Mobile GIS Webinar Follow-up and the New Google Nexus 7 Tablet

Thanks to those able to attend the June 21 webinar titled “Mobile GIS: What’s the New Normal? Windows, Android, iOS, Open Source?” If you weren’t able to attend and would like to listen to it, you can by registering here. It’s a fascinating discussion about the direction that mobile GIS devices are taking in the future. To top it off, two days after the webinar, Google announced its own tablet computer, the Nexus 7.

I conducted three live audience polls during the webinar. One audience member noted that by asking the poll questions after presenting slides on the subject that I may have skewed the results. I guess it’s possible, but I think most audience members already had some idea of which direction they were going even before attending the webinar. However, I do agree that by presenting information the audience may not have been aware of (such as Microsoft’s commitment to support Windows Mobile until at least 2019), that this may have caused audience members to reconsider or change their answers based on new knowledge, but isn’t that what the webinar is supposed to do? Provide timely and current information for more informed decision-making?

Followng are the poll results from the webinar.

Poll #1: For Mobile GIS work, which type of device do you prefer?

Gakstatter comment: The audience results don’t surprise me. Some might expect that smartphones would be higher, but as one audience member noted, “The screen is too small and who wants to risk using their phone?” Also, there are a very limited number of mobile GIS apps available for smartphones running Android or iOS. But, I think the fundamental issue is risk. Yes, for lightweight mobile GIS, a smartphone may be very useful, but if you’re tasked with an all-day intensive mapping project, would you really use a smartphone for this? It’s a valid question.

Poll #2: Which Mobile device operating system do you foresee using in the future for Mobile GIS?

Gakstatter comment: This is interesting, but not completely surprising. The dominance of Android makes sense because the vast number of Android-based devices being introduced, from smartphones to tablets. I expected the iOS number to be higher, but I think what’s hurting iOS is the lack of apps for mobile GIS and the inability of iPads/iPhones to interface (Bluetooth) with external sensors (such as GPS, lasers, cameras, etc.). Another interesting point is the high number of “Don’t Know yet” responses (27.4%). With the lack of powerful mobile GIS apps for Android and iOS and the user community’s uncertainty about Microsoft’s intentions with Windows Mobile, there’s a lot of “wait and see” going on. My gut tells me that Windows Handheld will garner the largest share of the “Don’t know yet” audience. It’s going to take quite some time before mobile GIS Android apps are developed, introduced, debugged, etc. Plus, there are so many versions and variations of Android that I think developers will have to target certain devices to support. It’s not a “one-size-fits-all” thing. An app developed for Android doesn’t mean it’s going to run properly on all Android devices.

Poll #3: In the future, do you think your organization will be using cloud-based mobile GIS apps or standalone mobile GIS apps?

Gakstatter comment: I have to say, this is the most confusing webinar question I’ve ever asked. During the webinar, I noted this and asked the audience to respond Yes for cloud-based apps and No for standalone apps. If you understood it that way and responded accordingly, the results seem reasonable. Either way, there’s no doubt about the huge interest in working with cloud-based apps. It’s going to be interesting to watch where the cloud-based apps go. It’s not like a small consulting company or local government agency can deploy cloud-based mobile GIS apps easily. They would need a whole level of back-end support (hardware and software) to do this. In that case, maybe there’s companies that will offer SaaS (Software as a Service) for these folks to use? That starts to make sense. But, where are they? Is ArcGIS for Android/iOS and Google for Android as good as it’s going to get? One segment where I have seen some traction is local governments offering mobile GIS SaaS from companies like Accela and CitySourced.

If I haven’t said it enough, what’s hindering Android and iOS in mobile GIS is the lack of apps. Esri will never have ArcPad (arguably the world’s most popular mobile GIS software) rewritten to Android or iOS, that’s pretty clear. Esri’s successor for ArcPad is ArcGIS for Windows Mobile, in which they just released version 3.0. It’s a hybrid standalone/cloud app so you can use it when your not connected to the Internet, but it still doesn’t have some of the useful features that ArcPad (and others) have like supporting related tables and direct support for raster imagery, CAD, and shapefiles that don’t have to be “pre-processed” in ArcGIS. There’s really nothing similar for Android or iOS.

