Mobile apps for genealogy

Genealogy
Apps for
Mobile
Devices
November 16, 2019
By Dick Eastman

Today’s slides plus a list of apps
discussed today are available at:
http://www.eogn.com/ha
ndouts/mobileapps

Why Use a Handheld Device for Genealogy?
• Convenience – Carry your
information with you at all
times
• Compare notes with
others at family reunions
or at genealogy meetings
• As a backup to your
primary computer in case
of a hard drive crash or
other major catastrophe
• Portable and easily
updated – Better than
carrying everything in 3-
ring binders!

Handheld computers are here to
stay:
• More than 900 million iPads sold in less
than five years (Introduced in April 3, 2010)
• 600 million iPhones sold in eight years
including 74 million in the last fiscal
quarter
• Numbers for Android devices are probably
similar

Genealogy
Considerations:
• Some of today’s handheld devices
store their data internally within the
device, while others store data
online “in the cloud.”
• Which is better?
• The answer is: “It all depends.”

Genealogy
Considerations:
• Advantages of storing data in the device:
– Always available (does not need a network connection)
– Fast
• Disadvantages of storing data in the device:
– Need to keep multiple copies of your data (desktop,
handheld, and possibly elsewhere)
– Difficulties in updating all versions simultaneously
– Storage size constraints
– Poor security in case the handheld device is lost or stolen

Genealogy
Considerations:
• Advantages of storing data in the cloud:
– One master copy that is easily updated and then is
immediately available on all devices
– Highly secure, no privacy concerns if the device is
stolen or lost
– Share or keep private as you wish
• Disadvantages of storing data in the cloud:
– Requires a working Internet connection
– Typically is slower than displaying locally-stored data

Genealogy
Considerations:
• Choice of Operating System:
– Apple iOS (many genealogy apps available)
– Android (several genealogy apps available)
– Blackberry (no genealogy apps available)
– Chromebook (works well when using a cloud-
based service, such as MyHeritage,
FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindMyPast, etc.)

Genealogy
Considerations:
• Read Only?
• or
• Can you update from the handheld? (Very few
programs do this)
• My recommendation: Don’t worry about updating
from the handheld unless you have a real keyboard
attached

Considerations:
• Size:
– Cell phone?
– 7-inch tablet?
– 10 or 11-inch tablet?
– Slate computers (modified laptop designs)

Explanation:
• “Apps” is an abbreviation for “Applications”
• In other words, an “App” is the same thing as a
program
• Except…

Explanation:
• The word “App” usually refers to a program designed
to run on a small, handheld device.
• Applications for computers are big. Apps for mobile
devices are small.
• Applications need to be installed. Apps need to be
downloaded.

Explanation:
• Applications cost double-digit dollars and more. Apps
are generally ten bucks and under. Many are FREE.
• Applications are complex. Apps are simple.
• You get the idea. Applications are tall trees. Apps are
shrubbery…

Explanation:
• There are too many available handheld genealogy
apps to describe all of them in detail in a 60-minute
presentation
• I will focus on the more popular apps

Available Apps
• All of the following can be found in the
appropriate app store (Google Play,
Amazon App Store for Android, Samsung
Apps, and others.

Family Bee
• robust text-only family tree browser
• view information about families and
individuals stored in GEDCOM files

Family Bee
21
• Fast!
• GEDCOM files are stored on an SD card
• store an unlimited number of trees, as long as the SD
card has the space available
• $10 in the Google Play Store

GedStar Pro Genealogy Viewer
• This app requires the separate purchase of a
$9.95 Windows conversion program, which is
available with a free trial period from the
program’s website.
• The database is stored on a plug-in SD card
or in internal memory and there are no limits
on the number of people or amount of other
data. It has been tested on a database of
over 40,000 individuals.

• Converts directly from "The Master
Genealogist" and "Legacy Family Tree", or
from a GEDCOM file.
• Displays all your data including events,
notes, sources, repositories, and photos.
Some product-specific features are also
available, such as the research log or to-do
list.

• Not a good program for Macintosh users!

