What Do Smart Phones (Partially) Replace?

[OmCheeto]

...
We reached our arbitrary goal of 200.

Yay!
Watching the list grow so rapidly, made me think that a simpler list would have been; "What can smartphones not replace?"
Food, water, home, toilet paper, and vehicles were the only things I could come up with.

Of course, someone already noticed one of those.

And although I don't think they'll make an edible smartphone in my lifetime, someone has made an edible case:
Edible Gummy iPhone Cases

Though, I don't think I'd eat a gummy bear that's been in my pocket for more than a few minutes.

Remember, the question is not what smart phones do but what do they replace wholly or partially. 146-156 are a good example of darkroom claptrap that we don't need with digital photos.

Just sitting in my living room, looking around, gives me more ideas:
along with #14 TV, which I haven't turned on in a couple of years, I almost never use my
201 stereo receiver
202 vhs player
203 cassette player
204 cd/dvd player
205 70's era sized speakers

 

[donpacino]

What can smartphones not replace?

common sense

 

[jmmccain]

That is quite a list. I'm sure it could grow longer and/or shorter.

So, 200 things that a smart-phone may replace. Is there any problem with listing 200 things that they may not replace? Just for fun? Here's one for the "not" list: a well secured, fire-resistant safe. There are some things one may not (or should not) put in a phone.

 

[anorlunda]

Is there any problem with listing 200 things that they may not replace?

Coffee

 

[Redbelly98]

Do we need to remove #s 83 & 84? I didn't think this was a wish list -- we're looking for actual apps that already exist, right?

I'd like:
83. Car starter/door remote
84. laser range finder
Surprisingly unavailable?

 

[jerromyjon]

we're looking for actual apps that already exist, right?

84. laser rangefinder is available: https://www.ryobitools.com/phoneworks/laser-distance-measure/

 

[anorlunda]

Do we need to remove #s 83 & 84? I didn't think this was a wish list -- we're looking for actual apps that already exist, right?

You may be right. The policing I did on that list was very loose. I said no only to those items that were duplicates.

 

[jerromyjon]

83. Car starter/door remote: Viper smartstart (iPhone not included)

 

[GhostLoveScore]

I was wondering how many items would be on the list if we took into consideration how good smartphone is at doing these things, for example, I saw "spectrum analyzer" on the list, but I bet it's not nearly as capable as the cheapest spectrum analyzer. Yes, it has that function, but it's of no use if you can't reliably use it. Otherwise it's just for fun.

 

[jerromyjon]

Otherwise it's just for fun.

Same as the scale... the reviews were terrible but in a pinch it would serve the purpose if accuracy wasn't the highest priority.

 

[jerromyjon]

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-add-on-smartphone-fully-microscope.html
206. Microscope

 

[russ_watters]

I was wondering how many items would be on the list if we took into consideration how good smartphone is at doing these things, for example, I saw "spectrum analyzer" on the list, but I bet it's not nearly as capable as the cheapest spectrum analyzer. Yes, it has that function, but it's of no use if you can't reliably use it. Otherwise it's just for fun.

Old post, but the thread popped back up; I've actually used a spectrum analyzer app a couple of times at work to identify target frequencies and locations for sound attenuation.

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Here's a few rare ones (didn't see above):
1. Mosquito repeller
2. Dog repeller
3. Old away (repelling old people! ... with annoying noise; now why on Earth you want to do that? I have no idea ...)
4. Voice altering device
5. (This one is really cool!: ) CHARGER! (However note: for phones with OTG function only + you need OTG cable, together with your USB charging cable; works as USB charger, and/or with charge cable adaptors you can also charge iphones, ipods etc. + even old phones ...)

Other issue:

https://phys.org/news/2018-02-add-on-smartphone-fully-microscope.html
206. Microscope

Cf. #60 in list earlier above

Edit: I just realized a few more
6. Surveillance camera (& remote controlled)
7. Siren (loud) [not just alarm / e.g. for home or personal protection outdoors]
8. Sports analyser (miles/vs/calories etc.)
9. Adult's magazine and adults video store ...

So 205+9 = 214
[+ bag & space saver! ... because you don't need a bag to carry them ... ⇒ 215 (?)]

 

[berkeman]

So I'm not sure if these applications have been mentioned already in the thread, and they are new product ideas, but here you go:

• Home ultrasound monitor/probe (with dongle) -- lots of applications in sports injury diagnosis and fun for new parents wanting to watch the little one in the womb...
• Home Blood Tester (with dongle) -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_test
• Home Fingertip NMR MRI (with dongle) -- To be able to do blood tests non-invasively...

