Apps Actuaries Conference Presentation
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A dozen apps that actuaries will find useful in personal and work life. Presented at June 2011 Southeast Actuaries Conference, Naples, FL
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Apps Actuaries Conference Presentation
- 1. Useful Applications for Actuaries Southeast Actuaries Conference June 2011 Presented by Richard Junker, FSA, MAAA, CLU Junker Consulting Valrico, FL 33594 (813) 597-9967
- 2. Agenda Apps for Actuaries New Apps from the Society of Actuaries Join the Technology Section! Question and Answer
- 3. If your organization has a website, it will need apps. Mr. Boffo 2/24/11
- 4. Evolution of Apps for Actuaries App Defined: Apps is an abbreviation for application. An app is a piece of software. It can run on the Internet, on your computer, or on your phone or other electronic device. Evolution of Smart Phones: PALM=>Blackberry/Windows Mobile=>Android/iPhone The CompAct newsletter of the Technology Section is publishing a series of articles covering apps of interest to members. Each article will review three or four apps that typically run on smart phones such as the iPhone, Android phones, Blackberry, and Windows 7 Phones, as well as the iPad and Android tablets. Today we will get a head start exploring several apps.
- 5. Technology: Apps for Actuaries There’s a huge selection of apps available for modern phones and tablet computers 1. LinkedIn Free LinkedIn is a useful business tool for making contacts and connections, but now you can take it with you, with the free LinkedIn apps that allow you to access your connections and their profiles and updates. You can also use it to join The Actuary’s LinkedIn group. Works with: iPhone/iPad/Blackberry/Palm 2. Bloomberg Free Get business and world news on the move using the company’s collection of apps. There is a version for general news and a separate one that gives access to extra feeds if you or your company are Bloomberg subscribers. Works with: iPhone/iPad/Android/Blackberry/ Nokia
- 6. Technology: Apps for Actuaries (cont’d) 3. Google Translate Free The world becomes a smaller place with this superb new, free translation tool from the search giant. It works with over 20 languages, and will even read out translations in some of those, though a network connection is required. Works with: iPhone/iPad/Android 4. GoToMyPC Free This desktop program is great for accessing a work computer from home (or vice versa). The mobile version brings that experience to your iPad. Android and iPhone users can make use of the similar Teamviewer app. Works with: iPad only
- 7. Technology: Apps for Actuaries (cont’d) 5. WebEx $ Web conferences can be a pain, but you can access them easily on your mobile device with the WebEx app that connects to WebEx conferences and allows you to join meetings, view shared content and chat. Works with: iPhone/iPad/Android/Blackberry 6. Dragon Dictation$ The iPhone and iPad have microphones, so why not put them to some use? The Dragon app does just that, recording and dictating what you type in for emails, memos or anything else. A separate Blackberry Dragon For E-mail app is also available. Works with: desktops, laptops
- 8. Technology: Apps for Actuaries (cont’d) 7. EvernoteFree Clip any website, article or document you find online for later reading and reference. Either save notes directly or email them to your personal Evernote email address, and mark them up with photos and audio. Works with: iPhone/iPad/Android/Blackberry/ Windows Mobile Source for Apps 1-7 above: Anthony Dhanendran picks some of the most suitable and interesting for actuaries. http://www.theactuary.com/875510 8. Tungle.me Free Tungle.me is a scheduling application that syncs with your existing calendar. Eliminate double-bookings, time zone mishaps and the back-and-forth of finding a time to meet. Easily schedule meetings, inside or outside your organization Works with: iPhone/iPad/Android/Blackberry/ Windows Mobile
- 9. Technology: Apps for Actuaries (cont’d) 9. Twitter Free Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that allows users to send "updates" (text-based posts, up to 140 characters long) via SMS, instant messaging, email, to the Twitter website. 10. Dropbox FreeDropboxis a web-based file-hosting service that uses cloud computing to enable users to store and share files and folders with others across the Internet using file synchronization. There are both free and paid services. It’s free service provides 2 GB of free online storage. Works with: Windows, Mac and Linux; iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, BlackBerry and iPad.
