latest
There's no nice way to say this: interesting and new apps were a bit thin on the ground in September. Maybe it was the double-threat of new announcements from both Google and Apple that scared off developers, or maybe they're all hung up on ancient Green Day lyrics. Either way, things were looking pretty sparse, but we still managed to find a few interesting tidbits for you. Here are our top seven and a few honorable mentions.
Most of the apps from the American Red Cross are intended for use during emergencies, but the organization's latest one, titled simply "Emergency," still manages to bring something new to the table. It consolidates all of your alerts in one place. So when some sort of weather event is going down and Google hasn't yet buzzed your phone, you know where to look.
The American Red Cross has produced no shortage of high-quality Android apps. When we see the organization's name pop up in the Play Store, we generally know that we're in for something good, possibly even life-saving.
It's been said that all charitable acts are, at their core, selfish - that while giving your time or money to people who need it is noble in and of itself, the motivation is to make yourself feel better. That doesn't mean that charity is bad, and it's certainly something to be encouraged no matter the circumstance. But understanding human motivation can help drive people to do even more positive things. Where is this rambling preamble going? To the Play Store, where you can download the new Red Cross Blood Donor app for free.
[New App] Swim By American Red Cross Is Here To Help You Prepare Your Kids For Their Next Visit To The Pool
[New App] Swim By American Red Cross Is Here To Help You Prepare Your Kids For Their Next Visit To The Pool
There are many Android developers out there who regularly crank out well-designed apps with thousands of downloads, but some of them are less obvious than others. The American Red Cross is one of those developers. Its apps aren't the most exciting things, but they're probably the only ones on your smartphone that could save your life - or, in this case, your kid's. The American Red Cross Swim app is a companion piece of software that wants to help guide you through the process of helping your kid learn how to swim, so they know how to stay afloat when the time comes to dive in.
Emergency care for cats and dogs is incredibly varied and requires years of learning and practice. But basic first aid is pretty much the same as it is for people, minus a few pounds and plus a little fur. So if your pet has an injury or mild illness you might be able to take care of it yourself, or at least mitigate further injury until you get to a veterinarian. Enter the Pet First Aid app from the American Red Cross.
You've got to respect the American Red Cross: they're just a bunch of people who love to help people. As a recipient of their assistance through multiple emergencies (hey forest fires, you suck) I've been delighted to see their various disaster apps pop up on the Play Store. But their latest tops them all: Team Read Cross gives you a ton of information on volunteer opportunities in your area, then "gamifies" the act of completing them, sort of like a Foursquare that actually encourages you to do meaningful stuff.
If you live in the south or the Great Plains, you know the feeling of going to bed without knowing if your house will be there in the morning. Tornado is the latest in the American Red Cross's series of disaster relief apps, and since tornadoes are by their very nature sudden and unpredictable, it's a welcome addition to the Play Store. The app ties into the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's alert system, and emits an alarm when your area (or any area you designate) receives a tornado warning. There's also an all-clear signal when the danger has passed.
The American Red Cross has been releasing a series of apps to help people deal with disasters. We've already seen apps dedicated to hurricanes and earthquakes, as well as one for first aid. The fourth app in the series just hit he Play Store, and this one's designed to keep people safe during a wildfire.
American Red Cross Releases Yet Another App - This One's All About Earthquakes
American Red Cross Releases Yet Another App
Looks like the Red Cross is on a roll. In just a few months, it has released what's becoming a series of not only impressive looking, but completely utile applications. First, they showed us how to perform simple CPR. Then, it was all about hurricane preparation. Now, the third app in the trio has been released, and this time it's dedicated to earthquakes.
With all the cool, fun things our mobile devices can do—from looking up movie info, to games, to social networking, to being amazing cameras—we can sometimes forget that these devices can be valuable and necessary tools. This new app, First Aid - American Red Cross, reminds us to use our phones for important, potentially life-saving purposes, as well as for fun.