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Western Dam Engineering Technical Note May 2016 2 Dam Engineering in the Palm of Your Hand - Mobile Apps for the Modern Day Engineer Introduction Modern tablet computers and smart phones provide more computing power in the palm of your hand than in the entire Apollo spacecraft. Both the Android and the Apple (iOS) systems run powerful computers that allow for the operation of sophisticated application programs (apps) using mobile devices. These apps range from high-tech productivity enhancers to addictive games, which most parents (and employers) believe to be productivity killers. This article will look into the current line-up of applications for mobile devices to help the modern engineer perform day-to- day tasks more efficiently, remotely, and even more safely. This article provides a broad overview of useful applications that may enhance the productivity of dam engineers. From apps useful in field inspection, to sophisticated apps that can tackle complex fluid mechanics, this article is intended to briefly introduce some of the mobile tools available in the new age of engineering. The representative selection offered here is meant to introduce the reader to this avenue of tools, but there is a vast world of available apps beyond those discussed here. Source: Scott Adams, http://dilbert.com/strip/2011-08-03 Mobile App Overview Operating Systems The majority of mobile apps are available on two common operating system (OS) platforms: Android and iOS. The Android OS, developed by Google, is currently the most popular OS by sales. Some common devices that support the Android OS include Samsung Galaxy, Motorola Droid, Sony Xperia, Google Nexus, and Kindle Fire Tablets. iOS is exclusively supported by Apple products, including iPhones, iPads, and iPods. It is the second most popular OS by sales. Microsoft offers a mobile operating platform (Windows 10 Mobile), but it remains far less popular than Android and iOS. A good comparison of these three operating systems is found here: Android vs iOS vs Windows [4]. Android apps are available from the Google Play Store [3], while iOS apps are available from the App Store [1], both of which come standard on Android and Apple mobile devices, respectively. Each app store has easy search routines by task, category, discipline, or key word. Prior to downloading, review the features of the app, customer reviews, and screenshots to see if it is the right tool for the intended task. This article focuses on Android and iOS, but the apps may also be available on the Windows platform. Google Play and the App Store provide a summary of the operating requirements for each app that should be reviewed to verify it works on a particular device. Offline Functionality Some available apps, or specific features of apps, require cellular data or Wi-Fi connectivity. Most of the apps presented here operate the majority of their features offline on a mobile device, with no need for cellular connectivity, providing handy tools in remote areas. Most of these apps have additional features, such as data sharing and download of stored information that can be used once the device is reconnected online. GPS Features Several of the apps presented here have valuable features that use the device’s built-in GPS chip to accurately, and quickly, locate the coordinates of the device. Most cellular phones are equipped with a GPS chip that can operate without Wi-Fi or cellular data. Not all tablets have built-in GPS chips, especially Wi-Fi only models. For those devices with built-in GPS chips, calculating the device’s location using only the GPS satellite data is possible, but can take up to a few minutes and have reduced accuracy. Modern mobile devices have the ability to use Assisted GPS (AGPS) to locate the device in just a few seconds by using Wi-Fi and cell tower data, when available, to find GPS