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Cool new android app

10K views 56 replies 17 participants last post by  ltgoshen 
#1 · (Edited)
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#7 ·
Now I get it. Helps to add a little smiley face so folks get your intent. There are some here just paranoid enough to post something like that seriously.

I guaranty DHS knows a lot more about us then we suspect but that is a discussion for the war room.

I would like to get some feedback from people who try out the app. It has crashed on me once so far. It is the first version so I do not expect too much until they get some bugs worked out.
 
#9 ·
Did not work on my phone galaxy2. After I tried to register it, it went into some kind of search mode and heated up my pone. I had to uninstall it and reboot the phone to get it to stop.. Apps are no more that I0I0 programs and need full BATA testing before release to the general population. This milk in the face attempt for a great app is shameful. Don’t get me wrong I love Jeff and the team over at Active Captain, but even if offering a free app, there is still an expectation to the end-user.
QA should have to signoff in BATA testing, were Hot fixes could be applied, well before a release date was interjected… Sailors are some of the pickiest people to sell to. We have no money. That’s why we have to fix our own boats. No really, I would have purchased this for around $49.00 or even $79.00 if the bugs were worked out before I watched it fail. Now is probable I will not look at it again. It has already hard wired my opinion. That’s what happens to us older folks. It’s hard to change our opinions once made.
Anyway. Just my 2 cents. Cheers,
 
#12 ·
Rushed the release - nope, don't think so.

But according to a very reliable source, if you send in a report of a bug or glitch - they will fix it. It is neat to see the emergence of augmented reality.

I wish it was available for my iPad.

Rik
 
#17 · (Edited)
Hmmm, I hope "the Active Captain Crowd" realizes that such AIS information - if being relayed on a cellular network, and perhaps dependent upon a reporting service such as MarineTraffic.com - may not necessarily providing information that is in real time, or complete, and at present is by no means a substitute for an onboard AIS receiver...

"Augmented Reality", I love that one... Perhaps THAT's what the captain of that 70' Hylas needed a bit more of a couple of weeks ago, huh? :)

"Easily find your boat after a night on the town!" Seriously???

YCMTSU...

 
#16 · (Edited)
Rushed release? On the FREE app. Beta testing? Okie doke, whatever floats your boat. Complaining about a free app that can just as easily be uninstalled is crazy. The android platform is open source, most times free, and as such is always in a state of flux with new os and regular updates fixing bugs. It is what it is. Participate or not. I have had many an app come and go but never did I complain about a free one.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Hmm, that last one could have been worded a little better. "Easily find your boat in a dark crowded anchorage"

They are calling it AIS class E which I suppose is yet another class and should be treated accordingly. Only visible if you have an app and are in cell tower range. They certainly cannot guarantee you see class A or B boats as they will require a reporting station within range. I am constantly reminding folks of this when they think all they need is Marinetraffic.com instead of an AIS receiver.

A quote from Ben's article on Panbo. Using Class E will not put your boat on the bridge of a ship unless the watchkeepers are using a Class E app themselves (though I'm realizing that some ship drivers, like my local pilots, are interested in any small craft info they can get).

Good info on Panbo about DHS, Smart Chart and class E: http://www.panbo.com/archives/2012/08/class_e_ais_will_it_be_huge.html
 
#19 · (Edited by Moderator)
You folks have too much time on your hands, why aren't you out cruising....augmented reality..social networking on the water? Boy, somebody got hit with the stupid stick. This crap from active captain. More like (deleted) captain.....get it while it's free hurry up to stupidville.
 
#24 ·
I have successfully shunned social networking(twitter, faceboook, etc) to this point although I am on LinkedIn for professional reasons. I find it boring and pointless to share my life with strangers and I keep up with my family the old fashioned way; face to face or pick up the phone and call them.

I do see advantages to social networking when the participants have some thing like sailing in common.

BTW, aeventyr60, Sailnet is a form of social networking and your response smacks of hypocrisy.;)

Stupid is as stupid does...in Stupidville!
 
