It’s not exactly a newsflash to say that smartphones are useful to have around. What you might not have thought about, however, is that smartphones are nothing short of phenomenal at the workbench. The list of things these phones are useful for is as long as your arm. I won’t be able to touch on everything of course, but I’ll highlight a few of my favorites.
If you’re a regular RC Car Action Magazine reader, you’ve probably already know that you can use a smartphone as an electronic level to measure and adjust suspension settings, such as camber. Really though, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re doing a major disassembly, use your phone’s camera to take pictures as you work so that you don’t get lost putting everything back together. Discover a broken part in the process? Order a replacement online without even leaving your seat. Smartphones are also a great place to keep setup notes – that’s one less thing you have to remember to bring with you to the track. You can download instruction manuals, view exploded parts diagrams, and look up factory settings. Last but not least, smartphones are excellent for providing those all-important workbench tunes.
Although not strictly related to time at the bench, you can also browse hobby-related forums, monitor the auction for that used RC gear you’re bidding on, and set up bash days with your friends. When the weather’s bad and your race day is cancelled, there’s quite a few decent radio-controlled car racing games available on many smartphones. If you have an iPhone, definitely grab the RC Car Action app and keep up to date on the latest RC news anywhere you go.
A smartphone is a powerful tool for any hobbyist to have handy, especially at the workbench. Just remember that a phone makes a very poor soldering iron rest. Don’t ask.
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