5 apps for the Zombie Apocalypse
It's much harder to put together a 5 Apps post for the Zombie Apocalypse than you might think. Do we focus on serious topics like first aid, or do we try to inject a little humor like Plants vs. Zombies for "training skills"? In the end, we came to the conclusion that this was simply too complex a topic to limit to just five app titles. We give you five app topics instead -- and we've skipped the entertainment component.
In that spirit of deadly serious preparedness training, we give you "5 App Categories for the Zombie Apocalypse."
First Aid
The app store is brimming with first aid applications. We liked the free Know-it-All First Aid refresher app, which seems to have plenty of good reviews and cover the basics. Other well-reviewed apps included Pocket First Aid and CPR ($3.99), and Emergency First Aid & Treatment Guide ($0.99). Emergency health response is a vital component of survival during the apocalypse.
Maps
During the Zombie Apocalypse, you'll want access to a navigation application that uses cached maps. These apps tend to be quite large (typically over a gigabyte) but when the zombies are after you and the Internet is dead, cached information may be a lifesaver. We recommend Navigon (various prices based on region) and TomTom (ditto).
Survival manuals
The App Store is home to any number of survival manuals. You may wish to check out iSurvival ($1.99), iSurvive ($1.99), the Army Ranger handbook ($2.99), Wilderness Survival ($3.99), or Survive It ($1.99). TUAW recommends against Zombie Apocalypse-specific titles (e.g. Zombie Apocalypse Manual, $0.99) as they do not provide as balanced coverage as the general topic apps.
Flashlight apps
There are a bajillion free flashlight apps on the App Store, many of them that can enable your built-in LED like this one. Flashlights can help you find your way through the moonless night as you run across the gravel pits. Be careful though. They can draw more attention to you by the hordes of the undead, who can see just as well as the living (especially when their glazed, bleeding eyes chance upon warm prey).
You can use a free Safety Flasher to signal your compatriots once you know they haven't been infected.
TUAW recommends against picking up multitool versions of flashlight apps. You don't want to be measuring shelves or using a level at the same time you're fleeing for your life. Also skippo the virtual Zippos. They won't do you any good in a real-world zombie face-off.
Camouflage
Consider picking up the free Zombie Nombie Lite if you think you may need to enter situations where you must camouflage yourself amongst actual zombies. Hold the app in front of your face, shuffle and make a lot of moaning sounds. You'll blend in perfectly.
As a final note, let us point out that apps like the Zombie Survival Guide Scanner are meant for entertainment purposes only. Do not attempt to use these in real-life apocalypses.
