1. Match Paint Colors
Want to paint your walls the same color of green as your throw
pillows? What about making your wainscoting the same color blue as
yesterday afternoon's sky?
With BEHR's ColorSmart mobile app, you can match the perfect paint color. The app is available for iOS and Android devices.
With BEHR's ColorSmart mobile app, you can match the perfect paint color. The app is available for iOS and Android devices.
2. Use Your Phone as a Level
The free iHandy Level app (one of the five
tools included in the iHandy Carpenter toolkit), lets you hang pictures,
align shelves and measure angles accurately.
3. Start Your Car
The Viper Smart Start app lets you start your car remotely. All you
have to do is install the device in your car, and you can warm the
engine on a winter morning while you finish your coffee in the kitchen.
The Viper Smart Start is available on iOS, Android and BlackBerry.
The Viper Smart Start is available on iOS, Android and BlackBerry.
4. Measure Stuff Using Your Camera Lens
Tired of pinching yourself on tape measures? Interested in measuring really tall things? There are several apps that can measure practically anything for you through your camera lens.
Check out Smart Measure Pro (linked above) for Android and Dot Measure Pro for iOS.
Check out Smart Measure Pro (linked above) for Android and Dot Measure Pro for iOS.
5. Create Blueprints (or Design Your Dream Room)
You can use your smartphone for high-level
design with Mark On Call on iOS. Create detailed blueprints for your
project, or mock up that living room you always wanted.
6. Visualize Your Home Using Augmented Reality
In the same design vein as Mark On Call,
uDecore lets you view a real room of your house through your iOS
device's camera and, using augmented reality, visualize different pieces
of furniture and design elements.
7. Monitor Your Heart Rate
Azumio's Instant Heart Rate measures your
heart rate after you place your finger on your smartphone screen for a
few seconds. The app, available on iOS, Android and Windows Phone, was awarded the Best Health & Fitness App in the Mobile Premier Awards in 2011.
8. Use Your Phone as a Remote Control
Odds are you lose track of your remote all the
time, but you probably have your phone by your side at all times.
That's why ThinkFlood's RedEye Mini comes in handy. With a small
infrared device, you can control several devices from the palm of your
hand. Compatible with iOS.
9. Change the Color of Your Lightbulbs
Wouldn't it be convenient to control the brightness and color of your lights from your mobile device? Now you can, with Phillips Hue.
The app and "smart" light bulbs let you adjust the lighting via Wi-Fi
on your iPhone or iPad, and you can also turn your lights on remotely if
you're working late and want it to look like you're home.
10. Program Your DVR Remotely
Do you often forget to digitally record your
favorite shows before you leave the house? With Verizon's FiOS Mobile
Remote app, not only can you control your cable box with your
smartphone, but you can program the DVR when you're away from home. The
app is available for iOS and Android devices.
