My First Smart Phone

[rocketsocks]

RS you can throw away the Rayovac its too costly to run effectively. The I phone that you have is the same one I use for work and it goes about three days with calls and emails. The Anker will charge it several times and the best part is that as soon as it detects your phone is charged the circuit switches off the Anker to prevent accidental discharge. It will stretch the smart phone for more than a week.

Well again,I like the Rayovac for convenience, weight, small profile in my pocket, certainly not cost effective, but sometimes cost isn't the only variable to deal with...and yep, the Anker you laid me on to....it's been great.

[rocketsocks]

very happy for you

Sent from my 7th SMARTPHONE using Tapatalk

...been a long time comin...#1 daughter got a new one for her birthday...so daddy gets the hand me downs.

[Wise Old Owl]

That we can agree with - I held back as I use both the Iphone 4 and Android I have several posts on apps... but my best notes are on the other website not here.

[rocketsocks]

That we can agree with - I held back as I use both the Iphone 4 and Android I have several posts on apps... but my best notes are on the other website not here.

copy/paste works wonders.

[rocketsocks]

copy/paste works wonders.

...otherwise what the point.

[July]

...otherwise what the point.

My "old" gear...download.jpg I need to upgrade...

[kayak karl]

in my basement and still works >
2014-07-20 18.20.12.jpg

[rocketsocks]

...try callin' 800 numbers with this and not orderin' a pizza by mistake.

[Riocielo]

Rocketsocks, I have this charger as well and I love it. I can recharge my Samsung gs4 about the times with it.

It is a little heavier than I expected, though.

Also, I love Anker products. They have tremendous customer service.

here's the battery pack I've been using...works great tons a juice. it goes on sale often so don't pay full price.

http://www.amazon.com/10000mAh-Dual-...nker+batteries

[rocketsocks]

Yep, little heavy. I just got this thing last winter, and it consistently has been charging my ipod about 5 to 6 times, plenty to get someone between town stops, I'd imagine.

[Just Bill]

Thanks, JB. I've got something similar I got at Best Buy; it charges from any USB wall-wart and gives (supposedly) about 2 full charges. The one you cite is interesting in that it takes AAA batteries, that could be useful in some situations. I guess these things come in all shapes and sizes, so it comes down to just how much weight one is willing to carry in order to keep one's smartphone alive.

If you consider the weight of the guidebooks, maps (etc.) that the phone might hold, maybe a few extra oz. of battery power isn't so bad.

With some Android phones you can even buy an oversized (internal) battery and custom back for the phone. I like this option but I also like the case I've got on my phone, and I'm sure they're not compatible.

I choose the energizer one because of the batteries. Charger itself weighs little, the batteries though can (obviously) be used for other things which is nice. Sometimes I can go a whole section on the original charge, other times I need a few boosts. Sometimes the headlamp doesn't make it and I can give a little boost to the phone with the used batteries and put the fresh ones in the headlamp. Even on a regulated LED light, the last 25% of the battery is still a bit dull- but works fine for charging the phone- so that system has been pretty handy.

On the AT or for weeklong trips, one of the Anchor type packs is probably fine. The issue I had, besides weight, was charging time. Not the end of the world if you have a zero or nero, but around me they aren't as hiker friendly and willing to let you hang out and charge up for a few hours.

Also- no matter what trail you're on- or how friendly the store- you can always buy a few batteries nearly anywhere if you don't get to plug in or want to keep moving.

The extra battery cases are nice(like the mophie), but for on the trail, I was too concerned about waterproof needs. The life proof cases meet that need, but won't play nice with other cases. And again, one more thing to charge...

SOCKS-
only thing to be careful about- the 4S is at the end of the update spectrum, so many new apps may not work well. Also- the iOS updates themselves seem to gobble up half the memory on the 16gb phones. Just a thought before you get too in love. 4gb of music and a few reserved to take picks will probably damn near fill it up.

[lonehiker]

Yeah Baby! just got me first smart phone...I'm in.
4S hand me down Apple Iphone

Questions......

Which GPS apps do you use?
Which Down loadable mapping system and or topo's do you use?
Which weather app or PDF's, writing journal, guide books be it trails, birds, or rocks and trees...anything.

and any other fancy doo dads that may be of interest to someone new to the 21st century.


School me please...Word

Seems that few actually addressed your question in regards to apps. Most posts have been in regards to how to charge the darn thing. Maybe there is something to be learned from this.....

[rocketsocks]

Seems that few actually addressed your question in regards to apps. Most posts have been in regards to how to charge the darn thing. Maybe there is something to be learned from this.....

Well one app I've already down loaded is the astronomy app...that thing is way cool...uses a lot of space though. Right up my alley this app is. Thanks Dave it was a good one.

also downloaded map rims last year, good app but it wasn't working the way I wanted it to on my I pod, so I ditched and have since uploaded one called Avena I think which "Off Shore" tuned me onto. It allows for downloading through iTunes and I've loaded the NY/NJ trail conference maps of the AT in N. Jersey. Can't link it right now but will when I'm back at my computer.

[rocketsocks]

Well one app I've already down loaded is the astronomy app...that thing is way cool...uses a lot of space though. Right up my alley this app is. Thanks Dave it was a good one.

also downloaded map rims last year, good app but it wasn't working the way I wanted it to on my I pod, so I ditched and have since uploaded one called Avena I think which "Off Shore" tuned me onto. It allows for downloading through iTunes and I've loaded the NY/NJ trail conference maps of the AT in N. Jersey. Can't link it right now but will when I'm back at my computer.