Due to the lack of apps for Android and iOS apps, I’m not so quick to write off Windows Mobile devices as many people have. As poorly as Microsoft has communicated its intentions, they have committed to supporting Windows Embedded Handheld (essentially, the same as Windows Mobile) until at least 2019. That’s plenty of time to let Android mature and settle (or even some other operating system to emerge), which it needs to do in order to not drive software developers insane. Android ships in many flavors today, from version 2.3 to the new Google Nexus 7 tablet running version 4.1. Since Android is an open operating system, you can have so many variations and nuances that it will be nearly impossible for app software to run flawlessly across so many different hardware devices and operating system versions.

On the flip side, Apple (iOS) has a highly-controlled app registration process, so other than varying screen sizes, apps will largely run across the iOS hardware platforms. The highly controlled environment seems to work well in ensuring smooth running apps. I’m told that Apple does this to ensure the “best user experience.” However, in some areas, notably Bluetooth connectivity, the proprietary nature of Apple rears its head in a not-so-flexible way. For example, for those of you waiting for the day you can use Bluetooth to connect your high-precision GPS, camera, or laser rangefinder to the iPad or iPhone, don’t hold your breath. If it wasn’t specifically made to Bluetooth to iOS, it’s not going to work. For example, following is a Bluetooth GPS receiver (XGPS150) that works with iPads/iPhones as well as other non-Apple Bluetooth hosts. Note the “Mode” toggle switch where the user must select between Apple and non-Apple products.

Dual XGPS150 (Source: Dual)

The Dual XGPS150 is your typical consumer-grade GPS receiver. It has value for pilots, auto nav, and other apps where the users need to place the GPS antenna in a different location than the iPad/iPhone. However, none of the professional-grade Bluetooth GPS receiver manufacturers have designed “Apple Bluetooth” into their systems, so there’s no way to connect your iPad/iPhone to a high-precision GPS/GNSS receiver via Bluetooth, unless you jailbreak the Apple Bluetooth stack.

With iOS devices “out” for the forseeable future, that leaves the battle between Android and Windows Mobile devices for the most flexible and powerful GIS data collection devices.

Google’s New Nexus 7 Tablet Computer

Just two days after Mobile GIS webinar, Google introduced its Nexus 7 tablet computer.

Google Nexus 7

Even though Google says it’s not meant to target the Apple iPad, it may be better suited for geospatial apps than the iPad. One of the apps it was built for is gaming, so it’s got a pretty strong processor, a 1.3GHz quad-core CPU backed by 1 GB of RAM. Given that, dealing with raster imagery efficiently may not be an issue, although storage might. The Nexus 7 comes in 8-GB and 16-GB versions, with no memory expansion slot. That’s a lot of storage, but we like our SD cards.

Of course, the “7” in the Nexus 7 name matches the display size, 7 inches, with 1280 x 800 pixel resolution, which is higher-res than the first two iPads. The Nexus 7 weighs in at 12 ounces, which is ligher than a Kindle Fire and half the weight of an iPad (although the iPad has a larger 9.7″ display). It reportedly works fine in direct sunlight, which is a must for geospatial users.

It’s 4300-mAh Li-Ion battery will run it 9+ hours and I’d probably buy the $20 protective case for it since it’s not built for outdoor use any more than a notebook computer is. Ruggedness is always the rub with using consumer electronics devices outdoors, and the Nexus 7 is no different.

By the way, the Nexus 7 is actually an ASUS Transformer Prime tablet that Google has rebranded. This is a good thing because the hardware bugs have likely been flushed out. Gizmodo rated the ASUS unit its favorite Android-based tablet.

The Nexus 7 is one step closer to bringing consumer tablet computer technology to professional geospatial users. Although it has a built-in GPS receiver and 1.2-megapixel cameras, we need better geospatial tools. If various Bluetooth geospatial devices like high-precision GPS receivers, cameras, laser rangefinders, etc. can be interfaced to the Nexus 7, it’s a better match for geospatial apps than the iPad.

Running Android’s latest 4.1 operating system, it’s going to suffer from a lack of geospatial apps, for now. But maybe this is the sort of hardware that developers need to see to get them excited.

Did I mention the price?

$200 bucks. If you want to splurge, $250 for the 16-GB model.

This is getting interesting, very interesting.

Thanks, and see you next time.

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