Active EMS is now FREE!

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AZScanner

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Hey gang,

Some of you may have been wondering what I've been up to lately and now you'll know. ;) Active EMS has been completely redesigned from the ground up and best of all, it's now a FREE download! It now more faithfully reproduces the look and feel of the official Phoenix Fire CAD page but still retains the ability to alert you to major incidents and display a map of the incident location.

This current version is best suited for use on Android tablets, but it can also work on Android phones with a large enough display. Next on the to-do list is to create a version specifically for phones without a lot of display room. I'm hoping to have that up by the end of this week.

I've attached a couple of screenshots to this post, and if you're interested in giving it a try, the link is in my signature. If you encounter any bugs or odd behavior, please post them here so I can fix them ASAP. I'll be watching this thread for bug reports.

Thanks as always for looking and if you like the app, please feel free to rate it and/or visit a sponsor or three. ;)

-AZ
 

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SCPD

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I only have a dumb phone or flip phone as they are sometimes called. Can this be run on a regular computer? This would be nice to have when I visit family in Scottsdale.
 

AZScanner

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I only have a dumb phone or flip phone as they are sometimes called. Can this be run on a regular computer? This would be nice to have when I visit family in Scottsdale.

Not without a bunch of work on your end to set up a virtual Android device. ;) If you have few bucks to spend, I recommend getting an inexpensive 7" tablet. I recently got a Kindle Fire from Best Buy for $119 out the door, which is what I used to take the screenshots in this thread. Works great for Active EMS!

-AZ
 

tipster67

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I only have a dumb phone or flip phone as they are sometimes called. Can this be run on a regular computer? This would be nice to have when I visit family in Scottsdale.

You would need to download and install a Free program called "Bluestacks" at (BlueStacks)
You can install it there. Along with just about any Android app. After installing Bluestacks just click the "search" button and find "Active EMS Phoenix". Then just install.. You will have to open bluestacks up to view the active ems app. And again, they are both free.
 

AZScanner

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You would need to download and install a Free program called "Bluestacks" at (BlueStacks)
You can install it there. Along with just about any Android app. After installing Bluestacks just click the "search" button and find "Active EMS Phoenix". Then just install.. You will have to open bluestacks up to view the active ems app. And again, they are both free.

Very cool suggestion! I'll have to give this a try myself - I hate dealing with the Android emulator that comes with the SDK.

-AZ
 

rwier

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Hey gang,

Some of you may have been wondering what I've been up to lately and now you'll know. ;) Active EMS has been completely redesigned from the ground up and best of all, it's now a FREE download! It now more faithfully reproduces the look and feel of the official Phoenix Fire CAD page but still retains the ability to alert you to major incidents and display a map of the incident location.

This current version is best suited for use on Android tablets, but it can also work on Android phones with a large enough display. Next on the to-do list is to create a version specifically for phones without a lot of display room. I'm hoping to have that up by the end of this week.

I've attached a couple of screenshots to this post, and if you're interested in giving it a try, the link is in my signature. If you encounter any bugs or odd behavior, please post them here so I can fix them ASAP. I'll be watching this thread for bug reports.

Thanks as always for looking and if you like the app, please feel free to rate it and/or visit a sponsor or three. ;)

-AZ
Greetings AZ,

I have a SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 (un-rooted) with a Verizon Contract. Assuming this device is compatible with your app, if you would give me specific instructions as to download, installation, and reporting methods, I will (depending on the "permissions" necessary) make use of the program, and report back. I'm pretty sure that most of any such use on my part would be while mobile.
 

AZScanner

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Greetings AZ,

I have a SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 (un-rooted) with a Verizon Contract. Assuming this device is compatible with your app, if you would give me specific instructions as to download, installation, and reporting methods, I will (depending on the "permissions" necessary) make use of the program, and report back. I'm pretty sure that most of any such use on my part would be while mobile.

Hi Rob,

It should be a simple matter of just opening the play store on your phone, searching for Active EMS and then installing it. Besides the obviously necessary network permissions, you'll see some phone permissions in there, but that is necessary in order for the app to be able to keep the phone from going to sleep if you enable that option in the app. It will also check periodically to make sure you have a real IP address and not 127.0.0.1. Nothing else on the phone's hardware is looked at by the app.

If you find any bugs, you can email me directly (link is in the app store) or just reply to this thread. I've already found one bug this morning, so I'll be releasing a new update to address that soon. Right now, if you open your alert criteria and then click cancel, it wipes out the alert criteria altogether and the alerts stop working (since there's no keywords to alert on after that lol). So until I release the fix, avoid using the Cancel button and just click OK for now instead.

