Admit it, the iPhone in your pocket is like a Swiss Army Knife - it’s easy to carry and has a tool for almost every job; oh yeah, and it makes phone calls too. A ruler isn’t something you need all the time but oh-so-important when you do. So why not have an app that takes precise measurements? That’s where Ruler 2, by Andrew & Alexa, comes into play - its simple, easy to use and precise for not being an physical analog ruler. The UI elements are large, easy to read and retina display ready. The ruler has a great texture and looks very lifelike and the little cog wheels give the slider realistic movements.
When you first launch the app, it plays an embedded ‘How-To’ video that shows you how to get started. First - decide what unit of measurement you want, inches or centimeters, by touching the toggle switch on the slider. I would like to see more options for measurements like points and picas but that’s just me - I have a BA in Graphic Design. If you have an object that is less than 3 inches (or 7.5 cm) it’s very easy, just line the object up to the top of the iPhone screen and drag the blue slider to the right. For objects larger that your iPhone, use your iPad, it’s a universal app! All kidding aside, when measuring objects longer than your iPhone’s screen, swipe the ruler to the left to extend it one length and then move your iPhone, keeping track of where the left side of the screen should be with your finger. This was a bit confusing to start but the video shows how to do this. It isn’t the most accurate method for large objects but it works, I still prefer to use my tape measure for large objects.
It also has a built-in folder to store measurements so you don’t have to write them down. After completing your measurement, you can save it two ways, simply tap the measurement reading and the Copy/Save comes up or tap the folder icon in the lower right and a sheet of virtual graph paper slides up - very slick. Tap the ‘plus’ symbol to name and save your measurement; if you need to delete a saved measurement, tap the ‘pencil’ icon and tap the ‘minus’ arrow. Another little treat is that the folder view gives you the total measurements for the list, very handy.
Overall, the app just simply works. It’s meant for measuring objects and that’s exactly what it does. When you need to measure something ‘in a pinch’, Ruler App is there.
The makers of Ruler 2 are also having a contest - “In celebration of our release, we’re giving away a brand new iPod touch (with Retina display & FaceTime), iPod nano, Apple TV, and iPod shuffle! Visit our website to enter. http://rulerapp.com”
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