Apex V6 Question

[Randall Garrett]

FWIW, Robert tells me that he did another video. Keep in mind that this is just a "Sneak Peak" thing, and not meant to be a full showcase or very detailed. As before, comments appreciated.

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/htt

 

[Mike Ault]

Excellent! (So is is the video by the way). The ability to grab a line segment that is anchored on both ends and move it around at will is what was referred to as "windows stretch" in the old CAD software I use to sketch with and is incredibly handy, if you decided that your bedroom needed to be a little bigger but that would require you to move the bathroom up as well you could just draw a window around the whole area and stretch it up 2 feet and not have to redraw a thing. Kudos for including that on this release! It looks like the functionality of your android sketcher has made it to the windows version, any word on how the two versions will interact for us lazy folks that don't want to do the time to research it ourselves? The reason I ask is I have just gotten accustomed to the android version however I want to upgrade Apex six as soon as possible. Can Apex 6 convert the android AMS file into a usable format like version 5 does?

 

[Randall Garrett]

Thanks Mike.

With respect to the "windows stretch", I understand what you mean. What Robert has shown to date is just a benefit to something we put in this engine quite a while ago - I'm sure his more detailed videos, as well as the webinars they are lining up to do, will show more ways to use that functionality.

With respect to MSA functionality coming into Av6, that is true. Our aim was to combine the best features from "old" (legacy) Apex with some newer stuff from more recent MobileSketch products, all in one product so folks would not need to use two separate products like they do now. We'll still have a MobileSketch line for lighter weight platforms/devices, but Apex v6 should be just as easy to use as the MSA product, plus be able to do more. As far as reading AMS files, I've not tested that myself, but I'm sure that if that is not there now, we can add it. The goal, however, of Av6 is to allow folks to use inexpensive Windows Tablets (like covered in the other popular thread here) instead of iOS or Android tablets. Hence, the focus is on getting the right mix of features & functionality down first, then add other file read/write in an update. Please excuse my poor wording here - I could surely say this better... I'll look into it for you though

Right now, I'm more curious how folks react to the "style" of the videos - we're not trying to market, or "convince" you (not now, at least, LOL) - it's just a formal announcement, an "admission" if you will, that a new version is actually about to be announced. We first started mentioning it a couple of years (?) ago, but things got delayed due to some requirements by folks outside of this industry (plus our own tendency to simply take too long, LOL) so we just wanted to say "Yup, it is real, and we're about to release it." I think that means that we'll be doing some ads soon - and hopefully those have more feature/benefit content. I suspect, we'll not hit that out of the park (advertising is just not in my appraiser-DNA) and we'll do most of the feature/benefit thing during free webinars, etc., but hey - what do I know? LOL

Regards,

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

 

[RickM]

The ad from Working RE sold me. Hopefully it will work that easily, unless my Samsung Galaxy Note 8 can't handle it.

 

[Randall Garrett]

Hey Rick,

Sorry so late in responding. I don't believe your Samsung is running Windows - isn't it running Android? Apex v6 is a Windows program, not an Android App, so it requires a Windows 8 (runs on Windows 7 and Windows 10) device - desktop, tablet (pen and/or touch), etc. Many things you may have become used to in MSA (MobileSketch for Android) will be very familiar but if you want to run Av6 in the field, you'll need to get a Windows tablet such as I've been covering in the Windows 8 tablets for fieldwork thread. If you like the 8" form factor (like I, and many others do), you might want to look at something like the HP Stream 8 that I linked to that is (was?) only $80. I prefer the one with built-in free 4G for about $100 more. I'd start checking the thread starting in more recent months (it is quite lengthy) but going back a bit will add some perspective - and more devices covered/linked. I'd start here as it mentions some recent & very inexpensive 8" devices: http://appraisersforum.com/forums/threads/windows-8-tablets-for-fieldwork.191490/page-43

Note that most of these super inexpensive tablets are touch only (no pen), so if you like the pen aspects (many do), you'll end up paying more (duh!, LOL) and the choices are fewer. One that I have recently been enjoying is the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 (8) mentioned yesterday in post #438. I paid $250 direct from Lenovo. The pen not a true Active Pen like the Wacom in your Note, bit for most people, it may be acceptable given the low price. I know of a few other 8" Windows devices with pens, but if it were me and I wanted something in the 8" class with true Active Pen right now, I think I would either wait for the Windows 10 ones or go with a less expensive Windows 8 tablet for the time being. I'll be testing another excellent 8" tablet with active pen later next week, and that looks to be a good solution for you - but I simply have not tested it myself yet.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.


