A marine compass is a necessary and important gadget to possess on board ships. While in the past, marine compasses had to be carried as a separate gadget, considering the technological advancements of today, having a compass has become quite easier. Smart phones have really revolutionized the digital world.
Smart phone apps have become an integral part of our lives. We use them for the simplest job and also for the most complex one. These apps have really brought the whole world at everyone’s finger tips.
Coming back to marine compass, every mariner knows its importance, especially those on the deck side. If you are a smart phone user with Android system (who is not these days?) and want marine compass apps that you can use not only on ships but also in your normal life, then that is what we have got here for you.
These compass apps are a must have for every mariner. All the below mentioned apps are FREE.
Compass PRO
A free app, Compass PRO integrates the best of compassing with software application. Understanding its usability is easy and hassle-free as the user just needs to place his mobile phone with the app running on the palm of his hand or on any other flat surface.
Along with the conventional directional signs, Compass PRO makes use of a unique lubber pointer – lubber in marine lingo is used to describe an inexperienced seafarer – to enable further ease in deciphering the directions.
Along the rim of the compass, numbers are specified boldly which also adds to the user’s ease. So if a user wants to confirm whether he is headed in the right way or not, then he can confirm with the help of the lubber pointer which coincides with the numerals. In case of any discrepancy, the user can retrace his steps and change directions again.
AR Compass- 3D : Specifically built for the newer versions of the Android smart phones, the AR Compass provides a complete three-dimensional experience for the user. The user gets information about location and time of a particular destination along with the feasibility of sharing it with similar smart phone users. The marine compass also comes with a dual feature of being rotated automatically and manually by the user. This provides better viewing for the user whenever required.
However, even as so many features are equipped in the AR Compass, the fact that it has been developed for Android editions of 2.2 and even newer, is its biggest disadvantage. Users of older editions of the smart phone are thus left without a viable and dependable marine compass app.
Marine Compass by PierroX: Of the three marine compasses specified here, PierroX is the simplest and cleanest of all compass apps. It provides features such as location display, translucence, level of details and even full screen mode.