From condition reports to bargains on ski and snowboard equipment, here are some of the top iPhone applications to check out this season.
The North Face Snow Report
Since its launch last year, North Face’s free Snow Report has widely become the go-to app for conditions, with a mix of social media so users can see what others are saying about snowfall totals and other resort-related news with the built-in Twitter feature. The link to a resort’s webcam provides an instant look at the mountain, and mapping technology allows the user a hassle-free location feature. For backcountry enthusiasts, North Face this year released the free Trailhead, an app that finds trails and hikes based on your location and tracks your speed, distance, and elevation with GPS (Global Positioning System).
Ski and Snow Report
While not quite as dynamic as North Face’s version, the free Ski and Snow Report from Skireport.com tends to load a lot quicker. The app allows you to search and save your favorite resorts for easy access. Each resort report contains first-hand accounts and photos from others, both of which are nice resources, especially if you don’t always buy the resort’s ballooned snow report.
OnTheSnow Gear Guide
Thanks to OnTheSnow’s comprehensive app, prospective equipment buyers can head to their retail shop with all the information they need. The Gear Guide features detailed information on more than 230 pieces of ski and snowboard gear. Get reviews, pricing, and technical specifications, all of which you can compare against other products.
RealSki
Like a technological window, RealSki utilizes augmented reality technology to provide enhanced details about one’s surroundings. The free application, which requires a minimum of 3GS on the iPhone, will label trails, chairlifts, and other resort amenities simply by holding your phone as if you were going to snap a photo. Data pertaining to your immediate location will pop up on the screen, providing a precise way to determine locale. The technology can’t be used everywhere, but a handful of New England resorts are RealSki-ready, including Sunday River, Stowe, Jay Peak, and Loon.
Theodolite
Diving a little deeper into augmented reality technology is Theodolite, which displays real-time information about altitude, position, and inclination. If lost in the backcountry, it could provide a valuable tool for navigating back to civilization, provided you have a signal, of course. Three versions are available: Free, Basic ($1.99), and Pro ($3.99).
ITrailMap
The days of fumbling with a map on a windy lift ride are over. ITrailMap compiles the official maps for more than 650 resorts worldwide into one convenient app. While the free version allows the ability to download and store maps, iTrailMap 3D ($4.99) goes a step further, combining the traditional maps with GPS and 3-D technology, allowing you to track your vertical and distance skied, and upload those stats to Google Earth.
The Weather Channel
No weather app delivers so much simplicity with so many options. The Weather Channel remains the gold standard for pinpointing outdoor plans with its ease of use and the ability to transition between stored locations instantly, a tool that allows skiers and riders to try to discover which area is forecast to get more snow on any given day. The free version also includes animated radar and regionalized video forecasts. Upgrade to The Weather Channel Max ($3.99), and you’ll also receive traffic cameras and customizable maps.
Adaptunes
Whether you should be cruising down the mountain with your earbuds in is probably arguable. But in any case, the 99-cent Adaptunes will make sure you hear the music over the wind with an app that automatically adjusts your volume based on speed. Simply select the sort of activity you’re performing and volume control will be based on your movements.
Backcountry
For those thinking about getting into the backcountry experience, Backcountry provides invaluable tools for the novice. Find hikes in your area, including a GPS-led guide leading you to your start point, as well as tips and a checklist for venturing out into the mountains. Free.
Tapped
A handful of New England resorts — Sunday River, Okemo, Smuggler’s Notch, and Stratton — host Tapped, a free app that allows you to locate yourself with GPS on each resort’s specific trail map. You will also have the ability to locate family members and friends with a sharing function, locate key resources at the mountain, get up-to-the-minute resort information including snowfall and lift status, and record your tracks and log your vertical for the day.
Steep and Cheap
A longtime favorite online retailer for outdoor enthusiasts, Steep and Cheap released its first app this year, providing some of the best deals available. If you have used Steep and Cheap, it’s the same deal with the free app, one item at a time for sale for a limited amount of time, or until supply runs out.
