It’s not in any of the toolboxes or cabinets in the shop. One thing I use all the time around the farm that saves me a lot of time is a simple app on my phone. It’s a flashlight app called Tiny Flashlight, and I love it!
We poke our heads in a lot a small dark places performing maintenance, repairs, and modifications on equipment and buildings on the farm. Before I had a smart phone I always had to make do with the light available or walk from one part of the tool shed to another to pick up the trouble light and then walk back again.
With this handy app I can pull my phone out and get a super bright light to get a better look at what I’m working with. I had a different flashlight app on my Droid up until a few days ago when I did a factory reset on the phone and had to re-install some apps. I thought I’d try a different flashlight this time around and I just now realized that Tiny Flashlight has a widget I can put on my home screen. The widget is an on/off button for the light which saves me even more seconds because I don’t have to open the app drawer anymore, open the app, and choose which type of light I’d like to use. Now I just tap the icon and the LED flash for my camera comes on, providing a super bright light!
Another thing that comes in handy is the camera itself. Sometimes I have to take something apart, and you know how things come up and you don’t get back to what you were doing right away. I like to take pictures of wiring before I undo anything because I’m sure I’ll forget how all the wires are supposed to go back together. When it’s time to rewire I just pull up the picture and put it back the way it was. Actually on Friday I sent a picture of a diagnostic code from the combine to our John Deere dealer so they could call me back when it was convenient and I could carry on doing something else.
What kind of apps do you have on your phone that make your job a little easier?
That would REALLY make my farming experiences go better. Whenever I’m forced into farming I usually have to take the box of broken pieces to the parts store. Now I could just take pictures of them, text them to the parts store and have the part waiting for me!
BTW: I’ve been using my phone as a flashlight for years…just push any key and use the light from the screen.
I started out with just the screen too. The first flashlight app I had turned the screen bright white, but then it got an update where it would use the flash from the camera. Even better!
Farmer D thinks the phone camera is the greatest thing since sliced bread…especially when it comes to electrical work.
I am going to have to download this app! Also looking for new ones. I am a huge fan of photo apps like instagram. It has been a great way to share a piece of farm life with others.
crystalcattle.com
Having been a musician and needing to set up on many dark stages, the small portable light, from whatever source, was an absolute MUST or forget about it! They should really put lights on swiss army knives too! Nice “back to basics” post.
Dad got his first smartphone a few weeks ago. Guess what app I see him using a lot? Flashlight!