-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

 

[RickM]

Hey Rick,

Sorry so late in responding. I don't believe your Samsung is running Windows - isn't it running Android? Apex v6 is a Windows program, not an Android App, so it requires a Windows 8 (runs on Windows 7 and Windows 10) device - desktop, tablet (pen and/or touch), etc. Many things you may have become used to in MSA (MobileSketch for Android) will be very familiar but if you want to run Av6 in the field, you'll need to get a Windows tablet such as I've been covering in the Windows 8 tablets for fieldwork thread. If you like the 8" form factor (like I, and many others do), you might want to look at something like the HP Stream 8 that I linked to that is (was?) only $80. I prefer the one with built-in free 4G for about $100 more. I'd start checking the thread starting in more recent months (it is quite lengthy) but going back a bit will add some perspective - and more devices covered/linked. I'd start here as it mentions some recent & very inexpensive 8" devices: http://appraisersforum.com/forums/threads/windows-8-tablets-for-fieldwork.191490/page-43

Note that most of these super inexpensive tablets are touch only (no pen), so if you like the pen aspects (many do), you'll end up paying more (duh!, LOL) and the choices are fewer. One that I have recently been enjoying is the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 (8) mentioned yesterday in post #438. I paid $250 direct from Lenovo. The pen not a true Active Pen like the Wacom in your Note, bit for most people, it may be acceptable given the low price. I know of a few other 8" Windows devices with pens, but if it were me and I wanted something in the 8" class with true Active Pen right now, I think I would either wait for the Windows 10 ones or go with a less expensive Windows 8 tablet for the time being. I'll be testing another excellent 8" tablet with active pen later next week, and that looks to be a good solution for you - but I simply have not tested it myself yet.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.


-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

Thanks, I'm sure there will be more questions later. I tried to keep up with windows 8 thread but it lost me since I wasn't interested in buying a new device. Maybe now I'll pay more attention The data plan for my tablet runs out in July. The new sketch sketch program looks like it may be easier to use with MSA once the sketch is on the desktop.

 

[Randall Garrett]

RickM,

Yeah, the Win 8 Tablet thread has gotten pretty lengthy and can meander off course, making it tough for folks to get relevant and/or timely info. I'm thinking of rebooting it and adding other tablets & mobile devices so folks won't have to wade through years of old stuff.

Question for you... With your Note, are you using the pen much or is the data plan thing more important? Depending on your answers & needs, I may have a recommendation for you


Regards,

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

 

[RickM]

RickM,

Yeah, the Win 8 Tablet thread has gotten pretty lengthy and can meander off course, making it tough for folks to get relevant and/or timely info. I'm thinking of rebooting it and adding other tablets & mobile devices so folks won't have to wade through years of old stuff.

Question for you... With your Note, are you using the pen much or is the data plan thing more important? Depending on your answers & needs, I may have a recommendation for you


Regards,

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

I don't use the pen much, when I need to get in tight places on a sketch or move quickly thru check boxes in the inspection form and as a matter of fact I lost my second stylus yesterday. I'm not attached to it and use the touch pad most of the time with the sketch. It's clumsy to hold the tablet, laser and/or tape and stylus at the same time while measuring. I was intrigued by being able to put the dimensions on the line with the stylus. I'm not attached to my data plan either and have it only because I got the Galaxy Note as a premium from AT&T when buying my son's new phone. I won't miss the monthly fee and don't always e-mail the sketch or upload the Phoenix file from the field. I think that having the mobile sketch be more compatible with the desktop version would be a great improvement and worth the change. I often have to edit and recreate areas after putting the mobile sketch in the computer and not all features, such as move area w/contents, work.

 

[Randall Garrett]

I don't use the pen much, when I need to get in tight places on a sketch or move quickly thru check boxes in the inspection form and as a matter of fact I lost my second stylus yesterday. I'm not attached to it and use the touch pad most of the time with the sketch. It's clumsy to hold the tablet, laser and/or tape and stylus at the same time while measuring. I was intrigued by being able to put the dimensions on the line with the stylus. I'm not attached to my data plan either and have it only because I got the Galaxy Note as a premium from AT&T when buying my son's new phone. I won't miss the monthly fee and don't always e-mail the sketch or upload the Phoenix file from the field. I think that having the mobile sketch be more compatible with the desktop version would be a great improvement and worth the change. I often have to edit and recreate areas after putting the mobile sketch in the computer and not all features, such as move area w/contents, work.