Store Data Locally - iOS
• (iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch)

MobileFamilyTree 7
• MobileFamilyTree doesn't require you to own a Mac or PC
as it offers just every feature you could wish for in a
modern genealogy app.
• Nonetheless, MobileFamilyTree works with MacFamilyTree
like clockwork and can be synchronized via iCloud if
desired.

MobileFamilyTree 7
• Can be used as a standalone app
• MacFamilyTree not required
• Full support GEDCOM export and import
• iCloud synchronization
• Awesome charts and maps
• Integration of FamilySearch, the world's
largest genealogy archive
• Take photos or videos directly from
within MobileFamilyTree 7

MobileFamilyTree 7
• Available Charts:
• Hourglass Chart
• Ancestor Chart
• Timeline
• Double Ancestor Chart
• Statistics Chart
• Fan Chart
• Relationship Chart
• Genogram Chart
• Map View
• Name Distribution Chart
• Print your charts right from your mobile device

Reunion for iOS
• Works only with Reunion 9 or Reunion 10
installed on your Macintosh.
• You must also have a wireless connection to
your Macintosh.
• Stores names, events, facts notes, logs,
sources and even images. View, navigate,
search, and edit your information on the go.
You'll always be ready to add people, document
new information, and make corrections to your
data.
• Then bring the changes back to your family file
on the Macintosh.

Store Data Locally - Android &
Apple iOS

Apple iOS - RootsMagic

• Viewer only
• Used as a companion to RootsMagic for
Windows
• Uses your actual RootsMagic files- no
conversion needed
• Easily put your family history files on your
device through DropBox (or iTunes for iOS)

• Views:
• Pedigree, Family, Descendant, and
Individual Views to quickly explore your
family tree
• Browse people by surname and given
names
• Search ancestors by name or record number
• View media, notes, and sources for people,
families, events, and facts

• Lists:
• Source list
• To-do lists
• Research Logs
• Media Lists
• Address Book
• Repository List
• Correspondence List
• Place List

• Tools:
• Perpetual calendar
• Date calculator
• Relationship calculator
• Soundex calculator

Apple iOS - Heredis

Heredis
• Works with both Heredis for Windows and Heredis for
Macintosh
• Add, delete or modify a person directly from your Android
device, iPhone, your iPad or iPod Touch.
• Smooth and rapid data entry.
• Controls duplicates in real time and will automatically
save your data.
• Take the picture with your iPhone or fetch it from Photos.
Add it to your tree. Quickly and easily.
• Look at your trees and share them with your family. Send
them by email or print them using the power of AirPrint.
• Write with your voice by dictating to Siri.
•

Families for Android & iOS
Families is designed to operate in
conjunction with Legacy Family Tree for
Windows from Millennia Corp. Your Legacy
family files can be easily transferred to your
iOS or Android device, enabling them to be
viewed and edited wherever you are.

Store Data Online - Both
Android and Apple iOS

MyHeritage
• A specialized viewer that reads and writes
data to a database you keep on
www.MyHeritage.com’s web servers
• FREE but requires an account on
MyHeritage.com that might be free or extra
features available for payment

Store Data Online - MyHeritage
• View and edit your family tree
• Add people to your tree and take their photos
• Edit profiles, events and relationships easily
• Search billions of records on MyHeritage
• Easy photo sharing - capture, share and store
family moments
• Sync with your family site on MyHeritage.com
• Fun celebrity look-alike feature (no login
required!)

MyHeritage
• Has the best automated matching of any
genealogy service I have seen!

Store Data Online - MyHeritage

Store Data Online - ancestry.com

• Add and view records, photos and events for
each person in your tree
• Hints to help you make new discoveries
• List of everyone in your tree with hints
• View high-resolution images of historical
documents
• See family members at a glance with Family
or Pedigree tree views
• Relationship calculator to see how you're
related to people in your tree
• Privacy settings

• The App is FREE
• …but a subscription to Ancestry.com is
required (free or paid)

Genealogy Utilities for
Handhelds
• For Apple iOS
and Android

Billion Graves
• Billion Graves
• Android and Apple iOS

Handhelds
Genealogy Relationship Decoder

Handhelds

Software is dead. Long live apps.

Mobile apps for genealogy

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