Windows Tablets For Fieldwork

[Pat Butler]

Hi Randall- I recently bought a Galaxy Tab 4. Will your Android version of Apex run on that? I previously had an iPad and never like that version, but noticed a lot of upgrades to the Android version.

 

[Mike Ault]

Mike,

That is a great point on the TP10 rugged case that I forgot to emphasize. Did you remove the protective screen cover or even try to use the screen protector film that came temporarily taped to the case? Are you using the official TP10 dock? I have found that accessory to be hard to find.

Regards,

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

You know, I looked that protective film screen cover over and thought that it wouldn't hurt to try it for a week or two to see how it worked out and I'm still using it. The finger input mode doesn't work quite so well as it does using the bare glass screen however I use the stylus for most of my field observations input work and the bluetooth enabled Disto which transfers measurements automatically into Apex V6 with minimal manual inputs so I haven't bothered to remove it yet, I already have some minor scratches on it which probably wouldn't have hurt the Gorrilla Glass screen but I still like having the extra layer of protection at this point despite the slight loss of sensitivity. If I could find somebody selling an antiglare glass replacement for that particular film cover like I have on my Galaxy Note 3 that my OtterBox defender case happily slips over I would be a happy camper. I think there is plenty of room inside that particular TP10 case for an extra layer of protective glass if only one were available. I am probably overprotective of the screen as this technology is changing so fast that I will probably be ready for a beefier model that runs Dragon better long before the screen gets scratched up enough to bother me. On the docking station issue it seemed like you could order one directly from Lenovo however I never checked on whether it was truly available from them as I found someone selling an official TP10 dock for sale on eBay for $80 (they only had one) and I took a chance on it, glad I did as it worked out perfectly.

 

[Randall Garrett]

Hi Randall- I recently bought a Galaxy Tab 4. Will your Android version of Apex run on that? I previously had an iPad and never like that version, but noticed a lot of upgrades to the Android version.

Pat,

We published a MobileSketch product for Android a while back. There is no true "APEX" for Android. They are different products.
http://appraisersforum.com/forums/threads/mobilesketch-for-android.202092/
That said, I do not know of any reason MobileSketch for Android would not run on a Galaxy Tab 4, but I can't remember testing it myself on that exact device, so I cannot say for sure.

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

 

[Randall Garrett]

You know, I looked that protective film screen cover over and thought that it wouldn't hurt to try it for a week or two to see how it worked out and I'm still using it. The finger input mode doesn't work quite so well as it does using the bare glass screen however I use the stylus for most of my field observations input work and the bluetooth enabled Disto which transfers measurements automatically into Apex V6 with minimal manual inputs so I haven't bothered to remove it yet, I already have some minor scratches on it which probably wouldn't have hurt the Gorrilla Glass screen but I still like having the extra layer of protection at this point despite the slight loss of sensitivity. If I could find somebody selling an antiglare glass replacement for that particular film cover like I have on my Galaxy Note 3 that my OtterBox defender case happily slips over I would be a happy camper. I think there is plenty of room inside that particular TP10 case for an extra layer of protective glass if only one were available. I am probably overprotective of the screen as this technology is changing so fast that I will probably be ready for a beefier model that runs Dragon better long before the screen gets scratched up enough to bother me. On the docking station issue it seemed like you could order one directly from Lenovo however I never checked on whether it was truly available from them as I found someone selling an official TP10 dock for sale on eBay for $80 (they only had one) and I took a chance on it, glad I did as it worked out perfectly.

Thanks for your input, Mike!

So, you're using the "plastic" cover - the one that looks like it is non-removable vs. the one that comes taped to the rugged case, right? I personally hate that it is glossy as I always use a matte-style to diffuse reflections... I am not aware of any glass protectors that are matte, though I continue to search for them ;-) I was assured that one glass protector I bought recently for my S3 was anti-glare but it turns out that it wasn't :-( Hence, I continue to recommend the high quality "plastic" ones and just replace them about once a year...

Overall, though, you like the case itself? I like the removable hand strap and am trying to source a shoulder strap with the same "connector." Yeah, I know the TP10 is already super light, but a shoulder strap is still a great option for many appraisers I know. BTW, you got a steal on that dock!


