Monday, January 11, 2016

Dear Randy: How Do You Use Your Smartphone to Do Genealogy?

I had this question asked in email recently, so I thought I would answer it on my blog too.

Here are the first two screens on my iPhone:



The routine tasks I perform on my iPhone almost every day are:

1)  I read my email every morning before I get on the computer.  It's easier to delete the emails I don't want on my phone.  One glance and I can delete it.  It takes more time to delete them in Gmail on the computer.  The ones I save in this first read I can respond to using Gmail later in the day.  This is purely for time efficiency.

When I'm away from my computer, I can also reply if necessary on my phone.

2)  I can read my Feedly news and blog reader when I'm watching TV or am away from the computer.  Again, it's a time efficiency thing - I read 300-400 feed items a day and I find I can check 100 on my phone in 15 minutes while it takes 30-45 minutes on my computer.

3)  Facebook - it's more time efficient to read my page, the pages of my Family, the Group pages, and the general newsfeed on my phone than on the computer.  I can comment too.  I can also upload photos directly from my phone to Facebook.

4)  Twitter - I check Twitter several times a day.

5)  Calendar is indispensable - it tells me before I know I have something planned, as long as I have put in the best notification time. It syncs to all of my devices.

6)  Google+ - I can check my Google+ feed, plus Communities, and respond if necessary.  I do this only once or twice a day.

Other mobile apps I use occasionally, not every day:

7)  Photos - I take all of my photos on the iPhone, and using iCloud they add themselves to my computer's files when I put the phone next to the computer.  The camera is good enough to take photos at repositories of book or periodical pages, or of microfilm images.

8)  RootsMagic - I try to keep the file updated so that I always have my family tree in my pocket, with notes and images.

9)  Ancestry - I have one of my trees synced and can add records from Hints when I'm bored or away from my computer.  I can also search Ancestry for my tree people.

10)  MyHeritage - I have one of my trees synced and can add Record Matches to my tree people when I'm bored or away from my computer.  I can also search MyHeritage for my tree people.

11)  FamilySearch - I can see what information is in person profiles in the FamilySearch Family Tree.

12)  RootsTech or SCGS or FGS or NGS apps - I use the conference apps to select classes and tell me what classes I need to attend when at the conference.

13)  Evernote - I use Evernote occasionally to add thoughts or notes to myself when away from my computer.

14)  FindAGrave and BillionGraves - I use these apps occasionally to find a cemetery, or to see if a cemetery photo or memorial are already available.  I have not used them to take gravestone photos yet, or upload them to the websites.

15)  CamScanner - I have the free app, and have used it on occasion.  I probably should use it more at repositories to correct parallax problems.

16)  23andMe - I added this some time ago, in hopes it would show me DNA matches, but it only deals with health questions.  Oh well.

17)  I have Pinterest and Instagram synced to my accounts, but don't use them much.

18) iBooks - I added quite a few PDF or MSWord documents to this somehow and can see some of the QuickGuide type of documents when I'm away from the computer.

19)  Dropbox - I have quite a few documents in my Dropbox and can access them when I'm away from the computer.  I have some reference books and conference syllabi here.

20)  Google Maps - I can use Google Maps to find details about places my ancestors lived, or get directions to an address, check traffic, find a place to eat, etc.

So, I can use my iPhone for many genealogy and family history related tasks.  I don't use all of them every day or even week, but I could use them when I need them.

The iPhone fits in my pocket and goes with me everywhere I go.  I also have a Samsung Galaxy tablet with almost all of the same apps, but I don't use it as much because I don't carry it with me everywhere.  One thing I do use the tablet for is to serve as a hotspot when I can't get free wifi (like at a library or at a hotel).

I love my iPhone - I just wish the type was larger.  It's not easy to read sometimes.

What other apps should I be using for genealogy and family history?  What are your favorite mobile apps?

The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2016/01/dear-randy-how-do-you-use-your.html

Copyright (c) 2016, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.

6 comments:

Colleen G. Brown Pasquale said...

Wow. I have Ancestry & Find a Grave. Didn't know there were so many others!

Dianne A said...

Randy, have you tried the larger type option on your iPhone? There are 3 larger settings than the default and it's simply a matter of selecting that in Settings > Display & Brightness > Text Size.
Not every App supports Dynamic Type, but many do.

Jana Iverson Last said...

Randy,


I want to let you know that your blog post is listed in today's Fab Finds post at http://janasgenealogyandfamilyhistory.blogspot.com/2016/01/follow-friday-fab-finds-for-january-15.html

Have a great weekend!

Hiztorybuff said...

I love learning how others use their iPhone for genealogy. I'm hoping you know that a 3-finger tap brings up the magnifier so our oldereyes can read the text.

Randy Seaver said...

Really? A three-finger tap? Any 3 fingers? I didn't know that! I'll try it out.

Thanks -- Randy

Jo Henn said...

What an interesting and helpful post. Thank you for sharing it. I wanted to let you know that I have included it in my current NoteWorthy Reads post: http://jahcmft.blogspot.com/2016/01/noteworthy-reads-25.html.