Having acquired an ipad over the holidays I have been busy experimenting and seeing all that it can do. I must say that I am very impressed. What I have been more interested in however is its application to our profession. I did a lot of research before getting one to know what I was getting myself into and some other people's opinions on it and worthwhile apps. I wanted to make sure before I dropped some serious cash onto one that I could benefit from it and it had some worthwhile uses. I must say that I have been impressed since getting it. I take every opportunity I can to try to find a new app that can do something that will benefit Architecture.
There are quite a few apps out there too. There isn't a 'one stop shop' app that does everything. The ipad is a tool just like Revit is, just like a pencil is, just like sketchpaper and a marker is. Like any tool, you need to know when the best and most appropriate time to use it is. Don't use the right tool for the job and you only make your job harder. Can you put a screw in with a hammer?
Probably (can't say that I've ever tried), it's not the most appropriate tool for the job, a screwdriver would make the task go a lot quicker and be easier on you. Can you build an entire dining room set with a hammer? No. You need a variety of tools. The one specialized tool is probably a bit pricey, and spends 99% of its time sitting in its box but there is going to be that one time (probably the time when you bought it) that you needed it for something, it served its specialized purpose, made your life easier and you continued on with the job. The ipad and accompanying apps are no different.
The one thing I couldn't figure out when doing my research is which model of the ipad I wanted or needed. I knew that I only wanted the Wifi version. I had no need for the 3G one, and 90% of the places I go had wifi (including home and the office). I could see the benefit with some of the apps below where having that connectivity virtually anywhere would be beneficial, but for the most part it is unnecessary.
The second thing that I was unsure about was the size ipad, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB. I didn't know how big apps were, how much storage space I would need to store stuff on the ipad, etc.
I originally got the 16 as a gift. I still didn't know so I talked to someone in the apple store and told them what I would primarily be using it for (architecture). They had one valuable piece of advice. Get the 32GB. They knew of the apps that I would be using. They followed that up by saying that generally speaking, people who purchase them for private use get a 16GB, and people who get them for business use get a 32GB. That was all I need to hear, so I paid the extra $100 and upgraded to the 32. Even though I had opened it, used it and set it up, there was no issue with exchanging it. (I kept good care of it though and made sure not to scratch it). The rep walked me through how to wipe the data on the ipad clean and return it to factory settings. Since apple has their icloud now, all my settings, preferences, and apps I had downloaded were saved to my account on the cloud, so when I set up the new one, I just put in my AppleID and it configured the new one exactly the same way as the old one.
I do have to say here that I won't/aren't using it only for work, but also a lot of personal use. I want to put movies on it when I travel, as well as other apps and games to use on a daily basis. I had a laptop when I was in school, still have it (it's really old and doesn't do much anymore), but have since replaced it with a desktop. I loved the portability of a laptop and carrying it around everywhere. I would like to see the ipad replace the laptop, and I think one day it will.
Since christmas and getting the bigger one, I have been playing and experimenting and testing out new apps. I bring the ipad into job interviews and show it off (yes, it worked out in my favor) and I provide advice to people looking to implement it. I recently got on the pilot team at the office that is looking into how to implement the ipad into the workflow of the office, and so far have been able to put my 6+ months of research to good use and share it with people.
Here is a list of apps I have found helpful/useful/beneficial to the architecture industry. Some are free, some are paid, only one was expensive.
- Punchlist
- Autodesk design review
- Autodesk force effect
- AutocadWS
- 360
- Theodolite
- Sun seeker
- Bluestreak
- Onenote
- Dragon Dictation
- Lync
- My Measures
- Magic Plan
- Sketchbook
Over the next several weeks I'll be reviewing these apps, talking about my experiences and saying how I think they are beneficial to us. So stay tuned!
