Geek Guide: How to Use Your Smartphone for Unconventional Hobbies
Our mobile phones today are more than just gadgets for communication and entertainment. In the hands of experienced users, they become real multifunctional tools that can realize the most unusual ideas. For example, today smartphones and applications for collectors is the new black in numismatics, because now due to a smartphone you can quickly learn the features of a unique commemorative coin Edith Kanaka’ole Quarter, which represents important moments in the history of Hawaii.
Not long ago, you wouldn’t have believed that you could use your smartphone to create augmented reality, analyze the composition of metals, or even control conditions in a smart terrarium. However, these possibilities are becoming available today. So now we would like to discuss in more detail how your Android smartphone can be used for out-of-the-box hobbies and creative projects.
AR and VR on Smartphone: Everything from Mapping to Digital Art
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are no longer something distant and complex, available only to developers and large corporations. Now we all have the possibility to use these technologies for a variety of purposes, for example, AR and VR are now available to everyone via smartphones. But how can these capabilities be used for exciting and unconventional hobbies?
Creating AR maps and 3D models
The possibilities that AR opens up for smartphone users are truly limitless. For example, using AR for mapping or modeling opens up many interesting possibilities:
- Travel lovers can create personalized AR maps with marked landmarks.
- Architects and designers use AR applications to visualize projects in real space.
- Coin and antique collectors can digitize their exhibits in 3D and even hold virtual exhibitions.
Useful apps for creating AR maps and 3D models:
| Apps | Features |
| Polycam | Turns photos of objects into 3D models, creates virtual 3D models |
| Google ARCore | Embeds AR-objects into the surrounding world, allowing you to see them on your smartphone screen |
| RealityScan | Turns multiple photos of objects into 3D models using photogrammetry |
AR in art: digital galleries
By the way, augmented reality is actively used in the art sphere as well. Contemporary artists are actively using AR to create interactive works. For example, the Artivive app allows you to superimpose animations onto paintings, while SketchAR allows you to project drawings onto canvas for easy outline transfer.
Interesting fact: In 2021, more than 2.5 million AR objects were sold as NFTs. This shows how much augmented reality technology is making its way into art and collecting.
Smartphone as a Tool for Science and Research
Do you know that you can use your phone also as a powerful tool for scientific experiments, research and analysis? Combined with available apps and optional accessories, it can become a real laboratory in your pocket.
Analyzing Metals with Sensors
Every smartphone is equipped with many sensors, and one such useful tool is a magnetometer. This tool measures magnetic fields, and is used to analyze the metals that make up various items (including coins). Due to this feature people (especially collector lovers) can easily learn more about the authenticity of their finds or find out what metals were used in a coin.
The principle of work:
- Download and install the Physics Toolbox Magnetometer app or similar.
- Open the app and turn on the magnetic field sensor.
- Bring your smartphone close to the coin and the app will show the magnetic field level.
If a coin or object reacts to a magnet, it may mean that it contains ferromagnetic metals – such as iron or nickel. However, if a coin does not react to a magnet, it means that it does not contain ferromagnetic elements, and is likely made up of precious metals – such as gold or silver – that do not interact with a magnetic field.
Lifehack: If you need to not only assess the metal composition, but also quickly get information about the value, design or rarity of a coin, use the Coin ID Scanner app. Just scan coins by photo and get information about them along with some nuanced information, e.g., their market value, history, and rarity.
Biological Experiments with Smartphone Camera
By the way, additionally to using sensors, a smartphone camera can be a powerful tool for biological research. With an additional lens that can be attached to the camera (such as the lens from a laser pointer or professional microscope), the smartphone becomes a full-fledged digital microscope. A smartphone camera with an enhanced lens can magnify the image up to 120 times, which opens up a wealth of research possibilities.
What can you study with your smartphone camera?
- Plant and leaf structure: See the cells and veins on leaves, which is useful for botanists and gardeners.
- Insects and microorganisms: Insects and microorganisms: Study microscopic life, if you are an entomologist or a nature lover.
- Water quality: Check for pollutants and microbes in water, which is important for environmentalists and residents of areas with water supply problems.
Turning a Smartphone into a Retro Gadget
Smartphones allow us to enjoy modern games but also take us back to the era of retro gaming. For many people who grew up on classic consoles like NES, SNES and Sega, being able to play their favorite old games anytime is a real boon.
Emulation of Old Consoles
Emulation is the process of creating a virtual copy of an old game console on another device, such as a smartphone. This allows you to run games designed for older consoles without having the console itself. All you need to do is download the emulator and the ROM file of the game, and now the game you used to play on your old TV appears on the screen of your smartphone.
Fans of retro games can enjoy such classic games as Super Mario, Sonic, The Legend of Zelda and others on their modern devices. By the way, according to analytics company Newzoo, the market for retro games in the world continued to grow in 2021, and this is due to the popularity of emulators and re-releases of classic games on new platforms. And some old console games, such as Super Mario Bros. or The Legend of Zelda for the NES, have become valuable collector’s items. In some cases, the value of original cartridges can exceed several thousand dollars, and interest in such collections is only growing.
Lifehack: To make the game on your smartphone more comfortable and closer to the real console gameplay, use a Bluetooth gamepad. Connect it to your smartphone to enjoy the game without relying on a touchscreen (which can sometimes be awkward for older games where accuracy and speed of button presses matter).
The Future in the Pocket
Smartphones aren’t just tools for work and communication, they’re also the key to a world of out-of-the-box hobbies. From retro games to science experiments, from AR galleries to metal analysis, the possibilities are endless, all you need is imagination and a willingness to experiment. So just dare, try and create!