Professional and consumer tool brands and retailers have been looking for ways to become a larger part of your day. This is done via apps, social media, and even hardware accessories and cases.
Just today I saw a power tool brand’s newly registered trademark for a stylus product. Not all trademarked products reach the market, but just the fact that such a trademark was filed is significant.
Later this month I will be reviewing Home Depot’s Pro app, which integrates with some of their professional services. A quick preliminary test shows that it incorporates some of the features Home Depot’s mobile site offers.
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A few months ago a tool brand asked for my opinion about what kind of things I would like to see included in a hypothetical mobile app for woodworking.
I use my Android smartphone and iPad to view project sketches and plans, order tools and supplies, take snapshots of interesting tools in the field and at stores, compare products while in-store, and check reference charts. I could even accept payments in the field if I needed to.
With there being such an emphasis these days on apps and mobile sites, I wonder, do you use a smartphone or tablet for your projects or tool-related work? How?
Michael Quinlan
I have several apps that are work related. First, Invoice2go – allows me to create invoices and estimates on site and email them to customers. It also allows me to track expenses (receipts), and time, but I was already using the next app for time tracking before Invoice2go added the ability. Second, Time Recording Pro – allows me check in, check out, record task descriptions, uses GPS to add my location to task notes, syncs with my Google calendar, and can generate daily, weekly, and monthly reports. Third, CamScanner – to keep copies of receipts, “scan” paper documents for emailing (or faxing) from a job site. All have demo or limited-functionality free versions you can try before buying the app.
These are the ones I use pretty much every day.
Stuart
There are a few estimate creation apps, but that one looks quite good. What did you use on the desktop or laptop before moving to Invoice2go?
Michael Quinlan
Prior to Invoice2go I used a spreadsheet to track handwritten invoices prepared on site, with larger projects getting typewritten invoices prepared using a word processor. For my purposes the only thing Invoice2go lacks is the ability to track received payments on a cash basis, so I developed a Google Docs spreadsheet that tracks payments, and automatically applies them to open invoices for the specific customer. Before entering payments I just copy and paste info from Invoice2go into the spreadsheet (invoice, customer, balance due power invoice), select the customer, enter the total payment and date, and the spreadsheet automatically applies the payment to invoices by age until the full value of the payment has been applied. For me, cash basis information is necessary for monthly sales tax submission and income tax purposes.
Clayton
I regularly use the camera to take pictures of things I need to match up, or to coordinate materials and ideas to others. I regularly use it to look up product reviews while I am considering an in-store purchase (and I still purchase in store unless the price difference is huge). I also have the Rigid bubble level app that works sufficiently as a makeshift level. Finally, I use the notepad or a nifty app called My Measures to record measurements. The My Measures app allows you to take a picture and easily insert measurements over top of the photo.
Michael Quinlan
I use the camera quite a bit too, especially panorama and photosphere modes. Now I want to check out the Ridgid and My Measures apps – I hope they’re available for Android.
Clayton
I’m sure the Rigid one is, but I’m not sure about My Measures, I was using them on an iPhone.
Peter
I too use camscanner in conjunction with metro fax (paid service that has an app) as a replacement to traditional dialup facsimile. All my business faxes get emailed directly to me as PDF and with camscanner I can literally photograph the papers I need to fax and send them on over to metro fax.
Michael Quinlan
Cam Scanner has the ability to fax, but at a cost of $1 per page I’m glad to hear about metro fax.
Hang Fire
The continued dependence of general contractors on ancient FAX technology baffles me.
Michael Quinlan
Reliance on fax baffles me too. I only use fax when the recipient requires it. Knowing I CAN fax, and how to do it, gives me more options, but it’s certainly not my preferred method of sending information.
Mac
Couldn’t agree more Hang Fire!
Use Cam Scanner too. I like Evernote a lot also. Very easy to share small group project stuff. IMHO they’re still better than Google, but probably not for long.
Javier
I’ve used an app to draw sketches of flooring layouts that calculate sf. Used android for gps which is the most used function for work. Use the web for locating nearest poi’s such as banks, hardware stores, food. Snap pics of work, photosphere is nice. Showed it to an RE agent/investor and she was wowed by it. Got paid through PayPal on my phone once, didn’t like it much because they charge bogus fees that are a percent of what you earned.
JeffD
When I designed my shop one of my priorities was digitization with function in mind. I built a ITX system that fits in a wall cabinet. Under that cabinet is a swing down 20″ monitor and wireless keyboard. To see plans on a large scale I mounted a 32″ TV in the corner that can be viewed from anywhere in the shop.
Dave
Thanks for the good info on apps for the phone. I just broke down and moved to a smart phone. I like the idea of the invoice app. Keep the info coming. Love this kind of stuff