Skullcandy
Outdoor action sports retailer Skullcandy gets into the mobile business with its free 3-in-1 app, providing the latest weather and conditions related to surfing, skating, and skiing and riding. Additionally, you will be able to stream music from over 50 artists, and watch action sports videos created by the Skullcandy team. Due to some mature material, this app is recommended for those over age 12.
Thursday 25 November 2010
Monday 8 November 2010
Lessons from an Awalkhed school
Tucked in a small hamlet of Maharashtra, a primary school for tribal children has displayed that collective efforts can reap benefits for the entire village. Awalkhed is a small village in the Nashik district of Maharashtra. This village, which was otherwise reeling under acute water shortage, although being equated to Chirapunji, has made an effort to find a solution by successfully harvesting rain water for fulfilling its water needs.
With some parts of the country receiving heavy rainfall, while others getting less than normal rain, there is lower productivity, crop loss and agricultural distress. This state of affairs need not always be the case. One can harvest rain water and make sure that it percolates into the soil and replenishes ground water.
Aseema Educational Trust, an NGO working for the upliftment of tribal children, is running a primary school for the tribal children in Awalkhed village, Igatpuri taluk, Nasik district of Maharashtra. This school has made efforts to conserve water on its 14-acre campus. In spite of receiving an annual average rainfall of 3000-3500 mm in this village, there is an acute shortage of drinking water during the summer. The village was reeling under water crisis. A simple exercise on the school campus worked wonders for the community.
Aseema, with sought guidance from Raghavendra Rao, a consultant and an expert on organic agriculture and ecosystem development, took up the task of conservation of water on their school campus. The campus has an open well which fulfilled the drinking water needs of the communities around. It was important to keep the well recharged at all times.
The intention of the consultant was to demonstrate how plentiful rain water could be conserved through the summer to sustain both the well for drinking and the fields for agriculture, was translated into this. This was done in hope that the villagers could adopt these practices for water conservation in their own lands.
The entire plot was surveyed by Raghavendra Rao and a comprehensive rain-water harvesting plan was drawn up. Raghavendra says, “this was done by walking around and deciding on appropriate places where run-off rainwater could be harvested.” Since the topography is undulating and the hill sides are steep, contour lines were marked using a theodolite, a measuring instrument, and trenches were dug along them. He adds, “the bunding was done starting from the ridge to the valley. This ensured that the rainwater was harvested where it fell, and the run-off, if any, did not acquire erosive force to wash the top soil away.”
In the valleys between the hillocks, a series of check dams were constructed to slow down the run-off water and give it a chance to infiltrate into the ground.
Ecologically self-sustaining system
Once the earthwork was completed and physical structures were constructed, the task of planting a diversity of fast-growing nitrogen-fixing and multi-purpose tree, shrub and herb species was undertaken so as to make the entire area a self-sustaining ecological system producing food, fruit, fibre, fertiliser and fuel wood was undertaken. Species like mango, guava, jackfruit, jamun, sapota, fig, ber, etc were planted to transform the patch into a fruit orchard. Soon, a small area of the flat land will be turned in to a green patch of diverse vegetables, cereals and pulses. This will ensure nutritious food for the children. Besides, the children get to know a thing or two about farming and water conservation practices.
Raghavendra exclaims, “the well is now getting recharged by subterranean streams, when it doesn't rain.” This gets rejuvenated because of the water harvesting work undertaken in the campus. The task has been accomplished in less than two years. As the ecosystem evolves and gets more complex, it will produce a diversity of food, fodder for livestock and serve as a habitat for birds, reptiles and insects.
Raghavendra Rao asserts that similar work can be accomplished in all the vastly degraded areas of our country. A demonstration such as this was accomplished with the participation of the community. This may also have the added effect of encouraging villagers in the surrounding communities to do similar things on their lands. With a little effort one can convert unproductive lands into oases of productivity - a mission for a greener, food and water secure country.
