[RE-wrenches] Is a Smart Phone a Useful Tool in PV?

[Joel Davidson]

Dan,

I used a hackberry from 2003 to 2007 for phone calls, voicemail messages from worldwide time zones, emails w/o attachments and lots of typos, PV system problem alarms, and occasional internet use (like booking a flight on line while standing in line at the airport, finding phone numbers, etc.). We planned to use hackberries for roof-to-office transfer of site photos, short movies, and other info to speed up estimates but that never happened. We went almost everywhere with our hackberries to the point where most of us felt phantom hip vibrations when not packin' the darn thing. Now I am back to using a cell phone, separate camera, and handwritten field notes. When designing and quoting PV systems to last for decades, speed in the field is less important than time to think (like during the drive back to the shop and overnight). I am interested in hearing otherwise from hackberry devotees.

Joel Davidson
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Cvsolar2 at aol.com 
  To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org 
  Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2009 11:14 AM
  Subject: [RE-wrenches] Is a Smart Phone a Useful Tool in PV?


  Hey Everybody;
         I'm trying to justify switching to smart phone technology. (BlackBerry Curve.) My Immediate supervisor just gets this "I don't know Dan" look on her face. Others question the need for that level of communication in the field. Good point. But I can kinda rationalize the argument both ways. What can I reasonably expect to get out of this thing for the $$? (that I can't do with a phone). Is there a "killer app"? The GPS stuff looks cool. The calendar -- maybe. A contact manager? I pretty much work out of a Hand book/scheduler now. and doing OK with it. (Whole lot easier to make corrections with an eraser -- shoot, I can hardly even see that little key pad -- Yes, I should get new glasses) I can see where the ability to exchange files could be helpful.
  I guess I'm just a bit gun shy maybe. I remember "Back in the day," when personal computers were making their grand debut, I was seeing so much "stuff" coming and going (Remember FORTRAN, COBOL and BASIC? or the 6502?) So I decided to study Assembly, but looking back, even that degree was pretty much obsolete the day I stepped off the stage. Let's just say I'm a bit apprehensive.

  Anyway,  I thought this might be a good forum to turn to for insight. thanks db 

  Dan Brown
  President
  Foxfire Energy Corp.
  Renewable Energy Systems 
  (802)-483-2564
  www.Foxfire-Energy.com
  NABCEP #092907-44


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