Spirit levels are a sure-fire way of keeping us all on the straight and narrow. The sight of an uneven shelf or slightly skewed picture frame is enough to drive anybody up the wall and I’m afraid I am one of those individuals that will adjust a piece of art when nobody is looking if I believe it isn’t truly aligned.
Trusting our eyes’ capabilities alone isn’t the most accurate method of testing exactly how straight an object is; however yet again our portable universe of apps includes a smashing portable selection of tools.
On the Level
Modern phones and tablet devices often feature a gizmo called an accelerometer. This detects the slightest of movements and orientation.
iHandy Carpenter offers a selection of five tools that can be used in the real world. The first is of course the trusty spirit level, where I can finally put those slanted demons to rest.
Depending on the orientation of the phone, the virtual spirit level will adjust its perspective. A top down angle will show the complete bubble, while a side view will display the bubble situated to the very upper part of the tube – just as you would expect with the real tool.
It is a beautifully thought out app, with finely detailed imagery and handyman-like tools that ironically you may never use, but will prove to be a good demonstration when showing off the accelerometer technology to great effect. ?
Don’t Rule Out Anything!
Professional carpenters, plumbers and builders may mock these virtual alternatives as they won’t entirely match the usefulness or precision of its conventional equivalents.
The fact of the matter is, our phones have lumps and bumps around the edges due to the various phone controls – interfering with the accuracy of the results. Even with this hurdle the app appeals to the masses and user ratings are generally high.
So we are left with one app, five tools and a very pleasing user experience.
Changing between the selection of tools is easy. Tap the screen and a menu will fade into existence, allowing you to select either the bubble level bar, steel ruler, plumb bob, steel protractor or finally the surface level.
iTunes Store Link: iHandy Carpenter
App Creation Series
There are literally hundreds of thousands of applications and games available to download using the digital marketplace. These range from basic clocks to fully fledged 3D gaming experiences rivalling even the leading portable devices that usually only specialise in this field.
Your challenge is competing with this vast library of already impressive offerings which, although a daunting prospect to the fledgling traveller, can be navigated successfully with the right ideas and implementation. Whether you want to create an income generator or simply desire recognition for your efforts, this book will aim to show you the path and inspire your imagination to overflow with possibilities.
Allow James Woodcock to guide you through the wilderness and raise your chances of realising your development dreams by detailing different routes with this light hearted tour of the Apps terrain. Featuring a myriad of exciting and surprising examples, you can glean important suggestions for your own creation.
App Creation Series Index:
App Creation – Beginners Guide to App Design, Development and Marketing
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