Ipad Use

[elmer166]

I was wondering if anybody uses an Ipad at the firehouse.

Like for a box book, mapping, reports etc.

Thanks

[DeputyMarshal]

We prefer to use real computers over novelty tech-toys.

[MemphisE34a]

The novelty tech-toy is pretty neat though. A lot of stuff is fast and easy to obtain with your lil finger tips. The wireless 3G also makes it more mobile than your standard computer.


Posted from my Ipad.

[CaptOldTimer]

I was wondering if anybody uses an Ipad at the firehouse.

Like for a box book, mapping, reports etc.

Thanks

Members can have these or a laptop in the fire house as they can't used the departments computer unless they are doing FD Business or checking their FD E-Mail account.

All the houses are Wi-Fi connected.

The FD stuff is all on the FD house coumpters and mobile data computers on all rides and not on other devices.

[elmer166]

Would be for on the road and not in the firehouse. We do not have computers on the trucks. I have loaded our box book today and was looking for some map software. Was thinking if Pictometry made a slimmed down app of their software, it might be useful. One of the nice things I like about the ipad is it starts and loads fast, and the ease of zooming. It is also a lot lighter to carry around than a laptop.

[voyager9]

One of the nice things I like about the ipad is it starts and loads fast, and the ease of zooming. It is also a lot lighter to carry around than a laptop.

That 'ease of zooming' is not so easy when you're bouncing down the road in the truck. Even with the touchpad of our Toughbooks its difficult.

They already have Wiser and ERG for the iPhone.. probably work on the iPad as well.

[DeputyMarshal]

The novelty tech-toy is pretty neat though. A lot of stuff is fast and easy to obtain with your lil finger tips. The wireless 3G also makes it more mobile than your standard computer.

Nonetheless, it's still a "proof of concept" rushed to market absent some important features. (At least they got around to adding 3G with the latest version...) Wait a year until the more serious tablet computers (with a real OS) hit the market.

(BTW, 3G has been available in laptops for years. )

[mcwops]

Three words...

NOT FIREFIGHTER PROOF

You are talking about a group of guys who can break the unbreakable.

[islandfire03]

A five hundred pound ANVIL is not firefighter proof

[MemphisE34a]

Nonetheless, it's still a "proof of concept" rushed to market absent some important features. (At least they got around to adding 3G with the latest version...) Wait a year until the more serious tablet computers (with a real OS) hit the market.

(BTW, 3G has been available in laptops for years. )

I know. Just being a smart ***. My bad......

[Cato36]

Nonetheless, it's still a "proof of concept" rushed to market absent some important features. (At least they got around to adding 3G with the latest version...) Wait a year until the more serious tablet computers (with a real OS) hit the market.

(BTW, 3G has been available in laptops for years. )

What features were absent? Also what OS are you referring to?

Apple invented the iOS from the ground up using UNix technology and was designed to work with hardware that many tablet and handheld computers have rather than Microsoft designing Windows for desktop hardware and then scaling it down. Windows OS is horrible in a tablet environment and Microsoft is trying to come up with a better OS.

Apple on the other hand has a rock solid OS for the iPad intended use. It was never intended to be used by firefighters but by consumers and business professionals, but that doesn't mean it can't be adapted.

[Kevin65]

Three words...

NOT FIREFIGHTER PROOF

You are talking about a group of guys who can break the unbreakable.

Thank you! I can't imagine why anyone in their right mind would give an expensive, fragile, and costly piece of electronic equipment to a bunch of firemen and expect it to last until lunch time.

[DeputyMarshal]

What features were absent? Also what OS are you referring to?

3G was the most glaring omission in the original release but the absence of a camera/video conferencing capabilities, absence of USB ports, absence of an upgrade path, and the standard Apple software monopoly are the leading criticisms.

As for the OS, I'd be much happier seeing a tablet driven by a full blown OS -- be it Windows or *nix or, better still, a choice of either -- than a proprietary stripped down OS adapted for limited use on a smart phone.

It'll be interesting when HP releases it's Slate tablet. By all accounts it'll blow the iPad out of the water and force the market to get competitive. When that happens it'll be time to re-evaluate tablet PCs.

[Cato36]

3G was the most glaring omission in the original release but the absence of a camera/video conferencing capabilities, absence of USB ports, absence of an upgrade path, and the standard Apple software monopoly are the leading criticisms.

As for the OS, I'd be much happier seeing a tablet driven by a full blown OS -- be it Windows or *nix or, better still, a choice of either -- than a proprietary stripped down OS adapted for limited use on a smart phone.

It'll be interesting when HP releases it's Slate tablet. By all accounts it'll blow the iPad out of the water and force the market to get competitive. When that happens it'll be time to re-evaluate tablet PCs.

Apple had a 3G plan for the iPad since it came out. AT&T has a plan, the 3G iPads took a month longer to come out with approval of the FCC...Not Apple's fault.

Camera, yeah that should be in the next revision. The iPad allows you to use USB devices with it's connector.

Apple's software monopoly? The app store with over 50,000 apps...heck you can write an app for free and name your price...that is not a monopoly, that's free market.

The HP slate will not use the Windows OS, does not have camera, and no USB outs. It uses a OS designed for a phone, Palm's webOS. The iOS from Apple on the other hand was not designed for a phone, it was designed for a tablet that was scaled down to a phone.

[DeputyMarshal]

Apple had a 3G plan for the iPad since it came out. AT&T has a plan, the 3G iPads took a month longer to come out with approval of the FCC...Not Apple's fault.

The FCC didn't set the release date. That was Apple rushing to market with a device they knew was incomplete knowing that the Apple lemmings would buy it anyway.

AT&T is another flaw I neglected to mention. Better to have carrier options than be forced to use what is easily the worst carrier going.

with it's connector

Having to use a proprietary connector pretty well defeats the concept of a Universal Serial Port.

Apple's software monopoly? The app store with over 50,000 apps...

99% of which are trivial but that's another discussion. Those apps are only permitted to be on the iPhone store if Apple approves of them.

heck you can write an app for free and name your price...that is not a monopoly, that's free market.

You can write anything you want and name any price you want. You just can't sell it on the iPhone store unless Apple approves of it. You can try to sell elsewhere but then you can only sell to people with jailbroken iPhones/iPads which Apple reserves the right to brick if they get caught. That's not a free market. That's a monopoly.

The HP slate will not use the Windows OS, does not have camera, and no USB outs. It uses a OS designed for a phone, Palm's webOS.

If that's the case then they've redesigned it from the bottom up since the last press release I read.

The iOS from Apple on the other hand was not designed for a phone, it was designed for a tablet that was scaled down to a phone.

I beg to differ but it's a moot point. Either way it's a far cry from it's *nix antecedent. If we're going to look at *nix derivatives, Android OS has already proven itself superior to iOS and doesn't share the market limitations imposed by Apple.