Conference Report: ESRI's Mobile GIS & Field Mapping Solution - ArcPad 7
Written by Glenn Letham
27 July 2005
ESRI’s ArcPad team has just released Beta 1 for ArcPad 7. This means that after almost 2 years ESRI’s mobile platform is prepared for a new release. Word has it that we can expect a final release in the fall of 2005.
A reminder, for those of you not familiar with ArcPad, this is ESRI’s mobile GIS and field mapping solution for mobile systems and handheld devices. ArcPad team leader Shane Clarke wants us to be clear that ArcPad is an extension (or part of) ESRI’s enterprise mapping solution.
In a session titled “ArcPad 7” we got a preview of what to expect at 7.0.
Clarke offered up some suggestions for those planning a mobile solution. You should ask yourself these questions: Who is the end user? What field environment will you be working in? Under what conditions? Vehicle-based or not? Is customization needed? What data will be required? What’s your budget?
Responding to this assessment will help determine your specific requirements for hardware, software, and support and will influence your development timeline as well as required resources. A number of other more detailed considerations will then need to be considered once you are closer to implementation. Device specific considerations will include: Need for GPS? Screen size? Is a keyboard needed? Wireless connectivity needed? Memory?
Additionally, by examining your application needs and requirements regarding device weight, size, speed, battery power, and operating system you will be able to select hardware that is most suitable for your specific project needs. Clark cautions that identifying a single device as your sole solution could set you up for trouble as specific projects generally have differing needs and thus, are most suited to another device. Example, an HP iPaq may be suitable for some field data collection, however, a tablet Pc may be more appropriate for a study conducted in a vehicle.
At version 7, ArcPad has a number of new features. The following list describes just a few of them.
Raster support - TIFF - JPEG2000 - MrSID (MG2) - JPEG - PNG - BMP - GIF - and more
OS requirements (desktop) - Windows XP, Tablet PC Edition, Win 2000
Mobile OS – Windows Mobile and CE – Windows Mobile 5 support will come but not sure when
Tools & Functionality - ArcPad toolbar within ArcGIS - Tools – identify, find, measure, hyperlink, pan, zoom, map rotation, customization - Support for ArcGIS symbology and line styles - Complex line styles - Transparency - Style sheets - Label expressions (multi-line placement) - Data capture via pen, stylus, GPS, COGO - Edit tools – snap, undo, insert, append, move, rotate, scale, resize, offset, repeat attribute, add field sketch and notes (redline)
GPS Support - NMEA - TSIP - PLGR - EarthMate - Support for range finders including Laser Atlanta, LaserCraft, Laser Technology, MDL, Leica, and more
Digital camera support – this area was somewhat disappointing as only 2 camera series’ will be supported – HP iPaq rx37xx, and h63xx series. Note that PC cameras and webcams are supported via standard windows camera API. A hint from me… as I’m somewhat familiar with the Nokia smart phone OS perhaps they might consider looking at the Symbian OS camera API as it’s open and available… this would enable extending support to the largest brand of camera phones out in the market today!
Overall, ArcPad 7 will be a welcomed addition to the ESRI family of solutions. Clark suggests that all users should customize their applications and user input forms, particularly since customization is very simple to accomplish… users can create custom forms directly within ArcPad while in the field if necessary or developers can create them in the office with supporting tools and programming aids. Application development and customization is very simple and the UI makes it very easy for new users to quickly get up and running in no time. On the down side, lack of camera support, length of time between releases and updates, and no support for MsSID MG3 could make it a tough sell to some users.
Top iPhone related GIS and Geo Tech news stories from 2009 - At the end of the year its always interesting for us to look at some of the stats and results to identify trends and more important, to see what our readers think is hot! In the "news" category it seems that iPhone related geo tech items were extremely popular.
Geo Social Location Checkin to Twitter from iPhone - With the cool SXSW event taking place Austin, TX, everyone who's anyone in social and social location seems to have rolled out updates this week, making your choice for how to check-in to your social media bookmarks even tougher to decide on!
10 Awesome GIS and Mapping apps for the iPhone - I recall last year at the ESRI UC when an iPhone was on stage showing a prototype app (think ArcPad on iPhone). It was then that I realized the iPhone platform is going to be BIG in mapping and there's a ton of opportunity for developers.
Nokia Booklet 3G, unboxing video and image gallery... Those of you in the USA who pop in to BestBuy occasionally, you may have seen a stand showing off the Nokia Booklet 3G. A sleek, 3G enabled, SIM slot (AT&T) sporting netbook.
Interesting Tweeple - 10 Geo Technology & Geo-Social Women of Twitter - given the growing love for geospatial and location-aware technologies, I’ve decided to hype 10 women that I feel make a significant contribution to the Geo-Twittersphere. If you’d like to add 10 knowledgeable and useful Twitter contacts to your Geo following list I highly suggest the following: (in no particular order)
10 Geo Social Location-Aware Apps Making Waves... With Twitter's opening of their location API to developers there's going to be a ton of third party apps that will enable Twitter users to share location-aware information via their Twitter accounts.
Signs that indicate you may be a GeoGeek (aka. GeoNerd) and some suggested Geo blogs - Chances are good that if you are a Geo Geek then you already know it and likely refer to yourself as one. However, there’s many of you out there that may be on the fence and wondering… “am I a Geo Geek?" Read on for a comprehensive list of signs you might be a GeoGeek followed up by some suggested Geoblog reading.
Real-time GPS Mapping and GIS Solution Aids Efficient Disaster Management - Saturday, February 7, 2009 will forever be known as Black Saturday in the State of Victoria, Australia. In the midst of a 10-year drought, a record breaking heat wave descended upon the state, with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees C (110-120 deg F), breaking all-time record highs in some cities - Victoria Police Use Trimble Juno SC Handhelds to Speed Assessment of Damage Caused by Bush Fires.
2010 ESRI Federal User Conference February 17-19, 2010, Washington D.C. Walter E. Washington Convention Center - The FedUC is the largest geospatial conference for federal agencies. Connect with other leaders, decision makers, and GIS professionals.
The International LiDAR Mapping Forum 2010 - Tenth Anniversary Event! ILMF 2010 will be held from March 3 - 5, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency in Denver at Colorado Convention Center.
The NAVTEQ 2010 Global LBS Challenge Awards Ceremony will be held during Ignite at O'Reilly Where 2.0. Be among the first to hear as NAVTEQ announces the winners for the North America region. Participants will be competing for a global prize pool of $10 million and growing by showcasing pre-commercial location-enabled apps using NAVTEQ map data & products. March 30, 2010, during Ignite Where, 7:30pm - 9:00pm, at the Marriott San Jose, CA
WHERE2.0 2010 - Now in its sixth year, the Where 2.0 Conference is where the grassroots and leading edge developers building location-aware technology intersect with the businesses and entrepreneurs seeking out location apps, platforms, and hardware to gain a competitive edge. For 15% use Discount Code: whr10lbs
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