Mobile Sketch

[FHA Steve]

Randall - below is are my answers...

Hi Steve,

I think I understand your question and concern(s) but I still gotta ask if you have taken a look at any of the 5" - 7" mini-tablets currently out...

Yes,I looked at them, but I do NOT want to carry more than one device.

This is merely a "form factor" question... their pricing this spring is likely to be practically the same as a regular phone. I am taking into consideration that your current device is functioning now, but it may seem old, clunky and near to be in "limp mode" (?) I simply want you to be armed with all the facts (and your own personal impressions) before locking yourself in, being that we are so close to some significant changes which may prove to be very beneficial to you...

My current phone PPC 6800 is working, but I am frustrated by the limitations... HTC HD2 refurbished is currently available from T-Mobile for $50 with a 2 year plan. I might be able to give me a 1 year price...

BUT to answer your question most directly, the HTC HD2 is the only WinMo phone I personally have owned and used which is something I would consider an upgrade to your current device. I am not sure which carriers offer it, so that may be a consideration. This assumes that the phone functions are a major item in deciding. Otherwise, a good PDA like the last iPAQ or even a good refurbished HP hx4705 has the best performance for WinMo programs (sans phone/3G capabilities.) Most phone type devices have inferior glossy TFT screens to the earlier PDA's which had Transflective screens.

I am not sure if my PPC 6800 has a Transflective, or TFT screen? I have not had the chance to look at the HP hx 4705 yet, which phone company offers that one?

[Edit] - Note that the HD2 has a capacitive touch screen which is sort of "the thing" today. That means a regular stylus will not work as it is designed for finger touch. MobileSketch is designed for a stylus - tapping on the small KeyPad buttons) and even though the HD2 (and similar) devices have a great resolution of 480 x 800, the width still makes the keypad a bit small for finger tapping IMHO. The "solution" is to get a capacitive stylus. The good ones cost about $20...

That is acceptable... I also need the Smart phone to work with my WinMO program called "USB Modem" (that Prog costs $20 one time) which allows me to use my smart phone as a secure wireless connection in the field. It saves me $50/Month. It is a pain to have my connection interrupted when I get a phone call, but worth it to me...

So, unless your preferred (or acceptable) carrier offers the HD2, you would either have to get it "unlocked" (more pricey?), or select a different device. So, remind me, which carrier do you use/prefer?

My current Carrier is Sprint and their Service Sucks big time, but the price is good $80/month flat rate, everything included included "unlimited data plan"

Thanks, Steve

Hope this helps!

-Randall Garrett-
..Apex Software..

 

[Randall Garrett]

Steve,

The refurb price looks good! I believe all HD2's come with WinMo 6.5 so make sure your USB Modem program runs under 6.5. It should...

The PPC6800 had a transflective screen, albeit a little murky IMHO. The HD2 should look better to you in all conditions except direct, reflecting sunlight. I am sure you will enjoy the change from a 2.8" QVGA (240 x 320) to the HD2's 4.3" screen at 480 x 800... If the screen is simply too glossy for you after using it, try an anti-glare screen protector for capacitive screens. Your Sprint store should have them and do the installation for you.

To be absolutely certain, I recommend stopping by the closest Sprint store and asking to see any of the newest HTC phones with a 4.3" screen. Be sure to specify HTS - the Samsung's use a different screen.

Lastly, nobody offers an hx4705 anymore - it was discontinued years ago. It is a PDA, not a phone :-( and was replaced by the iPAQ 210 http://tinyurl.com/677ycgv Not sure those have transflective screens, either, so no advantage there...

Hope this helps!

-Randall Garrett-
..Apex Software..

[Edit] BTW, I linked an old screen shot of a sketch comparison between 3.5" screen with 240x320 resolution and a 4.0" screen at 480x640 resolution. You should see a similar, if not better increase with your HD2... Look at post #6 here: http://appraisersforum.com/showthread.php?t=174288

 

[Randall Garrett]

Steve,

Interested to see if you got your HD2, and if so how you like it and/or if you have any MobileSketch related questions.

BTW, and hoping this is the right thread, after looking at our Android and iPad products, I have pretty well determined that it would not take much to modify them to be appropriate for appraiser use. I'd just need to know that folks in this space actually want them.

