Lifehacker Pack for Chrome 2013: Our List of the Best Extensions

How many of these cool tools do you use?

Lifehacker Pack for Chrome 2013: Our List of the Best Extensions

Are you in the market for a new phone?

It's time for someone in my family to update his phone and I have decided that one of the new phablets would be useful for him as he doesn't have/want a tablet but finds emailing and browsing on his small Samsung smartphone a challenge.

Whether we stick with Samsung or go with HTC I am not sure but this lengthy review of the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 may help me make up his mind.

http://www.gadgetguy.com.au/product/samsung-galaxy-note-3-sm-n9005/

Sometimes you get what you pay for...

"Many of the tablets sold in Asia, particularly China and Southeast Asia, suffer from serious design and quality-control issues "says an article on MakeUseOf. Follow the link below to read the whole article.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/tablets-compared-why-you-shouldnt-spend-money-on-cheap-chinese-android-imports/

Android App for RootsMagic Users

Tamura Jones reported on Google+ today that "Beta Testing for the RootsMagic for Android app will start soon."

Should you be interested in joining the group of Beat testers proceed to this link: 
http://rootsmagic.us1.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8e85643d5218349ea32bc4f19&id=08947fcfe2

My Heritage now supports Android tablets

Read all about it here:

http://blog.myheritage.com/2013/09/myheritage-mobile-app-android-tablet-updates/

The Armchair Genealogist writes...

....about her "Number 1 App for the Family History Traveler".

See what Lynn Palermo has to say in her article here:  
http://www.thearmchairgenealogist.com/2013/09/my-number-1-app-for-family-history.html

New Android App

Caroline Pointer mentioned a new Android App in a blog post today.  She has promised to take a look at it, I hope she writes a review as I am not in a hurry to spend $AU6.81 on a resource that I don't think I need.

Genealogy Research Assistant is available in the Google Playstore.

Keep your device running in the fast lane

The tips in this post from Android Social Media will help to ensure that your Android device runs at an optimal speed.

http://www.androidsocialmedia.com/productivity/maintaining-android-devices-increasing-performance

In the market for a new tablet?

The Makeuseof  Tablet Buying Guide - Summer 2013 can be read online or downloaded from Makeuseof.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/read-online-or-download-makeuseof-tablet-buying-guide-summer-2013/

I'm not sure that I want to read it, I don't want tablet envy to set in.

Day Journal for Android | Moultrie Creek Gazette

Geneablogger Denise Olson discusses a journalling app for Android devices.

Day Journal for Android | Moultrie Creek Gazette:

'via Blog this'

Genealogy Software Reviews » GeneaNet for Android

A new Genealogy program. Who will be the first to review it?

Genealogy Software Reviews » GeneaNet for Android:

'via Blog this'

Gena and Jean's Genealogy Journey

Press Release

New York, NY (PRWEB) July 23, 2013

Infinite Monkeys, has announced today that Gena and Jean's Genealogy Journey is the company’s “App Of The Week” for July 14th-20th.

Each week, Infinite Monkeys selects one app from the thousands published with their free app maker platform. This app was chosen because it is a great example of the quality, beauty and usefulness that mobile apps can bring to a traditional community.

With more than 1 Billion smartphones now active in the world, and 84% of those users accessing the Internet via their smartphone everyday, the base of potential mobile readers for Gena and Jean's Genealogy Journey is massive and growing by the day. It was this potential that motivated Infinite Monkeys to create a free drag-and-drop app builder platform that allows anyone to create an app like Gena and Jean's Genealogy Journey without having to hire a mobile agency for thousands of dollars, or learn how to do coding.

Gena and Jean's Genealogy Journey and thousands of other small businesses, blogs, sports teams and community groups selected the Infinite Monkeys app maker platform to create and launch their mobile app for Android, iPhone and over 5,000 different models of HTML5 compatible smartphones.

In a recent interview about building the Gena and Jean Genealogy Journey app, Gena Philibert-Ortega and Jean Wilcox Hibben told Infinite Monkeys the following about their experience entering the app economy:

IM: When did you start the blog?
Gena and Jean: We started the Gena and Jean Genealogy Journey blog this month , however, we are not new to blogging. I've been blogging on my blog Gena's Genealogy since 2005. The Gena and Jean blog is one way we can provide information to those who are following our speaking tour.

IM: Why did you decide to go mobile?
Gena and Jean: The app seemed like a nice addition because it allows audience members to download handouts, learn more about our sponsors and have easy access to our social media channels. Having information available to you in the palm of your hand is vital and an app gives you that.

IM: -How did you find Infinite Monkeys?
Gena and Jean: I wanted an easy to use app platform so I of course tried Google to find some websites that would allow someone with absolutely no developer experience write an app. I also looked at reviews for app platforms. I then tried out a few that I had read about and settled on Infinite Monkey. I liked that it was easy to use and that there was help along the way.

To create your own mobile app, and have a chance at being named App Of The Week, go to http://www.InfiniteMonkeys.mobi and get started today.

