10 Ways To Make A Good Use Of Your Mobile Phone Camera

Mobile Phone is getting more and more advanced by the day. If you’re the type who follows the development of the mobile phones in the recent years, you’ll notice that the competition is fierce. The companies are trying their best to outdo each other and to secure as much market share as they could.

One of the aspect that the manufacturers always push forward is the on-board camera. Back then, the best we could get was a VGA (0.3 megapixel) camera, but nowadays, it goes beyond, some more than 10 megapixels, with more features thrown in – autofocus, ISO control, macro mode and more.

Having a decent camera in your pocket all the time can be put to good use, not only to capture moments of events or embarrassing drunk colleague, but there are many other use of it. Here I am sharing ten of them.

1. Parking Lot Reminder

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How many of us parked our car is a big shopping mall that have almost 8 stories of parking lot, remembered the lot when you leave your car, and forgot them few hours later after all that excitement of shopping and hanging out? I am one of them, and at times I spend almost an hour looking for my car. So why not you snap the photo of the nearest pillar to your car. In case the parking lot is complicated to access, start snapping photos on the way of some key sections that you can backtrack later to get to your car?

2. Future Shopping List

This has to be done with care, as most retail stores prohibit photographs inside their premises. However, when it is possible, and you saw something that you really like but don’t have the dough for it, snap a pic or two of it (perhaps with the name/model included). Not only you can do further research online for the details, but you might just able to get it sooner by looking up best deals online! For this kind of product shot, the macro mode (close-up mode, or some call it ‘the flower mode’) is essential.

3. An Emergency Mirror

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You’ve got a date, or that very important client meeting, you’re rushing for time and do not have enough time to check yourself in a mirror to make sure everything is good, no chili marks on your teeth, your lipstick is good? Your phone can be your mirror! You could snap yourself on the way up in the elevator or right before entering the premise for some quick last minute humiliation-deterring touch ups.

4. Better Way To Explain Hairstyle

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It is irritating when you told your hairstylist to trim or make your hair in such a way, but they always tries to outsmart you by doing it the way they “think” is better for you, ended up with a completely bad hair day or making you look 15 years older. So the next time you went to a salon and they manage to do your hair exactly the way you wanted it to be, take snapshots of it immediately, from the front, top, side and back. Get a friend to help you with it. Next time you could show the photos again to the stylist, or print it out on paper so they get it right this time. Don’t forget to tell them to do it exactly like the photo without needing their unpredictable wisdom.

5. Music Purchase Assistant

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Have you ever browsed a CD store and suddenly bumped into an unknown album by some of your favorite artists? Or perhaps a compilation that contains almost all the songs that you loved? Some people do not like the idea of having a physical CD when they purchase music. Not only it cost more in the end (especially if you only want a few songs), but you might not have all that space to store the CDs? Snap a photo of it, go back home and search on your favorite online music store, like iTunes Store, Windows Live, etc.

6. Photocopy

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This is literally putting the term “photo” and “copy” into one device. You’re browsing a catalogue or yellow pages at a bar, telephone booth or post office and found a contact that you need. Don’t bother jotting it down or reciting it fifteen times to ensure it is embedded in your mind. Chances are you will either loose the written copy and you will get the numbers mixed up in your mind. You don’t want to be accidentally dial a brother while trying to get a TV supplier, right? Snap it up, keep or print it later. Saves time.

7. Parking Lot Abuse

Take a snap of your car all around before you leave it in a packed parking lot. This might be handy for you to prove that someone have failed their driving class and parked their car out of proportion, brushing or denting your car while doing it. Make sure to get the registration plates of the car around you the very least.

8. Recipes Shopping List Assistance

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Making a special dish for dinner tonight? Take a snapshot of the recipe so it will be easier for you to do the shopping lateron. At least you don’t have to run to the store in the middle of cooking to get that one missing item.

9. Disassembly Steps

If you’re an adventurous (and trouble-seeker) when it comes to fixing devices like me, you will snap each step that you took when dismantling that 1000 year old grandfather clock that belongs to god-knows-how-great-grandfather of yours. This is useful for electronics too, as they usually assembled with 40 types of screws in different sizes, threads and lengths. Snap the steps as you are dismantling the item, so you know how to put it back together when you’re done with it, along with the correct screws.

10. Renting or borrowing a car? Snap before you go!

When renting a car, or perhaps borrowing cars from your family or colleagues, you might want to snap the car’s condition entirely before you start driving. This manner, if there is any dispute of damage to the car upon return, you have solid evidence that the damage is already present previously.

These are some of the practical ideas that you can make a good use of your mobile phone camera. Do you have any other good use of the mobile phone camera? Do share!