Smart Use Of Smart Phones In The Vineyard

In late May, Apple surpassed Microsoft to become the most valuable technology company in the world, as its shares rose 1.8%, giving Apple a value of $227.1 billion. With the exploding popularity of devices like iPhones and iPads, it’s easy to see how the tides have changed. Smart phones such as iPhones (essentially any mobile device that lets you make calls but also features built-in applications and computer-like functionality) are becoming prevalent everywhere — even on farms. And, they can be extremely useful to growers, if you know how to use them.

“The benefits are numerous,” says Andy Kleinschmidt, Ohio State University Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources. “I have used my smart phone to view insecticide labels when I received questions on a rate of an insecticide to use. Generally speaking, smart phones are a great communication and data management tool. I think of my smart phone as a mini-laptop, and use it as such.”

Kleinschmidt adds that smart phones’ built-in cameras can be great for snapping photos to diagnose problems. “Imagine scouting a crop and seeing an unfamiliar insect chewing on a leaf,” he says. “With a smart phone, it is easy to grab a high-quality digital image and share it with an Extension contact, post it to Facebook, and perhaps share it on your blog asking for someone to help ID the insect, all while standing in the field.”

In addition to the basic functions of the device, applications (or “apps”) create even more capabilities. These downloadable add-ons allow smart phones to perform various functions — like helping to determine irrigation needs, for instance. Kleinschmidt says there are some companies currently developing apps just for irrigation management. “Also, the app world is exploding, so just because I don’t know about any others does not mean something doesn’t exist,” he says.

Choosing A Phone

As for deciding which smart phone to buy, Kleinschmidt suggests first determining which cell phone service provider works best in your area. “For example, the newest phone with all the bells and whistles isn’t of much value without a good signal,” he says. “So start with a carrier that works excellent in your area, then look at smart phones.”

He adds he’s surprised by how durable smart phones have been in the field. He used his last phone, a Samsung Omina, in the field for more than a year without experiencing any problems, and that included dropping it several times. “I recently switched to a Droid Incredible, so I’ll be anxious to see if it is as rugged,” he says.

For growers not currently using a smart phone but who are considering it, Kleinschmidt offers this advice: “Jump in now. The tea leaves are very strongly pointed towards more and more information moving via mobile technologies. In order to capture that valuable information, it is important that you are using the technologies that are receptive to that movement. To me, this is more to do with staying relevant than ‘getting the latest gadget.’ In order to keep up and truly stay relevant in a world that is moving at the speed of information, you must be connected … I’m not saying that if you aren’t using a mobile technology you won’t be relevant; rather, I’m suggesting that mobile technologies will become as commonplace as eMail and desktop computers.”