Tablet use in the field

[emr]

We just re-signed our contract with Verizon and for $100 each my partner and I got Verizon made tablets with data included.... No additional monthly fees. We thought it was a really good deal so we took them. We figured we would try them out for work and if they aren't useful, well just keep them for personal use.

So my question is..... Are there any ways to utilize this thing to make life easier while out in the field? We already use Quickbooks online, Square, and some other random Google Apps on our phones. As I see it, this thing is just a bigger phone that you can't make phone calls on.

I would love to hear some ideas from those out there who are more tech knowledgeable than me.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Re-signed, not resigned. Got it.

I wonder the same. I think that you can use your phone as a mobile wifi hotspot for your tablet. I haven't made this step yet, as I don't have field-use planned yet.

I'm having some trouble with my Work Proposal coming up blank with some mobile users. Tablets don't support all things like a desktop, I found out.

I'm meaning to buy a keyboard. The voice recognition is a good option for using it, but realize you will have to edit it.

 

[lumberjack]

I use Jobber for my working company and Quick Books Online for my sales company. Both are on my iPad Air with mobile data ($40/month, 4GB) I used it for around a year and then bought an iPhone6+, so the usage of the iPad has dropped back. I bought the iPad so people wouldn't think I was texting on my phone while talking to them. Also the smaller 5s wasn't as nice to use as the iPad. I still use the iPad to serve data to my laptop, as that's not included on my phone (but I have unlimited data on the phone so who can complain?). I also use the iPad at trade shows to show pictures/videos to interested folks.


I do wish they made Mac Book Pro Retinas with a 4G card built in.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

I think a tablet is a great way to show a presentation (still photo and video) of what will be involved in a specific job. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how many times you say something, people are naturally baffled by what we do. So often people say that its a lot more involved than they expected (e.g. Cabling was EHS/ Rigguy, not a hardware store cable around two trunks with a turnbuckle, true story).

Pictures of rigging seems like they would be useful. "Why is it going to cost so much to keep X, y, or Z intact, under the tree?"

"Here you are, HO, look at this."

 

[emr]

I've used the mobile hot spot with my laptop before in the field and it works well. The nice thing with this tablet is that I get mobile data for free for two years with it.
I like the idea of making up little "digital sell sheets" to show a customer. That would make a great winter time project.

 

[lumberjack]

Another interesting point (to me) is my phone and iPad are on different networks, so I have better coverage across the country.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Put Google voice on it and you'll have a phone too. So long as you have wifi

 

[Bermy]

I have a little Acer tablet and a portable WiFi. Still getting to grips with it but I use it for taking pictures and emailing overseas clients right on the job.
Also its a time saver as we can get cracking in the morning and I can check emails while we are driving to the job.
I have a gallery of photos as well.
I hate all the useless apps that come preloaded though,what a waste of space
It has a USB port which is very useful, not all tablets have one.

 

[Raj]

I've given ball park estimates for removals using google street view. With the history of the different years google drove by I've determined when a tree has died and for how long. Kinda freaks the HO's out sometimes.

 

[Maczust63]

I've given ball park estimates for removals using google street view. With the history of the different years google drove by I've determined when a tree has died and for how long. Kinda freaks the HO's out sometimes.

I know a pool company who does that, goes on google maps and looks for pools in peoples back yards then advertises to the address wonder if you could do that for trees to an extent.

 

[Tim_B.]

Yeah, I think so. Especially if the satellite view shows a tree laying across the roof of the house.

Tim

 

[High Scale]

Can anybody recommend a nice drawing app for a Samsung tablet? I mostly draw maps/plans of sites by hand then scan them and then send them to one of the people I do a lot of work for, it'll be nice just to draw once, sign RA then send without the slow process of scanning on my laptop.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

It would be good to know about a drawing app that works with pictures, both aerial like a Google Maps, and with the tablet's camera. I have a big eval to bid, less than 500 trees, mostly all doug-fir, so pictures (and tree tags) will help.

 

[Jake Andrews]

I used to you a app called draw & go but that was for iPad. Not sure if its available on Android.

 

[NickfromWI]

Skitch is a free app that lets you do this...




love
nick

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Thanks. I think I already have that app, on suggestion. Now to use it.

 

[emr]

Downloaded Skitch last night.... Used it already. Looks handy. I'm also enrolled in Treestuff's TreeU. Pretty excited to see how that works on the tablet.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

How's TreeU?

 

[rskybiz]

I also wondered how TreeU was.

 

[emr]

I just registered today. Hopefully I'll have some time to play around tomorrow when I'm at home with a sick kid.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[sotc]

Shoot, I signed up for that ages ago and forgot!

 

[MasterBlaster]

How's that working out for you?

 

[pantheraba]

hahaha..great question.

 

[sotc]

Excellent

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Nick, Eric, et al.

Skitch support has been discontinued as of about 2 weeks ago, except for Mac (for now, at least). It will continue to work until some update, elsewhere, causes it to crash.