Category Archives: Call Me a Geek

The things I do and think about computers.

GPSTrack Turns My iPhone into a GPS Logger with Map

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Here’s what an aerial wildlife survey looks like from the air.

This morning, I finished up an aerial wildlife survey with a client. It was the seventh day of this work I had this month. We only flew for 90 minutes. Our goal was to comb through an area with scattered bunches of ponderosa pines, looking for bald eagle nests.

GPS Track IconLast night, I prepped by downloading an app called GPSTrack for my iPhone. This $1.99 investment “allows you to use the GPS receiver in your iPhone or iPad to show your current location and create a log of your travels.” It can show a map of your track as you travel, updated in real-time. The resulting tracks can be exported via e-mail in GPX and KML formats.

Basically, it turns your iOS device into a moving map geologger.

Eagle Nest HuntI gave it a whirl for the first time this morning. As the helicopter was warming up, I turned it on and enabled tracking. Then I stuck the phone into my shirt pocket and flew. Ever once in a while, I pulled it out to take a peek and, sure enough, it not only laid down my track as I flew, but it had a trip computer that totaled miles and calculated current and average speed.

I flew for about an hour and a half, following the directions of my clients. That consisted of a lot of zig-zagging and looping around. I followed electric lines and flew around lakes. I flew up and down drainages and along cliff faces. My speed varied from about 30 to 80 knots. I flew over 130 miles, all within an area 10 miles wide by ten miles long.

We looked at the tops of a lot of trees. (We saw three bald eagles — one of which had just caught a fish and was eating it on the shore of a lake — but no nests.) When we landed back at the airport, I turned off tracking. Later, I took this screen shot of the completed track.

I also exported the track by tapping a button and sending the two track files (GPX and KML) to myself via e-mail. Opening the KML file on Google Earth resulted in an image like this:

Track in Google Earth

And here’s a closeup of some flying around one of the lakes. (No, I wasn’t drunk; just following instructions.)

Another GPS Track

Overall, I’m extremely impressed with the app. It did a far better job than I expected and was well worth the money I paid for it. In fact, I’m thinking that right about now, companies like Garmin and Magellan should be getting pretty nervous — it wouldn’t take much to add features to this app that match those in something like my Garmin GPSMap 60cx. Add the ability to tap and add waypoints and anyone with an iPhone (or iPad, for that matter) that includes a GPS wouldn’t need a standalone GPS unit anymore.

The only thing I’d like to see with this software is a different map — topo or terrain. I have very little use for road maps and don’t like the level of detail in satellite images when shown at the magnification for speeds I fly at (usually around 100 knots). I put in a request to the app’s author and he responded that it was on his list of things to do. I bet that if he sold a lot more copies of this app, he’d be motivated to keep improving it. (Hint, hint.)

If you give it a try — or have tried other similar software you like — take a moment to use the comments form or link to share your opinions. I’m always interested in GPS-related software.

Making Documents Portable with a Scanner and iPad

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For those documents you really want to have with you all the time.

From the very beginning, I embraced my iPad as an ebook reader. I have books stored in all three ebook reader apps: iBooks, Kindle for iPad, and Nook for iPad. But it didn’t take long for me to realize that the iPad could also be used to reference books and other documents I already had or could create in PDF format.

I use GoodReader for this. I’m not saying its the best PDF reader for iPad, but I like it. One of its best features is the ability to synchronize with DropBox. I can create folders in DropBox, fill them with PDFs or other compatible document formats, and see them on my iPad. And, of course, I can also see them on any computer I use to access my DropBox account.

What I’ve found is that many software manuals and other user guides are available online as PDF format files. So now, on my iPad, I have a copy of the 300+ page user guide for my new Nikon D7000. And Dragon Dictation. And Final Cut Pro. And dozens of other software programs and devices I use regularly but don’t know as well as I could.

Yesterday, I took this a step further: I scanned all 191 pages of the Robinson R44 Raven II Pilot’s Operating Handbook. Yes, the manual for my helicopter.

No, I don’t plan on reading it while I’m flying. I’m required to have an up-to-date copy on board and I do. This is for consulting when I’m on the road. For example, suppose I’m doing a photo flight with a client and need to consult the performance information for a certain combination of load, altitude, and temperature. The charts are in the book. Rather than get my butt out to the helicopter, I can consult the book on my iPad, in the comfort of my office, hotel room, or client meeting.

