Somebody "smarten" me up

[Goatwhiskers]

Never had much use for "smart" phones, but I think one is about to enter my life. Question is, are some apps that might be useful in the shooting game, and where would you find them? GW

[dilly]

Most useful smart phone feature I've found in shooting is the silent button.

Just kidding; smart phones are actually amazing tools and can do more than most people can dream. However I do take my shooting time as a refrain from the nonstop digital bombardment and that is enjoyable to me.

Taking pictures of targets becomes very easy. There is an app called tapatalk that makes forums a little easier for some people. Some electronic ear muffs have input cables and you can play music or podcasts or sermons or whatever through your muffs while you shoot.

I don't have a chronograph but I imagine the right chronograph could do some amazing things if paired with a smart phone.

[MOcaster]

BulletFlight is a pretty nice ballistics app I use. It has a catalog of almost all the bullets from major manufacturers. You can input environmentals and specific data about your load and it figures drift and drop for you.

[bangerjim]

I use my iPhone for business and hobby. I FACETIME with customers to instruct them how to do things. Send PDF's of product lit. Email from the road. Where ever I am, my office is!

As a hobby, it provides a portable platform to run the alloy calc on in the shop as well as take keep notes and spreadsheets of data, pictures of casting, loading, powder coating, and the like.

I could not live without one. Just avoid all the games and garbage that has "in app" purchases...........can run into a bunch of $$ for what started out as "FREE".

bangerjim

[nagantguy]

Note pad and reminder apps and alarms as well as photos windspeed indicators weather apps, elevation, maps all around good tools if you use them as such, not like the zombies constantly on one chatting or gaming

[Artful]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfaEiZ14_PI
Strelock Pro $12.40 - but worth it

Inclinometer / tilt meter - also acts a level for putting up your targets
and for shooting up and down hill

flashlight app in case you need one

Mil-dot calculator if you have a mil-dot scope

[Harter66]

The free Strelok does enough for me .
Note pad is an essential for me . Mine came with Google Maps installed also very useful if you travel at all. The world's brightest flashlight is handy also . I've been on an actual computer maybe 10 x in the last 4 yrs. I was let down with the latest "up grade" and loosing the off screen key board.
All of the applications mentioned ,at least with Verizon ,can be found on an app plication called "play store" that is preinstalled . For at least the 1st have more data plan than you think you will use ,this is even more important with the 2nd smartphone . The why is that you will consume data loading and reloading apps and recovering directories , and the pictures you will have stored.
Some home wireless servers will need to be connected manually the 1st time on some phones (WiFi) use it when you can. Don't be afraid to dig into texting either 8t can be both a PITA and a huge time saver . Like when the Ms forgets page 2 of the "couple of things from the store as long as you're going to Moe's bait and tackle". When we go to town ,we're 75 miles from Walmart, we use a host of apps for "dinner and a show" as well as look ups while on the road ,like when you loose an alterator at 4 am 80 miles east of Kingman Az west bound. Or when you've just hit the exhaustion limit and need a room . Try several weather apps some will be more accurate for home than others . As long as it keeps it's "swiss army knife" tool status the possibilities are endless as far as useful tools go. I would bet there is a Farmers Almanac app to go with moon phase,sunrise/set ,tides and star charts to go with a self correcting compass and free standing GPS .

[doc1876]

I don't like the idea of the thing telling the world where I am, but the GPS can be used for a calories burner, by keeping track of how far you have walked.

[Skunk1]

Reminders app!! I'd forget everything if I didn't have that now. Although I still carry around a price of paper with some of the same reminders.

[Harter66]

Doc the GPS can be turned off except for 911.

[dragonrider]

I used to have a shot timer app on my phone. and it was free. Very useful at the range.

[Love Life]

Don't forget to take selfies!

[doc1876]

Harter, it usually is. Just saying that the ap is there for someone at the range who is walking back and forth a lot, it can calculate "mileage"