I am not in the habit of doing reviews of concerts, employees or movies. However, finding and playing with Pack Badges, seems pretty interesting. It is created by HandyApp.
Pack Badges is created by the same person who created the Guide to Safe Scouting App. Which, apparently has been removed at the request of the Boy Scouts of America. I have the Good Turn, Scout Handbook, Knot Guide, GSS and a Map App.
I have been after a Cubscout Tracking program for the iPhone. Our Pack currently uses Packmaster and I would love to sync info between the two. It is possible on non-iPhone phones. The Apps that I have seen and played with only allowed for one scout to be tracked and was very limited.
Looking at the UI and what if offers as for what it tracks from the screenshots and discription within iTunes, I figured that it was more robust than others. Since I had a gift card, I downloaded it. The program is $2.99. Which, to me is high for buying an App.
What I like is that you can track several Scouts at once.
I also like the fact that you can send data via email to others. Apparently you can export it into excel format. I have not done this as of yet. I am not sure how you could import data into the App directly.
The software does appear to cover all awards, ranks, pins, beltloops and other awards within the Cubscout Program.
Entering data is pretty simple. You can click the whole event completed or just the sections. At the same time you can add your own comments and email it to someone.
What I find interesting is all the data seems to be taken from the Boy Scouts of America’s Cubscout Program, but refreneces the USSP website. I suspect that is due to licensing based issues.
For me, this iPhone App is wonderful. I will use it as I do the Scout Handbook and Guide to Safe Scouting…a Guide. I can reference information while hiking, at Pow-wow, Roundtable or at a Pack/Den meeting when asked a question.
I would love to see the Author of this App become BSA Licensed and get a great UI built into it. I would also like to have an interface between Packmaster (other Databases too) that will allow me to update over the Internet.
I doubt that Troopmaster, INC will support the Mac OS or iPhone/iPad OS anytime soon. That is a different set of discussions to have. I suspect that either my Son, who is a Bear will get his Eagle first or Rush will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Either way, this App is a great start.
[...] referenced in the review of Packbadges. While this App itself needs more work, such as connecting to a database such as Packmaster, it [...]
[...] However, I had my iPhone and it has the app called Pack Badges. I reviewed it earlier in this posting. It has the info that I needed. The boys started off by getting use to carving with plastic [...]
However thank you for this blog.I will are available back again.
Thanks Adam!
I had tried the Brag Vest app before, but I have been really disappointed. It was little more than a hyperlinked text list of requirements and contained a number of errors.
I’ll check out PackBadges, I like the idea of being able to email the list of completed items straight out of the app.
Thanks for the heads up!
Arlen
Brag vest was the one I downloaded and did not like. So far i like this one.
Jimmy: So very true about Packmaster not being OSX Based. I use Parallels and run it in WinXP.
The great thing now is they have a Web Intereface for Packmaster. That really helps since many of our Den Leaders use Laptops that are given to them by their employers.
I wish that Troopmaster would have a OSX version, it certainly widen their marketshare.
We looked at PackMaster/TroopMaster and the lack of Mac-compatibility was a deal-breaker. We’ve been happily using ScoutTrack instead. I’d prefer a native app, but the web interface works pretty well and has managed our 65 Scouts for the last three years.