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Archive for November, 2010 Page 2 of 2

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Monitor Velocity With GPS Speed Graph

Published in distance, GPS and velocity. 0 Comments

Application Name: GPS Speed Graph

Description: Monitors and graphs current/moving/average velocity.

Publisher’s website: None

Cost: Free; $3.60 Plus version adds data logging, export capabilities.

Version/date reviewed: v.1.2  /  11-8-10

Phone/OS: Droid X / Android 2.2

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Android Market link (mobile app only)
Android Market link (browser)

GPS Speed Graph monitors the GPS-derived velocity as a function of time, and plots it over a roughly ten-minute window.

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Figure 1: The plotted data is only for the previous 10 minutes or so, with the more recent data at right; you can’t scroll the display to see older data. However, the maximum velocity (red), moving average(blue), and overall average (green) include all data from the time you started measurement, as do the times and total distance displayed at the bottom. You can pause measurements at any time, then either resume them or reset the display. The compass needle displays the GPS north direction, not the magnetic direction, so if you’re standing still it will always point up.

Other issues: The program will run in the background if you use the Back button, and the GPS will remain enabled. Remember to close the program with the Quit option in the menu, otherwise the GPS will keep running and can drain the battery. The limited data display is disappointing; while the Pro version can log data in KML/GPS/CSV formats, you can’t view it directly in the app.

Final thoughts: Nice graphic display, but the limited time window is a big minus. And given the many other programs that can log data for free, $3.60 for the Pro version with data logging seems a bit excessive. If you like the display, stick with the free version unless the paid version becomes cheaper.




Android External Bluetooth GPS Apps: Bluetooth GPS

Published in Bluetooth and GPS. 1 Comment

Application Name: Bluetooth GPS

Description: Lets you use an external Bluetooth GPS unit instead of your Android unit’s built-in GPS

Publisher’s website: None

Cost: Free

Version/date reviewed: v.0.4  /  11-4-10

Phone/OS: Droid X / Android 2.2

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Android Market link (mobile app only)
Android Market link (browser)

About a month ago, when I was first reviewing apps for using external Bluetooth GPS units with the Android OS, this app was available, but didn’t have the option for use with other apps instead of the built-in GPS. Now, the latest version (0.3) has just added that option as a service. As with other similar apps, before using this app, you will need to pair your external Bluetooth GPS with your Android phone, and enable “mock locations”; see the Appendix at the bottom of this post for more info.

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Figure 1: Starting up the app, you’ll need to select the Bluetooth GPS receiver you’re using from the dropdown menu at upper left (Holus_M-1000 in this case); you’ll also need to have Bluetooth enabled on your Android unit. Make sure your Bluetooth GPS receiver is turned on, then tap the “Connect” button to establish a link between it and your phone. It can take several tries to establish a connection – this is a common Android issue. Having said that, it seemed to me that this app was able to establish a connection faster than other similar apps

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Figure 2: Once a connection is established, and the Bluetooth GPS has gotten a position fix, you’ll see coordinate data showing up on the screen, and the blue globular icon show up on the status screen. To use the Bluetooth GPS instead of the built-in GPS, you’ll now have to check the “Enable Mock GPS Provider” box. This will now run continuously as a service on your Android, even after you exit the program; you’ll have to press the “Stop” button from the program window to discontinue it.

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Figure 3: Tap on the Status tab, and you’ll get a view of the satellite signals acquired; unlike other apps, all of the satellite numbers appear to be correct. The WAAS satellite signal is also displayed here at far right (#51); depending on your location in the US, you may see either WAAS satellite 48 or 51. The sky map is new with version 0.4, and is better than many sky maps for Android apps dedicated to the built-in GPS.

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Figure 4: The NMEA Logs tab lets you view the raw NMEA data stream from the GPS receiver. Since you can’t save this data (yet), this is of limited use.

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Figure 5: Finally, the Map tab will show you your current location in a Google Maps interface, an easy way to check whether you’re getting a good position fix from the Bluetooth GPS receiver.

Other Issues: None, other than the usual problems with recalcitrant Bluetooth connections.

Final thoughts: If you need to take advantage of special features for your external Bluetooth GPS unit, the Bluetooth GPS Provider app might be worth considering. But for most applications, the Bluetooth GPS app reviewed here is superior – it connects faster, shows satellites more accurately, and even provides a built-in map app to check whether you’re receiving a good location fix. Recommended.

Appendix: Setting up an external Bluetooth GPS for use with your Android unit.

A link to my original post on the advantages of using an external Bluetooth GPS receiver instead of your Android’s built-in GPS.

Here are some inexpensive external Bluetooth GPS units; a search on Amazon.com or eBay will bring up many more:


After you’ve bought the unit, charged it up and turned it on:

1. Go to Settings => Wireless & networks, and make sure Bluetooth is turned on.

2. Go to the “Bluetooth settings” section, and have your Android unit scan for new Bluetooth devices.

3. After it finds your Bluetooth GPS, it may ask you to enter a four-digit security code; for GPS units, if no code is included with your unit,  “0000” usually works.