Also, for those of you on Kindle Fires, you can now find Active EMS in the Kindle App store as well.
,
-AZ
 

InlandAZ

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Pretty cool - for some reason it wouldn't install on my VMware Android 4.0 VM, but it seems to run fairly well under 4.4 Kit Kat.
 

InlandAZ

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Could have sworn I posted earlier, but I guess not (oops, there it is right above this thread).

I do see an "Offline, retrying" message, but it does update, so I guess it working.
 

rwier

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Hi Rob,

It should be a simple matter of just opening the play store on your phone, searching for Active EMS and then installing it. Besides the obviously necessary network permissions, you'll see some phone permissions in there, but that is necessary in order for the app to be able to keep the phone from going to sleep if you enable that option in the app. It will also check periodically to make sure you have a real IP address and not 127.0.0.1. Nothing else on the phone's hardware is looked at by the app.

If you find any bugs, you can email me directly (link is in the app store) or just reply to this thread. I've already found one bug this morning, so I'll be releasing a new update to address that soon. Right now, if you open your alert criteria and then click cancel, it wipes out the alert criteria altogether and the alerts stop working (since there's no keywords to alert on after that lol). So until I release the fix, avoid using the Cancel button and just click OK for now instead.

Also, for those of you on Kindle Fires, you can now find Active EMS in the Kindle App store as well.
,
-AZ

Thanks, AZ,

I forgot all about this subject, lol. I'm about due for a nap, but will probably play around with this during the night. Oh yeh, "a simple matter of just opening the play store" ...... I don't believe I have ever installed an app by that route. Most of mine, I believe, involved Amazon. I'll look for that "play store".
 

rwier

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Back again AZ,
Couldn't find "Play Store" on my phone. I assumed it was an app. I did a Google search for "Play Store", and got a million hits, lol. One of the first three appears to relate to your instructions:

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/190860?hl=en

From the search page:
___________________________________________________________
Missing Google Play Store app: If you don’t see the Google Play Store app or the app doesn't open: Confirm you’re using a supported Android device. You may have hidden the app and need to re-enable it. Turn off your device and turn it on again, then look for the app. If the Google Play Store app still isn't showing up, contact your carrier or manufacturer for help. Unfortunately, you can’t download the Google Play Store app -- you either have it or you don’t. _________________________________________________

OK, after turning off, and restarting, Google Play Store shows up under "Settings > More > Application Manager > Downloaded": Now, Searching Play Store draws a blank for Active EMS Phoenix. I try AMAZON (an old friend), and Shazam! Version 2.01 August 14, 2014. Interestingly, in the Compatibility Box, it says:
________________________________________
(YES) Robin's Android Phon...
(NO) samsung SCH-I545
_________________________________________

I thought that "samsung SCH-I545" was a technical name for my Android Phone? Well, anyway, I'm going to go for it on AMAZON. Will report back Later,

Robin
 

rwier

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Bingo, worked up a sweat, put found it and installed.

"Active EMS Phoenix (Tablet)"

I don't know about "Tablet", but it looks beautiful !!!!
 

rwier

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Click on location and map pops up !!! Forces wide view so no scrolling left and right !!!

Questions:

If the number of active calls is large, will scrolling down show more than the calls that fill the screen?

Yellow Gear (settings) I assume that the entries already there relate to you or a beta tester?

Ok, I cleared them, and now I think that I need a list of available "codes"?

Ok, yellow triangle turns those alerts on and off.

The text of the addresses and the map graphic are about as good as it gets !!! Driving around in a loud pickup, repeating an address is difficult, and remembering it for two signal lights is not possible (for me).

All these ?s might be answered by an online help or user manual? Maybe on RR wiki, or something like that? Maybe already available?

That's enough for tonight, and

THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORT !!!!
 
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MORSEMAN

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Thank You AZScanner. Well done. I loaded it on my Kindle Fire HD and it works fine.
 

ICP963

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Thank You AZScanner. Well done. I loaded it on my Kindle Fire HD and it works fine.

Loaded on my Samsung Galaxy S3 phone and on my 1st Generation Kindle Fire. Both work fine. I like the new changes, but I hate the ads. (especially since I was a paid owner of the old version.)
 

ICP963

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Loaded on my Samsung Galaxy S3 phone and on my 1st Generation Kindle Fire. Both work fine. I like the new changes, but I hate the ads. (especially since I was a paid owner of the old version.)
Oops, I spoke too soon. My Kindle Fire 1st Gen doesn't show the options menu at the bottom.
 
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