Ask any owner of an iPhone or Android-powered device and they'll probably tell you they can't imagine their life without it. Ask them about apps and they'll rave about everything from Angry Birds to Soundhound, and how virtually any want or need can be achieved through the downloading of an app. Tell them you've got a habit of hunkering down on home repair, and they'll probably go on about how there are apps for leveling frames, measuring drywall, and detecting studs. You'll think it's too good to be true, but you'll soon discover that such apps exist. But as far as replacing the tools in your work bench, do downloaded smartphone apps really get the job done?
Based on available reviews and ratings, we'll take a look at the following tools apparently made obsolete by apps, and see if that's actually the case:
Levelers:
The simple bubble leveler can in fact be easily replicated using the accelerometer found in smartphones. Reviews on the Android Marketplace rave over the premier leveler app, “Bubble Level” by Antoine Vianey. It's certainly worth the free download and is sure to get the job done. Just place the device's four corners against a wall to determine level or plumb.
Stud Finders:
The reliability of smartphone stud finders can be summed up by a review written for the most popular of Android options, the “Magnetic Stud Finder” from GoldSequence: “This thing couldn't find a stud in a pedigree horse farm.” Most reviewers agree this app doesn't really help in the location of studs, especially wooden ones which most homes have.
Drywall Calculators:
This app sounds like it shouldn't be too hard to make: ideally drywall calculators work by the user holding the camera's phone to a wall to take a photo, which is used to figure how many drywall panels will be needed, to avoid overspending. But Android apps promising such a feature are few and far between, and the ones that do exist have few reviews to go on. If this app could work, it'd be more popular than it is.
Electricians/Specialists Guides
The Electrical Wiring Pro app by Intineo has been reviewed by over 300 people and maintains a 4 1/2 out of 5 star rating on the Android Marketplace. Apps like these are incredibly useful for professionals since they basically include volumes of reference compacted into a pocket-sized device. But laymen will be lost in the language. Therefore, electricians guides and other reference apps for specialists aren't to be trusted when wanting to get the job done right on an amateur level.
General Construction Know-How
Some apps are designed to cover just about everything there is to know about construction, and their price tags show it. Enter the Construction Master Pro by Calculated Industries, who make industry-standard math calculators. At $20 it's an expensive app, but relative to the devices it eliminates, it's a definite bargain. But does it work? 234 reviewers on average give it a perfect 5/5 score. Once again the terminology isn't exactly written for laymen, but for those who know their way around construction calculation, this app can do wonders.
Overall, it's apparent that you don't need to be pawning your tools in favor of just downloading apps to do the work instead. Most of these alleged replacements won't do anything, but make you wish you had your old equipment back. With that said, a few work, which shows potential in the possibility that one day the smartphone can replace your tool chest. But that day isn't today.
Photo Credits: Ricky Romero
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