Chevrolethttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLoNKtNa17I

Mobile devices and apps should never be used as your primary means of communication/navigation in the outdoors

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Friday, April 13, 2012

MOBILITY INTRO | TALKIN’ ABOUT AN EVOLUTION

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2000 AD

1973 1998 2007 201019??

1946 1994 1999 2008

Sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_mobile_phoneshttp://www.mobiledia.com/phones/http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/07/tech/mobile/gallery-evolution-mobile-phones/index.html

2004

2002

2011

Friday, April 13, 2012

MOBILITY INTRO | MUCH MORE THAN A PHONE

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SensingDevice

Application Platform

CommunicationMedium

• Contextually and personally aware• Touch screen, voice recognition, high

resolution camera, accelerometer, electronic compass, and GPS

• No longer limited to voice & email• Includes SMS, video, and data transfer

• Virtual store front to browse and buy• Applications rule the mobile world• Anyone can develop an app

Friday, April 13, 2012

MOBILITY INTRO | WHO REALLY NEEDS ALL THIS?

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... Besides Mike Cornell

Friday, April 13, 2012

MOBILITY INTRO | THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT ...

• A simple keyword search for “outdoors” returned 1600+ unique results for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry app stores

• Not inclusive of mobile tablet device apps

• Free, $.99, $100+

• Navigation, GPS, birding, maps, survival, anti mosquito, hiking, knot tying, cliff jumping, indian boyhood

I don’t even want to know ...

BlackBerry App World

Apple iTunes App Store

Android Marketplace

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Friday, April 13, 2012

Jo Says ...

“Good app for tracking impending weather systems when hiking and paddling.”

“I love taking interactive panoramic photos and sharing them with participants.”

“I use this app when I am on scouting out new areas and looking for new routes.”

“Excellent app developed by the State of PA - helpful resource for trip planning!”

“Advanced mapping features and high resolution USGS topos help when I am planning a long hike”

“I use this app for everything - tracking trips, marking waypoints, digital compass. It rocks!”

APP SHOWCASE | OUTDOOR APP REVIEW

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LEAR

NIN

G C

URV

E

FEATURE SET

MyRadar

EveryTrail

PA State Parks

TopoMaps

MotionX GPS

Photosynth

Outdoor Mobile Applications

Friday, April 13, 2012

APP SHOWCASE | NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF!

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WHO WANTS A PERSONAL

TOUR?

Friday, April 13, 2012

WRAP-UP | THE OPPORTUNITY FOR TRIP LEADERS

• Introduce new methods of teaching, educating, and learning

• Reinforce the element of safety

• Share real-time trip data with participants

• Share unique program experiences (photos, tracks, etc)

• Impress participants with your new technical “savy-ness”

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Friday, April 13, 2012

WRAP-UP | A FEW ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS

• To maximize battery life, consider dimming the brightness of your mobile screen and turning wi-fi off

• For devices which support multi-tasking (e.g., iDevices), keep apps open in the dock

• Did you know: all photos taken with your iPhone are automatically geo-tagged!?! Check out in the Photos app!

• NEVER count on your mobile device having a signal in the outdoors- no two providers have the same exact coverage

• NEVER depend on your mobile device as your only means of outdoor navigation/orientation - it’s merely a tool

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Friday, April 13, 2012

WRAP-UP | OBLIGATORY HOUSEKEEPING

• Your feedback is very important - please send your thoughts

• What other Trail Technology topics would you like to see?

• Please contribute your own apps to the Google Doc that I will send around after this workshop

• Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have additional questions!

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Friday, April 13, 2012

Let’s keep in touch! Scan this QR Code to add me to your address book!

THANK YOU!

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Friday, April 13, 2012