About Infinite Monkeys
Infinite Monkeys is a self-serve drag-and-drop platform that enables anyone to create a mobile app for iPhone, Android & HTML5 smartphones - without any coding. With three pricing options, from free to just $99, Infinite Monkeys brings custom mobile apps within the reach of small businesses, schools and community groups. By servicing the long-tail of niche interests with free and low-cost apps, Infinite Monkeys was named one of the Top10 Internet Startups of 2013 and aims to be the largest DIY publisher of mobile apps in the world.

To learn more about how Infinite Monkeys is transforming the Mobile App Economy, please visit http://www.infinitemonkeys.mobi and follow @oo_monkeys on Twitter.

About Gena and Jean Genealogy Journey

Gena and Jean Genealogy Journey is a new mobile app available for Android, iPhone and HTML5 compatible smartphones. It is the mobile presence of the Gena and Jean Genealogy Journey
blog and was created with the Infinite Monkeys mobile appmaker tool.

To download the Gena and Jean Genealogy Journey app for your mobile phone, go to: http://fanapp.mobi/gena_and_jean_genealogy_journey

To learn more about Gena and Jean Genealogy Journey , please visit http://genaandjean.blogspot.com/.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10949990.htm

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1372084#ixzz2ZvUk0pZB

Best Android Apps

Do you have a few hours to spare?  You could while them away examining this list from MakeUseOf

 Best Android Apps

Are your favourites there?

Free Note-taking Apps for Android

I use either Google Docs or Evernote to record notes when I am on the run because I like using products that I can access on all of my devices. I like that I can use them to amend docs offline and ssync them later when I have an internet connection.

If you are looking for a simple app to record text take a look at MakeUseOf's new review 

7 Distraction-Free Text Editors For Android Compared: Which Is Best?

I'm pleased that my choices got a gong.

Clearing default apps on Android

I subscribe to a number of Android blogs and news services in my RSS reader and from time to time I like to share tips here that may not be directly related to genealogy but will assist genealogists with the use of their devices.

From AndroidCentral.com today comes an answer to this question : How do I clear default applications?

http://www.androidcentral.com/mail-bag-how-do-i-clear-default-applications

Keep an eye on your 3G data usage

These apps might help you save $$$ on data

http://www.talkandroid.com/guides/beginner/best-android-apps-for-monitoring-data-usage-june-2013/

An alternative to Google Play...

...but which is better? See what Makeuseof.com has to say on the matter:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/google-play-vs-amazon-appstore-which-is-better-si/

What do you use for making a quick note on Android?

Makeuseof tested a few methods here:

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/better-than-a-notepad-the-3-fastest-ways-to-jot-down-notes-on-android-si/

Have you something that works faster than their best tool?

Great news for Evernote users on Android

Thanks Evernote for adding this feature

Evernote Blog | Evernote Reminders Arrive on Android

I need protection

I'm about to take off on another trip and want a new cover for my Galaxy Note 10.1.  I presently have a book type cover that I find annoying (and how silly do people look look when they try to take photos with their tablet book type cover flapping all about.

I found just what I wanted on the BobjGear site. On that site I am told that The Bobj Rugged Case for Samsung Note 10.1 is available from Amazon. I went over to Amazon to find that they had a nice Rockin' Raspberry one in stock and started to place an order. But alas Amazon do not ship these items to Australia.  I will keep looking for something similar but.....

...if you have an Android device and are looking for a sturdy cover take a look at the BobjGear site where you can find sturdy covers for many popular devices.

How many of these do you use?

25 Best Free Android Apps

Storypress

News from Caroline Pointer on Google+ today tells us that Storypress is now available for Android at the Playstore.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.storypress

Thanks, Caroline, for the heads up

A Barnsley Historian's View: Genealogy Apps for Android - still a way to go

An Android user reviews several Android genealogy apps.

A Barnsley Historian's View: Genealogy Apps for Android - still a way to go:

'via Blog this'

New App

Caroline Pointer has asked on Twitter if anyone has tried this Android app.

http://t.co/Ax5YSKpUUS

Library Develops App And Lends Nexus Tablets To Patrons

State Library of NSW app aims to cure your curiosity | The Australian

Susan Kitchens Talks About Smartphones And Genealogy

Preserving family history by using your smartphone | Deseret News

Which notetaking tool do you use?

Springpad vs Catch vs Evernote vs OneNote – Which Is Best On Android?

Just bought an Android? Here are some answers

10 most common Android questions…and the answers

Banai's impressions

Android user, Banai Feldstein, gives her impressions of the Rootstech app.

RootsTech App 2013 First Impressions

Rootstech App

Rootstech App Dashboard

I have had a little play with this app this afternoon.  It seems to be a great improvement on the app that was offered in 2012.

The Icons on the menu of the dashboard are: My Schedule, Exhibitors, Maps, Events, Speakers, Photo Gallery, Twitter, Friends, News, Attendees, Facebook.