Here's the maps app I'm using that "OffShore" recommended...I like it a lot.

http://www.avenza.com/pdf-maps



...and here's one that "Lazurus" told me about last year, that I liked but my system at the time was not liking it.

Maprika

http://www.maprika.com/

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Two weeks ago, my older son gave me a beautiful smart phone with a plan that carries 10G (whatever that is), and unlimited talk and text. It was mostly touchscreen (which I abhor), but it had the QWERTY keypad that slid out (which I loved). It was a shiny blue metallic LG with lots and lots of bells and whistles (that I never figured out how to use) and things called widgets.

Notice this is all past tense. I had it 5 days and lost it....uninsured.

The day before we left on our trip I replaced it for a cheapo go-phone, flip style. This I'll probably never loose and won't care if it falls off the mountain.

But now I can text to my heart's content.

[joedperk]

I like MotionX GPS... has a lot of nice features... Has a neat feature where your family can keep up with your hikes, via internet... you can download offline maps.. gps coordinates for trails..... think they even have a free version to try out...

[rocketsocks]

I choose the energizer one because of the batteries. Charger itself weighs little, the batteries though can (obviously) be used for other things which is nice. Sometimes I can go a whole section on the original charge, other times I need a few boosts. Sometimes the headlamp doesn't make it and I can give a little boost to the phone with the used batteries and put the fresh ones in the headlamp. Even on a regulated LED light, the last 25% of the battery is still a bit dull- but works fine for charging the phone- so that system has been pretty handy.

On the AT or for weeklong trips, one of the Anchor type packs is probably fine. The issue I had, besides weight, was charging time. Not the end of the world if you have a zero or nero, but around me they aren't as hiker friendly and willing to let you hang out and charge up for a few hours.

Also- no matter what trail you're on- or how friendly the store- you can always buy a few batteries nearly anywhere if you don't get to plug in or want to keep moving.

The extra battery cases are nice(like the mophie), but for on the trail, I was too concerned about waterproof needs. The life proof cases meet that need, but won't play nice with other cases. And again, one more thing to charge...

SOCKS-
only thing to be careful about- the 4S is at the end of the update spectrum, so many new apps may not work well. Also- the iOS updates themselves seem to gobble up half the memory on the 16gb phones. Just a thought before you get too in love. 4gb of music and a few reserved to take picks will probably damn near fill it up.

Figured out this last night wen I had to remove a bunch of stuff while trying to down load the astronomy app, but that's ok, I love the new app, and the stuff I got rid of I hadn't really used in a while. But, when I out grown this one, my kids hopefully will hit me up (whats wrong with this picture deer ol' dad gets bonned again...but there good kids, and as long as they keep there grades up...meh, only money), for a new and improved as seems to be the formula....and then I'll glom onto the 5's or 6's I forget what they have.

I too like the availability of the batteries for the plug and go units, many reason why this a a great solution...but certainly not something for the long term user, or one requiring lots of juice, and like you said you can plug in and go, no waitin' around town to charge. I love my little charger. ...and the big in too.

[rocketsocks]

Two weeks ago, my older son gave me a beautiful smart phone with a plan that carries 10G (whatever that is), and unlimited talk and text. It was mostly touchscreen (which I abhor), but it had the QWERTY keypad that slid out (which I loved). It was a shiny blue metallic LG with lots and lots of bells and whistles (that I never figured out how to use) and things called widgets.

Notice this is all past tense. I had it 5 days and lost it....uninsured.

The day before we left on our trip I replaced it for a cheapo go-phone, flip style. This I'll probably never loose and won't care if it falls off the mountain.

But now I can text to my heart's content.

oh no , so sorry to hear that. But know that you've saved yourself a ton of aggravation...when theses things work, they're great, when they don't and get finicky and affect every other computer program you have, they..... well, I can't say here @%$#*&.

[rocketsocks]

I like MotionX GPS... has a lot of nice features... Has a neat feature where your family can keep up with your hikes, via internet... you can download offline maps.. gps coordinates for trails..... think they even have a free version to try out...

Thanks joedperk, will check that one out as well.

[Traveler]

Some apps you may enjoy:

Weather Underground (Free and shows as WU on a black background) has a great weather application that will target the nearest reporting station to your location, showing live radar (animates weather) and a host of supporting information from general week long forecasts to dew point levels. I have avoided serious weather using this feature that kept me holed up as it boiled past and can plan for a cold night wind that may come from a non prevailing direction, etc.

For navigation back up there is Motion X GPS application ($3), though it is a power pig. I don't use this unless my primary hand held GPS goes down, however it has been useful in the past.

The Audubon collection of Birds, Animals, Plants, and Trees in a single app ($5) is a great reference tool to identify things you run across all over North America.

Trails.com has an app you can use to find trails, you have to have a subscription to download this app.

Compass - there are dozens of compass apps that can be very useful, most of them are free.

Beacon - Unsure if there is a cost for this or not, but its used to plant a "beacon" by a car in a very big parking lot for example, so you can find your way back to it. I have used this to stash packs near roads and find my way back to the pack if I return after dark or in bad weather that can cause confusion.

Applications on Smartphones can be surprisingly adept when you are in range of cell towers, very few work on the GPS system satellites but some like Motion X can. These apps can be a tremendous power drain on these (especially Motion X), you have to be sure to manage your applications and keep them from running in the background when not using them, and keep them from updating automatically.