#25 ·
I keep up with my family the old fashioned way; face to face or pick up the phone and call them.
Tim

I envy you any closeness (geographically) with your family. Our son and three grand sons are a four hour drive and our daughter and two more grand children are a 9 hour plane ride.

If it were not for FB I would only "see" the ones out west once a year.

Shalom

Rik
 
#28 ·
Well, I guess I'm an outlier on this one. I know I can be a curmudgeon, and, admittedly a sometimes hypocritical one at that because I do have a chart plotter. But, this seems another step toward turning boating into a video game. I already think there are too many folks staring at screens instead of looking around.

But, I do realize it has value. And whatever floats your boat. It's just that I don't expect to be downloading it anytime soon.
 
#30 ·
Not likely to use this while sailing but I do see the advantages of using this at anchor to see what friends may be around or to lookup marina info on active captain. I may even use it to identify a nav aid on the water that may be difficult to pick out.

I certainly do to see using the social networking aspect while sailing.

If you do not like it then fine, you do not have to use it but do not disparage others for using it. Yes, we get it, you like to do things the old fashioned way.
 
#34 ·
Nope, more then happy to use new technology. But you will find, once you get out here that the new technology has it's limitations, and will get you in big trouble in a hurry. Get just a little further away and all the social networking things don't work any more. You actually have to have live, face to face encounters.
Funny I read a business story how the younger generation was having to be trained on how to use the telephone.

There are consultants, charging 1800 bucks a day to coach the younger folks on effective communication skills on the phone and in person.

Yep, some of the old ways still work. Look up once in awhile, you may see the sun set.
 
#33 ·
I'll only use it once it's available on Google glasses so I don't have to hold my phone up any more. And I want it linked to my fly-by-wire boat controls so I can just look where I want to go and make the boat go there, auto-trimming the sails as it does it.
In fact I'll just fit cameras to the boat and watch from home, saves me getting wet.
 
#36 ·
Just a few more West Marine vouchers and your there. Go-Pro with a blue tooth enabled NEMA connection and a splitter between the AP/throttle linkages should solve most of the technical issues. I'll trade you the x-ray glasses for those Barient winches when we meet up in Bangkok. There will be no augmented reality in Pat Pong. Apps are out too, the gals prefer it in person. The real deal. Live. Bring your raincoat as it will be wet. If you need help getting to your hotel Susie Wong will escort you.

Cheers!
 
#38 ·
here's what you're about to do with this app....

Public Information

Any and all information that is provided by users to Smart Chart AIS applications, servers, or web sites is done so at
the user's risk, and is considered public information for all legal purposes. If you do not want to share this information
with the public, then it should not be entered into the Smart Chart AIS system. By entering information into Smart
Chart AIS you grant TSI the right to share this information without restriction.
A primary benefit of Smart Chart AIS is its ability to enhance safety and situational awareness by sharing vessel
locations, identities, and related information. Therefore, certain information you provide will be shared with other
Smart Chart AIS users and is inherently "public" in nature. Other information, such as text messages or pictures
intended for use only by user-selected recipients is treated by TSI as "private" in nature, and will not be openly shared
with the public. Lastly, users may select whether to share certain information with the public, for example,
smart-phone users may choose whether or not to make visible a cell phone number associated with a particular
username or ID. Users are reminded that while TSI will use its best efforts to maintain privacy for certain types of
information, any and all information that is provided by users to Smart Chart AIS applications, servers, or web sites
is done so at the user's risk, and is considered public information for all legal purposes
 
#39 ·
Wally, I don't see how any of that's unusual in this day and age. As with anything internet-related, don't post what you don't want others to know. Period.
 
#41 ·
True enough Donna - but in order to play in most of these games, you have to pay, and the cost is information about yourself. My newspaper used to have a very significant database on its readers, pre-2000, which we were able to use to target readers for advertisers in a very specific manner. In fact, I'm not entirely certain that what we did then would be legal today.
I'm very aware of what can be done with these things, and would hesitate for that reason alone to involve myself.
 
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