- 10. Technology: Apps for Actuaries (cont’d) 11. Good Reader $4.99 GoodReader is the super-robust PDF reader. Its iPad version was the #1 selling non-Apple app for iPad in 2010 in the USA. You can read virtually anything: books, movies, maps, pictures. Works with: iPad, iPhone, iPhone touch 12. Google Docs Free Google Docs lets you create and share your work online. Upload your files from your desktop. Access anywhere: edit and view your docs from any computer or smart phone. Share your work: real-time collaboration means work gets done more quickly. Embeddable in LinkedIn profile. Works with: Windows, Mac, iPhone/iPad/Android/Blackberry/ Windows Mobile
- 11. New Apps from the Society of Actuaries Health Meeting App To see a video of its cool features, you can check it out at: http://vimeo.com/21581588 Congratulations to Kerri Leo and the team at the SOA behind this.
- 12. New Apps from the Society of ActuariesMobile Directory Over 29,000 Actuaries in the palm of your hand
- 13. New Apps from the Society of Actuaries Mobile Online Directory
- 14. Mobile Online Directory Home Page
- 15. Mobile Online Directory Search Results
- 16. Mobile Online Directory Member Detail
- 17. Mobile Online Directory Initiate Phone Call
- 18. Mobile Online Directory Making The Call
- 19. Mobile Online Directory Member Detail
- 20. Mobile Online Directory Home Page
- 21. Mobile Online Directory Google Map Integration
- 22. Join the Technology Section! Build your personal brand Section leadership – Mortality Tables, SharePoint, LinkedIn, Apps Network-- +1100 members Communication CompAct e-newsletter LinkedIn (members only) Detail info on members on our website: http://www.soa.org/professional-interests/technology/tech-detail.aspx 22
- 23. “Whoever controls the technology, controls the world.”
Editor's Notes
- Hello, I am Rich Junker, Consulting Actuary, currently Co-Editor of the Technology Section Newsletter CompAct. I use a laptop and an Android Smartphone, a Motorola Droid X. Even if you are unfamiliar with app territory, very much an emerging field,questions you ask can contribute to everyone’s learning experience. Before beginning, I ask you to complete a brief survey of which tools you use, filling out the form and leaving it at the table as you depart. This information will help our Technology Section leaders define how we can best identify what you need from our programs.
- This is NOT what we mean by going to the cloud! Cloud Com·put·ingNoun: The practice of using a network of remote servers hosted on the Internet to store, manage, and process data, rather than a local server or personal computer.--Wikipedia
- Next, we descend from the CLOUD, to tools for hand-held devices, smartphones…Apps for ActuariesThe Technology Section is sponsoring a series of meeting sessions titled ‘Apps for Actuaries’; the first of these took place at the Life and Annuity Symposium in New Orleans and was repeated at the Health Meeting. Presentations will continue at the Valuation Actuary Symposium and Annual Meeting. Surprisingly, a show of hands at the New Orleans meeting showed that only half the attendees at that session had a Smart Phone or tablet device.Let’s see how the SEAC membership compares—show hands—do you have a Smart Phone? I fervently hope these articles, and this presentation, will show you the value in these devices if you don’t yet have one. Another reason to consider these devices is that all future meetings will have Wi-Fi in the meeting rooms and there will be Meeting Apps –which we will take up in coming minutes.
- I will highlight a dozen apps today. To conserve time for questions and discussion, I will address each of these only briefly. Feel free to ask questions where I have been overbrief.
- Webexis generous with its offers of two-week trials. As an alternative to Dragon, the Windows 7 operating system offers speech recognition setup for the Office suite via Control Panel\\Ease of Access Center\\Speech Recognition.
