[OSGeo-Discuss] Mobile GPS data collection...

[Mateusz Loskot]

Jason Birch wrote:
> Mateusz wrote:
> ---------------------------
> I can't imagine surveying in forest with laptop, but I can with Tablet
> PC.
> There were many attempts and devices tests taken by polish forestry
> officers  and laptop was found as unusable in field (works 2-3 hours,
> heavy, damage prone with water and sand, difficult to hold it and work
> on it together). The only option with bigger screen I see is rugged
> Tablet PC.
> ---------------------------
> 
> I've been a bit disappointed in the form factors that have been
> available recently.  We've had good success with a bunch of old rugged
> Itronix FEX21 (http://www.itronix.com/products/hpcs/fex21.asp) units
> that were half-VGA with an integrated keyboard, but I haven't seen
> anything on a more modern OS that comes close other than the OQO
> (http://www.oqo.com/hardware/basics/) product.  I have some hopes for
> UMPC, but the battery life is still way too short for useful field
> application.


Jason,

I agree.


> In a lot of cases, PDAs are too small, and tablets are either too large
> or don't have a keyboard.  Trying to force-deploy devices that have
> difficult data entry mechanisms or are too bulky for the field often
> leads to severe resistance to adoption, especially when dealing with
> work forces that are already having difficulty with the paradigm-shift
> caused by digital data entry.

Unfortunately, I don't see any better solution than using what's
available on the market + working out some best practice
well-defined and simple for common user, but that can be a challenge.

Best regards
-- 
Mateusz Loskot
http://mateusz.loskot.net