Thanks for the feedback - it helps me narrow things down and perhaps give you a few focused solutions to explore
Inking in dimensions is great - folks sort of fell out of their chair when we introduced that 10 years ago, but for most people, I think they are so used to touch screens, having the ability to ink is more of a "would be nice" than "have to have." Our long term customers who have used it for so long simply would not be without it, and that is about the strongest endorsement one can make IMHO. That said, not all tablets even HAVE that capability, so making it a requirement does limit your choices :-\ For many, I am getting the feeling that having an available data connection seems to be more important - if it weren't for the monthly fees, that is. The HP Stream 8 with free 4G LTE is one choice. It runs $179 for a clean (no bloatware) version through the MS Store. Sure, it is only something like 200 MB per month, but it is free forever... You can up the service, but even I was able to get by on a 25o MB plan through AT&T for many years. It wasn't until I got lazy (careless?) that I began to exceed the 250 MB and I rationalized the (then) $15/month to go to the 2 GB plan. Might be something to think about... You might want to check the Win 8 tablet thread starting at the last three pages to read up on things like the Stream 8, the excellent Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 (8) or even the ThinkPad 10 if you prefer a larger 10" screen and the option of more RAM, storage, active pen, 4G, etc. Windows 8 tablets for fieldwork

As far as making it easier to work on sketch stuff between your tablet and desktop, well that is one of the points of Av6 - it is the same program, so there is no "translating"... The program is the same and you configure how it works, depending on your own preferences, environment, etc. For example, it supports the pen, but you'd not (likely) want to use that functionality on a desktop system. Touch is kind of in the middle - SOME things done by touch work on a tablet or laptop/desktop (assuming either has a touch screen)... Mouse and keyboard is pretty much strictly "desktop" but IF you had some sort of "hybrid" or 2-in-1 system, you could use mouse & keyboard stuff on the system when sitting at a desk/counter space/whatever but use pe or touch while traversing the subject.

Hope this helps! Let me know if I can help further!


-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

 

[RickM]

Thanks for the feedback - it helps me narrow things down and perhaps give you a few focused solutions to explore
Inking in dimensions is great - folks sort of fell out of their chair when we introduced that 10 years ago, but for most people, I think they are so used to touch screens, having the ability to ink is more of a "would be nice" than "have to have." Our long term customers who have used it for so long simply would not be without it, and that is about the strongest endorsement one can make IMHO. That said, not all tablets even HAVE that capability, so making it a requirement does limit your choices :-\ For many, I am getting the feeling that having an available data connection seems to be more important - if it weren't for the monthly fees, that is. The HP Stream 8 with free 4G LTE is one choice. It runs $179 for a clean (no bloatware) version through the MS Store. Sure, it is only something like 200 MB per month, but it is free forever... You can up the service, but even I was able to get by on a 25o MB plan through AT&T for many years. It wasn't until I got lazy (careless?) that I began to exceed the 250 MB and I rationalized the (then) $15/month to go to the 2 GB plan. Might be something to think about... You might want to check the Win 8 tablet thread starting at the last three pages to read up on things like the Stream 8, the excellent Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 (8) or even the ThinkPad 10 if you prefer a larger 10" screen and the option of more RAM, storage, active pen, 4G, etc. Windows 8 tablets for fieldwork

As far as making it easier to work on sketch stuff between your tablet and desktop, well that is one of the points of Av6 - it is the same program, so there is no "translating"... The program is the same and you configure how it works, depending on your own preferences, environment, etc. For example, it supports the pen, but you'd not (likely) want to use that functionality on a desktop system. Touch is kind of in the middle - SOME things done by touch work on a tablet or laptop/desktop (assuming either has a touch screen)... Mouse and keyboard is pretty much strictly "desktop" but IF you had some sort of "hybrid" or 2-in-1 system, you could use mouse & keyboard stuff on the system when sitting at a desk/counter space/whatever but use pe or touch while traversing the subject.

Hope this helps! Let me know if I can help further!


-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

Thanks for a quick response. I'll start watching the Windows 8 thread again and decide what is actually necessary and most functional and reliable in the field.