The phone’s camera it is more than just a goal to capture memories. You probably already know this: You can deposit checks, import business cards, and look for constellations in the night sky. But with some smart ideas or the right tools, you can do so much more.
Use your camera roll to get quick notes
I use my camera to remember things more often than to take real photos. Not only do I store pictures of my license plate, health insurance card, and other information on Evernote (thanks to my camera), but I also keep a lot of short-term stuff in the camera roll. Taking pictures is often a quick way to take a note without spending five minutes writing. Need to remember where you parked in the mall structure? Take a picture of the sign when you touch the elevator. Need an easily accessible mall map while shopping? Take a photo of the kiosk (which seems to never exist when you need it). If you keep track of your caloric intake throughout the day, take photos of your nutrition labels and consolidate them in the evening. When I disassemble computers, I often take pictures of each step, so if I get caught putting it back together, I have a visual guide to refer to. Never forget that you have an endless roll of movies in your pocket.
View your home furniture
It’s not just about taking pictures – modern phones are much more powerful than they used to be. With augmented reality, you can impose digital information on top of the real world as it is viewed through the camera lens. For example, if you look at some furniture but want to see if it really relates to its environment, some apps (including Amazon and IKEA Place) allow you to take advantage of your phone’s augmented reality capabilities to make a digital representation of that table. of the center of your living room. It does not necessarily work for all the furniture available in the store and IKEA offers this service only to IOS users, but it is very useful for those who have access to it.
Look for products based on a photo
Suppose you have the opposite problem: you see a piece of furniture, an art, or something else at a friend’s house and have no idea where they bought it. Some apps, like eBay and Wayfair, allow you to take a picture of something and search for it on their platform. You may not find an exact replica, but you may find something similar, or it may provide you with the right words to deepen your search and find exactly what you are looking for.
Try glasses, clothes and makeup before you buy
Other brands have begun to incorporate augmented reality, albeit somewhat slowly. Warby Parker, for example, allows you to virtually “test” different frames so you can narrow down your selection before ordering a few pairs to test at home. Google now works with cosmetic companies to offer virtual tests when looking for certain types of makeup and L’Oreal allows you to do something similar on the desktop (it also supports hair colors). Other apps, such as Zeekit, allow you to try on clothing from some popular brands, but we still hope this idea gains strength among major clothing retailers.
Share your Wi-Fi connection with a QR code
It’s not exactly a trick for that Yours camera, but rather for your friends ’cameras: if your home network has a long, complex, and unique password, it’s annoying to give it to friends and family to come. Instead of reciting your long password, print it as a QR code using a tool like QiFi. When scanned with the phone, it will connect automatically, without the need to type. You can even buy luxury Wi-Fi QR images and magnets on Etsy, designed for short-term vacation rentals.
Scan documents to PDF
Scanners are simply the worst. Running my printer / scanner is like trying to train a starfish to jump through hoops. Nowadays, the phone’s camera can do it decently; just take Adobe Scan and you can convert any document into a clean PDF to send to anyone. If you want to export it as an editable document, apps like Microsoft Office Lens and ABBYY FineScanner can give you a lot more control.
Get a better view of hard-to-reach places
I’m ashamed to admit how often I use my camera to find an HDMI port on the back of a dark closet. Or to find out which cables correspond to which terminals on the back of that tall outdoor speaker. Or to find the serial number on my printer, stored in a closet. Instead of pulling out the whole subject to see what happens, I can grab the camera, reach for my arm back, and take a few pictures, hoping for the best. (In a similar vein, I’ve seen people use it on small restaurant menus when they forget to wear reading glasses.)
Translate signs and other texts in real time
Traveling to another country can be stressful if you don’t know the language, and while it helps you learn a little before you go, apps like Google Translate can help. Not only can you type or say something to be translated into the language you want, but you can point the camera at a sign, menu, or other snippet of real-world text and translate it on the fly.
Get help doing your math homework (or a Sudoku puzzle)
At some point in your math career, a calculator just starts to feel limited. After all, how does it help you know the answer if you don’t know how it came about? Photomath is an augmented reality app that lets you take a picture of a math problem and see the steps that lead to the answer. It can handle simple problems as well as more complex functions such as logarithms, trigonometry and even differential equations. Oh, and during break hours, there are even apps that can help you solve your Sudoku.
Check if your TV remote control needs batteries
Finally, here is something decidedly low-tech. If the TV remote does not work, you can quickly open the phone’s camera, point it, and press the power button; if you see infrared light appear in the camera application viewfinder, you will know that the remote still sends signals (and the TV receiver may be locked). If you do not see the infrared light, your remote may need new batteries. Be sure to try the power button, as some features may not use infrared on modern TVs, and if you have problems with the rear-facing camera, try the selfie camera; it may be more sensitive to infrared light.
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