With some parts of the country receiving heavy rainfall, while others getting less than normal rain, there is lower productivity, crop loss and agricultural distress. This state of affairs need not always be the case. One can harvest rain water and make sure that it percolates into the soil and replenishes ground water.
Aseema Educational Trust, an NGO working for the upliftment of tribal children, is running a primary school for the tribal children in Awalkhed village, Igatpuri taluk, Nasik district of Maharashtra. This school has made efforts to conserve water on its 14-acre campus. In spite of receiving an annual average rainfall of 3000-3500 mm in this village, there is an acute shortage of drinking water during the summer. The village was reeling under water crisis. A simple exercise on the school campus worked wonders for the community.
Aseema, with sought guidance from Raghavendra Rao, a consultant and an expert on organic agriculture and ecosystem development, took up the task of conservation of water on their school campus. The campus has an open well which fulfilled the drinking water needs of the communities around. It was important to keep the well recharged at all times.
The intention of the consultant was to demonstrate how plentiful rain water could be conserved through the summer to sustain both the well for drinking and the fields for agriculture, was translated into this. This was done in hope that the villagers could adopt these practices for water conservation in their own lands.
The entire plot was surveyed by Raghavendra Rao and a comprehensive rain-water harvesting plan was drawn up. Raghavendra says, “this was done by walking around and deciding on appropriate places where run-off rainwater could be harvested.” Since the topography is undulating and the hill sides are steep, contour lines were marked using a theodolite, a measuring instrument, and trenches were dug along them. He adds, “the bunding was done starting from the ridge to the valley. This ensured that the rainwater was harvested where it fell, and the run-off, if any, did not acquire erosive force to wash the top soil away.”
In the valleys between the hillocks, a series of check dams were constructed to slow down the run-off water and give it a chance to infiltrate into the ground.
Ecologically self-sustaining system
Once the earthwork was completed and physical structures were constructed, the task of planting a diversity of fast-growing nitrogen-fixing and multi-purpose tree, shrub and herb species was undertaken so as to make the entire area a self-sustaining ecological system producing food, fruit, fibre, fertiliser and fuel wood was undertaken. Species like mango, guava, jackfruit, jamun, sapota, fig, ber, etc were planted to transform the patch into a fruit orchard. Soon, a small area of the flat land will be turned in to a green patch of diverse vegetables, cereals and pulses. This will ensure nutritious food for the children. Besides, the children get to know a thing or two about farming and water conservation practices.
Raghavendra exclaims, “the well is now getting recharged by subterranean streams, when it doesn't rain.” This gets rejuvenated because of the water harvesting work undertaken in the campus. The task has been accomplished in less than two years. As the ecosystem evolves and gets more complex, it will produce a diversity of food, fodder for livestock and serve as a habitat for birds, reptiles and insects.
Raghavendra Rao asserts that similar work can be accomplished in all the vastly degraded areas of our country. A demonstration such as this was accomplished with the participation of the community. This may also have the added effect of encouraging villagers in the surrounding communities to do similar things on their lands. With a little effort one can convert unproductive lands into oases of productivity - a mission for a greener, food and water secure country.
Saturday 6 November 2010
Newest iTunes Featured with Theodolite Augmented Reality Viewfinder App
Hunter Research and Technology has announced that its Theodolite app series is included in the new "The World Around You - Augmented Reality Apps" feature in the iTunes App Store. Theodolite serves as a compass, GPS, map, zoom camera, rangefinder, and two-axis inclinometer. The app became the #1 selling navigation app in the US iTunes store in December 2009 and September 2010.
