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Physicians and their Mobile Devices 0

Gone are the days where you would see a hospital physician huddled in a report room somewhere madly fingering through volumes of texts and journals looking for information on a particular diagnosis or medication.

Today, you’re more likely to see a physician (not only in the hospital, but in the family doctor offices and dental offices) madly tapping away on an iPad or iPhone.

The availability and sheer number of medical apps in the various app stores have soared in the past few years, thanks to the popularity, portability and storage capacity of the smart mobile devices of today. A visit online to the Apple AppStore as an example will make this quite apparent as you browse through the “medical” category.

Not only are there numerous apps for keeping track of patient lists and all the valuable information required there, such as allergies and past medical history, but there’s also a fair number of popular diagnostic resources that have been created into an app.

A great example is the Merck Manual, which has been around in paper book form for well over 100 years. It’s an extremely popular resource for physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals looking for information on health-related topics, specifically related to symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.

The Merck Manual is now an app, and a pretty good one for that matter.

For $35 you can download the universal app onto both your iPad and iPhone and you’re good to go. You instantly have access to this essential medical reference book right there on your iPhone. If you also download a medication reference app and an app for physiotherapy recommendations, you really can have an entire medical library for reference literally at your fingertips.

Just think of how beneficial this can be for medical students.

You can see how the popularity of mobile devices and app development has really changed the way healthcare professionals practice their work. It’s become a quick and trusted way to access information, track health records, save paper and make everyone more productive.

Link:

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/merck-manual-professional/id331016312?mt=8

Super Bowl in the palm of your hand 0

The chances are excellent that on Feb. 2, you will be watching the XLVIIIth edition of the big pro football championship game in your nice warm home with a cold beer in your hand, instead of the frigid and seriously pricey confines of MetLife Stadium.

That doesn’t mean you can’t access the full Super Bowl experience with your mobile device — unless you were in, say, East Rutherford, N.J.

CNN Tech offers some tips here to fans seeking an enhanced game experience with their tablets, smartphones, iPads and iPhones.

 

 

 

 

When winter wreaks havoc 0

It took but 2 inches of snow to turn metro Atlanta into the largest commuter parking lot in the South.

A critical convergence of snow, freezing weather and an exodus of hundreds of thousands of homeward commuters wreaked havoc on the region Tuesday afternoon, leading to colossal traffic jams on the interstates and access roads and stranding motorists in their cars overnight in many locations.

The past 24 hours have been rough on those living in Atlanta and throughout parts of the Southeast, in places where this winter storm cut an icy swath. With that in mind, we came across this CNN Tech piece from last year on several smartphone apps that it says can be helpful in the event of a winter storm.

One in particular, the Winter Survival Kit app developed by the North Dakota State University extension service and downloadable for Android and Apple devices, would have been especially useful to the thousands who were stuck on the ice-slick highways.

Maybe these apps will come in handy when the next big one hits.

Your hotel room key: There’s an app for that coming 0

The coded plastic key, which replaced metal keys in hotels years ago, could soon be a thing of the past as well.

The Starwood lodging chain is trying out a new lock system in a couple of its hotels that connects via Bluetooth to an iPhone or Android app, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Guests at these properties would receive a message on a Starwood app containing the virtual key, which would unlock the door with a tap or twist of their phone.

Stamford, Conn.-based Starwood is hoping to introduce the virtual key at all its luxury W Hotels and Aloft hotels, which today represents 123 properties.

The benefits are substantial but not without risks, especially when it comes to hackers.

One way to ensure security for guests is to make the app downloadable only while on the premises, mobile security expert Chetan Sharma tells NBC News Digital.

So be prepared, business or vacation traveler, for the latest innovation to your mobile life. You can check it out here.

Just don’t say “Open, sesame.”

 

 

When Was the Last Time You Set Foot Inside a Bank? 0

mobilebanking_artLong gone are the days when you would drive to the bank, park, go inside and fill out a paper withdrawal slip, then wait in line for the teller just to get 40 bucks out of your account for groceries or to pay a phone bill. Today, the majority of your banking can be done through your smartphone or tablet.

The major banks are releasing banking apps for mobile devices with cutting-edge features and tools that make online banking easier and more convenient than accessing the bank’s website through the device’s Internet browser.

The competition for this consumer market is robust, according to Business Insider (subscription required):

“The banks that establish a  reputation for mobile innovation are likely to benefit in the future from  greater market share and more engaged — and high-margin — customers.”

While you still can’t withdraw cash from your iPad like an ATM, you can use your bank’s mobile app to transfer money between accounts, apply for loans or other forms of credit, check your mortgage status and more.

Bill paying is where the bank mobile apps really demonstrate their usefulness, in terms of saving time and positively affecting our lifestyle. No more filling out paper checks and mailing them. Now, it’s just a few taps on your mobile device and the deed is done. There’s no waiting in line for a teller, and it is less likely you’ll be late on a payment.

Perhaps this may not seem like such a life-changing spinoff of mobile technology advancement, but think of those people with mobility or health issues who find it difficult to get around town to complete tasks. In the past they would likely have to rely on family or friends to assist with banking and other activities that others take for granted.

With mobile technology, such as banking apps, people can maintain their sense of autonomy and that is always a very good thing.

  • How do you use mobile technology for banking?
  • Do you have concerns about the security or safety of banking online from a mobile device?