4. Your Android unit will now be “paired” with this Bluetooth GPS device; any apps that support Bluetooth GPS will have this device listed as an option. Unless you remove this pairing, you only need to do this once.

5. To use a Bluetooth GPS with apps that don’t support it natively, you’ll need either the app reviewed here, or one that performs a similar function. You will also need to enable “mock locations”: Settings => Applications => Development => check the “Allow mock locations” box.

6. DON’T DISABLE THE BUILT-IN GPS ON YOUR ANDROID. Some apps (e.g. Google Maps, Bing Maps) won’t work with external Bluetooth unless you have the built-in GPS enabled, even if they don’t actually use the built-in GPS for positions.




Living in the sun (formerly ZP Compass): Local Sun/Moon Info For Android

Published in astronomy, compass, GPS and local data. 0 Comments

Application Name: Living in the sun – Sundial Moondial

Description: Compass with indicators that show direction/altitude of sun/moon; moon phase calendar; twilight time tables.

Publisher’s website: AppZeroPoint

Cost: Free version (ad-supported); $3 Pro version removes ads, adds additional features

Version/date reviewed: v.1.5.4  /  10-31-10

Phone/OS: Droid X / Android 2.2

Android Market link (mobile app only)
Android Market link (browser)

The Living in the sun app offers a standard compass with direction, but also additional astronomical information for your current location.

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Figure 1: Probably the most interesting view in Living in the sun is the actual compass view. The number at top shows your current bearing direction (which way your phone is pointed). The red arrow always points in the direction of north. The gold arrow shows you the direction of the sun, with the sun’s image showing approximately the altitude; you also have numerical direction/altitude data for the sun at the bottom. The gray arrow shows the moon’s direction; the missing moon image indicates that it’s below the horizon at this time. The numerical moon data at the bottom reflects this with the negative value for altitude. You can turn any of these indicators on/off in the Settings section; in this image, I have the magnetic north arrow turned off.

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Figure 2: A calendrical display shows the phases of the moon. Tapping on any of the dates, or selecting the “Twilight” display option …

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Figure 3: … brings up a table with times for sunrise/sunset, moonrise/moonset, and various kinds of twilight times (usually defined by a certain distance of the sun below the horizon).

In addition to removing the adds, the paid version offers a few extra features:

  • A map of twilight area
  • A map of the sun and moon across the sky at various times during the day

Issues: Program worked fine – no crashes. I do wish it gave you the option of selecting any location; it only gives data for your current location. The GPS is on continuously in compass mode, which can drain your battery if you forget to turn it off.

Final thoughts: There are better compass apps around, but if you need the astronomical data (sun/moon/twilight), this free app offers a nice combination of features.




Android Live Wallpaper Of The Earth

Published in astronomy, time, wallpaper and weather. 0 Comments

Application Name: Earth Live Wallpaper

Description: Animated live wallpaper of Earth and other astronomical bodies, real and imagined.

Publisher’s website: Earth Live Wallpaper

Cost: Free version 1 (donationware); newer version 2 offers faster performance for about $2.75.

Version/date reviewed: v.1.3.9  /  10-31-10

Phone/OS: Droid X / Android 2.2

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Android Market link (mobile app only) – main app
Android Market link (browser)

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Android Market link (mobile app only) – map data
Android Market link (browser)

Note: You should download the app first, then the data. Some Android phones may not support live wallpaper.

Earth Live Wallpaper lets you show an animated image of the Earth as a background in your Android home screens. It also offers options to display other solar system objects like the sun, planets, moons, etc., as well as fictional/imaginary astronomical objects (e.g. planets from the Star Wars universe, Star Trek, Futurama, Avatar, etc.). You also have a huge number of options you can set:

  • Show the moon rotating around the Earth
  • Choose from a variety of background images, and how they’re animated
  • Add an animated starfield
  • Have the globe spin on its axis, rotate freely; interact with you as you swipe
  • And more …

Access the app from the Settings => Wallpaper => Live Wallpaper list, where it’s shown as EarthRot. For real geography, your map choices are:


realtime
Realtime Earth + Clouds => Shows the Earth with actual cloud patterns (updated every 3 hours), and day/night shading with city lights		 static
Static Earth => Globe image fully lit with an arbitrary cloud pattern		 earth
Earth => Fully lit globe with no clouds		 night
Earth city lights => Globe at night, with artificial lights from human activity.


I prefer the realtime earth, since it shows up-to-date data like the cloud patterns and night/day terminator line. But it will use about 70 kB of data every time it refreshes the cloud data, which changes every 3 hours or so; that’s close to 17 MB of data in a month, which might be an issue if you’re on a limited data plan.

Issues: None. My phone supports live wallpaper; if yours doesn’t, this wallpaper won’t be terribly useful. Live wallpapers also consume a little bit of extra battery power, so if battery life is a critical issue, you might want to think twice.

Final thoughts: Looks cool, and the realtime Earth view offers useful information. Not an essential app, but if you can live with the slight power drain, worth having.




