5 Apps to Help You Earn an Electrical Engineering Degree
Studying for a degree today is very different to what it was like to study degree a decade ago. Technology has rapidly changed what it means to be a student, as well as the relationship between students and the knowledge they are seeking. These days, it’s all about having access to the right apps. Calculators are still cool, obviously, but a smartphone can do everything they do and more.
Here are 5 apps that every electrical engineering student needs on their smartphone.
Evernote
Evernote has become a mainstay of many students’ smartphone app library, and it is not hard to see why. Evernote is a deceptively simple idea; it is a digital notebook that, thanks to cloud storage, students can access from anywhere.
But what makes Evernote so special is its execution. Evernote is an excellent example of simplicity and ease of use over frivolous add-ons. Everything in Evernote is simple to do, but of great value to the user. Whether you need to scribble down some quick notes and sketches or you want to make a more detailed record, Evernote is ideally suited to both tasks.
If you prefer to make your notes by hand, Evernote will still provide you with an elegant archiving solution. In fact, Evernote has an optical character recognition system that is growing more sophisticated by the day. You will need to have a premium account in order to take advantage of this feature, but it is something that lots of professionals and students will find useful.
Evernote is a platform-agnostic service, meaning that you can access it on just about any device. Both the major app stores carry it, it supports Windows, Mac, and Linux, and there is a web interface for a browser version. This means that you never have to worry about losing access to a single device and therefore all of your notes and files.
Hex Converter Plus
Hex Converter Plus is more than a simple A to B (0 to 1?), number translator. Not only does it enable the user to convert between a variety of number systems – decimal, binary, even ASCII, but the app supports all the usual functions that you would expect of a scientific calculator, as well as support for up to five lines of digits after the decimal point.
In electrical engineering, you will often find yourself having to work outside of the familiar decimal number system. Having a handy all-in-one converter means that you never have to find yourself flummoxed by conversion from one number system to another. Hex converter plus is more than just a functional converter and includes just about every additional feature that an electrical engineering student could possibly want.
Electrical Technology
Electrical technology is another all-in-one solution, this one focused on common electrical engineering calculations. A big advantage of this app over many similar ones is that this one is all offline. There are lots of revision apps that utilize the cloud in order to provide users with a constant stream of new content. While this has its advantages, it also means that those with unreliable internet connections are subjected to unreliable service.
Not only does the app contain a calculator that enables you to simply input variables and instantly see how they connect to one another, but it also provides you with some basic tutorials and lessons that students will find useful. After all, a calculator alone is not a very good teaching tool. It is important to understand at least in principle how it gets from one number to another.
One final advantage of this app is that it is completely free to download and use, and the developers have pledged that it will remain free.
ElectroDroid
This is another simple yet incredibly useful collection of concepts in electrical engineering. Using ElectroDroid, you can learn all about the most important subjects that you will cover over the course of an electrical engineering degree. Each concept has its own section and assumes a minimal amount of prior knowledge enabling you to get started as quickly as possible. The tutorials themselves are of a high quality, and this app makes for an excellent reference throughout your degree.
If you choose to study a masters in electrical and computer engineering online and earn your degree remotely, ElectroDroid will provide you with an excellent tool for ensuring that you are understanding all the concepts that you encounter correctly. With an online degree, it can be hard to get feedback quickly when you have questions or concerns. Having something on-hand to help you help yourself answer your own questions will enable you to become a more independent learner.
Electronic Circuits
The Electronic Circuits app is designed for complete beginners and is perfect for those who are waiting to begin the electrical engineering degree. More experienced students will still find value in this app as it will enable them to rapidly refresh their memories if they are drawing a blank on any concepts.
The range of lessons available ensures that all your bases will be covered. The app pairs well with a circuit building kit as it will tell you how to put together a number of simple but useful circuits.
Modern students need modern solutions to the problems they face. Over the course of an electrical engineering degree, new concepts will be flying at you thick and fast. If you are to have any chance of absorbing all of this information as it washes over you, you are going to need to have some tools in your tool kit, or should that be an app kit?
The apps listed above are just some of those that we think students will find beneficial, but there are many more out there. Explore your device’s apps, and ask around any online forums or other places where you might be able to get some tips directly from other students. Do you have any apps that you swear by? Let us know.