Keep a Lookout on Your Smartphone 0

Lookout Keys, wallets, Phone, Purse, laptop…there are a lot of things to keep track of. I have to do inventory every time I leave the house. I can’t decide which is most important because I will need them all during the course of the day but I would be a mess if my phone were to go missing. It has my whole life on it. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t misplaced or legitimately lost their phone at some point in their life. I have misplaced it plenty of times but if it wasn’t for Lookout I would have lost it.

Lookout is the safeguard every smartphone needs. Once it is installed, it will help you find your phone every time it isn’t where you need it to be. All you have to do is log into Lookout.com from another device and a map will show you where your phone is within 6 meters.

There have been three occasions where I had to use Lookout to find my phone. Once it was in my car, it had fallen between the seats. The second, it was home, I placed it on top of some clothes in the laundry basket and it fell in between the clothes. The last time it was actually stolen. I was at a restaurant and I was moving from one table to another so I was moving my stuff and in the midst of the move someone lifted my phone.

After I looked everywhere (you know how you check the same place ten times, expecting one time to find it there?) I looked all around the floor, on the chairs etc before I finally gave up and borrowed my friends’ phone. I logged onto Lookout MapLookout.com and my phone was 7 miles away! Fortunately I was in a small town where the police were able to assist in recovering it. I was so happy to get my phone back and so happy there is such an app that can target exactly where my phone was. Can you imagine the surprise when the police went knocking on the door of the house Lookout identified my phone to be?

I tell everyone I know to install it on their Androids, iPhones, tablets and iPads. Most people don’t think about installing it until it’s too late. It can be installed over the air if you have an Android which means you can go to the Google Play market and send it to your phone.

Besides locating a missed phone, it also backs up your info and scans for malware or questionable websites when you are surfing the web, all for free. Lookout is the ultimate security tool. It’s safety in the form of an app. It literally tells me everything is okay!

 

Consolidate Your Memberships With This App 0

Smart shoppers know that you can save more and earn value rewards by using store loyalty cards, but no one wants to carry a wallet full of them.  CardStar, the free app for Android & iOS, allows you quickly and easily store cards for hundreds of retailers, libraries, gyms, and more.

Smartphones Killed the Point-and-Shoot Star 0

There are very few industries that have been more affected by the advancement in mobile technology as much as the camera and photography industry. Gone are the days when we waited for film to be developed and then shared the results in a photo album at the next family get-together.

Today is a world of instant photographic satisfaction.

What is it that’s made this smartphone shooting and sharing so popular?  It’s just that, the sharing.

Look at the success of the photo sharing social network Instagram. Facebook recently bought the company for a billion dollars. They were willing to spend so much money to buy Instagram because Facebook understands the importance of photo sharing.

There are thousands of photo apps out there that help you take great pictures. What’s your favorite app to use?

Avoid Touching The Germ-Filled Remote With This App 0

Did you know the most bacteria-laden item in a hotel room is the remote control? Gross.

StayConnectIf you want to avoid the germs, see if your TV works with the app STAYConnect.

I discovered this app during a recent hotel stay. The remote looked pretty gross, so I was even more inclined to scan the QR code advertised on the LG TV to download the app and control my TV with my phone. Once I downloaded the app, I used the code displayed on the TV and it loaded all the channels in the app.

For the rest of the night I was able to use my phone to change the channel, adjust the volume and turn the TV on and off.

There’s an in-app purchase option for $0.99 to get the TV Guide-I wasn’t interested in buying it, but I definitely wished the information was available because the app only lists the channels, not the programs. But it was good to see the app anticipated this and offered it as an option. For someone who travels a lot, it’s probably worth it.

Get the StayConnect app here: http://bit.ly/19YwykY

3 Key Apps to Keep You Organized 0

 

Evernote

Evernote is a free app that is available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry,  as well as on your desktop PC or Mac. It syncs between your devices so whatever you file on your phone will show up on your tablet.

Evernote is all about note taking and filing things away. You can use the phone’s camera to take a picture of a paper receipt and then file that in a “receipt” notebook. If you make an online purchase, you can forward the electronic receipt from your email directly into Evernote and then file accordingly.

omnifocus-logo

Omnifocus

Omnifocus is an app designed for iPhones, iPads and Mac’s. The iPad and iPhone apps are priced heavily at $40 and $20 respectively, but this app is the powerhouse of organization and if you take the time to learn all the ins-and-outs of Omnifocus, it really will become a part of your everyday life and is worth the investment.

Omnifocus helps you organize projects and files, task management, day-to-day reminders, etc. It has great location-based services, so it can send you a notification when you’re passing the grocery store to pick up some dog food. It pulls data from your mobile devices internal calendar and syncs between the iPhone, iPad and Mac desktop apps.

The learning curve is a big one with this app, but once you understand what it can do and how it can keep you organized, you won’t regret the money spent.

1Password

1Password

Does this scenario sound familiar: Your friend is over visiting for the weekend and he or she wants to access your home wifi signal. What’s the password to gain access?  Or how about this: You’re trying to log into an account for some online social network you haven’t accessed in seven months. What’s password for that?

This is where 1Password comes into play. This app is a place for you to store all these passwords, login keys and account numbers in a safe, secure and user friendly place. The app even has its own internal web browser and will automatically populate the login and password fields of the website you’re accessing- a huge time saver.

You can really store any data you want in this application. It’s universal, so it will sync nicely between your devices, plus it’s packed with security features itself to give you some piece of mind.