It is easy to set up one's profile and, if one makes this public, one's name appears on a list of attendees. to set up one's profile one needs to select the My Profile option from the settings icon on the top right hand corner of the dashboard - it is not obvious. I would love to see a few more fields in the My Profile area especially one for hometown and country so that we have more information about potential friends.

Once one's name  appears on the list of attendees it is a simple matter for others to add that name to a contacts list or to send an invitation to become a friend. When one receives a friend invitation a little red icon appears over the Friends icon on the top menu, as these are accepted one's friend list grows. There is another way to invite friends but it is clunky and is what helped to soar the 2012 app for users.

My schedule is a basic calendar app that allows one to enter one's own events as well as items from the conference program.

One can view the program and details of talks from the Events icon, I couldn't seem to add events to my schedule from here. I must be doing something wrong but, in the absence if help can't work out what. The social events and keynote sessions do not appear to be listed either.

One can also get to session details via the  speakers icon on the menu bar. When one selects a speaker from the list that speakers sessions are displayed, one can then select a session to add to one's Conference  schedule. As one adds items to one's schedule these appear in a list above the menu icons on the dashboard of the app.

The Maps icon shows city and venue maps. I found the venue maps hard to understand although I have been at two Rootstech conferences; perhaps this is due to my poor spatial skills. The Twitter icon takes one to a feed of Tweets that include the Rootstech hashtag.

The Exhibitors gives a listing in abc order of all the exhibitors with contact details and short descriptions of their services. This is a great tool to organize one's vendor visits.

Friends lists those who have accepted your invitations and those whose
invitations you have accepted.

While it looks promising I'd like to see a few more things. Especially frustrating for someone who has more than one Android device is that  one's profile information does not seem to sync from one device to another. I move from tablet to smartphone many times during the day and need to have the same data on both. I need to have my same schedule appear on both otherwise I will get very confused.

It's past midnight in Australia and I am about to turn in. I hear that the Rootstech people are refining the app and look forward to seeing what additions and modifications will be waiting for me when I wake. Hopefully more attendees will fill out their profiles and make them public so that others can interact with them.

Rootstech Android App now available in Playstore

You can download the app from here.

The Playstore tells me that "This app is compatible with all of your devices." so I'm off to download it and have a play.

New player in the Android market.

HP unveils its first Android device: The HP Slate 7 entry-level tablet - National Technology | Examiner.com

I'm going to do this

How to improve your chances of recovering a lost Android phone

What browser do you use?

I have been using the  Dolphin  browser for over a year and am quite happy with it. When I saw the article below I thought about trying Chrome, my browser of choice on my laptop, on Android.

Chrome Releases: Chrome Beta for Android

I am wondering what others use.

Androids Downunder

Yesterday when I gave a talk on Tech Toys and Gadgets at a local historical society I was pleased to see that some attendees had brought along Android smartphones and tablets.

At today's Paul Milner seminar in Sydney I caught up with several genimates who were equipped with their Android tablets for notetaking, staying connected and social media. Thanks to Carole, Jonathan and Michelle who posed for a photo with their Androids. Just after this snap was taken I ran into Neil who was brandishing his new Android.

Carole, Jill, Jonathan and Michelle with their tablets 

Neil with his new toy

The use of Androids for genealogy in Australia is flourishing.

Time for an upgrade

My original Galaxy Tab that I purchased nearly 2 years ago has served me well but sadly its battery has given up the ghost. After much deliberation I got myself a replacement tablet today. My choice was a Galaxy  Note 10.1, 16 gig with 3G and the catalyst was actually the need to have a eBook reader for an overseas holiday that is looming.

I had previously been committed to a 7 inch tablet but now that I have  Galaxy S3 phone I find that is all I need when I am out and about. The 10 inch screen gives my fat fingers more keyboard space and more real estate for my growing apps collection and for reading eBooks. I trust that I have made a wise decision - I have been vacillating for weeks.

So today has been busy as I have been setting up the new toy with my apps. I have also purchased eBooks, one each from Amazon and Google Play so I don't need to take any real books when I go cruising this weekend.

New Slideshare Presentation

Recently retired from the workforce genealogist, Susan Petersen, has thrown herself into genealogy with gusto.

She recently posted this great presentation on Slideshare:

Turn Your Tablet Into a Lean Mean Genealogy Machine

Head over to Slideshare to see the 85 slides in Susan's presentation.

Julie writes...

... about the Kindle and a couple of apps.

GenBlog: Using the Kindle Fire for Genealogy – GedFamilies

The Sum Of All My Research: Posting using my tablet

Genealogist, Deborah Andrew writes about her experiences using her Nexus 7 and Blogger software.

The Sum Of All My Research: Posting using my tablet:

'via Blog this'

Dutch Court Sides with Samsung on Some Design Patents - The Galaxy Tab

Dutch Court Sides with Samsung on Some Design Patents - The Galaxy Tab:

'via Blog this'

Family Historian Users

How did I miss this announcement?  As a Family Historian user I am excited to hear this news about GedFamilies for Android and other devices.

http://t.co/T0nrDHN5