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Useful Applications for
Actuaries
Southeast Actuaries Conference
June 2011
Presented by
Richard Junker, FSA, MAAA, CLU
Junker Consulting
Valrico, FL 33594
(813) 597-9967

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Agenda
 Social Networking
 Apps for Actuaries
 New Apps from the Society of Actuaries
 Join the Technology Section!
 Q&A
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Social Networking
 LinkedIn, SharePoint, Web 2.0 etc.
The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that
facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability,
user-centered design and collaboration on the Worldwide
Web.–Wikipedia
 How can actuaries use social networking?
The term social networkings, plural, refers to
the use of dedicated websites and applications to
communicate informally with other users, or to find people
with similar interests to oneself. –Wikipedia
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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.
 Before these articles appear, you can get a head start exploring
several apps that follow.
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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
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
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Technology: Apps for Actuaries (cont’d)
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
5. WebEx
Free
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.
(As an alternative, the Windows 7 operating system offers speech recognition setup for the
Office suite via Control PanelEase of Access CenterSpeech Recognition. )
Works with: desktops, laptops
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Technology: Apps for Actuaries (cont’d)
7. Evernote
Free
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: 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
Invite others to schedule with you, without having to sign up.
Works with: iPhone/iPad/Android/Blackberry/ Windows Mobile
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, or
an application such as Twitterrific.
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Technology: Apps for Actuaries (cont’d)
10. Dropbox
Free
Dropbox is 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; mobile devices Android, Windows Phone 7, iPhone, iPad
and BlackBerry.
11. Good Reader
$
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. Khan Academy
http://khanacademy.org/
When you first go to this site, you may think “How does this help me? Unless I need to help my
kids with their math homework….” – but wait, page down to the sections on the Credit Crisis or
Finance (also check out Geithner Plan and Paulson Bailout) and you’ll see it’s much more than
algebra videos.
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Technology: Apps for Actuaries (cont’d)
For more free business education resources, see Mary Pat Campbell’s
articles in The Stepping Stone, the newsletter for the Management and
Personal Development Section:
http://www.soa.org/news-and-publications/newsletters/management-and-
personal-development/pub-management-and-personal-development-
details.aspx
Get Your Personal MBA.The Stepping Stone, Issue 35, July 2009, pp 19
- 21
Stop Paying for Business Education!. The Stepping Stone, Issue 32,
October 2008, pp 1, 14 - 15
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10.
New Apps from the Society of Actuaries
Health Meeting App
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11.
New Apps from the Society of Actuaries
Mobile Online Directory
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12.
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)
 JOIN A SECTION
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13.
Council Members & Roles
 Technology Section
• Chair – Jeff Pomerantz
• Vice Chair – Eddie Smith
• 2011 Chair – Eddie Smith
 Detail info on members on our website:
http://www.soa.org/professional-interests/technology/tech-detail.aspx
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14.
“Whoever controls the
technology, controls the
world.”