DaVinci for Tablet PC exclusives: Ink, forms, and full operating system
Dale Spoonemore, Product Manager
labs@alamode.com
For all of the talk about the iPad, iPhone, and Android, DaVinci for Tablet PC continues to be one of the coolest products we have. I still remember when we unveiled it for the first time at a Las Vegas seminar back in 2007 and received a standing ovation after showing how you could draw a sketch using the stylus pen just as you would on a piece of paper — and have that drawing "snap" into a perfect final sketch.
But just like its siblings on other devices, DaVinci for Tablet PC is much more than sketching alone. DaVinci allows you to collect your inspection data with customizable screens that sync data into WinTOTAL or TOTAL. And all your QuickLists import directly into DaVinci so that you can fill out the form without having to type information in. You can also add photos and fill out comp information all from within DaVinci as you can on the iPad and iPhone.
How DaVinci for Tablet PC stands out
But for all the time-saving similarities with the other members of the DaVinci family, there are three big features that make the Tablet PC version of DaVinci stand out: the Form View, DISTO integration, and ink recognition in sketch.
The Form View allows you to edit the actual full major form in the field just as you would in WinTOTAL or TOTAL. Think of it as a mobile form filler. Sure, you can fill out the entire report from the data collection screens, but you can also pop straight over to the form itself if you'd like.
Most Tablet PC models these days offer Bluetooth, which means you can integrate other devices. The DISTO integration allows you to use a laser measuring tool to gather your measurements for the sketch and shoot them straight to your tablet wirelessly. There's no measuring tape, traipsing through muddy flower beds, or getting scratched up by trees and bushes. You just "shoot" walls with a laser-accurate DISTO and the measurements automatically transfer to DaVinci. It's a big time and hassle saver. This capability currently isn't possible in the iPhone and iPad versions of DaVinci because Apple policy doesn't allow third party software providers (like us) to integrate third party hardware (in this case, the DISTO) into their software.
The coolest feature of DaVinci for Tablet PC is its ability to use "ink" in the sketch. You just draw your sketch by hand and watch it snap instantly into exact lines and calculated areas. It's just as easy to edit a line. You can literally write the new value on top of the line and watch as the line is modified to the value that you entered. Tasks such as renaming an area from first floor to second floor are as simple as writing "2nd floor" on top of the label. And, on the data entry side, the tablet PC has a very cool way of entering information. Instead of using a keyboard, a screen pops up after you tap into a field that lets you write using a pen and it converts your handwriting into text. If you haven't seen DaVinci for Tablet PC in action yet, check out this video to see how amazing it is and how simple it is to use. Or simply take one of our recent seminar attendee's word for it:
"The guy sitting next to me almost fell out of his chair when you demonstrated how a tablet PC can convert a hand-drawn sketch to a finished sketch and place it in the report."
— David Robertson, Commonwealth Appraisal
So what makes all this cool stuff possible on the tablet PC? For one, tablet PCs run a full version of the Windows operating system, but also add specific functionality that works on a tablet PC vs. a normal desktop, such as handwriting recognition. The recognition features worked pretty well in Windows XP, but have really come a long way and work extraordinarily well on Windows 7. Being a Windows-based computer also means that your tablet PC can run any other program that you can run on your desktop or laptop. You can actually run Aurora or TOTAL 2011 on a modern tablet PC and it performs very well.
The next generation of tablet PCs
Even with all of these great features and capabilities, it seems to be the forgotten member of the DaVinci family. The iPad version of DaVinci has been more popular since its release primarily because of its size and cost compared to that of most tablet PCs. Since the beginning, tablet PCs have just been too big and heavy to handle for a lot of people. Plus they were seriously expensive — $2,000-$3,000 expensive.
However, with the iPad, Android, and other slate-style devices driving innovation in the tablet market, there's a new breed of hardware that's lighter, faster, and less expensive. Perhaps the release of the iPad was the best thing to happen for appraisers who prefer tablet PCs. It drove innovation towards a more portable form-factor, leaving behind the heavy laptop-style tablets of the past. Here are just a few of the new tablet PC devices that are available now or that will be available soon.
HP Slate 500 - $799.00
The HP Slate 500 is the device that is most like an iPad. It's only 1.5 lbs and is actually slightly smaller than the iPad 2. It comes with a fast solid state drive, 2 GB of RAM, a 3 MP rear-facing camera, VGA front-facing camera, and SD card slot, however the battery life is only about 5 hours.
ASUS Eee Slate EP121 - $999.00
The ASUS Eee Slate EP121 is a larger device than the iPad and HP Slate 500 at 12.1" and 2.53 pounds. It's the featured tablet PC for Microsoft and has a much stouter processor than the HP Slate along with options for up to 4 GB of RAM, however the battery life is only about 3 hours.
Tablet PCs have a lot to offer and are getting slimmer, sexier, and more affordable by the day. If you got turned off by the heavy, cumbersome hardware from years ago but liked the sketching and handwriting abilities in DaVinci, I invite you to take another look. DaVinci for Tablet PC may just be the choice for you.
