What Do Smart Phones (Partially) Replace?

[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.

 

[Stavros Kiri]

A spy satellite or aerial archeologist via google maps app.

That requires access codes (?)

A roving secret camera via google street view.

It won't be live

Also, how about ISS and NASA apps ...

 

[jedishrfu]

That requires access codes (?)

It won't be live

Also, how about ISS and NASA apps ...

Nobody said it has to be live. Google maps sometimes shows some embarrassing stuff that doesn’t get blurred out and the same goes for street view

The photos come from satellites and are released to the public and presented to us by google.

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Nobody said it has to be live. Google maps sometimes shows some embarrassing stuff that doesn’t blurred out. And the same goes for street view

The photos come from satellites and are released to the public and presented to us by google.

But in that sense these apps are already there (via Google maps and Street view). There's also live camera apps and sites, for selected cameras and locations around the globe, accessible with your phone (or computer).

 

[jedishrfu]

But in that sense these apps are already there (via Google maps and Street view). There's also live camera apps and sites, for selected cameras and locations around the globe, accessible with your phone (or computer).

This is true but we see it on our phones. It’s like the tricorder of Star Trek, a somewhat improbable device, but our phones with the help of other devices and web sites on the internet can approximate its capability but in a different way. It could detect nearby life forms whereas the phone thru networking and gps can detect other phone users nearby.

 

[anorlunda]

Mr. Spock would roll over in his grave for one of our modern smartphones.

 

[jedishrfu]

Mr. Spock would roll over in his grave for one of our modern smartphones.

I tend to believe that what we saw on tv was limited to our ability to comprehend and that the devices of Star Trek would be totally beyond our comprehension now.

 

[Vanadium 50]

My smartphone developed a new capability on Monday - brick!

 

[jedishrfu]

My smartphone developed a new capability on Monday - brick!

And if thrown, a flying brick.

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Nobody said it has to be live. Google maps sometimes shows some embarrassing stuff that doesn’t get blurred out and the same goes for street view

The photos come from satellites and are released to the public and presented to us by google.

But only for public accessed areas. No private areas or properties (e.g. in street view), and even the satelite images are not clear, especially for such areas (e.g. including back yards etc.).

Mr. Spock would roll over in his grave for one of our modern smartphones.

He'd probably be reaching for his communicator and tricorder to compare and to make sure he has both with him! (in the grave) ...

 

[Stavros Kiri]

Just "wow!" from me here, for all latest images in this thread ...
The result is still clear and great even after maximum magnification on my screen. Hey! we got an "electronic telescope" that way! ... (thanks to Dave etc. ...)

[https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...photos-and-videos.800540/page-20#post-6112003]
(e.g. for smartphone ...)