- Giventhat Twitter is for sending short messages of 140 characters or less, many wonder what you cando with that. I was asked that question last week, and a member of the audience was so obviously chafing to answer, that I let him take it over. He relates he began Twittering a few months back, and now finds he has 500 followers. He has made connections with experts totally outside his network that he would never have made sticking to Facebook and LinkedIn. Twitter is great for sending links to articles and short comments, especially at meetings. A great way to build allegiances quickly.************************Twitter Apps (Kevin Pledge)I mentioned Twitter in relation to the Meeting App; you should also consider a dedicated Twitter App. Before saying what Apps I prefer I should say something about Twitter for those of you who have not tried it. You are probably already know that Twitter is for sending short messages of 140 characters or less and are wondering what you would do with that. While some people may believe that the world wants to know what they had for lunch and how they feel after the gym, in business Twitter is great for sending links to articles and short comments, especially at meetings. Twitter is further enhanced by lists, this allows you to group people and topics. On the desktop I prefer TweetDeck, which is also available for Chrome, however the mobile version of this is not my first choice.Eddie Smith prefers Tweetbot ($1.99 iPhone) because of the list functionality. I tend to use the native Twitter app (free iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Win7) for reading, but I prefer HootSuite(free iPhone, Android) for writing as it has the link abbreviations (necessary when you are limited to 140 characters). Seesmic (free iPhone, Android, Blackberry, Win7) is also worth a look, but it includes ads which I find distracting on a mobile device where the screen is already quite small.
- GoodReader (Eddie Smith)Virtually all business professionals—actuaries included—need to look at PDF files on the go. Most iPhone and iPad users agree that GoodReader is the best app for reading, annotating, and managing PDF files when away from their desktop computer or laptop. GoodReader can connect to several different types of remote servers making it easy to retrieve and even sync files. In other words, suppose you mark up a PDF on your iPad: Those changes will be available back on your desktop computer if you connect to a common server. GoodReader also works with Word files, image files, and many other formats making it the de facto “file system” of the iPhone and iPad.
- SOA Meeting AppAnyone can download it from the calendar page for the Health Meeting on soa.org.All large meetings – Val Act, Annual Meeting, and next year’s Life & Annuity Symposium will have it.Anything that is on the onsite brochure is on this and more.You don’t need to print out presentations. You can write notes on them and email them to yourself.Works better on iPad-sized device.iPhone and iPad versions both work smoothly, per Meg Weber of the SoA Office. There is also an Android version and there should be a Blackberry version,however there is not yet a version for Windows Phone 7. The app allows you to browse the event program, build your personal schedule, take notes, rate sessions and speakers. The transition from the event schedule, to the map or to session slides. is seamless. You can also tweet from the application, including tweeting the presentation slides.
- The Technology Section has been influential with the SOA over the years. Recently the Mortality Tables were redesigned. Check out the Technology pages on soa.org.Leaders of the Technology Section introduced the SOA to SharePoint. This is what the Board and the Exam volunteers use to share information. (Did not catch on so much on the section side). Technology was the first SOA entity to have a LinkedIn group. And now Tim Deitz and Eddie Smith are advisors to the SOA on apps.The section considers topics from programs for actuaries to modern technologies as we have covered today that you can use as a business person and in your personal life.On soa.org, go the website and click Join a Section on lower left. Annual dues are $20. Also there are lots of opportunities to volunteer with the Technology Section.
- Superman Returns: “You see whoever controls technology controls the world. The Roman empire ruled the world because they built roads. The British empire ruled the world because they built ships. America; the atom bomb. And so on. I just want what Prometheus wanted. Gods are selfish beings who fly around in little red capes and don't share their power with mankind. No, I don't want to be a *god*. I just want to bring fire to the people. And... I want my cut." You surely recognize LexLuthor’s voice here… arch-fiend and bete noire of SUPERMAN…Hardly a profound, hardly a scintillating, hardly an inspiring, way to conclude an educational session. Hmmm?Yet I take comfort in knowing that whatever new technological controls I may have directed into your arsenal of power tools, you are all a magna animus group who have not a GRAIN of character warpage that might lead you to apply them to dastardly ends such as LexLuthor fantasized of daily.*******************************This concludes my remarks…It’s time for your questions, insights, heresies revealed...Prometheus Story: http://www.authorama.com/old-greek-stories-5.html