The reporting features are also of zero value to me. The usual price range for a full birding field guide app is roughly $30-40. Some of these are just plates and calls, some are as good as the two available Aussie apps. $70 is steep, compared with other products of comparable scope and quality. With that said, the price is up to the creator to set and for us to buy or not buy. When the original South African app went on sale, it was $70 for iPhone/iPod and another $70 for iPad. Now it’s $60 for both. On Sat, Nov 23, 2013 at 1:08 PM, John Leonard <calyptorhynchus@gmail.com>wrote: > I think it’s a pretty good product. I will be using it to do homework at > home, trying to improve my knowledge of bird calls and songs. I will also > use it in the field, to check whether what I am hearing is what I think it > is. > > Having said that I think it was a mistake to bundle it up with a full scale > database/reporting type apparatus. I won’t be using this, pen and notebook > is so much less of fiddle, and you can enter observations into whatever > databases you use when you get home. These will have more functionality > that something on an iPhone. > > No-one is going to start using the reporting bits of this app because > either they’re a luddite like me and use a notebook, or they’re not a > luddite, and already have their own system which they won’t want to switch > out of. > > The database bits have inflated the price of the app to a fairly high > level. I would have thought that an identification/calls apps should have > been able to have been made and sold for around $20, which would have > attracted a larger number of buyers amongst casual birdwatchers. At $70 it > will be confined to dedicated birdos and as such will have much lower > sales. > > And therefore it won’t do much to proselytise for the cause of birds. > > Just my thoughts. > > > John Leonard > > > On 23 November 2013 07:42, Shirley Cook <shirleycook@skymesh.com.au> > wrote: > > > Dear all, > > > > Just to add to the debate. I confess to “lazy thinking” when it comes to > > the botanical aspects of birding. I have for decades enjoyed the company > > of a botanist who is the fount of knowledge when it comes to tree/plant > ID. > > I should have learned by now, but when I have a “walking encyclopaedia > > botanica” there, only a few of the most common plant species names have > > sunk in. > > > > Shirley Cook > > —– Original Message —– From: “John Tongue” <jspk@iprimus.com.au> > > To: “Dave Torr” <davidtorr@gmail.com> > > Cc: “Birding-Aus” <birding-aus@vicnet.net.au> > > Sent: Friday, November 22, 2013 3:55 PM > > > > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Pizzey & Knight Digital Edition review > > > > > > I guess the solution is that if you don’t like them, don’t use them. > >> > >> But to claim they lead to “lazy thinking”????? > >> > >> Cheers and happy birding all – with whatever particular aids your choose > >> to use, > >> John Tongue > >> Ulverstone, Tas. > >> > >> > >> On 22/11/2013, at 3:05 PM, Dave Torr <davidtorr@gmail.com> wrote: > >> > >> I expect bins and scopes were once thought of as “gadgets”…… > >>> > >>> > >>> On 22 November 2013 14:01, Tony Russell <pratincole08@gmail.com> > wrote: > >>> > >>> Well said David, you sort of agree with most of my own thoughts. I > think > >>>> that mostly the old ways of birding are still the best. Nothing like > >>>> getting > >>>> out there and learning from others. Gadgets are mostly unnecessary and > >>>> just > >>>> lead to lazy thinking. All one needs are a scope, binoculars , and a > >>>> field > >>>> guide (book). > >>>> T. > >>>> > >>>> —–Original Message—– > >>>> From: birding-aus-bounces@lists.vicnet.net.au > >>>> [mailto:birding-aus-bounces@lists.vicnet.net.au] On Behalf Of David > >>>> Adams > >>>> Sent: Friday, 22 November 2013 12:52 PM > >>>> To: Birding-Aus > >>>> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Pizzey & Knight Digital Edition review > >>>> > >>>> I personally don’t use any of these electronic gadgets for bird IDs, > >>>>> in > >>>>> > >>>> fact > >>>> > >>>>> I wouldn’t know how to switch one on, let alone cart the thing around > >>>>> with me. Isn’t it better to really get to know your birds?, then > >>>>> these thingamajigs are not needed. Having to carry binoculars is bad > >>>>> enough as > >>>>> > >>>> it is. > >>>> > >>>> Gadgets aren’t for everyone but one more great tool for getting to > >>>> really > >>>> know your birds. Below are a list of good ways that I’ve tried, use > >>>> regularly, seen others do or heard about: > >>>> > >>>> * Put a seed tray near your window and watch what comes in closely. > >>>> (How so > >>>> many of us first saw birds as children, I’d assume.) > >>>> > >>>> * Go out with binoculars and watch birds from a hide, shore, etc. > >>>> > >>>> * Go out with a guide or group and learn from others. I can’t think of > >>>> anything more effective. > >>>> > >>>> * Take others out and show them what you know. > >>>> > >>>> * Write about what you know, meaning field notes on behavior and field > >>>> identification. I don’t learn much from saying “I saw a Square-tailed > >>>> Kite > >>>> today” but I would from writing up how I would try and distinguish a > >>>> Little > >>>> Eagle from a Whistling Kite. > >>>> > >>>> * Sketch or paint what you see! Probably the best technique of all for > >>>> individual study…I’m sadly wretched at it. Even still, just making > the > >>>> effort to transcribe visual details visually can be a real help in > >>>> improving > >>>> your “seeing”. > >>>> > >>>> * Buy better optics 😉 Man, I wish I’d gotten good binoculars sooner. > >>>> > >>>> * Use a camera to snap pictures and then go home and study the > results. > >>>> I’ve gotten a lot from this: > >>>> > >>>> — It’s very helpful for harder groups as you can often narrow down > >>>> something like a pair of peeps to one of 2-4 species. From there you > can > >>>> study the guides and figure out what field marks are relevant for the > >>>> next > >>>> time. > >>>> > >>>> — Huh. I. Could. Have. Sworn. It. Had. Two. *White*. Wing-bars. And. > A. > >>>> *Yellow*. Bill. Yeah, a picture can keep you honest. A fish-watching > >>>> friend > >>>> said that with the fishes, it is incredibly easy to remember colors in > >>>> reverse – she pops up to the surface and narrates a description to try > >>>> and > >>>> get it fixed in her head. > >>>> > >>>> * Build a database and collect images, sounds and text about the > birds. > >>>> I > >>>> don’t think this technique is broadly useful but since I’m a > >>>> programmer, I > >>>> end up putting a lot of time into this several times a year. > >>>> (Particularly > >>>> before a trip to a new place.) Apart from helping to learn species, > it’s > >>>> helped me *enormously* learning larger taxonomic and biogeographical > >>>> relationships. Anyone can make themselves a series of folders to > collect > >>>> info about a species, if they like that sort of thing. > >>>> > >>>> * Go out into the field and wait until you can match sounds to birds. > >>>> (I’m > >>>> really not great at calls..but I slowly get better.) > >>>> > >>>> * Sonograms…or so I’m told…I’ve managed to get a copy of “The > Sound > >>>> Approach to Birding” but it’s still sitting on the desk. > >>>> > >>>> * Get and use an app. Why not? When I first saw a good birding app, I > >>>> realized they’re the future. They’re better than paper: > >>>> > >>>> — Integrated sounds. > >>>> > >>>> — Plates *and* photographs. I’ve never loved an all-photo paper guide > >>>> but > >>>> I > >>>> love my apps with pictures. > >>>> > >>>> — Off-line access. (Well, paper has that…) > >>>> > >>>> — A structured information space. A lot of phone/tablet apps are, > well, > >>>> sort of pointless but not apps that create a nice, tight information > >>>> space. > >>>> With a birding app, you can move through data hierarchically, > laterally > >>>> (like similar species or groups of related birds), geographically (if > >>>> the > >>>> app has the data), or non-sequentially (search for a bird.) > >>>> > >>>> — Particularly useful when you travel to a new country where you > don’t > >>>> know > >>>> the birds. You can study up before you arrive and have a good idea > about > >>>> calls of common birds and what various groups look like, what habitat > >>>> they > >>>> prefer, etc. Yeah, apps are great for this…paper guides too. > >>>> > >>>> There are a few advantages to paper guides that are hard to beat: > >>>> > >>>> — No batteries. > >>>> — Not so expensive. > >>>> — I find it easier to flip through a paper guide somehow. > Particularly > >>>> for > >>>> a country where I don’t already know the birds. There’s something > >>>> hard-to-replace about feeling “wow, 16 plates for raptors!” that just > >>>> doesn’t come across electronically. > >>>> > >>>> I’m hoping to get the new iPad Mini because I suspect that it is the > >>>> ultimate birding gadget. I still buy, use and carry paper guides…but > >>>> I’m > >>>> reluctant to travel anywhere that doesn’t have an electronic guide. > >>>> And, I > >>>> carry fewer paper guides than I used to. > >>>> > >>>> With all of that said, to each their own. If you find electronic > guides > >>>> useful, great. If not, that’s fine too. Also, no all electronic guides > >>>> are > >>>> created equal any more than paper guides are of identical quality. > >>>> =============================== > >>>> > >>>> To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > >>>> send the message: > >>>> unsubscribe > >>>> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > >>>> to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au > >>>> > >>>> http://birding-aus.org > >>>> =============================== > >>>> > >>>> =============================== > >>>> > >>>> To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > >>>> send the message: > >>>> unsubscribe > >>>> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > >>>> to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au > >>>> > >>>> http://birding-aus.org > >>>> =============================== > >>>> > >>>> =============================== > >>> > >>> To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > >>> send the message: > >>> unsubscribe > >>> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > >>> to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au > >>> > >>> http://birding-aus.org > >>> =============================== > >>> > >> > >> =============================== > >> > >> To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > >> send the message: > >> unsubscribe > >> (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > >> to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au > >> > >> http://birding-aus.org > >> =============================== > >> > >> > >> —– > >> No virus found in this message. > >> Checked by AVG – www.avg.com > >> Version: 2014.0.4158 / Virus Database: 3629/6856 – Release Date: > 11/21/13 > >> > >> > > =============================== > > > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > > send the message: > > unsubscribe > > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > > to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au > > > > http://birding-aus.org > > =============================== > > > > > > — > John Leonard > Canberra > Australia > www.jleonard.net > > I want to be with the 9,999 other things. > =============================== > > To unsubscribe from this mailing list, > send the message: > unsubscribe > (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) > to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au > > http://birding-aus.org > =============================== > =============================== To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message: unsubscribe (in the body of the message, with no Subject line) to: birding-aus-request@vicnet.net.au http://birding-aus.org ===============================
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