Are There Horticulture-related Mobile Applications for Me?

Mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers are increasingly being used to supplement the use of laptops and desktop computers. Their small size makes them portable and convenient to use. These devices are providing horticulturists with new tools for their work. Mobile applications (apps) are software applications that run on smartphones and tablet computers. They can be easily downloaded to a smartphone or tablet computer. There are hundreds of thousands of apps available, covering a wide range of topics. Many apps are free, whereas others have a cost. Horticulture-related apps for research, extension, teaching, and industry are available. These apps deal with diverse topics such as food safety, geographic information systems, hydroponics, scouting for insects, turfgrass management and weeds, plant growth regulator (PGR) calculations, conservation trees (trees suitable and recommended for conservation plantings), landscape design, plant and tree identification, crop protection product information, and industry trade publications. This article gives an overview of some of the horticulture-related apps that are available. Are there horticulture-related mobile apps for me? Yes!

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The Sociology of Mobile Apps

The Oxford Handbook of Sociology and Digital Media ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197510636.013.15 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Deborah Lupton

Keyword(s):

Digital Media ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

The Political ◽

Sociological Research ◽

Tablet Computers ◽

Sociological Analysis ◽

Software Applications ◽

Theoretical Perspectives ◽

Political Dimensions ◽

Political Economy Approach

Since their introduction in 2008, software applications for mobile devices (“apps”) have become extremely popular forms of digital media. Mobile apps are designed as small bits of software for devices such as smartphones, tablet computers, smartwatches, and other wearable devices. This chapter presents a sociological analysis of apps through the lens of three major theoretical perspectives: (1) the political economy approach, (2) Foucauldian perspectives, and (3) sociomaterialism. Each perspective adopts a different focus, but all elucidate important aspects of the sociocultural and political dimensions of apps. Relevant empirical research is incorporated into the discussion to illustrate how apps are designed, developed, and promoted by a range of actors and agencies and to provide examples of the ways in which people incorporate apps into the routines of their everyday lives. The chapter ends with identifying directions for further sociological research and theorizing related to apps.

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Mobile Apps in Open Educational Resources

Mobile Devices in Education ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-1757-4.ch029 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 489-507

Author(s):

Ying Xiu ◽

Jose L. Fulgencio ◽

Tutaleni I. Asino ◽

Alesha D. Baker

Keyword(s):

Open Access ◽

Digital Divide ◽

Mobile Devices ◽

Mobile Learning ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

Open Educational Resources ◽

Educational Resources ◽

Desktop Computers

Globally, those who have traditionally been adversely impacted by the digital divide due to lack of access to computing technologies such as desktop computers, are also the ones who have been shown to have high adoption of mobile devices. If open educational resources (OER) are to have the envisaged wide impact, it is necessary to look at the role mobile applications and mobile app markets play in the OER movement. In this chapter, we link mobile applications and OER and discuss the role mobile app markets play in facilitating open-access learning initiatives. This is done by exploring OER and mobile learning definitions, benefits, and barriers; and comparing and contrasting mobile apps across a set of variables including purpose and resource format.

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Acc-MobileCheck: a Checklist for Usability and Accessibility Evaluation of Mobile Applications

CLEI electronic journal ◽

10.19153/cleiej.23.2.3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Debora Maria Barroso Paiva ◽

Marisa Helena da Silva Batista ◽

Luciana Aparecida Martinez Zaina ◽

Renata Pontin de Mattos Fortes

Keyword(s):

Mobile Devices ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Design Patterns ◽

Evaluation Method ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

User Profiles ◽

Digital Evolution ◽

Mobility Impairment ◽

Wide Range ◽

Software Development Practices

Mobile devices have gained more attention from the society that is using them increasingly for a variety of purposes. For complete insertion of the population in this constant digital evolution it is fundamental that mobile applications also offer access to different user profiles, regardless of their disabilities or limitations. Considering quality, productivity, and speed of application creation, there is a wide range of good development practices and evaluations. However, methods that involve usability and accessibility are still developing. The purpose of this article is to present the Acc-MobileCheck, which is a checklist of accessibility and usability for mobile devices apps, based on good software development practices and guided by Design Patterns. The Acc-MobileCheck, composed of 47 verification items, consists of questions that look for evidence of problems of comprehension, operation, perception, and adaptation in mobile apps. The evaluation method aims to address difficulties that can be faced by people with hearing, visual, intellectual, or mobility impairment. Five experts and three developers of mobile apps had evaluated the Acc-MobileCheck. The conclusive results show that the checklist is usable and includes essential issues for the evaluation of accessibility and usability. The data obtained allowed a restructuring of the evaluation method developed, and the positive comments about the checklist demonstrate its adequacy to attend the demand.

