SB798 taken aside for now in our stories as we wait for the next saga for airsoft in California, I would like to discuss with you this iPhone/iPad App that for me seems like an Überapp since it takes out the the need to have a separate device to do the following: hi-tech viewfinder, milspec compass, gyrocompass, maps, GPS tracker, speedometer, optical rangefinder, visual sextant, gyro horizon, inclinometer, angular calculator, 5x zoom sniper scope and camera. My, my, that's a long list that makes me want to toss away my Tomtom and just stick with this app in my mobile phone.

Spyglass is something that outdoorsy people would love to have; it has everything that every extreme sports afficionado, gadget freak, and even military operators would like to have without having another device. Everything's in just one device, in one application, to be exact, and still allows you to make phone calls, browse the internet, and send SMS messages via the mobile phone. My Garmin device can do some of those tasks, but won't allow me to make traditional mobile phone functions.

Available at iTunes for US$3.99 Spyglass fully utilises all the available sensors in your iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad to make them work for you in a single app. You get a GPS, compass, gyro compass, tactical GPS, and Augmented Reality. The last part is interesting as it allows you to use AR for navigation and as it says you can "tag, find and track multiple locations, bearings, the Sun and the Moon and stars, in real time".

I like the overlay capabilities of this AR on a map which you can plot your approach a given objective on the map and the navigation data that can help you plan the "attack" for military operations. Furthermore the Optical Rangefinder allows you to measure distance in realtime using the phone's camera. This is actually a low cost spotter/sniper rangefinder. You can measure heights of buildings, natural obstacles such as mountains etc... and calculate distances. These are Milspec functions, and I just don't know if the iPhone as a device can be considered Milspec in terms of being durable and shock-proof, unlike the Casio G'zOne Commando which is the mobile phone that is closest to doing these functions and still be considered military-grade.

Just imagine this for a US$3.99 application that can allow you to do many tasks with your phone. You can ditch your GPS navigation tool, rangefinder, compass,  and have a heads-up display that can allow you to switch colours. I wonder if it can allow you to get mission coordinates that will automatically create waypoints on your mobile phone map after receiving orders. You save a lot of money with this app rather than spending more on separate devices.

So far reviews about this app is sparse, and I will attempt at evaluating this very soon. We're mainly android users at Popular Airsoft, but might just get an iPod touch that would allow us to evaluate this application. On paper, this app sounds awesome, but would it really be useful as it promises?

That's what we'll need to find out.