ScanSnap S1100191 pages is a lot to scan and I admit I never would have attempted it with my old flatbed scanner. But last week I bought a ScanSnap S1100 portable scanner. Although it only takes a page at a time, its feeder considerably speeds up the scanning process. I was able to get the whole book scanned in about 20 minutes. (Yes, it would have gone quicker with a duplex model, but that’s not what I bought.) I saved the resulting PDF to Evernote, which performed optical character recognition (OCR) on the document to make it searchable on Evernote. And I copied the PDF file created during the process to my DropBox so it would sync to my iPad.

I’m hoping that more and more organizations see the benefit of distributing documentation in PDF or ebook format. Although Robinson currently distributes Safety Notices and the like as PDFs on its Web site, manuals are conspicuously missing. I’m not sure if it’s because they want to sell these things or because they’re worried about people consulting older copies that might be floating around on the Internet. (I plan on updating my copy when new pages become available; I think I can modify a PDF’s pages with Preview. It’s in my best interest to keep the book up to date.)

Until then, I’ll create my own PDFs of the documents I need to consult when I’m on the go.

Dragon Dictate

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Practice, practice, practice.

Dragon DictateWhile I realize that my review of Macworld Expo was not very complementary, I did get a first-hand look at one really good software product: Dragon Dictate. Dragon Dictate offers the possibility of being able to do something that all writers dream about: to dictate what I want to write and having the computer type it for me.

My first exposure to Dragon Dictate was with the iPad app, which is called Dragon Dictation. I blogged about it a while ago. The software has a few shortcomings. For example you can only translate short bits of text at a time. It requires an Internet connection. You really can’t use it for long dictation. It’s more of a novelty. But what it showed me is how well the Dragon line of products might be able to understand what I’m saying. I was very impressed.

The folks at Nuance Software had a booth at MacWorld Expo. I sat through one of the demos. The man doing the demo was very good. He recited some rehearsed text, but also ad-libbed, made changes to the text, and did other things that went far beyond rehearsal. It helped confirm what I thought was true: that the software was ready for prime time and might understand what I could dictate to it.

I bought the software.

Using voice-recognition software is more than simply dictating to your computer. While this software is very good at understanding what I have to say, it isn’t perfect. One of the problems with the software is that you cannot combine keyboarding with dictation. If you try to do this you get all kinds of weird errors. So if you’re serious about using it, you need to learn not only how to dictate properly to it, but how to issue the commands that you’ll need to edit the text as you dictate.

The best way to learn how to use the software is to try some dictation with the manual handy to help you edit as you dictate. The manual that comes with the software is 174 pages long. I printed it two pages per sheet of paper and then cut each sheet in half and inserted it in a binder. I can now access this information as I work with the software to help me edit the text as I dictate.

What I’m finding as I dictate this is that the software gets about 99% of what I say exactly right. I’m extremely impressed by this. The training process before I got started was actually pretty quick. I’d say that the software was ready to use within 15 minutes of installing it. This says a lot about the training process, but it also says a lot about the software’s ability to understand what people say. I should also mention here that I’m using the headset that comes with the software as I dictate to my laptop. On my desktop, I use a much better microphone. Either way, the recognition is amazing.

The 1% of dictation that is not understood or that contains errors must be corrected. Correction is tricky. The software recognizes a certain group of commands. If you use the wrong command the software will simply type what you say. This is very frustrating. If you use the correct command, the software may or may not do what you expect. It’s always great when it does what you expect. But it’s very annoying when it does what you don’t expect.

One of the things that bugs me is when I issue a command that I believe will do a certain thing and the software does something completely different. I think this is a matter of me learning the commands. The software definitely understands most of what I have to say, so the problem is probably me issuing the incorrect commands.

So it’s all a matter of practice. I dictate text and as I dictate I watch what the software types. Then I make corrections as necessary. There aren’t many corrections to do. Having the manual nearby helps me find the correct commands to make the corrections I need to do.

Another challenge is to be able to dictate exactly what I want to say. When I first began writing when I was in my teens I didn’t have a word processor. Back then, I had the ability to compose in a linear manner. In other words, my brain dictated to my hand and I was able to write in full sentences and full paragraphs exactly what I wanted to say. Little editing was needed. But word processing has changed the way I write. Nowadays, I get out the basics of what I want to say and then go back and edit. I insert words and paragraphs, I make changes to sentence structure and paragraph structure. I rearrange text. If I can’t think of how to start, I start with the middle and insert the beginning later.

