Horace Algier wrote
Rod Speed wrote
Rod, can you elucidate a little bit on what you were alluding to when
you mentioned there was some kind of emergency mechanism on iOS?
That bit of the health app that allows anyone
to see that on the lock screen of your phone.
OK. Now I get it.
It's sort of like this app:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ice-...412786820?mt=8
If you're dead (or dying), and your iDevice (maybe just the phone
and not the iPad?) is still locked, the "bit of the health app" that
you're talking about, "tells" your good samartan whatever you
wanted to tell them in the ICE contacts.
Yep.
Um, er ... ok. That's fine, I guess. Nothing whatsoever wrong with that.
But no need to put it in any emergency folder or anything similar,
because once its setup, it happens completely automatically. That's
why I meant to delete that bit that I first thought that you were talking
about when I realised that you meant something else, and forgot to
edit that out from my original response before I hit the send button.
But I'm looking for far-more proactive solutions for the emergency folder,
like, um, things that *prevent* you from being dead in the first place.
Sure.
To that end, previously I found a ton of Android emergency apps
(most of which seemed to be SMS-related, and GPS location alert
related). The problem on Android is that there are so many, all the
work is in selecting and testing the few that you want to keep.
Yeah, pretty similar on iOS and since much of what I want in that regard
isnt unique to emergency situations but are used all the time like google
maps and other stuff like that, no need to put them in an emergency
folder or anything like that, although I spose that might make some
sense when setting those up for someone else on their phone etc
particularly if they are the sort of person who might well end up
rather flustered in an emergency situation etc.
But IMO it makes more sense to have emergency phone numbers
in a group in the standard contacts because that is where it makes
rather more sense to have emergency phone numbers IMO. Or best
to have the numbers in both so wherever anyone looks, they will be
found immediately which would be useful in an emergency.
Googling for iOS emergency apps, the first hit is both Android/iOS:
7 essential personal safety apps for emergency situations
http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/1...tuations/#gref
Which lists these:
- Guardly (connects you with your security organization)
- LINE Messenger (disaster stuff)
- Disaster Alert (scare mongering disaster stuff)
- Life360 (tracks you and your family for the NSA)
- Red Panic Button (calls the cops when press the button)
- ICE app (same as iOS unlock screen stuff)
I only quickly skimmed that article, but they all seem scamm'ish to
me, so I'll move on to other apps (unless someone says otherwise).
This article lists five free apps "that can call for help":
5 Free Personal Safety Apps that Can Call For Help
http://www.techlicious.com/tip/free-...l-safety-apps/
1. bSafe (broadcasts video and beeps and calls people when you are scared)
2. Kitestring (keeps asking you if you're ok, and if not, it alerts
others)
3. SafeTrek (alert police when you *lift* your thumb *off* the red
button!)
4. Bugle (leave the phone at home & it calls the cops if you don't return)
5. Samsung Safety Assistance (notify a list of contacts)
I think there is something to be said for an app that either works out when
you have got up and if you haven't, eventually asks if you are alright and
if you don’t respond, calls the numbers you specify. That would be useful
for those who live alone and would hopefully catch most of the situations
where you say fall and can't get up and don’t have your phone with you
at the time and so can't call for assistance yourself etc.
As usual, if you read two articles that are supposedly on the same topic,
and *none* of the apps cross pollinate, that's a sign that the scammish
nature of the apps is predominant. (It's not proof - just a sign.)
Moving on to this (and noting the source), at least some apps finally
cross
pollinate, which is a better sign that you're getting slightly closer to
the good stuff:
11 apps that can save your life in case of an emergency
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/worl...icle-1.2438105
1. Medical ID (same as the ICE stuff above)
2. ICE Standard (same as ICE stuff above)
3. Bugle (calls the cops if you don't get back to your phone in time)
4. Kitestring (nags you and then alerts others if you don't respond)
5. Family Locator/Life360 (tracks you and your family for the NSA)
6. Red Panic Button (calls the cops when press the button)
7. Siren GPS (calls 911 and sends them your GPS location)
8. SafeTrek (alert police when you *lift* your thumb *off* the red
button!)
9. Guardly (calls your company security team)
10. Disaster Alert (scare mongering disaster stuff)
11. Natural Disaster Monitor (less personal scare mongering disaster
stuff)
There were plenty of other articles on the subject but this post is too
long already:
DISCLAIMER: I only *skimmed* the articles for the gist of what the apps
do,
since the true measure of an app is how horrendous it is in setup and use,
not what the marketing guys "say" it will do.