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

[penobscotsolar at midmaine.com]

I use a Blackberry Curve (T Mobile) because we do a fair amount of out of
the country work and its WiFi capability has saved me a ton of money. I
can make long distance calls from any wirelessly connected hotel room,
etc. for the cost of ten dollars a month. The Curve with the GPS does not
have this capability. The IPhone has an app which can be downloaded that
does.
I also find that receiving emails can be a blessing and a curse. It is
nice to be able to handle issues as they arise when I have immediate
access to my Penobscot Solar emails. Of course, I also get every Wrench
List post to it as well :-), but the balance is to the favorable for me.
I suppose this issue is Wrench specific as much as anything, but there´s
my two cents...
Daryl DeJoy
NABCEP Certified PV installer
Penobscot Solar Design




> 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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