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Library in Your Pocket Delivery of Instruction Service Through Library Mobile Apps

Advances in Library and Information Science - Changing the Scope of Library Instruction in the Digital Age ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-2802-9.ch009 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 228-249

Author(s):

Kutty Kumar

Keyword(s):

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Information Access ◽

Smart Phones ◽

Library Services ◽

Tablet Computers ◽

Technological Changes ◽

The World ◽

Delivery Services ◽

The Way

Mobile devices such as smart phones, iPads and tablet computers are swiftly flourishing in the world and changing the way information is organized, acknowledged and circulated. Accordingly, the libraries have to adopt mobile services which capitalize on and adapt to these momentous technological changes. The traditional library services are now poignant to mobile library information services. Mobile applications have made communication and information access very convenient and timely to users. Adapting instruction delivery services through mobile application perceptive the traditional relationships between libraries and their users and introduces new confronts to reader privacy. The mobile applications are becoming an essential part of everyday life and are changing the way one connects and interacts with the world. The focus of this paper is on available mobile apps concerning to reading, productivity and organization at work, giving presentation, white board teaching and demonstration. This paper highlights the delivery of instruction services through library mobile apps.

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Mobile Apps in Open Educational Resources

Empowering Learners With Mobile Open-Access Learning Initiatives - Advances in Mobile and Distance Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-2122-8.ch008 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 120-143

Author(s):

Ying Xiu ◽

Jose L. Fulgencio ◽

Tutaleni I. Asino ◽

Alesha D. Baker

Keyword(s):

Open Access ◽

Digital Divide ◽

Mobile Devices ◽

Mobile Learning ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Mobile App ◽

Open Educational Resources ◽

Educational Resources ◽

Desktop Computers

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Mobile Applications for Health Management of Older Adults: A Scoping Review (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.22823 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nurul Asilah Ahmad ◽

Shahrul Azman Mohd Noah ◽

Arimi Fitri Mat Ludin ◽

Suzana Shahar ◽

Noorlaili Mohd Tohit

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Goal Setting ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Health Management ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Personalized Feedback ◽

Self Monitoring ◽

App Store ◽

Evidenced Based ◽

Google Play

BACKGROUND Currently, the use of smartphones to deliver health-related content has experienced a rapid growth, with more than 165,000 mobile health (mHealth) applications currently available in the digital marketplace such as iOS store and Google Play. Among these, there are several mobile applications (mobile apps) that offer tools for disease prevention and management among older generations. These mobile apps could potentially promote health behaviors which will reduce or delay the onset of disease. However, no review to date that has focused on the app marketplace specific for older adults and little is known regarding its evidence-based quality towards the health of older adults. OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to characterize and critically appraise the content and functionality of mobile apps that focuses on health management and/or healthy lifestyle among older adults. METHODS An electronic search was conducted between May 2019 to December 2019 of the official app store for two major smartphone operating systems: iPhone operating system (iTunes App Store) and Android (Google Play Store). Stores were searched separately using predetermined search terms. Two authors screened apps based on information provided in the app description. Metadata from all included apps were abstracted into a standard assessment criteria form. Evidenced based strategies and health care expert involvement of included apps was assessed. Evidenced based strategies included: self-monitoring, goal setting, physical activity support, healthy eating support, weight and/or health assessment, personalized feedback, motivational strategies, cognitive training and social support. Two authors verified the data with reference to the apps and downloaded app themselves. RESULTS A total of 16 apps met the inclusion criteria. Six out of 16 (37.5%) apps were designed exclusively for the iOS platform while ten out of 16 (62.5%) were designed for Android platform exclusively. Physical activity component was the most common feature offered in all the apps (9/16, 56.3%) and followed by cognitive training (8/16, 50.0%). Diet/nutrition (0/16, 0%) feature, however, was not offered on all reviewed mobile apps. Of reviewed apps, 56.3% (9/16) provide education, 37.5% (6/16) provide self-monitoring features, 18.8% (3/16) provide goal setting features, 18.5% (3/16) provide personalized feedback, 6.3% (1/16) provide social support and none of the reviewed apps offers heart rate monitoring and reminder features to the users. CONCLUSIONS All reviewed mobile apps for older adults in managing health did not focused on diet/nutrition component, lack of functional components and lack of health care professional involvement in their development process. There is also a need to carry out scientific testing prior to the development of the app to ensure cost effective and its health benefits to older adults. Collaborative efforts between developers, researchers, health professionals and patients are needed in developing evidence-based, high quality mobile apps in managing health prior they are made available in the app store.

