Morcombe field guide released as an iPhone/iPod touch app

Searching of notes not currently possible.

Neither is automatic input of GPS data

For site lists and easy export Birdsight AU is certainly much better.

> That’s impressive. Can you search your own notes? I also wonder if your > notes are easily lost if you change phones, etc. > > I’m also impressed that several people have bought and installed the guide > so quickly. I’d be even more impressed if anything similar was ever > available for a Blackberry phone, sometimes it seems like the > manufacturers have put a ban on useful applications. > > Peter Shute > > > ————————– > Sent using BlackBerry > > —– Original Message —– > From: John Tongue > To: Peter Shute > Cc: ‘dpadams@gmail.com’ ; ‘birding-aus@vicnet.net.au’ > > Sent: Fri Oct 22 15:41:29 2010 > Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Morcombe field guide released as an iPhone/iPod > touch app > > Hi Peter et al., > Just finished downloading it myself, so haven’t really explored it yet, > but it does look like you can add at least some limited notes. > > John Tongue > Ulverstone, Tas > > On 22/10/2010, at 12:55 PM, Peter Shute wrote: > >> It’s true about the weight advantage, and that extra pages don’t weigh >> any extra. (When is iHANZAB coming out?) >> >> One disadvantage of electronic formats is that you can’t add your own >> notes. I assume the Morcombe application doesn’t allow that? >> >> Peter Shute >> >> >> ————————– >> Sent using BlackBerry >> >> —– Original Message —– >> From: birding-aus-bounces@vicnet.net.au >> >> To: Birding-Aus >> Sent: Fri Oct 22 10:49:01 2010 >> Subject: Re: [Birding-Aus] Morcombe field guide released as an >> iPhone/iPod touch app >> >> I’ve been holding off on getting an iPod/Phone/Pad but finally needed >> one for a project. (I got an iPod Touch.) I was totally skeptical >> about these things as the screen is too small (iPod/iPhone) or the >> device is impractically large (iPad). Shows what I know, I’m a >> complete and total convert. The iWhatever is the field guide of the >> future. It’s great news that there’s finally something comprehensive >> for Australia. >> >> There’s an old rule in computers that if you want to get people to >> convert from a manual/paper system to a computerized system, you have >> to make the new experience better than real life. To explain why I’ve >> been converted, I’ll list some of the virtues of f iBird Explorer Pro >> a field guide for North American birds. There are several full field >> guides for North America available now – including Sibley (best >> plates). I got iBird because they’ve earned a reputation for having a >> comprehensive and easy to use application. Here’s why I live it: >> >> * Size and weight. >> If I’m only going to be passing through the US or don’t have much >> birding time, I don’t tend to take a book along. As it was, I took my >> smaller guide rather than my better guide for this reason in the past. >> >> * Plates and photos >> iBird has standard plates (they’re fine) _and_ photos for the birds. I >> like plates but photos as a supplement can make all of the difference. >> This is particularly true outside of Australia where little brown >> birds seem to be the norm. >> >> * Lots of text >> It costs nothing to put in more data as there’s no printing costs. So, >> they poured a lot of detail into the app. >> >> * Sounds! >> Better than paper – it’s a book with sounds. Fantastic. This is worth >> the price of admission alone. >> >> There are more and more field guides available now, depending on your >> interests. It’s tropical fish, edible mushrooms, birds and mammals for >> me. There are also trees, butterflies, bugs, flowering plants, etc. >> out there. Really, the range of applications is impressive now and is >> only getting better. >> >> For those that don’t know about these devices. >> >> * iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad all run an operating system called iOS. >> These devices and the operating system are produced by Apple. >> >> * The iPhone has WiFi and a phone and so is likely to require a >> phone/data plan. Not sure, I don’t use it. The iPod Touch is like an >> iPhone but has no phone – just WiFi. That’s what I have. The iPad has >> a much bigger screen and no phone. Applications written for an >> iPhone/iPod will run on an iPad, but the screen may be magnified or >> look a bit off. Apps can be written specifically for the iPad. General >> purpose apps tend to be written to run correctly on all three formats. >> >> * You get applications onto your device by syncing it with a copy of >> iTunes. iTunes is free and runs on OS X and Windows. You can put >> movies (in some formats), movie and such into iTunes apart from apps. >> Just to make sure it’s clear, you do _not_ need to buy a Mac to use an >> iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad. >> >> * Applications are available from the “app store”. iTunes + the App >> Store is part of what makes the whole experience work. Purchase and >> installation of applications is _painless_. Too painless, in a way 😉 >> Don’t fear, there are stacks of good, free applications apart from the >> paid ones. ($30+ is actually on the expensive side for applications >> for these devices.) >> >> * The operating system and such are kind of locked down. Meaning, >> there aren’t a lot of ways to mess things up, you can’t get viruses >> and the like. (I’ve never even heard of a proof-of-concept attack on >> iOS, let alone something in the wild.) >> >> * Stores are localized to particular countries, but I think you can >> get accounts in more than one country. Don’t quote me on that. The >> Morcombe app is $US 29.99 at the US App Store. >> >> * The iPod Touch was recently updated – the new version has a built-in >> camera. So, you’ll probably see a few versions around if you’re >> looking. >> >> * The iPad is always reported to have unbelievable battery life – as >> in up to ten ours. Chances are, they entire inside of the case is a >> flat battery sheet. The smaller devices do well, but they certainly >> don’t last ten hours of full use. >> >> * Retail is expensive in Australia because vendors can get away with >> it. (Retail competition in the US, by comparison, is a bar fight with >> knives.) Given the giddy heights the $A has reached, consider buying >> overseas. I think that everything Apple sells has a universal power >> supply (works on any voltage) and plug adapters are only a few >> dollars. Don’t quote me on the power supply…Another option is to >> pick one up on the duty free side of the airport in Sydney if your’e >> coming back from anywhere – the prices there are pretty close to what >> you find in the US (usually the cheapest place for Apple gear) and >> much cheaper than at an Apple Store in Australia. If you’re at the >> airport and see the Apple booth, you can even use their machines to >> connect to the Apple store in Australia and see how the prices >> compare. They don’t sell everything at the airport (no Mac Mini) but >> did have iPads and such when I passed through a few months ago. >> =============================== >> >> 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 > ===============================

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