Month: March 2016

Updates On The Latest PC Beta

You may have heard already, but yesterday we released an update to our PC Beta app! This update is very exiting because it adds a lot of features that were not present yet in the initial PC Beta. Today, I want to give everyone a peek at what the current app looks like and what it is capable of, so let’s get started.

Interactive Map

This is the first PC app with an interactive map which allows you to bring exactly what is important in to view at the necessary zoom level. In addition, the interactive map displays location markers, routing, and other devices.

Overview

In the above image you can see one alert for the Active911 Test Agency with routing to the location. The PC that this screenshot was taken on does not have a GPS so the location accuracy leaves much to be desired (The giant blue circle represents the accuracy of the known location).

The Left Pane

pc2

? ? ?When we take a closer look at the top left corner of the app, you should see a drop down menu which will allow the selection of an agency. So if you are a member of more than one agency, you will be able to choose which one’s alerts to display here. Continue reading →

March 2016: iOS & Android updates, page groups, and more

We’ve made several upgrades to the Active911 system we thought you would like to know about. Here is the short list:

– New iOS update adds mapping options, map ruler, and more. ?Read details or watch a 5 minute video.

– New Android update (1.4.0.0) has additional fields for creating alerts, better handling of locations when creating alerts in the app, an alert edit view, and other changes. ?Read details or watch a 90 second video

– ALSO, we accidentally leaked an Android feature that allows you to add map markers directly from the app. ?We were going to release it later when iOS had the feature too, but instead Android users get it early. ?Happy March! ?See a 0:24 video here (silent).

– Page groups can now be “daisy chained” across agency lines. This means that you can now have automatic mutual aid activations in your department or in a neighboring department as a result of preconfigured parameters! ? We’ve made a video explaining how this and the other new website features?(including bulk map data editing) work.

– Finally, we have some overall mapping improvements: our new geocoder, Wiz, allows us to use your GIS data to better geolocate alarm locations before we send them to you! This optional feature replaces Google geocoding. We are encouraging agencies with access to local GIS in the form of ESRI Shapefiles to contact our support team with your shapefiles using the title “Shapefiles for Wiz, (insert agency name here)”.

Stay safe,

The Active911 Team

 

Introducing iOS New Features

This week we updated our iOS app and you probably already have the latest version on your iPhone or iPad. This update includes some really exciting new features that you may have missed in your day to day use of the app. Don’t worry, I’m here to walk through some of the most exciting features, where they can be found, and how to use them!

Top Level Map

In your use of Active911 for iOS, you know that to get to a map view, you need to tap on an alert, then tap on the address in the alert. Now we have included a top level map button on the navigation bar. This allows you to navigate straight into a map easily to view map locations, send a new alert, or use our next new feature: the distance ruler!

Top Level Map

Distance Ruler

DistanceRulerBar

DistanceMeasure

Have you ever needed an easy way to measure the distance between one place and another? Perhaps to see how many feet of fire hose you need or how far someone needs to be carried? This can be done pretty easily with the new distance ruler in the latest update. Just hold on any location on the map screen and a bar with some options will show up.

 

Once you click on the Ruler button, you will then be able to draw any line on the map and the distance will show up at the top of the screen.

Edit Alerts

And the final feature I am going to introduce to you is the ability to edit alarms from your device! This varies somewhat from iPhone and iPad, so we will discuss each one separately.

On iPad, you can select an alert as you normally would. While you are viewing the details of the alert, you can select the?PencilIcon?as you would to create a new alert. You will be prompted with a pop out menu which will ask if you want to create a new alert or edit this alert. Select edit this alert. Then you can edit the alert in much the same way that you would create a new alert. When you hit send, everyone will receive the update to the existing alert.

Alert Popout Menu

iPhoneEdit

 

On your iPhone you can select an alert as you normally would. While you are viewing the details of the alert, there will be a Edit button in the top right corner of the screen. Select this button and you can edit the alert in much the same way that you would create a new alert. When you hit send, everyone will receive the update to the existing alert.