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Archive for May, 2011

Survey-Relevant Data App For Android

Published in area, cartography, distance, Google Maps, measurement, surveying and topographic maps. 0 Comments

Application Name: Survey Demo

Description: Data overlays useful to surveyors and map users.

Publisher’s website: Surveying.org

Cost: Free demo version; Standard ($4.95) and Pro ($9.95) versions add additional features.

Version/date reviewed: v.1.0  /  5-5-11

Phone/OS: Droid X / Android 2.2

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

The Surveying.Org website offers a host of useful data layers for surveyors and cartographers, but all of the layers don’t work in the standard Android browser. The suite of Survey apps (Demo, Standard and Pro) offer these same data layers in stand-alone apps. Data layers viewed in a Google Maps interface, with standard Road/Aerial/Terrain views or the MyTopo USGS topographic maps view, include:

UTM

UTM zone overlays (tap on the map for the info popup for all layers)

spcs

State Plane Coordinate System boundaries

meridians

Principal Meridian boundaries and locations for the Public Land Survey System

All of the above can be viewed with the free Demo version. The Standard version of Survey ($4.95) adds two more data layers, and an additional function:

  • National Geodetic Survey horizontal control benchmarks (with links to data sheets)
  • National Geodetic Survey vertical control points.
  • Measure distances and areas on the map.

The Pro version of Survey ($9.95) adds a few additional features:

  • Built-in inclinometer
  • Find the latitude/longitude for a point by tapping on it.
  • Recording of points and tracks, export in KML format.

Other issues: I guess I have a number of concerns with the app:

  • Data layers are fetched online as needed, but that means that if you’re offline, they’re not available – a big drawback
  • The GPS stays on if you switch to a different app, rather than exiting the main app; forget about this, and you can quickly drain down the battery.
  • The Standard version is a bit expensive ($4.95), but if you need that data handy, probably worth it. The current set of additional features with the Pro version doesn’t justify it’s $9.95 price, as you can duplicate the additional functionality with other apps, many of which are free. The author plans to add PLSS data and lat/long to State Plane Coordinate System coordinate conversion to a future version, which would make it more worthwhile, but still a bit expensive for what you get.

Final thoughts: All of the functionality of the Demo version can be gotten using the Surveying.org website in the standard Android browser, plus length and area measurement, but the interface is easier and faster in the app than the website. If you need a handy reference source in the field for nearby NGS benchmarks, the Standard version might be worth the high price, but if you can plan ahead, all the data is available for free at the Surveying.org website The Pro version is overpriced for what you currently get with it; until additional functionality is added, I’d pass on it for now.




Clinometer And Spirit Level For Android

Published in level. 1 Comment

Application Name: spirit level + clinometer free

Description: Bubble level and slope measurement tool

Publisher’s website: plaincode

Cost: Free; paid version with additional features may be coming in the future.

Version/date reviewed: v.1.0  /  5-4-11

Phone/OS: Droid X / Android 2.2

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

spirit level + clinometer is an adaptation of an iPhone app, and it definitely looks like it – the graphics are very clean and distinctive.

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When the phone is at an angle of less than roughly 55 degree or so, the app defaults to the bubble level mode, displaying both angles of displacement (pitch and yaw).

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You can switch the bubble level between colors using the S/C control in the menu, but choices are limited to red/green/blue/grayscale. The “lock” icon at lower left lets you lock a reading; tap it once and wait a second or two for a tone to indicate lock, or just double-tap it to lock the reading immediately. When locked, the icon will change to a yellow padlock – tap it again to unlock the level.

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From the menu, you can also change the units to single degree precision, tenths of a degree, or percent slope.

vernier

If either phone angle of rotation is greater than about 55 degrees, the display switches over to a clinometer view, showing angle and percent slope on the dial. You can also set the central number to be either degrees or percent as well. The graphics are very clean and readable in this mode, and the vernier scales (on either side of the central number) spin as you rotate the phone, a nice touch even if they don’t actually add any functionality.