Regards,

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

 

[Mike Ault]

Thanks for your input, Mike!

So, you're using the "plastic" cover - the one that looks like it is non-removable vs. the one that comes taped to the rugged case, right? I personally hate that it is glossy as I always use a matte-style to diffuse reflections... I am not aware of any glass protectors that are matte, though I continue to search for them ;-) I was assured that one glass protector I bought recently for my S3 was anti-glare but it turns out that it wasn't :-( Hence, I continue to recommend the high quality "plastic" ones and just replace them about once a year...

Overall, though, you like the case itself? I like the removable hand strap and am trying to source a shoulder strap with the same "connector." Yeah, I know the TP10 is already super light, but a shoulder strap is still a great option for many appraisers I know. BTW, you got a steal on that dock!


Regards,

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

Yes, I am still using that glossy plastic cover and there is definitely room for improvement there however the outdoor viewability of the TP10 screen is so good that I haven't run into any situations where I wasn't able to deal with the glare. I will be glad to see the day when we can "3D print" anything we can imagine, one of the 1st things I would print would be a matte glass screen protector for this set up. But overall, the rugged case is one of the best aspects of the TP10 device with the removable strap feeling very secure, I don't feel like I'm ever in any danger of that strap breaking despite doing all my normal appraisal measuring gyrations. I flip it around backwards to hold my 100 foot tape when needed (old habits die hard) and it is very tight and secure on the back side of my hand. I would also like to have a shoulder strap for this case If you ever find one find one, I can imagine myself using that to slip the TP10 over my shoulder while I'm crawling up into the attic and poking around. I have a couple other local appraisers wanting to duplicate the Windows – Apex 6 - Onenote field inspection tablet routine and I am attempting to impress upon them how important the case is to the versatility of the whole set up, It doesn't do you any good to have the latest and greatest tablet if it is awkward to use while you're measuring, inspecting, note taking, docking to your network, etc.

 

[Pat Butler]

"We published a MobileSketch product for Android a while back. There is no true "APEX" for Android."

Thanks Randall. I'm assuming that the file from MobileSketch can get imported into Apex however?

 

[Randall Garrett]

Pat,

The short answer is "Yes" - one would need the "MobileSketch Module" for Av5 but you should already have that.
Your MSA question is a distraction on this particular thread and I hope that a moderator will move it to the one I linked earlier (or similar).
In any case, I won't be responding further here but I am happy to do so in an "MSA" thread.


-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

 

[Randall Garrett]

Now that Windows 10 is officially out, how would you folks feel about me starting a new thread/topic/resource for (say) “Windows 10 Devices for Field Work”?

The thread we're one here is obviously very popular, but with age and a lot of input/feedback, etc., it has become unwieldy IMHO. Most experienced users know to jump to the latest comments and just look back a bit when necessary, but new users have to wade through years of evolving comments/opinions/mini-reviews, distracting questions/topics (see above as an example) so I am thinking those who are interested in this stuff would be better served if we just started something new. I kind of hate to "abandon" this thread – it is THE most popular thread (by a long shot) in the Tech section, but again, I think the readers would be better served by something new & more relevant. I thought we’d change it from “Tablets” to “Devices” so we could broaden the scope a little bit…

In any case, please let me know your thoughts on the new thread/resource question. If desired, it'll take me some time to set things up and prepare new materials, etc.
In anticipation of your timely, I will create a new thread on W10 Field Devices since I imagine this W8 thread will remain active for a while longer.

Regards,

-Randall Garrett-
+Apex Software+

/end/

 

[Pat Butler]

Thanks Randall. That's all I needed to know.

 

[RickM]

I added a D810 to the surface 3 w/ACI and Apex V6 field inspection and it's working out pretty well, sometimes the touch pad input woks more efficiently than the Bluetooth. The directional arrows are great and operator error is limited most of the time. I did have an issue last week with my surface overheating and shutting down on a 90 degree morning in direct sun. The non-glare screen protector was not very helpful in that case either and appears grainy most of the time. I had to remove the surface from the light weight case and cool off for about 10 minutes.