Android Antipodal App

Published in cartography, education, Google Maps and local data. 0 Comments

Application Name: AntipodalPoint Pro

Description: Find the point on the globe exactly opposite from a specified one.

Publisher’s website: efauske

Cost: Free

Version/date reviewed: v.2.0  /  10-31-10

Phone/OS: Droid X / Android 2.2

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Android Market link (mobile app only)
Android Market link (browser)

The “Antipodes” is the point on the Earth exactly opposite another specified point. The AntipodalPoint Pro app lets you specify a point on the globe, and find the point exactly opposite.

app1

Figure 1: By default, the app fires up the GPS and places an upright Android icon at your current location. You can then either scroll the map with a tap-and-drag, or use the “Antipodal Point” control on the menu, to scroll you to the antipodes of your current location …

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Figure 2: … signified by an upside-down Android icon.

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Figure 3: You can also tap anywhere on the map to set a location …

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Figure 4: … and have its antipodes location be marked automatically.

Other Issues: Leaves the GPS continuously enabled, even though there’s no control to bring you back to your current location. So if you don’t exit the app, it can drain your battery.

Final thoughts: Bit of a one-trick pony, and most land locations you select will boringly have ocean at the antipodes; not surprising, since about 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered with water. But it’s free, and might be fun to play with for a few minutes. Also potentially useful as an educational geography tool, especially for disproving that old myth that digging a hole in the US through the center of the earth will put you in China.




Directional Elevation And Sea Depth Profiles For Android

Published in altitude. 0 Comments

Application Name: Elevation and Sea Depth

Description: Shows the elevation profile (or sea depth) in the direction you’re facing.

Publisher’s website: Binary Solutions

Cost: Free (ad-supported)

Version/date reviewed: v.1.2.3  /  10-31-10

Phone/OS: Droid X / Android 2.2

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Android Market link (mobile app only)
Android Market link (browser)

The Elevation and Sea Depth app displays the elevation profile for 5 km ahead of you, or the sea depth if you’re at see. It specifies a 100m resolution for the elevation data, so I assume it’s using SRTM-90 data from NASA, which is fairly high quality; not sure about the source of its sea depth data. Since it queries a web database, you’ll need to have an Internet connection active to access the web data.

To use the app, you’ll need to lay your phone flat on a surface, and wait for it to get a good GPS position fix for your current location. It also only works in landscape mode (Figure 1):

esd1

Profile is plotted with your location at the left, out to 5000 meters (5 km) at right. Also displayed are your current GPS location (left); your GPS elevation (which can be off substantially) and your elevation from web data; and the current orientation of your phone and speed. The angular resolution for elevation profiles is 15 degrees, so while the phone is pointed at the 328-degree orientation, the elevation profile is given for the 330-degree orientation. Turn the phone to another orientation, and the display updates quickly with the new orientation and elevation profile (Figure 2):

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Other Issues: Program worked fine; no crashes or force-close. I wish they would specify the exact data source, especially for the sea depth data. Elevation profiles seemed to reflect reality, though my neighborhood is so hilly that it’s tough to say that with 100% certainty.

Final thoughts: Seems to work as advertised. Didn’t have a chance to test the sea depth feature, and I’d be leery of using it for marine navigation purposes. But for hiking/biking, it has a permanent spot on my Android unit; it’s very useful to know what to expect in elevation changes in front of you. Recommended.




View Local Toxic Chemical Release Data with myRTK

Published in Google Maps and local data. 0 Comments

Application Name: myRTk (“My Right To Know”)

Description: View EPA data on companies that release toxic chemicals in a specified area

Publisher’s website: myRTK

Cost: Free

Version/date reviewed: NA; 10-31-10

Phone/OS: Droid X / Android 2.2

Web app link

To create a direct access icon for this site, create a bookmark for the site in your browser. Then do a long press on your Android home page, select “Shortcuts”, choose “Bookmarks”, then select the bookmarked site.

The EPA’s myRTK (My Right-To-Know) site is a web app that displays the location of companies near a user-specified point that release toxic chemicals, along with information about the type of chemicals and their overall compliance record.

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Figure 1: This isn’t an Android app, but is instead a mobile-enabled website – any mobile phone or OS should be able to access it. Enter a specific address, or even just a general zip code …

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Figure 2: … and get the location plotted (small blue dot), along with nearby companies that release toxic chemicals. You can scroll the map by dragging, or change the display type to Satellite/Hybrid/Terrain with the dropdown at upper right. You can’t zoom in or out, thought, and the crosshair at upper right is a geolocation service that doesn’t seem to be working right now.

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Figure 3: Tap on a marker, and it will bring up a popup with the name and address of a company on the map. Tapping on “List’” will bring up a scrollable list of the mapped icons. Tapping on the link in the popup, or on a company name in the list, will bring up more info…

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Figure 4: … Including yearly release amounts in pounds, and the type of chemicals released …

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Figure 5: … and their overall compliance record to EPA regulations.

Other Issues: None.

Final thoughts: If you’re concerned about local toxic chemical releases, this is a convenient way to find that info.

Via Google Maps Mania.




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