Hope this helps!

-Randall Garrett-
..Apex Software..

 

[OSU Beavers]

Randall, do you have a sketch program that will run on Android and sync both ways with ACI2010?

 

[Randall Garrett]

OSUB,

The short answer is "Yes and No"...
Yes - we have drawing and calculating products that run on a variety of "platforms", including Android, iOS and others.
No - they are not really "sketch programs" and there is no sync with ACI2010 at present.
IF you want it, actively lobby your forms vendors for it. You could have it by spring

What I meant in my earlier post was that after taking a close look under the hood and speaking with others, making a sketcher out of those products would be pretty fast and easy. We are already doing this for other semi-related industry integration partners, so adapting for Fee Appraisal use is but just another "flavor" to add. I have three or four existing products or "engines" to choose from, depending on the target platform. For ME and for several reasons -mainly sync and hardware choices to the end user- the Android and (still) Windows platforms are superior, but then I am not the end user ;-) At this point, I simply need to decide which "engine" is most appropriate to use. There is nothing particularly difficult about "drawing code" in the iOS environment - the main issue at play is the "sync" - it simply takes more behind the scenes work by your forms programs people to "hook things up." I like the Android and Windows platforms for appraisers mainly because of the plethora of choices for inexpensive (but good quality) -and in some cases superior- devices coming out this spring. Choice on carriers does not hurt either, but is generally a secondary concern according to the majority of feedback I have.

At present, these other products are privately used in non- Fee Appraisal markets, primarily by more traditional "CAD" type users. But, it would not take much to turn these CAD type programs into "sketchers" - simplified, purpose-built products. The basics are the same - drawing entities, text/dimensions, calculations, etc. The main differences (to me, in the context of this subject) between a CAD and sketch program are expressed by a UI that mitigates the complexities of CAD -which is "generic" by nature- to focus on making it easier to draw and calculate structural and land improvements, etc. Packaging the elements and exposing them to other programs (i.e. "forms" programs) is done by "integration", something we pioneered back in the DOS days and is supposed to be transparent to the end user. In other words, we provide the code to allow your appraisal program to attach a "Sketch" button on their screen and we do most of the housework behind the scenes to launch the sketcher and pass germane info/items back and forth so you can do the sketch and the calculations and exhibit just "show up" in your finished report. This is how Apex has been working with all the appraisal programs since the mid-80's.

So, the big questions are "Do appraisers WANT it?" and "Will the 'forms' companies incorporate it?" For now, the more important question is the former...

IF "the people" want it, we can provide it. It is up to YOU (and others) to indicate to your forms companies that there is a demand. We can build it, but you -their customer- have to convince them that you want to use it. In the fee appraisal industry (and most others), we typically work through your forms companies to deliver products. We are not in the "forms" business, nor do we want to be, so they sort of control what you can use. Once we determine there is a demand, the details like "What do you want?" (sketching only or sketching and data collection?) and "How does it work?" (mainly - like Apex/MobileSketch or Nexus?) come into play. We can handle either as we are already doing it elsewhere...

The forms companies have historically been reluctant to pursue a mobile strategy. ALM has been the exception to this and is actively embracing mobility items, while the others range from ambivalent/skeptical to outright negative. Same was true with sketching in the early days - the individual mix was just different back then. This ambivalent posture is odd to me - things are decidedly different in other industries. FWIW, though, I predict a change (for the better) in this situation during the spring of this year as everyone jumps on the mobility bandwagon. I'd love it if your forms companies would adopt our mobile products! Maybe it is a chicken and egg thing all over again - maybe if I build it, they will come (?)...

Thoughts?



- Randall Garrett -
**Apex Software**

Sent from my mobile device

 

[OSU Beavers]

Thank you for replying on Sunday. An Android based mobile sketch app would only have to sync with the Apex program. I envision it as an Apex lite which would let you enter an move area dimensions and labels. Leave a whiteboard area at the bottom for notes. When you get back to the office the Android program would sync with Apex and Apex would sync with the appraisal software like it normally does.

