There's a lot of talk these days about using a smartphone or tablet to monitor and even control automation systems and equipment.

Most of us carry around a phone all the time. It's easy and convenient, and we use it for everything: answering email, taking photos, looking up product specs, taking notes, calculating flow, posting on Facebook, calling home, checking a magnetic field.

More and more we find ourselves mixing business and personal uses on mobile, because they're all there in one handy place.

If you've been thinking about using your mobile phone or tablet to manage your automation system, you may have heard us talk about Opto iPAC and Opto aPAC apps, as well as groov View for iOS and Android. You may be wondering what's the difference in these apps - aside from the make of your phone - and why you would choose one versus another.

As a technical writer here at Opto 22 I often need to write up notes or create tables to understand how products are used and how they compare. Usually these notes and tables turn out to be useful to our customers and staff, too.

So here's a technical note that answers questions about Opto 22 mobile apps, what they're for, and the best ways to use them.