IPhone: The Sky Is The Limit

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I was browsing some of my favorite blogs today when I ran across the Construction Informer blog by Duane Craig which posted an interesting piece on the new iphone application that turns your phone into a level. My comment to this post was as follows:

"This is great. I can’t wait to lay my hardwood floor. I shudder at the thought of what could be next".

And the truth is that I am actually shudddddering as I write this because the potential of this little phone for not only construction is mind boggling.

After being a loyal Verizon customer for nearly eight years, I switched to AT&T just so I could get my hands, or palms, on this little piece of technological genius. And while the AT&T service is far inferior to Verizon in my opinion, the phone kicks butt. However, I still ask the question of where the progression of hand held computers can take the construction industry?

Hand held devices have been around for years, but this one is bit different mainly because of the application feature and its striking screen resemblance to personal computers. Many web pages are already providing iPhone applicable pages that allow their content to be more easily viewed on the phone.

The following are some interesting iPhone apps that I've found for the construction industry:

InerTrak by Inertron Software allows users to monitor the time they spend on projects for more accurate billing, create client lists with hourly rates, and start and stop the timer as you switch from task to task and then e-mail data to their computers. Download price: $9.99.

InchCalc+ by River Studio eliminates the challenges of feet/inch/fraction calculations (always a tough one for me). It measure length, area, volume, rise, run, and pitch. Download price: $6.99.

Conference Call by IfByPhone will send selected contacts a phone call that connects them to your conference. No need to wait for others to dial in. Download price: free.

Sketches by LateNiteSoft. allows you to create a line drawing from scratch, or snap a photo of the client’s home or a particular feature and draw right on it. The tool lets you change colors, zoom in and out, and send images to others. Download price: $4.99

MarginCalc by Steve Greenley. The program has regular calculator functions but also includes three pairs of pricing buttons for margin, cost price, and sell price. Just enter the two numbers you have and MarginCalc will calculate the third. Again, I think I'll be downloading this one. Download price: Unsure.

EverNote by EverNote lets users keep all their ideas, lists, and other notes in one place, accessible both by the iPhone app and the Web-based desktop version. Written notes, photos, and voice notes can be recorded and saved, then synced so that both devices (phone and computer) are up-to-date. Download price: free.

Most of these apps are geared more toward the self-employed re-modelers but I see this thing breaking into the commercial construction world before too long (I wish I knew how long that was, perhaps when the economy turns around).

Some of my suggested apps included the "How much are you going to rip me off app" which, upon placement on somebody's forehead, will tell you how much money (+/- $500) they will try to gouge you for during the project. Also, the "When are you going to be done app" which predicts the actual schedule of any particular contractor again after placement on the forehead of the project manager.

While Steve Jobs will get more and more rich, the construction industry will be much more informed.

Blackcloud

I borrowed a friends ipod that had the level app on it and set it on a HM frame i set. I was at -0.02

not sure how accurate the app is, but i was impressed.

and i already use my pocket pc phone for taking notes and such

Gus Dering

I have had an I- Phone since Jan. Love this thing.

I will get that inch foot calc, Thanks for the tip

rbsremodeling

I'll buy one when it has a scratch my nuts app.

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Gus Dering

You and those nuts again huh?

Do I have to show everyone that pic of you and your pouch?

rbsremodeling

I think we shut the last thread down with that pic

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Gus Dering

Got you runnin scared now.

I'll spare you this time. I know you were knee deep in the vodka that day

this day too huh?

loneframer

I say, "POST IT"

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"Walking the fine line between production and perfection"



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Magnettica

My favorite new App is MLB.com At Bat 2009. Instant scoring updates, box scores, pitch by pitch, video highlights, and did I mention audio from either team of any game in both leagues? Let me see Serious Satellite beat that at $10 bucks for the entire season. The only down side to the App is it isn't multi-taskable if you know what I mean but that doesn't mean they can't correct it. The new 3.0 operating system should be out some time this summer and that'll just make a mockery of the rest of the cellular phone business.

I find out all this crap at: http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/

__________________
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tc70518

I'm Blackberry all the way. I send way too many emails on my Crackberry, and my thumbs are way too big for the Iphone's touchscreen keyboard.

MALCO.New.York

What????

Blackberry keys are smaller than the iPhones!

I do not particularly like the iPhone, but what it does it does best, except take pictures and the BS speaker phone!!!

Here is mine...............And it still works!!!!!!


http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/c...cture002-4.jpg

__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-cnizLDEE

ChrWright

I've seen my guys use all manner of tools as a hammer...tape measures, wrenches, putty knife handles...

But that takes the cake.

__________________

Christopher Wright, CR: President @ WrightWorks, LLC/President @ Central Indiana NARI, Named to the 2010 REMODELING Big50
www.WrightWorks.net - Facebook - Twitter - Carmel Remodeling
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MALCO.New.York

I used it as a Boomerang. Unsuccessfully!! But it did find its target perfectly!!!

I do know that the target will NEVER speak to me in the tones that he did. EVER AGAIN!

__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-cnizLDEE

ChrWright

You have to download the Boomerang App first, before it will come back...

__________________

Christopher Wright, CR: President @ WrightWorks, LLC/President @ Central Indiana NARI, Named to the 2010 REMODELING Big50
www.WrightWorks.net - Facebook - Twitter - Carmel Remodeling
Indianapolis Kitchen Remodeling Contractor - You Can Get There From Here

Magnettica

Damn! What the hell happened to that phone? Next time download the Boomerang App!

The text on the iPhone is small but trust me you get used to it.

__________________
Electrician service in Rahway, Cranford, Clark, Westfield, Mountainside, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Roselle, Roselle Park, and New Jersey | Same day electrical service and repairs | Licensed and Insured Electrician in Rahway

WarriorWithWood

If you don't want to switch providers, like me just get the ipod touch version 2. It's the same thing without the camera or phone, but has all the same apps.

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-Dennis
www.bowmanch.com

Inner10

If I wanted to play with something I'd put my hands down my pants; Blackberrys were made for business, iPhones for kids with rich parents.

DLRoberts

CrackBerry all the way

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get er' done

Magnettica

Really? I'm not a rich kid.

How ignorant can someone be?

__________________
Electrician service in Rahway, Cranford, Clark, Westfield, Mountainside, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Roselle, Roselle Park, and New Jersey | Same day electrical service and repairs | Licensed and Insured Electrician in Rahway

ChrWright

Did someone say they had some crack?

__________________

Christopher Wright, CR: President @ WrightWorks, LLC/President @ Central Indiana NARI, Named to the 2010 REMODELING Big50
www.WrightWorks.net - Facebook - Twitter - Carmel Remodeling
Indianapolis Kitchen Remodeling Contractor - You Can Get There From Here