A bonus would be the ability to load sketches onto the tablet before going in the field. For example if I appraised the same model home in the past, but my subject has had an addition I could load the old Apex sketch from my files and then modify it in the field with the new measurements.

 

[Randall Garrett]

OSUB,

Sounds like you want something more like the old MobileSketch than Nexus in the way it works - i.e. Define Area, enter distance/direction, etc. Save file, then sync back into existing Apex while running it via integration from your forms program. That is how the old MobileSketch works now - you can see this at the approximate 3:41 mark in the "What is MobileSketch?" video here: http://www.apexwin.com/us/index.php/downloads/category/17-mobilesketch-pocket-pc Of course, it shows it syncing into an even older Apex v2.x ... ;-) You can see that this option is still in your newer versions of Apex, though we've updated it some. Of course, it works both ways, so you can already take existing sketches out into the field to check/update, etc. Our Assessor customers use this technique a lot.

Are you envisioning using a "phone" type device or tablet/mini-slate? If you have more screen real estate, I'd imagine a different layout in a more modern MobileSketch is warranted. The old program is really dated, huh? We did release a couple of different versions of MobileSketch for Touch Tablets a few years ago, but I don't think we still have any representative material on our web site anymore. Anyway, I believe I know what you envision, and it would be pretty easy to do. Let me know more about your intended device/form factor and perhaps we can get closer to something...

Hope this helps!,

-Randall Garrett-
..Apex Software..

 

[OSU Beavers]

What I don't want is a $650 iPad. One of those 7" - 10" Android tablets for $200 - $300 should work just fine. I am also thinking of getting a Nook Color and rooting it to Android 2.2.

How I usually work with a clipboard is walk thru the house with my sketch of the exterior outline, filling in interior walls and labeling rooms with notes underneath such as Living Room carpet ave vaulted ceiling fireplace. Would that be possible with an Android tablet?

If not, will the latest Apex versions work with a touch screen? If I need to spend $650 for a tablet I might as well get a Windows 7 convertible like the Dell Inspiron Duo or one of those 12" HPs.

 

[Randall Garrett]

OSUB,

Understood

FWIW, I bought the Nook Color for the sole purpose of rooting it. I find the Galaxy Tab to be a great device - a 7" device of those proportions fits in my small (for a man) hand comfortably. With the ability to hold in one hand, the absolute need for thicker "bezels" diminishes greatly, so I think something like an 8"+ screen would work out great. Alas, most device manufacturers have to work with what the glass fabs offer, so 7" is likely to be common well into the foreseeable/practical/relevant future. Anyway, I personally like the form factor of the Nook Color over the Galaxy Tab. It has a lower spec CPU/GPU but I've not witnessed any appreciable loss of functionality using it with the software I typically run (i.e. my own.) I am not a heavy "multi-media" type user, so YMMV but I do like the lower price and slightly more appraiser-friendly (anti-glare) screen over the Tab.

Without going into premature product descriptions, what you describe is certainly feasible on such a device. It is, in fact, already being done, albeit in other industries/locations. As I said, this sort of thing is mostly just another "flavor" of stuff already being done...

FWIW, I would hang onto your "$650" and sit tight for another month or so before spending it. Some pretty compelling stuff is just around the corner. Most of the devices were shown at CES last month - only one or two really viable (IMHO) devices were not represented. The big issues are which ones will be readily available, have convenient service type infrastructure and what will the final price(s) be in "appraiser trim." By that, I mean a popular configuration, not just the advertised minimum spec machine. For some, potential carrier items like subsidization, data plans, etc. come into play, too. You may, for example, find that a regular Nook Color fits your bill and that you do not mind having to deal with typical rooting issues. Or, you may find that a different "$500" device provides more bang for the buck. Others may find that a "$1,000" device is their sweet spot. The best thing, though, is that we'll have plenty of choices and all of them are at a fraction of the cost even inferior technology was just last year... I believe all of this will unfold over the next 45 - 90 days.

-Randall Garrett-
..Apex Software..

 

[Preciousmims]

I am wondering if there is or are plans for an iPad app for sketching in the field. I currently use SFREP with Apex for my Sketching. Help, I am an Apple girl forever, don't want a tablet.