Although the subject is already a little old, I would like to add our
experience with data capture in the field. We are currently developing the
required tools and evaluating suitable hardware for geological field mapping
at the Bavarian Geological Survey.
First, we found pretty soon that currently no Windows CE device is suitable
for geological field work. First of all, they do not have the storage
capacity to provide the base for mapping: georeferenced topo (raster) maps.
Second, the screens most CE systems feature, are not large enough for real
mapping purposes and in reality they are not readable under direct sunlight.
Consequently, we looked into portable PC systems with pen driven input
devices. During the first two years of the project, we used Husky FC-PX 5
field pc's with mediocre success. We liked the ruggedness of the machine,
but had problems with performance, stability, and the readability of the
black & white screen.
Since about six months we feel to have a much better solution, the VIA
Flexi-PC, a truly wearable PC system. You carry it like a belt, and you have
a board-like 8.5 inch color screen (which fits into a pouch on the belt),
which uses the sunlight to enhance its contrast. This screen is readable
under most light conditions (in darkness - of course - you won't see
anything). You can attach two Li-Ion batteries to the belt, which run
between 9 and 10 hours together, without any power saving enabled. The
screen does not have a keyboard, but we use the My-T-Touch Onscreen keyboard
quite comfortably (it is highly customizable).
Our software is not a MapInfo-based solution (we run Gispad, a German
software, specifically designed for GIS data capture on field computers),
but this is not the point here.
To summarize, I think that Windows CE is presently not an option for digital
mapping, because of the unsuitability of the currently available hardware.
To do field mapping with suitable field pc systems, you have to face that
the field pc's are costly: around 5000 to 6000 US$, if I take the current
dollar rate into account. However, I think that this money is much better
invested than into systems like the Toshiba Libretto or Windows CE PDAs.
To do digital field mapping successfully, the whole system (hardware &
software) has to be accepted by its users - mostly people, which were used
to traditional analog methods. In this context two factors are essential:
the hardware has to be ergonomical, and here the most critical factor is the
readibility and size of the screen, and the software needs to map the
procedures the user was used to, into the user interface.
If anybody has further interest:
Get details about the VIA "Belt-PC" at www.flexipc.com
about GISPAD at www.conterra.de
or if you want more information about our project contact
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or [EMAIL PROTECTED] .
Thomas Gulden
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Ursprungliche Nachricht-----
Von: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]Im Auftrag von Tom Curley
Gesendet: Donnerstag, 14. September 2000 21:16
An: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Betreff: Re: MI Hand held MapInfo ?
Something like the 'ArcPad' solution - a slim version of ArcView running on
a Windows CE device? I also looked at that with some interest - a field
tool that was handy in size, ran for a whole day on one set of batteries
... sounds ideal.
But then reality set in: a competent WinCE machine is about $1,000 US when
you max the memory to 32mb, and that amount of memory probably won't allow
you to store and display high-resolution raster images such as 1m
orthophotography - not that the LCD screen resolution would be very
supportive of that. ESRI pricing is always a mystery but we figured we'd
probably pay about $650 even with government discounts for the ArcPad
software. And that assumes it all works as predicted.
For the same price you could purchase a Toshiba Libretto (Pentium 233,
4.3gb hd, 32mb RAM running Win98) for about $1,700 US and use your existing
MapInfo license. The Libretto is handily small but you still have a
touch-typable (barely) keyboard and all the functionality of Win98 (love it
or hate it) - and enough capacity to run 200mb orthophotos, nautical charts
and whatever else we need for data building or display out in the field.
When we get back to the office just pop out the X-jack on the 10/100 net
card, hook up the cable, boot up and you're on the network to pass along
the data that you were able to build completely, annotate easily,
quality-control and check all while in the field. We use the Blue Marble
GeoTracker application with a Magellan Pro MarkX and CSI/Magellan DBR for
in-field differentially-corrected GIS input.
Some things we don't like: the Li-Ion battery only lasts about 2-1/2 hours,
and a spare is $175 US. On battery power alone the screen chooses to be
less-backlit making it less-readable in bright light - we fitted a little
hood over it which helps but not enough to make it easy to see. Luckily
it's cloudy rather often here in the Pacific Northwest USA. But like any
laptop not built to be water resistant (and thus double the cost) the
Libretto is vulnerable to rain, mud - even pine needles getting into the
keyboard have been a problem. It has a reputation for being more rugged
than most, but in our opinion most laptops are distressingly frail. The
weird little thumb-mouse is also an irritant.
So that's what we've done, and it's worked well overall. You could cut your
costs somewhat by purchasing a larger but more easily damaged
last-generation closeout laptop for about $1,000 US from a computer
discounter.
Tom
At 01:33 PM 09/11/2000 -0400, you wrote:
>To the list
>
>Has anyone heard of MapInfo products for hand held ( Palm, Pocket PC, etc)
>computers.
>
>Thank You
>
>Stephen Wallace
>
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* - * - * - * - *
Tom Curley
Suquamish Tribe GIS Program Manager
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Rules have their place, but reason makes a better argument."
-- Bill Thoen
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