In this mode, the arrow icon at lower left rotates the background scale, so that you can set the top number to be 0 degrees / 0 percent slope , or 90 degrees / infinite slope.

Other issues: Biggest drawback is the lack of a calibration/zero setting function; without it, absolutely accuracy is limited. I also wish there was an option to keep the app in bubble level mode permanently

Final thoughts: Looks cool, easy to read the numbers, and generally works well. But until a calibration/zero setting function is added,  you might be better off with one of the other bubble level apps on the market, and the clinometer function in either Ulysse Gizmo, Rocklogger or eGeo Compass.




Google Earth For Android

Published in Google Earth, Google Maps, KML and KMZ. 1 Comment

Application Name: Google Earth

Description: 3D landscape views of local terrain with an aerial imagery overlay; GPS-enabled.

Publisher’s website: Google Earth For Mobile

Cost: Free

Version/date reviewed: v.2.0.1  /  5-4-11

Phone/OS: Droid X / Android 2.2

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

Note: This review only looks at Google Earth on an Android phone; additional functionality is available on some Android tablets, including 3D buildings.

Google Earth for Android is a stripped-down version of its desktop cousin, which lets you view the Earth in a three-dimensional view, with satellite imagery draped over terrain. It’s pretty amazing that it works at all on small, limited devices like Android smartphones, much less preserving as much of the functionality as it does. Unfortunately, it’s still missing some useful functions found in the desktop version, which limits its overall utility.

ge_mylocation

The first time you start up the app, and choose My Location from the menu, the app will zoom in to an overhead view of your current location, marked with a blue-ball icon; location is determined either by GPS, nearby WiFi network, or cell tower triangulation.

Unlike the desktop version, there are no onscreen controls to change your point of view; it’s all done by touchscreen, and isn’t exactly intuitive.

  • Tap and drag with one finger to move the map in one direction (pan).
  • Use two-finger pinch to zoom in/out
  • Double-tap to zoom in on a point
  • Twist two fingers on the screen to rotate the view
  • Drag two fingers simultaneously on the screen to tilt the view for the full 3D effect.

ge_3d

 

To restore the view to overhead, north at top, tap on the compass rose in the upper right corner.

Google Earth caches data so that you can still use it if you go offline temporarily. You can set the cache size in the Settings section to Small/Medium/Large, but there’s no clue as to how much space each of these options uses. And if you’re on a limited data plan, watch out, especially if you’re using the app in a car – you can easily download many megabytes of data in a short period of time.

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Tapping on the eyeball icon at lower left toggles you between the default panning view and “Look around” mode (indicated by the green marker). In the latter, the view is controlled by moving the phone, using the compass and accelerometer to determine which direction you’re pointing the phone. Very cool to look at, but on a phone, the screen is too small to let you make out significant details, and trying to use zoom functionality for a closer look can be an exercise in frustration – it’s difficult to zoom in on exactly the point you’re interested in.

ge_layers

There’s a limited subset of data layers available, most of which are more easily usable in the Android Google Maps app (Panoramio being the one notable exception).

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You sometimes need to zoom in quite close on an area to see all the data points in the layer; not surprising, since in an urban area they’d completely cover the aerial imagery. However, none of the data points are labeled on the map; you have to tap on one to bring up an info page for it.

There are several incredibly useful functions on the desktop version that are still missing in the Android app:

  • No measurement tools for distance or area.
  • Fewer data layers.
  • Worst of all, you can’t add your own data to the map in KML/KMZ format, at all. Odd, since you can do so in the Google Maps app (subject of an upcoming post here).

Other issues: App does crash on a regular basis, but does so fairly gracefully; you will get an error message with a force-close option.

Final thoughts: Don’t get me wrong, Google Earth is a cool free app, fun to play with, and a great demo to show off your phone’s capabilities. But I don’t find the 3D terrain view compelling enough under normal use to make me switch over from the Google Maps app, which has far more features and options. If the option to view your own KML/KMZ data is added to the app, then it will become far more useful.