For a long time now, I’ve been thinking about what a blessing and a curse word processing is. As I struggle to work with dictation software, it seems like more of a curse. Word processing has made it difficult for me to write in a linear manner. Because of this, I struggle with dictation.

I do have to say, however, it’s a real thrill to see the words that I dictate automatically typed for me. The accuracy floors me. So far, everything you’ve read in this blog post has been dictated. Not only have I dictated this text, but I’ve also corrected and edited everything that you see. I have not touched the keyboard once. Yes, I have paged through the manual—that’s the main reason for writing this post—I wanted to learn to use the software better. In a way, this blog post is an exercise. I’m hoping that it will help me to learn the software while letting me practice dictating what I want to say. Practice makes perfect.

I will continue using Dragon Dictate to dictate many of my blog posts. And with practice, I’ll be able to master the software and increase my own productivity by being able to dictate what I need to write. Although I’m a quick typist, Dragon Dictate is a lot faster.

Me and My iPhone

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I am loving my new iPhone.

When the Verizon iPhone became available earlier this month, I bought one. I was due for a phone upgrade anyway, and had to choose between an iPhone and an Android phone. I needed either operating system to use my Square point of sale device.

It had been nearly four years since the original iPhone was released, but for that for years, it was only available on AT&T. AT&T does not have the coverage I need in the places I go. It also has crappy customer service handled by overseas, outsourced workers. No matter how much I wanted an iPhone, I was not willing to enter into a relationship with AT&T. Instead, during the four years, I had a Palm Treo phone followed by a BlackBerry Storm. They did the job and I was satisfied.

I was eligible for a phone upgrade on December 22. The rumors of iPhone coming to Verizon were running wild before that. I held off long enough to hear the announcement before locking for two years in on a new phone.

Early in February, when I logged into my Verizon Wireless account, Verizon offered me the phone. Again, my choices were between an iPhone and an Android phone. The main reason I went with the iPhone was because there would be no learning curve for me. I already had an iPad and my understanding was that the operating system was nearly identical on the iPhone. Unlike many people, I don’t consider my phone and toy. It’s a tool. A communication tool. Smartphone features also make it a simple computing tool. I don’t play games, I don’t make movies, and I don’t waste a lot of time with apps. My main concern was getting a smartphone that met my communication needs and enabled me to sync my data with my computer. The way I saw it, the iPhone would do this easily and transparently while an Android phone would require me to either buy special software or jump through hoops using Google apps to sync my data. And although I wasn’t very interested in apps, I knew that there were far more iPhone apps than Android apps. When I discovered that the two phones I was considering, the iPhone and the Droid 2, would cost me the same to buy, the decision became a no-brainer. I bought the iPhone.

Last BlackBerry Photo

The last photo I snapped with my BlackBerry Storm. Really.

What I never realized, was just how much I would enjoy using the iPhone. It really is easier for me to use than any other phone I’ve ever had. The interface is very intuitive. But what really blew me away was how easy it was to sync my data between my Macs and my phone. I simply entered some information about my MobileMe account into my iPhone and my iPhone did the rest. Saving time saves money — really. If I’m not wasting time with a steep learning curve, I have more time available to get work done and to enjoy my life. For me, that’s what it’s all about.

The wide availability of apps surprised me. I never realized how many apps there were for things that I need to do. In my role as a pilot, I need specialized information about the weather, sunrise and sunset times, light angles, and FAA regulations. It wasn’t long before I found apps that can meet many of my needs. For example, I found an app that gets official airport weather and displays it in a format that’s familiar to me. This makes it possible for me to use my phone to get up-to-date weather information about any airport that I might need to fly to. I can even do this during flight (although I can’t say I recommend doing so). Another app not only makes it easy to create an official FAA flight plan but it will show my aircraft position on an aeronautical chart while I am flying. Another app makes it easy for me to log my flight time after every flight. I can then sync that data to a file on my Mac book Pro and my iPad so I have up-to-date logbook information in multiple places.

I know there are a lot of games out there, but I don’t play them. I keep hearing about Angry Birds and how addictive it is and can’t understand why someone would want to play a game that sucks so much time out of their life. The only reason Game Center is on my iPhone is because I can’t get it off. There are no games. People told me that I would like my iPhone because I play with it, but that simply isn’t true –– not in the true sense of the word. I may spend more time browsing weather information and reading books and articles on the news but I don’t play games.