Based on the concept of a centuries-old astronomical instrument, Theodolite overlays real-time information about position, altitude, bearing, range, and horizontal/vertical inclination on the iPhone's live camera image, turning the iPhone into a sophisticated electronic viewfinder. Theodolite lets users take geo-stamped camera images directly from the app with 2X and 4X digital zoom options, and contains a built-in map with standard, satellite, and hybrid views. Uses are endless, and the app is great for navigation, outdoor sports, home projects, and photography. Theodolite is used in the field by surveyors, geologists, architects, engineers, military personnel, competitive sportsmen, and search and rescue workers around the world.
Theodolite comes in three versions - Free, Basic, and Pro - to cover a range of customer needs. The flagship Theodolite Pro includes features for serious users, such as a zero reference angle mode, an A-B calculator for height, distance, heading, position, triangulation, and relative angles, e-mail export with KML data, system-wide clipboard integration, percent grade display, optical rangefinders, military grid reference system (MGRS) coordinates, universal transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, and four latitude/longitude formats.
Theodolite runs on any iPhone with iOS 4 and also works on the new 4th generation iPod touch. On iPhone 4, the software implements an advanced "fusion" algorithm that combines gyro and magnetometer data. This fusion approach provides a more accurate, more responsive, and more robust compass measurement that automatically corrects for gyro drift and minimizes effects of magnetic interference. By simultaneously using the iPhone 4's three-axis gyro and three-component magnetometer, Theodolite is able to provide stable compass bearing to any landmarks visible in the camera viewfinder, regardless of how the user holds or points the device. This provides a significant increase in utility over traditional palm held compasses and compass apps.
Pricing and Availability:
As the name suggests, the demo version "Theodolite Free" is available for free on the iTunes App Store. The mid level "Theodolite Basic" costs $1.99 (USD), and the full featured "Theodolite Pro" is $3.99. More information, including screenshots, is available on the Hunter Research and Technology website. Media professionals interested in reviewing Theodolite can request a promotional code to download the apps from iTunes at no cost.
Based on the concept of a centuries-old astronomical instrument, Theodolite overlays real-time information about position, altitude, bearing, range, and horizontal/vertical inclination on the iPhone's live camera image, turning the iPhone into a sophisticated electronic viewfinder. Theodolite lets users take geo-stamped camera images directly from the app with 2X and 4X digital zoom options, and contains a built-in map with standard, satellite, and hybrid views. Uses are endless, and the app is great for navigation, outdoor sports, home projects, and photography. Theodolite is used in the field by surveyors, geologists, architects, engineers, military personnel, competitive sportsmen, and search and rescue workers around the world.
Theodolite comes in three versions - Free, Basic, and Pro - to cover a range of customer needs. The flagship Theodolite Pro includes features for serious users, such as a zero reference angle mode, an A-B calculator for height, distance, heading, position, triangulation, and relative angles, e-mail export with KML data, system-wide clipboard integration, percent grade display, optical rangefinders, military grid reference system (MGRS) coordinates, universal transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, and four latitude/longitude formats.
Theodolite runs on any iPhone with iOS 4 and also works on the new 4th generation iPod touch. On iPhone 4, the software implements an advanced "fusion" algorithm that combines gyro and magnetometer data. This fusion approach provides a more accurate, more responsive, and more robust compass measurement that automatically corrects for gyro drift and minimizes effects of magnetic interference. By simultaneously using the iPhone 4's three-axis gyro and three-component magnetometer, Theodolite is able to provide stable compass bearing to any landmarks visible in the camera viewfinder, regardless of how the user holds or points the device. This provides a significant increase in utility over traditional palm held compasses and compass apps.
Pricing and Availability:
As the name suggests, the demo version "Theodolite Free" is available for free on the iTunes App Store. The mid level "Theodolite Basic" costs $1.99 (USD), and the full featured "Theodolite Pro" is $3.99. More information, including screenshots, is available on the Hunter Research and Technology website. Media professionals interested in reviewing Theodolite can request a promotional code to download the apps from iTunes at no cost.
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