Written by: gproudley
9/8/2008 3:30 PM

My cell phone of a year and a half recently broke. There was nothing special about it. It was petty much bottom of the line stuff. I liked it though. It was sleek and functioned well. When I went to replace it, I figured I would get something similar, perhaps with MP3 capabilities so I could listen to music while jogging and not miss any calls. What I was met with was a barrage of new Smartphones, all unique in their own ways, but all the same in that they were able to have any number of applications added on to them afterwards.

In the end, I didn't get my basic “candy bar” phone with MP3 capabilities. I went with the iPhone 3G, and I must admit, I have enjoyed everything about it ever since (except for the extra monthly fees that allow me to use all the bells and whistles of course). It is a beautiful thing for anybody that requires access to the information super highway at the touch of his or her fingers.

It is of course a cell phone. And like many other cell phones, it has a camera; can send and receive text messages, voicemail and phone calls; and can play MP3s. And like other Smartphones, you can browse the Internet, send and receive emails. But where Smartphones really shine is with their high level of customizability to suit user specific needs. This is done through add-on applications, or simply “apps”.

My iPhone came with some pretty standard apps, including weather, stocks, GPS and a YouTube application. But I have since added many more, including a Facebook app, a horoscope app, movie listings, an instant messaging app, and many “fun” applications. ( By the way, UrbanSpoons is a must have for anybody that regularly dines out ). However, amidst all this fun, I couldn't help but wonder what kinds of apps are available for engineers.

So I began my search on iTunes (keeping in mind that I have an iPhone). In my efforts, I had hoped to find several free apps that I could plug, but had a hard time finding many apps aimed at engineers in general, let alone of the free variety. I did manage to find a few, but most would fall under the category of calculators or unit converters. With that in mind, here are a handful of those I thought might be the most useful to engineers on the job:

iResistors : You can “swipe” on the colored bands of resistors and the Ohm value will change accordingly. Cost: Free.

Heat (temperature converter): Convert temperatures between Fahrenheit, Celsius, Kelvin and Rankin in seconds with a simple, intuitive interface. It also includes a four-function calculator for using different values in the same equation. Cost: Free.

SplashKey : SplashKey is an app that generates strong, random passwords based on user-selected criteria. It allows you to compare relative strength of varying length and complexity settings, as well as distribute the password securely to via email to those that need it. Cost: Free.

Classic RPN Calculator : A Reverse Polish Notation calculator that features a four level stack, a generous classic-style display and 10 storage registers. It also features all common logarithmic and trigonometric functions, supports more than a dozen conversion routines for weights, lengths, consumption, etc. A special engineering display mode and functions allow for the conversion between polar and rectangle coordinates. Cost : $0.99.

A similar calculator called PCalc is also available for $0.99.

i41CX+: i41CX+ goes beyond the above RPN calculators by including a virtual printer/plotter and supporting over 200 built-in functions and 319 registers of main memory. This is the perfect scientific calculator for any scientific, engineering, mathematical, financial or academic application. Cost: $7.99.

Equivalence : Equivalence is a conversion tool designed by engineers for engineers. With an extensive library of over 260 units in 31 categories, it is the last converter you will ever need. Cost : $4.99.

Grafunc : Grafunc is a 2D function plot application that can be used to visualize multiple functions at the same time and solve for roots, function intersections and min/max points. It's great for both the professional and student.

Slide Rule : A basic slide rule ( slipstick ) simulator consisting of 3 linear strips and sliding cursor used for multiplication, division, square, cube square root, cube root and so on. This version supports 900 pixels. A must have for every engineer involved in engineering design or surveying, if only for the novelty. Cost : $0.99.

Flow : Flow is a fluid dynamics app that implements 1D compressible flow equations, normal and oblique shock relations, laminar and turbulent flat plate boundary layer development, standard atmosphere modeling, and the gas properties of air at sea level. This app is perfect for aerospace and mechanical engineering professionals and students working in fluid dynamics. Cost : $4.99.

These are of course are only apps available on the iPhone. There are likely many more out there for the iPhone, as well as for other Smartphones. Please feel free to comment on this blog and mention your favorite engineering apps for your Smartphone, be it an iPhone, a Blackberry or something else altogether.

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