I have a meeting with our IT department this afternoon regarding purchasing a Tablet for me.
Here is what I am thinking:
Fieldbook sized Tablet (something like my personal ipad mini, that I have been using, and instructed not to use anymore)
Internal GPS
semi-rugged OR available Environmental case
Theodolite App with State Plane Coordinate Purchase
Offline Topo Maps App
Giaa GPS App
Is there anything I am missing? Anything you guys use and would love to have? Our IT department has an Iron Grip on computers, so App installation after the fact is a huge pain in the butt. Additionally, they hate Ipads, so it cant be an apple product.
Take control
You best know your job
You best know what tools you need
The IT dept exists to help you do your job
Keep using your ipad
(or submit and become yet another victim of Dilbert's http://dilbert.com/search_results?terms=mordac&apos ;"> Mordac, The Preventer of Information Systems)
I'll be watching this thread with interest. I have a Samsung Note 10.1 and an iPad mini, both my personal devices. I am not in the field anymore, but am interested in productivity. Just curious, why were you instructed to not use your personal iPad anymore?
Take control
You best know your job
You best know what tools you need
The IT dept exists to help you do your job
Keep using your ipad
(or submit and become yet another victim of Dilbert's http://dilbert.com/search_results?terms=mordac&apos ;" rel="nofollow"> Mordac, The Preventer of Information Systems)
Jim,
I do know my job, but I was looking for advice regarding other users and their experience with Tablets. I do not know the best tool I need in this case, which was why I was asking for advice.
I have been told in no uncertain terms that I am not to use my personal Tablet at work.
Just curious, why were you instructed to not use your personal iPad anymore?
Jimmy,
I am employed by local government. IT hates the thought of electronic devices being outside of their realm of control, and as well, if something is involved in the courts, and it can be proven my personal Ipad was used for communications, than all the other information contained on my personal device MAY be considered discoverable, opening up liability, so legal really isn't that keen on the idea either.
If I had any say, I would keep using my Ipad, but instead we will waste tax dollars to get a device that meets the needs of the other departments.
Sounds like State Department issues ...
I have a meeting with our IT department this afternoon regarding purchasing a Tablet for me.
Here is what I am thinking:
Fieldbook sized Tablet (something like my personal ipad mini, that I have been using, and instructed not to use anymore)
Internal GPS
semi-rugged OR available Environmental case
Theodolite App with State Plane Coordinate Purchase
Offline Topo Maps App
Giaa GPS AppIs there anything I am missing? Anything you guys use and would love to have? Our IT department has an Iron Grip on computers, so App installation after the fact is a huge pain in the butt. Additionally, they hate Ipads, so it cant be an apple product.
I don't own one, but if I were to, I'd follow Leegreen's (and others here's) advice to go with a Panasonic ToughPad. Run's Windows 10; rugged. Not sure about the internal GPS.
I shopped around for a tablet DC and found the Topcon FC1000 too heavy even though it was powerful. So I compromised and used a cheap china tablet that has windows 10 and Andriod installed. its 8 inch so it is portable unlike the Topcon and it runs full windows 10 so I use Magnet on it. But I dont do drawings on it. I email the data back to office for the clean up and drawing.
Does anyone know if Carlson can be installed on my own tablet? FWIW, I work at a firm that runs 100% Trimble as of today, but we are looking into some new (non-Trimble) GPS hardware and Carlson seems to play nice with everyone. Also, can Carlson be installed on a TSC3 that already has Trimble Access installed? Thanks!
I have a personal TSC3 (Ranger version), and I have both SurveyPro AND Carlson SurvCE installed on it.
I recently purchased a Microsoft Surface 4 Pro (Win 10) with an otterbox case. It will run anything just like a desktop but this thing is a rocket compared to a desktop. Good screen outside in sun too.
FC-5000 is what we are using.....We run Magnet on it, but I have also loaded Surveypro and Carlson on it. As we push Magnet (and learning it's odd work arounds), we are liking it more and more. Just using the internal CAD package and Bing Hybrid mapping has been a great time savings. Cons are learning how it works, getting it setup right, weight, and some bluetooth issues. We have found that the Bluetooth in the tablet doesn't like working with instruments of older date that use bluetooth.
I recently purchased a Microsoft Surface 4 Pro (Win 10) with an otterbox case. It will run anything just like a desktop but this thing is a rocket compared to a desktop. Good screen outside in sun too.
FL/GA, Tell me more about sunlight readability. It's fine to have tablets that will run certain types of software, but if you can't read it when you are outside on the job, it doesn't help much.
On a personal note, I hope ya'll made it through the storm OK.
Dale Yawn
Savannah, Ga.
FL/GA, Tell me more about sunlight readability. It's fine to have tablets that will run certain types of software, but if you can't read it when you are outside on the job, it doesn't help much.
On a personal note, I hope ya'll made it through the storm OK.
One of our Surface Pro 4s in the Otter Box is in the field. Most of the time it's used in the truck; however when it's in the sun the screen is brighter than I expected. More so than our DCs. Main reason we use it (with Google Remote Connect) is to correspond with the office, download files, etc.
About the storm, thanks, everything is cool until the next one. 😉
The contracting firm I work with recently bought a used Topcon GNSS GPS Model Hiper Rover and Base with FC 1000
The FC-1000 came with TOPSURV software in Spanish and geoids for Spain.
Where can I find software that I can use in Canada for this old field control?
Topcon is not supporting the FC-1000 and will not return my inquires.
I would get something that could get to internet. If allowed. Arc GIS surveyor 123. I don’t personally have this but know a few companies that utilize this for making custom forms aka field notes etc. I was pretty impressed how they utilized this to make custom forms for data collection notes project management for in the field. If state side NGS use to have an app someone built I used to navigate to monuments. That has been many years ago but was a good tool. Get them to put bluebeam revu on it if it is used on office side. So nice to have field drawings that way and be able to mark up add notes as you complete task on a site. My field crews when working remotely use to have some app they would use on there phones and some notepad like device to scan in field notes they did in field book so they could send with job files. Solocator I used for USACE jobs where we had to take photos of monuments and control and site photos. It will show the lat long and azimuth you are looking and sever ways to name photo make notes etc. what field software do you use that you need something else for state plane coordinates.
@john-putnam it is a pretty neat app. A company we were teamed with there guys had that thing and made our photo reports much easier. It did take some time trying to figure out how to download and send stuff to the office. But my crew were younger bucks and figured it out. So my job was easy slap them into a report. lol.