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Sure, the iPhone’s not big enough to replace a real carpenter’s square, but it kicks the crap out of “that looks close enough” when your square is miles away back in your toolbox. In the picture above I was building a bit of impromptu signage (read: an 8′ tall stand to hold a banner). The result: close enough that it stood straight even in some pretty stiff wind.

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Again, it’s a bit small to replace a ruler or yardstick. But if you need to scribe a line across, say, a 2×4, it works fine. Just remember to use the side without the volume control. Note: If you end up with a few scratches on the back of your iPhone, wear them with pride. At least you’re_ using_ your phone, right?

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This $0.99 app from CirkelSoft leverages the iPhone’s accelerometers to turn it into a fairly effective bubble level. The downside: you need to calibrate the app first with a real level to give it any accuracy. But after calibration it’s always there with you, even when you show up at a friend’s house to hang shelves only to discover that he doesn’t own a level. Doh!

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Want to know for sure if that cold air intake or chip really makes a difference in your car’s 0-60 time? You could spend $200 for a G-Tech Pro Performance Meter (or a ton more for a real dyno session), but the $13 Dynolicious app gives you pretty damn similar data via a device that’s already in your pocket. Besides capturing and displaying various speed and acceleration tests (0-60, 1/4 mile, etc.), it also records and displays lateral and braking Gs — including a real-time graphical skidpad display — and can estimate your vehicle’s horsepower by factoring in acceleration and weight.

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Any camera phone works for snapping quick pix of an item before you take it apart. But unlike most camera phones, the iPhone allows you to pinch-and-pull to zoom in photo detail. Combine this with a pretty large screen (as cell phones go) and the iPhone becomes an asset when you’re re-assembling drum brakes or trying to remember which wire went where behind a car dash