Tech Talk: Your Digital Toolbox
Smart phone apps turn your phone into a flashlight, camera, calculator, bubble level, compass, protractor and ruler, among other tools.
With Dino Giacomazzi
Bonus Content:Links to apps
Tiny Flashlight + LED for Android |
• Camera: Mobile phones have had cameras on them for a long time, but only recently do smartphones allow you to do very useful things with them. Recently I had to redo some plumbing on my calf milk pasteurizer. I took photos of the parts and the pasteurizer area with my phone. At the plumbing store, I showed the photos to the store owner on an iPad. Using an app called Skitch, we drew a new plumbing diagram right over the top of a photo. I took the parts home and referenced the diagram while putting it all together.
• Ruler: I use the ruler app to measure pipe fittings, bolts and other pieces of hardware. Be careful not to scratch your screen!
• Calculator: I use RealCalc for my Android and Calc Pro HD for my iPad. I like these calculators because of their simple and powerful use of conversions.
• Bubble level: I use the bubble level on my phone to do things like level tillage implements and help my wife hang pictures on the wall. I recently leveled a pool table with an iPad.
• Protractor: Most protractor apps have the ability to overlay the protractor on your camera screen. Simply point your phone’s camera at an object like your silage pile or a roofline, and you can quickly determine its angle and slope.