Rob Hillstrom
Latest posts by Rob Hillstrom (see all)
- Paraconclusion - March 16, 2015
- Hans Holzer - March 14, 2015
- Carl Gustov Jung - December 8, 2014
Is a “smartphone” part of your investigation kit? If so, why? If not, why? For the purpose of this article, I intend to take a quick look at some of the comments given as reason not to use a smartphone as an investigation tool. I intend to counter these reasons. Not to convince people to use smartphones for paranormal investigation but rather an effort to get people to not hastily dismiss potentially useful equipment.
Smartphones shouldn’t be used for paranormal investigation because…
- …there are apps to create fake ghost images and otherwise prank for entertainment.
People have been using various methods to modify images as long as there have been images to modify. Why apply this bias to smartphones and not all other images? Even further to the extreme, some people dismiss all paranormal oriented apps because some apps are intentionally “misleading” or for entertainment only. If we are to follow this thought, since evidence of any nature can be “fraudulent”; we should dismiss all paranormal evidence. - …they aren’t designed to detect paranormal events.
There is not a single piece of equipment in existence which is designed to detect paranormal events. If we are to dismiss equipment because it isn’t designed to detect paranormal events, then we have no equipment to use. There are various type of equipment intended for use by paranormal investigators but, nothing about such equipment is designed to detect paranormal events. - …they don’t include the necessary technology.
As far as necessary technology goes, yes, smartphones do contain the technology to work similar to many other pieces of equipment. The venerable K2 has very similar circuitry compared to what can be found in smartphones. Apps for EMF, audio, vibration, etc…rival some of the functionally similar equipment paranormal investigator desire most. Smartphone cameras now rival many cameras paranormal investigators use without questioning a single image. - …cell phone signals interfere with other equipment in use.
Don’t use a smartphone simultaneously with other equipment that is obviously effected by the use of the smartphone. Or, use an older smartphone that is no longer connected to a network; load the desired apps from wifi.
In conclusion, use what ever equipment provides results you suspect may be leading to something meaningful. The paranormal community will continue to disagree on a “best approach”. If a smartphone app helps with some aspect of an investigation, use it. Can a smartphone be the only equipment a paranormal investigator uses? Yes. Should use of smartphone apps be avoided? No. Should it be the only equipment used? Probably not.