How to Turn Your Smartphone Into An Emergency Kit

Technology can help you find a restaurant, locate a parking spot, and even get you a date. But how can mobile apps impact the more crucial aspects of a person’s life, like safety and well being?

While apps can’t replace your doctor or local police, there are many that can make a major difference in an emergency. Here are nine that will help you prepare for, react to, and report such situations.

Prepare

Emergency preparedness isn’t just about extra batteries and jugs of drinking water. It’s about making sure you have access to the right information when you need it most. The following apps allow you to prepare for emergencies before they occur.

• pMonitor: pMonitor lets parents use location alerts to, for example, know when a child arrives at school or is headed home. Users can create alerts for potentially dangerous situations as well. So if you have an elderly parent, you can set an alert that will ping you if that person happens to fall. In other words, this app will let you know whenever a loved one is in a bad situation so that you can respond.
• Pocket First Aid and CPR: This app is useful to keep in your phone as a CPR tutorial. It can’t replace a certification, but it does offer best-practice reminders on how to properly administer this life-saving technique. It can be particularly useful to have a mobile app to walk you through the steps during a crisis when it’s easy to seize up.
• Safety NET: This app is great for an elderly parent or a disabled loved one, as it monitors for things like falls or collisions. It then automatically alerts a previously selected emergency contact to call for help.

React

Preparedness is one important element of safety, and there are some great apps that help you take control in emergency situations.

• Silent Bodyguard: This app serves as a silent panic button that calls the police without setting off any alarms. The panic message can also send a text to a loved one or a post to your social accounts. It will also use your phone to share your coordinates with, say, police officials.
• Poison Center Help: The free Poison Center Help app allows users dealing with someone who has ingested poison or been exposed to a dangerous substance to quickly connect to the poison control center to find out what side effects to expect, and how to address them.
• KidsDoc: Your pediatrician may be on speed dial, but this app could save you a few middle-of-the-night phone calls. KidsDoc allows you to input symptoms to find out what common ailment might be bugging your child. It also offers simple treatments.

Report

The faster an emergency gets reported, the sooner help can arrive. Dialing 911 is a great first step, but here are some other handy tools for sharing emergency information.

• Neighborhood Watch Official Mobile App: The Neighborhood Watch has gone digital. With this app, you can access training videos and best practices for keeping your neighborhood safe. You can also submit details about local crimes and make sure things get reported.
• SaferBus: This free app monitors performance of public transit and allows you to report unsafe driving, improper conditions, rowdiness, and other issues on public transportation systems.
• iWitness Now you’re covered anywhere you go. This app allows users to report what they see while auto-tracking their position for easy reporting.

Twitter May Launch Reality TV Shows

Twitter, the next big reality TV platform? The social networking site is reportedly talking to Hollywood producers and networks about launching several reality TV shows that would stream on its site.

According to an AdWeek report, serious talks are already underway for the initiative. A source close to the matter said content would be similar to popular MTV reality shows such as The Hills and Real World.

Twitter did not respond to a request for comment.

The move would be a part of a greater effort to enter the broadcasting world. It’s been recently reported that the company is partnering with NBC during the 2012 Olympics to serve as a hub dedicated to covering the event. Meanwhile, Twitter similarly worked with ESPN in May to create custom ad programs around major sporting events.

Twitter will likely have dedicated pages for each reality show, along with an embedded video player. The site has also been discussing advertising opportunities with potential partners that could bring in deals in the $4 million range, AdWeek said.

Would you watch a Twitter-branded reality show? Would you watch a show in general on the social network? Let us know in the comments.

Worlds first Social Media driven light show. #Energy2012

During the 2012 London Olympics, the positive and negative response to the games will be displayed in lights on the London Eye. Using the Twitter hash tag “#energy2012”, spectators of the games will create the first ever social media driven light show.

The lights will represent the general feeling towards how the Olympics are going; if the reaction is mixed, only half of the London Eye will be lit, while a mostly positive response will light up a larger section.
EDF Energy – official sponsors of the games - will analyse the general feeling of Twitter users and light up the famous attraction accordingly. Gold indicates positivity, while purple represents a negative response.

The 24 minute show will also feature gold, silver and bronze lighting, which will change depending on the colour of the medals Britain wins, and displays of the Union Jack flag.
The concept is already proving popular; with many Twitter users encouraging followers to use the hash tag in a bid to positively light up the London Eye.

During the Olympics, over 100,000 Tweets are expected to be posted every day on the subject of The Games – for the most part, the comments have been optimistic, with many people getting excited about the upcoming event.

Olympic decathlon gold medallist Mr Daley Thompson has introduced the unique idea, which will be displayed every night of the games at 9pm. He believes it is important for partakers to know their country is supporting and encouraging them.

He stated: "We want to make the EDF Energy London Eye a spectacular showcase of national support for the athletes - and one that will inspire them every night of the Games."

(CNET.co.uk, 2012)
(thehindubusinessline.com, 2012)