 

[anorlunda]

So I'm not sure if these applications have been mentioned already in the thread, and they are new product ideas,

Those medical apps could save people millions.

That blood test link has this interesting clause https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_test#Future_alternatives

It sounds clear that many or most future sensors aimed at consumer use would use the smart phone as the user interface (#57 on the list). For example, hearing aids became cheaper and more DIY when they started using smart phones plus bluetooth link to run a hearing test and then to tweak the hearing aids adjustments. Prior to that, it meant a visit to a hearing aid center to do those things.

My friend got a pacemaker. I told his wife to steal the pacemaker's remote and thus turn him into a slave for life. :-)

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Also I use apps for the following:
1. Scanner 2. Fax 3. USB power supply (phones with OTG function only - cf. my previous post): can use for various reasons, e.g. I use it in traveling or in hot weather at work to run small tiny portable USB fans, led lights etc., or even (as said) to charge other phones etc. 4. Safe & Sound app (in case of emergency/danger/lost etc.). 5. Web cameras (around the globe) 6. ISS app 7. NASA app 8. Other Science/update apps (e.g. Solar Kp index, PF app etc.) 9. Tools/multitools 10. Scientific calculator (not just calculator).

Total so far ~ 215+3+10=228 (unless +- partial overlappings etc. or + elaborated categories into single particular apps [e.g. as in @berkeman 's post above])

Gee! We really need/use all this stuff!? Our lives have become that complicated, ha!?

Thus the cell phone/smart phone is clearly a multi-tool!
Perhaps it's easier to iterate the things that a smart phone can't do ...
e.g. #1. vacuum cleaner
But, wait! ... You never know! ... What! Gee ... Oooouuuuuuf... Help! Noooo ... Aaaaaa...

 

[david2]

A chess clock (with increment)

 

[Demystifier]

 

[Stavros Kiri]

View attachment 233271

Well, we still need them to take pictures of them ...! (with our smartphones of course)

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Well, we still need them to take pictures of them ...! (with our smartphones of course)

That was a joke, of course! Actually I am a big fan in still using old gadgets! ...

 

[jedishrfu]

We still need to make them more mobile and self driving aka a real car phone.

 

[Stavros Kiri]

We still need to make them more mobile and self driving aka a real car phone.

View attachment 233312

Car phone or phone car? That's the big issue ...

 

[jedishrfu]

Car phone or phone car? That's the big issue ...

Your humor is killing me.

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Your humor is killing me.

I hope you're serious

 

[Stavros Kiri]

We still need to make them more mobile and self driving aka a real car phone.

View attachment 233312

Car phone or phone car? That's the big issue ...

This is a car phone: (attached to the car, with antenna)
https://www.automotive-fleet.com/147387/cellular-phones-ring-productivity-for-fleets

This is a phone car:
View attachment 233312
See? No joke. I was serious ...

Also, there is a big difference between 'car phone', 'cell phone' and 'smartphone' ...
Check this out:

 

[jedishrfu]

@Stavros Kiri my post was a humorous response about features missing from today's cell phone. I imagined a phone of the future which was truly mobile and would come to the owner or follow them around.

Perhaps I should have used "real" instead of real.

 

[Stavros Kiri]

@Stavros Kiri my post was a humorous response about features missing from today's cell phone. I imagined a phone of the future which was truly mobile and would come to the owner or follow them around.

Perhaps I should have used "real" instead of real.

Ok. Then a 'drone phone' would be better ...

 

[jedishrfu]

Ok. Then a 'drone phone' would be better ...

Yes,

 

[Stavros Kiri]

I imagined a phone of the future which was truly mobile and would come to the owner or follow them around.

Yes,

Seems that your intuition was right and the future is here ...

 

[jedishrfu]

Here’s some more phone gymnastics

 

[anorlunda]

I just gave my son a Wallbot for Xmas. It is an attachment that makes your phone an ultrasound scanner. It finds studs, wires and pipes in walls; both wallboard and concrete walls. It works well.

No skeletons, no critters, found yet.

 

[Stavros Kiri]

+ have we mentioned binoculars app and microscope?

 

[anorlunda]

+ have we mentioned binoculars app and microscope?

Microscope is #60. I don't see binoculars.

 

[jedishrfu]

A spy satellite or aerial archeologist via google maps app.

 

[jedishrfu]

A roving secret camera via google street view.