I’m not saying the iPhone is the perfect phone for everyone. It really depends on your needs. If you like to spend your time watching video on your phone, you probably would prefer something on a faster, 4G network. If you’re only interested in communication, you could probably save a lot of money by going with a standard phone instead of a smartphone. People who buy iPhones to look cool or keep up with their friends are idiots. The phone should meet your needs. If it exceeds your needs it should only do so to give you room to grow. After all, don’t you want your phone to last two years?

I’ll be writing a lot about my iPhone in the days and weeks to come. I want to highlight some apps that I think people may find useful. I don’t want people thinking that I’m an Apple fan boy or fan girl. Although I like most Apple products, I’m not blind to their shortcomings. (I must admit, however, that I haven’t found any shortcomings in my iPhone yet.) My goal is to point out how software tools, including mobile computing apps, make my life easier. By sharing this information with you, you might learn how to make your life easier, too.

On a side note here, I’m currently experimenting with Dragon Dictate, a software program that uses voice recognition to transcribe what I dictate. This entire blog post was written by dictation. As I look over what has been transcribed, I realize that it is not error-free, but it is amazingly accurate. I need to learn the software to help make me more productive. Many people like to spend hours in front of the computer but I don’t. I’m hoping that by using dictation software which can type almost as fast as I speak, I can save a lot of time in my writing work and be able to spend more time doing the things I love with the people I love.

Five Reasons Why My Next Phone Will Be an iPhone

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Yes, I finally took the plunge.

Regular readers of this blog think I hate the iPhone. That is not the case. I hate AT&T. From their crappy coverage to their even crappier customer service, I won’t voluntarily give that company another dime of my money ever again. Hell, when I made my split with them years ago, I even sold my stock.

I actually like the iPhone. And, since buying an iPad last April, I like it even more. After all, isn’t an iPad like a big, fat iPhone without calling capabilities or a camera?

I was eligible for a new phone on my Verizon plan on December 23. I’d been considering several Android phones and the Motorola Droid 2 was likely to be the winner.

And then the Verizon iPhone announcement came.

I gave it a lot of thought. I was worried that Verizon would attempt to squeeze higher fees out of customers for the privilege of using the most coveted smartphone in the world. So I waited to learn more about pricing, etc. Hell, I’d lived with the BlackBerry — which still worked fine — for nearly two years; I could wait another few weeks.

Eligible for UpgradeThis morning, I went online to the Verizon site. When I logged in, I was greeted with a message telling me that as a “valued customer,” I was eligible to upgrade to an iPhone first and could get the phone as soon as February 10. I followed a trail of information by clicking a bunch of buttons. I was surprised that the 16GB iPhone 4 would cost me the same as the Droid 2. I clicked some more. I was surprised that an unlimited voice/text plan was available. And that adding up the plans I needed would cost me less per month than I was already paying with my 2-year-old BlackBerry Storm.

When I began entering a credit card number, I knew they had me. Moments later, it was too late to turn back.

But I do have five valid reasons why my next phone will be an iPhone.

  • Smart Phone. It was absolutely necessary for me to buy a smartphone — and the iPhone is one hell of a smart phone. It gives me access to my address book and calendar data and lets me add the apps that I needed to get my work done. And there are plenty of apps. (No, Angry Birds will never be installed on any of my devices.)
  • Easy Syncing. The iPhone will sync address book, calendar, and e-mail data transparently with my Macs. The Droid would have required 3rd party software or clunky syncing with Google services that I don’t currently use. The syncing alone was enough to sell me on the phone, even if it cost more.
  • Familiar Interface. I have an iPad. I struggled with the interface for a short time when it was new. Why? Because it’s based on the iPhone interface, which I didn’t know. So my knowledge of the iPad interface means I already know 95% of what I need to use the iPhone. I admit that I dreaded facing the learning process for an Android phone; now I don’t have to worry about it.
  • The price is right. The iPhone cost me the same as the Droid would have but gives me so much more (see previous three bullets).
  • I am an Apple User (and stockholder). I’ve been using Macs since 1989 and have been writing about them since 1991. People who know me for my Mac-related work are always shocked to learn that I don’t have an iPhone. It isn’t individualism, I tell them. It’s the simple fact that AT&T cannot deliver the kind of service I need for my only means of communication. (Yes, we dumped the land lines at least two years ago.) Now I can meet the expectations of my peers without sacrificing my own communication needs.

February 10 is just a week away. Four years and two phones — Palm Treo 700p and BlackBerry Storm — after the original iPhone was announced, I’m finally joining the throng.

I feel oddly unexcited. Could it be because I know what so many others won’t admit?

It’s just a phone.