If you have a smartphone, there are some really cool apps available that will help you navigate your next project. Many are free, but sometimes the not-free ones work better--and sometimes not. For those who have a non-smartphone, this article at PCMAG--The Top 100 Free Apps For Your Phone (2009)--may be helpful.
If you've ever found yourself in the hardware store with no idea exactly what to choose when it comes to the length of screw or bolt or the thread pitch, Smart Ruler Pro ($1.50) will surely help you out.
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| Smart Ruler Pro, Google Play |
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There are many other measuring apps that are free. You can always install one to try it out, then uninstall and try another if it doesn't work for you. For apps that act as tools for building, search on 'clinometer' at Google Play (my favorite). Clinometers are useful when you're actually working on the project; a good one will tell you what the angle is (relative to a reference) and tell you whether a plane is slanted or true (level).
Remember to always take a sample screw or bolt to the hardware store, if you have one. Or, be clear what you will be working with--wood screws are different from machine ones.
If you don't know what a thing is, but you can take a picture of it, try an app like MB Search for TinEye (free). TinEye is a reverse image search available on the web.
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Is there an unknown woody plant invading your garden? Identify it with vTree, Virginia Tech's Tree ID. The app itself is free and--
A feature also allows you to send any tree related question to “Dr. Dendro”, a tree expert in the Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation at Virginia Tech. You can send a tree description or pictures of your plant and experts will help with identification.
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Flowers can be identified with Flower Checker. The app itself is free and one identification is free. Because real people do the identifying, further requests cost 1.00 USD. If no one can identify the plant by its photo, there's no charge.
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Garden Insects Guide (free) appears to be a good reference for your garden. From what I see in the list of apps (lifestyle category), identifying insects by image is tricky because of the differences in appearance between stages of development. No doubt some industrious developer is working right now on closing that gap in available apps.
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-- Marge
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