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Assessment and Prediction of Privacy Concerns on Health Apps (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.20409 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Reham AlTamime ◽

Vincent Marmion ◽

Wendy Hall

Keyword(s):

Data Sharing ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Retention Rate ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Third Party ◽

Privacy Concerns ◽

Health Apps ◽

Mobile Health Apps ◽

Specific Factors ◽

And Control

BACKGROUND Mobile apps and IoT-enabled smartphones technologies facilitate collecting, sharing, and inferring from a vast amount of data about individuals’ location, health conditions, mobility status, and other factors. The use of such technology highlights the importance of understanding individuals’ privacy concerns to design applications that integrate their privacy expectations and requirements. OBJECTIVE This paper explores, assesses, and predicts individuals’ privacy concerns in relation to collecting and disclosing data on mobile health apps. METHODS We designed a questionnaire to identify participants’ privacy concerns pertaining to a set of 432 mobile apps’ data collection and sharing scenarios. Participants were presented with 27 scenarios that varied across three categorical factors: (1) type of data collected (e.g. health, demographic, behavioral, and location); (2) data sharing (e.g., whether it is shared, and for what purpose); and, (3) retention rate (e.g., forever, until the purpose is satisfied, unspecified, week, or year). RESULTS Our findings show that type of data, data sharing, and retention rate are all factors that affect individuals’ privacy concerns. However, specific factors such as collecting and disclosing health data to a third-party tracker play a larger role than other factors in triggering privacy concerns. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that it is possible to predict privacy concerns based on these three factors. We propose design approaches that can improve users’ awareness and control of their data on mobile applications

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Bioinsecticides based on plant essential oils: a short overview

Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C ◽

10.1515/znc-2020-0038 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 75 (7-8) ◽

pp. 179-182

Author(s):

Murray B. Isman

Keyword(s):

Essential Oils ◽

Crop Protection ◽

Large Body ◽

Regulatory Agencies ◽

The European Union ◽

Plant Essential Oils ◽

The Past ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Usa ◽

Regulatory Challenges

AbstractInterest in the discovery and development of plant essential oils for use as bioinsecticides has grown enormously in the past 20 years. However, successful commercialization and utilization of crop protection products based on essential oils has thus far lagged far behind their promise based on this large body of research, most notably because with the exceptions of the USA and Australia, such products receive no special status from regulatory agencies that approve new pesticides for use. Essential oil-based insecticides have now been used in the USA for well over a decade, and more recently have seen use in the European Union (EU), Korea, and about a dozen other countries, with demonstrated efficacy against a wide range of pests and in numerous crop systems. For the most part these products are based on commodity essential oils developed as flavor and fragrance agents for the food and cosmetic industries, as there are formidable logistic, economic, and regulatory challenges to the use of many other essential oils that otherwise possess potentially useful bioactivity against pests. In spite of these limitations, the overall prospects for biopesticides, including those based on essential oils, are encouraging as the demand for sustainably-produced and/or organic food continues to increase worldwide.

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Mobile applications and patient education: Are currently available GERD mobile apps sufficient?

The Laryngoscope ◽

10.1002/lary.26341 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 127 (8) ◽

pp. 1775-1779 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Michael Bobian ◽

Aron Kandinov ◽

Nour El-Kashlan ◽

Peter F. Svider ◽

Adam J. Folbe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Patient Education ◽

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Apps

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Predictors to use mobile apps for monitoring COVID-19 symptoms and contact tracing: A survey among Dutch citizens. (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.28416 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Stephanie Maria Jansen-Kosterink ◽

Marian Hurmuz ◽

Marjolein den Ouden ◽

Lex van Velsen

Keyword(s):

Mobile Applications ◽

Mobile Application ◽

Online Survey ◽

Reproduction Number ◽

Mobile Apps ◽

Contact Tracing ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

Final Model ◽

Symptom Recognition ◽

Personal Connections

UNSTRUCTURED Background: eHealth applications have been recognized as a valuable tool to reduce COVID-19’s effective reproduction number. In this paper, we report on an online survey among Dutch citizens with the goal to identify antecedents of acceptance of a mobile application for COVID-19 symptom recognition and monitoring, and a mobile application for contact tracing. Methods: Next to the demographics, the online survey contained questions focussing on perceived health, fear of COVID-19 and intention to use. We used snowball sampling via posts on social media and personal connections. To identify antecedents of acceptance of the two mobile applications we conducted multiple linear regression analyses. Results: In total, 238 Dutch adults completed the survey. Almost 60% of the responders were female and the average age was 45.6 years (SD±17.4). For the symptom app, the final model included the predictors age, attitude towards technology and fear of COVID-19. The model had an R2 of 0.141. The final model for the tracing app included the same predictors and had an R2 of 0.156. The main reason to use both mobile applications was to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Concerns about privacy was mentioned as the main reason not to use the mobile applications. Conclusion: Age, attitude towards technology and fear of COVID-19 are important predictors of the acceptance of COVID-19 mobile applications for symptom recognition and monitoring and for contact tracing. These predictors should be taken into account during the development and implementation of these mobile applications to secure acceptance. Discussion: Age, attitude towards technology and fear of COVID-19 are important predictors of the acceptance of COVID-19 mobile applications for symptom recognition and monitoring and for contact tracing. These predictors should be taken into account during the development and implementation of these mobile applications to secure acceptance. Age, attitude towards technology and fear of COVID-19 are important predictors of the acceptance of COVID-19 mobile applications for symptom recognition and monitoring and for contact tracing. These predictors should be taken into account during the development and implementation of these mobile applications to secure acceptance.

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