Apps for Genealogy

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How often have you been at a library or archive and found something -- but didn't bring the right paperwork with the person in question in it? Of course if you brought and can use your laptop or tablet, you can possibly access your database or online tree(s). 

 There are phone apps! Some are getting really good. The major sites have them, and there are some standalone apps too - and browser plugins too. While traveling, these apps can be quite useful.
Ancestry app

 Ancestry: two apps. First, for your tree: 
https://www.ancestry.com/cs/ancestry-app and

 AncestryDNA:  activate your test in the app! 
https://www.ancestry.com/cs/dnaapp

 Ancestry also owns FindaGrave, which has their own app. Photograph and upload grave photos right from your phone: https://www.findagrave.com/mobileapp

The very latest on the apps from Rootstech:
https://www.rootstech.org/video/ancestry-on-the-go-ancestry-app-suite

MyHeritage mobile app

 MyHeritage app is very full-featured, and has added DNA and research to the mix. If you have a tree there, and you should!* and DNA -- again, you should*, try out the app. 

https://www.myheritage.com/mobile




FamilySearch app
FamilySearch app just keeps getting better. One option is Relatives Around Me which is a fun way to find cousins around you at big genealogy meetings or conferences. The FamilySearch blog mentioned a new feature: My Contributions. Easy to use, and encouraging! 

 New for the app at RootsTech: Mapping Your Ancestors

 https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/mobile/




PhotoScan



PhotoScan by Google Photos just could replace TurboScan on your phone. Testing it out and see if it works well for you. 

 Once you take a picture, a new screen pops up with four circles in it. Move the indicator into each circle until prompted to move to the next one. This ensures very clear images, no matter how much your phone moves during the process. At that point you can adjust the borders to your liking. The image can be moved into Google photos for more post-processing, if needed.

https://www.google.com/photos/scan/
While you are working with pictures, Color Savvy is an excellent light table to illuminate slides and negatives for scanning.  Use the app on a tablet and take the picture with a phone.  This is a free app, available at your app store.

After you have scanned that photo or negative, you may need to do some adjusting.  Adobe Photoshop has several free apps available; my favorite is PS Express.  It has several preset effects that can be applied as well as adjustments for brightness, etc.  It is the only app I have found that will invert an image from negative to positive.


Add a simple temperature adjustment, and in two steps, you have


https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-express.html


Evernote



Evernote isn't new, but you might not realize that it is a phone app, as well as a standalone application and a browser plugin. Very handy to have access to your notes as well as your people; some use Evernote for research plans and logs along with screen grabs. Once you login, all of your Evernote contents are available on all your devices.

 https://evernote.com/download


 Have you found other apps you find useful in your research? Please mention them in the comments.

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* Why you should: https://skcgs.blogspot.com/2020/01/fish-in-all-ponds.html
Valorie Cowan Zimmerman

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