MyHeritage

I received an email that MyHeritage.com now offers mobile access to your database. Take your Family Tree on the go, good for iPhone, iPad and even Android. Anyone can download the apps for free.

I only have the Free Basic subscription to MyHeritage which only allows 250MB of storage and up to 250 people. My database does have more than this, so I have only uploaded my direct ancestors to the site. It also allows you to upload pictures. This allows other's to match to my ancestors and the theory is that we can share information. You can specify who and what people can see of your tree.

I am able to view the "Smart Matches" to my tree. I can view their tree and see their information as long as the tree isn't private. However, unless you have a premium subscribtion, you won't beable to join their site or contact the person. But, you can use their tree as clues to names of people you might not have on your site. You might beable to do a people search and find their contact information via the "white pages" lookups or perhaps they submitted information on other sites like Ancestry.com that you can contact them thru that site.

Being able to take your tree with you, means you can (as in my case) view all my direct lineage. I can show family as I am visiting them, the direct lineage and perhaps get more information from them. Sometimes it is nice to show them a visual of what I have found or show how far back I have research certain branches. I'm always trying to get more family interested in my research efforts so that they share information about their branch of the family with me.

I like MyHertiage.com because it does offer you a way to print out charts and a new feature is a book feature. I have used the Fan charts, because I like the fact I can print it out on about 12 pages versus my genealogy software package which wants like 50 or more pages. I tape the pages together and can display it on my wall or download the pdf and view later. There are a few customization options to make it worth while.  I usually only upload my tree to the site if I have made changes/updates/additions to my direct line of ancestors, since this is all that I upload.