Hi there, I use Reporthost and I’m looking into trying Reporthost Pro and gathering information onsite with that then coming home and putting report together. Any recommendations for tablet-pc or laptop to be used? I would think that a tablet-pc would be easier to use on site then flipping open a laptop. It would be for Home Inspections mostly. I’ll sit back and wait for feedback, thanks Mark T
I used Pro on my laptop before I switched to HIP. I never brought it to the field with me though. Laptop battery life sucks, and can’t depend on there being power at most inspections. Tons of photos and few field notes. I liked pro since I didn’t need to be online to build my report. I think if I were to decide to use it in the field, I would go with a tablet. JMHO
Many here use tablets PC’s and many use Laptops, I use a a laptop myself. You generally get more computer for your buck with a laptop. And myself, I do not want to carry another “tool” around the house while I am performing my inspection.
I just bought this one . Although I’m not using it for inspections right now, it’s living up to its 11 hour battery life.
Make sure to at least look at using a handheld device in the field also. It is a great option and there are many home inspectors that use this method to avoid the reentering of data later and also the issues there are with bigger tablets and/or laptops.
I’m a newbie and trying to dig my way through all the software and hardware options. I’ve narrowed my software down to HIP or InspectExpress, but now I’m fighting myself over laptop or tablet as well. I’d also love to hear from some old pros on the topic!
Thanx
Mark, check out the CTL2go at http://www.ctlcorp.com . It’s a great tablet for $499 that a lot of our users (and users of other programs) are using.
I carry a tablet and like having it, but don’t generally carry through the whole inspection. I generally don’t have it while viewing the exterior, roof or anywhere else I may destroy the thing.
But, if a busy day is upon me, I like having most of the note taking and such on site and the tablet has worked out well so far. Not to say that a note/net book or whatever your poisin set up in a central area and going back and forth to enter information a few times would kill ya either. Many times prior to having a tablet, simply setting the notebook in the kitchen worked out just fine for me. View a few areas, take notes if needed.
Another point for the tablets is Battery Life and I certainly don’t have all the relevant comparisons or specs, but it seems that the tablets have good battery life as they are designed for this.
BTW…
What’s the easiest way to replace this confounded Hard disk drive with a lil 8gb or 16gb SSD?.. I think that’s another plus for us “mobile users” as the drives, or so I’ve been told are much more reliable.
What model is it? 95% of the time it’s a single screen on the bottom and to pull out the hard drive.
Yeah, tablets are getting much better on batter life. One of our users got a 10" , 10 hour battery life tablet for $499. Not sure how durable it is. Looks good, but I haven’t seen anything as sturdy as the CTL2go for the price (inch smaller screen).
It’s called a PocketPC !! 14+ hr battery life, no hard disk to worry about, ,very fast, handwriting, bigger text then most netbooks, solid state…and the prices start at $350.
Couldn’t resist Dominic.
I have a PocketPC that I’ll give away…as soon as I get it out from under my right, front tire.:mrgreen::shock:
James…send it to me. We have many inspectors that would be happy to have it. What brand and make is it ?
I would be happy to have it myself.
Gadgets of any kind are cool.
Just would not use it,tablet , or laptop during the inspection.
After Inspection if wanting to show illustrations a netbook is fine.
I use a laptop currently, but don’t really like taking it out in the field. As soon as I can I am going to a tablet. I want to be able to get the majority, if not all, of my reporting done in the field. If you have more then one inspection a day you can quickly get into 20 hour days when you finally complete both reports after returning to the office. I currently use a camera (150-200) pictures per home, and a digital voice recorder for notes. If I can get into the habit of putting the notes into a tablet while taking the pictures I can probably cut my report writing time by more then half. At least that is my goal.
Chuck could you give me an example of where you would need to supplement a picture with a voice file.
Bob, I use the audio to alert, or remind, myself of specific items in a picture. Like I said, I take 150-200 photos per inspection. I find it much easier to find exactly the picture I am looking for, or remember something that I took a specific picture for, if I hear it. The digital recorder that I use, for a lack of the correct technical term, can record in chapters. This sort of helps match recordings to pictures. In other words. I know that my chapters 1-5 on my recorder are of the outside of the home. If I am going through the pictures and spot something that I don’t particularly remember, then I can rewind, or fast forward, the recorder and listen to those sections to jog my memory. Clear as mud right!
I under stand perfectly what you mean by chapters as I have a couple of the high quality ones sitting in a drawer somewhere.
Original idea was to use them in combination with Dragon to type the report.
OK ,I see where you are using it to help you remember a lot that maybe you do not need as it is slowing you down listening from what you said.
Just thinking you could steamline that if using the recorder less,but you would need to change the habit , which is difficult when used to a system.
I use hand signals in my pictures on the 5 or 6 out of 100 to 200 I take.
Reason is at the end of the Inspection I do a quick video walkthrough where I call out materials that a picture might not capture such as if it is plastic or wood ,which can fool you in a picture sometimes.
Plus taking a 2 minute video also helps you remember if the red tile was in the 1st floor bath room or the second floor .
Last but not least is I can take a still shot off the video if I need it for an item later.
Sorry to run on ,but the fact you are being slowed up got me started.
LOL. No problem, but tablets are catching up. 10 hours for $499 now and a 10" screen!
“catching up” is the key phrase…which means tablets are behind then.
Correct in battery life.
A PDA does so much less, that it requires less power.
My watch battery lasts for a year, but I will not use it for HI. (Hooo Hooooo!),Touche