1) Do you have a laptop for the field?
2) If so what type and do you like having one?
Yes...had two. A dell Inspiron (not recommended) and a Toughbook. Toughbook is the way to go. Fits better in the computer stand in the truck and can take a better beating. The Dell died.
Two here as well, a Dell Latitude D620 running XP and all the survey software, and an Acer Aspire 6930 running (shudder) Vista and all the Microsoft Office stuff. I've found keeping two and transferring files via thumbdrive allows me to have what I need in the field and still having one set up at the room or trailer so I can come in and go right to work.
Yes. I have a Compaq Presario C700. I really like it. I keep it in the truck, it never gets out in the elements. I have a computer stand that that I set it up on, and run it off of a portable power pack, and an occasional inverter.
I also keep an HP 4100 series multifunction printer in the truck, on top of a small shelf unit that I print to, and can also scan information from clients while in the field.
The laptop is running Vista, and Carlson Survey 2008 Standalone. I have pretty much the same software on the laptop that I have on the desktop. I need to work off of the thumb drives more to keep the file folders the same on the desktop and the laptop.
Actually I have all of my surveying software on both the laptop and the desktop from download utility software, TDS Foresight DXM, Corpscon, GNSS Solutions, Topcon Tools Demo, PC-CDU, Topcon TruView, Google Earth, Open Office, etc. There nothing I can't do in the truck that I can do in the office other than print on the larger printers/plotters.
Hope this helps.
Jimmy
1) Yes, in fact I use ONLY a laptop these days, I do have a 20" monitor attached in the office.
If you run crews, a laptop might not be needed, HOWEVER as the PLS in the field, I don't see how you could operate without a laptop in the field.
2) I moved the entire office to IBM / Lenovo products a few years ago from Dell's.
I have been happy with the Thinkpad "T" line in the field, probably not up to the abuse you can give a Toughbook, BUT very little hardware failures either, one screen died right at three years, BUT was replaced for free under the extended warranty.
SHG
Toughbook? Hmmm...?
Which one?
There are so many options.
I have 6 or 7 years on a Dell Inspiron which stays in the office, it's been a steady performer but I want one of those XPS' real bad.
I bought an Asus EEE netbook a couple of years ago and I really like it. Carlson gave me a code to install my CES on it and it runs like a champ. Small enough that you'll hardly know it's in your briefcase, but if you hook it up to a full sized moniter, as I did for a week when the Dell caught a virus, you'd never know you were on a netbook. At $300 or so, it's light on the wallet too. One of the best tech purchases I've made.
I bought an Asus EEE netbook a couple of years ago and I really like it. Carlson gave me a code to install my CES on it and it runs like a champ. Small enough that you'll hardly know it's in your briefcase, but if you hook it up to a full sized moniter, as I did for a week when the Dell caught a virus, you'd never know you were on a netbook. At $300 or so, it's light on the wallet too. One of the best tech purchases I've made.
The ASUS is definitely a winner. I screwed mine up and tried to replace it with an ACER and it's not even close.
Ralph
> 1) Do you have a laptop for the field?
>
> 2) If so what type and do you like having one?
I have a Dell laptop that I have taken to the field with me occasionally. I like it when I need it, but I prefer not to have the additional gear in the truck. Most of my work can be accomplished with the functions of the data collector.
Most helpful time to have it for me - download and process static observations as needed.
I have a Gateway 17" laptop issued to me. It works OK, mostly use it in the evening in hotel rooms. It's old, slow but it works. It has a non-standard full-size keyboard which can be aggravating to use.
Both of my hp laptops have been fine but I am very gentle with my computers. This 17" is almost 10 years old, has a standard full-size keyboard and has lived an easy life. The 15" is 6 years old.
I treat my laptop computers with great care. Moving a running hard drive will probably kill it faster than anything else.
I carried a laptop in the field for many years, but I don't normally anymore (except when out of town overnight).
I have had a few of them over years, the first one was a DOS machine (5.0 I think), that actually ran on D-cells. Two 3.5 “floppy drives,” no hard drive, & ~5” screen. Used it all day long, day after day it seems (laying out 500' NAD27-SPC grids in Nevada with a Total Station). Not sure whatever happened to it, probably crapped out eventually and ended up in the Biz Bag.
That gave way to a Toshiba (also DOS), then a Gateway (DOS again but COLOR...Whoohoo!). When I bought my first GPS System, I got a new Fujitsu (Windoz-95). That “old” (15-16 years now) Fujitsu still runs like a champ (fired it up just last week to grab some old static files), but it was effectively replaced by a newer Fujitsu (17” w/ Windoz-XP & 10-key pad) back in 2007.
I still take the “OLD” Fujitsu out on overnight trips to download my data collectors, and do quick-n-dirty baseline processing each night, but other than that, I don't take advantage of the laptop(s) like I used to.
Loyal
Getac V200 Convertible
I use Getac V200 Convertible. You can use it a laptop or a tablet depending what the situation requires.
My Getac V200 is a corei7 + 8GB RAM engine. It has sun readable screen.
Getac V200 Convertible
Getac V200 is a fully rugged convertible...
Getac V200 Convertible
Just took a look at it, looks like a tough book knock off only more expensive:-)
Getac V200 Convertible
Yes, its downside is the cost. It is really very expensive. I bought it for a cement plantwide structural surveying where timeline was very important. I utilized it as a data collector in AutoCAD platform.
Worth the investment.
Getac V200 Convertible
Ohhh, laptops, I thought this was about Lap Dances....nevermind...;-)
1) yes, of course
2) dell precision mobile workstation... Replacing with a MacbookPro this year though.
I only use a laptop, HP t series combination laptop tablet. I hook it up to a 21" monitor in the office and will use it in front of the tv almost every night. I have brought it into the field for some projects but I see no real need to have A.laptop in the field for a normal project. If I traveled more, it would be another story. Once you are more than 15 minutes from the office it would be essential.
I hardly ever use the tablet feature which is a real bummer. I had high hopes of cadding it tablet style, but the interface is not as quick as a mouse and keyboard.
Getac V200 Convertible
Yes, its downside is the cost. It is really very expensive. I bought it for a cement plantwide structural surveying where timeline was very important. I utilized it as a data collector in AutoCAD platform.
Worth the investment.
Interesting, what software did you use? I remember Carlson having something called Tsunami, which was laptop based. Apparently it never took off here in the states. But when I look at my netbook with 160g of space and a super processor, I'm wondering when they will return to that platform.
Probably never as the handhelds are getting more powerful.
Ralph
Getac V200 Convertible
I used Carlson Field (previously Tsunami).