Comparison of Mobile Computers for Field and Laboratory Settings

1
Comparison of Mobile Computers for Field and
Laboratory Settings

• By
• Carol A. Krawczyk, ASLA
• Assistant Professor, Department of Plant and Soil
  Sciences
• and
• Eric R. Benson, Ph.D.
• Assistant Professor, Department of Bioresources
  Engineering

2
Our Study

• Tablet computers were evaluated under classroom,
  laboratory and field applications in the
  Landscape Horticulture and Engineering Technology
  curricula
• Tablet computers implemented in
• Two PLSC courses in Fall 2003 and Fall 2004
• Two EGTE applications in Spring 2003 and Fall
  2004

3
PLSC Results

• Laptop and Tablet computers used to record base
  and analysis data in the field
• PLSC 332 Site data gathered and used to produce
  base sheets, analyses and design drawings.
• PLSC 330 students used the computers to learn
  AutoCAD and produce construction details from
  observations in the field.
• Students saved time by drawing details in field
  settings
• Implementing mobile computer technology resulted
  in more accurate field information, more
  site-responsive design decisions and better use
  of time.

4
EGTE Results

• Students introduced to tablet and desktop
  computers in a static setting
• One tablet failed at outset
• Most of the users moderately experienced with
  computers
• All of the surveyed users had no PDA experience
• Students used the computer to perform programming
  tasks taught in lab
• Different applications than PLSC
• Students found the tablet
• Easier to use than a laptop (66)
• No different to use than a desktop (42)
• You could write what you wanted to and it went
  quickly
• You could quickly do something with a pen right
  on the screen instead of using a mouse which
  could sometimes be cumbersome.

5
What Students Say about Mobile Computing

• Students appreciate mobile computing. In a pilot
  introduction project, 63 of the students
  recommended laptop computers, while only 32
  recommended desktop computers as a more
  appropriate alternative. (Foster)
• Mobile PCs are easier to store and use in small
  quarters (dorm rooms, in class, in the field)
• Mobile PCs are easier to transport (few, if any,
  wires), are lighter, and easier to move than
  desktops worth the additional cost, students
  report.
• Students noted that they used the laptop daily to
  multiple times a day and that the laptops helped
  to prepare them for professional work. (Foster)

6
What we compared

• TABLETS
• 2003 Technology
• Toshiba 3500 Portege
• 496 MB Ram
• Wireless Networking
• 2 USB Ports
• PCMCIA slot
• AutoCAD 2004
• MicroSoft Office Pro
• MicroSoft Visio
• National Instruments LabView 6.1
• JASC PaintShop Pro 8.0
• PhotoShop 7.0.1
• Adobe Illustrator 10.0.3
• Adobe Acrobat 6.0

• LAPTOPS
• 2002 Technology
• Dell Latitude C-840 Laptops
• 512 Mb Ram
• 1.2 Ghz Processor
• Non-wireless (until 2004)
• CD Writing Capacity
• 2 USB Ports
• Windows XP Professional
• AutoCAD 2002
• PhotoShop 7.0
• MicroSoft Office Pro

7
The Lineage of the Two Computer Types

• Although the Laptop is a mobile computer, it has
  its origins in the Desktop PC.
• The Tablet comes from two sources the
  fixed-in-place tablet (like a PC) and a hand-held
  PDA (personal digital assistant).

8
Form Factors

• Holding in hand vs. perching on lap
• Standing vs. Sitting
• Use of interface
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Rollerball or Trackball
• Finger
• Stylus

9
How Laptops and Tablets Compare

• Laptop
• Portability
• Can be taken most places, if there is a table or
  seat
• How to hold?
• On lap, table, surface, ground
• Weight
• Lightweight
• Interfaces
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Rollerball
• Finger-manipulation

• Tablets
• Portability
• Can be taken anywhere
• How to hold?
• On lap, table, surface, ground as with laptop
• Also, hold in hand like clipboard, hang on wall
  like television screen
• Weight
• Lighter weight than traditional laptops
• Interfaces
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Rollerball
• Finger-manipulation
• Stylus

10
Comparison of tablet computers with more
traditional methods for mobile computing

• Potential form factor advantages for teaching and
  learning
• Convenience on the go
• Versatility
• Durability Issues
• Price

11
Form factor advantages for teaching and learning

• Combined use of tablet computers and wireless
  networking allows students to take notes
  electronically and access online material.
  InformationWeek
• Multimedia-enhanced classroom allow the
  instructor to annotate existing presentations
  with a stylus. Anderson, et. al.
• Pen based computers were installed at all seats
  of an instructional computer laboratory to enable
  students to view instructor prepared slides and
  take notes within the presentation. Berque, et.
  al.
• MIT robot design competition teams collaborate
  using pen-based technology to produce designs.
  Foster

12
Convenience

• Portability
• Ability to stand or walk with the tablet in hand
• Interesting uses
• Graphics bridge

13
Versatility

• The combination of the hand-held format and
  graphics interface provide additional benefits
  that other types of mobile computers do not have.

14
Durability

• Traditional tablets (convertibles) are still as
  fragile as their laptop counterparts
• Screen failure under laptop mode
• Failure of one laptop
• Sensitivity to damage and loss are problems with
  tablets and laptops alike
• I would feel nervous not to drop it and ruin an
  expensive piece of equipment. (EGTE student
  survey comments)
• New, ruggedized computers, however, expand
  computer use in field and correct common problems

15
Price

• Laptop
• Processor 1.5 Ghz
• RAM 256 MB
• HD 40 MB
• Drive CD-RW/DVD
• Screen 14.0
• 1149

• Tablet
• Processor 1 Ghz
• RAM 256 MB
• HD 40 MB
• Drives None
• Screen 12.1
• 2355
• (Prices www.gateway.com, 2004)

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How Laptop and Tablet PCs have been used in EGTE
Classes

• Mixed use lab
• Permanent computer installation not practical
• Variety of projects
• Instrumentation
• Controls
• Research
• Introductory computer class
• Larger number of younger students given access to
  technology

17
How Laptop and Tablet PCs have been used in PLSC
Classes

• Mobile Design Studio
• Take into field situations
• Data Collection in the field
• Analysis in the field
• Design in field and traditional studio settings
• Sketching/Drawing on top of digital photographs
• Video Viewing

18
Problems with Laptops

• LCD screen
• Need seating a lap
• Heating up of the computer housing
• Laptops worked more slowly in adverse weather
  conditions
• Tablets worked more slowly in adverse weather
  conditions
• Interface problems
• Coarseness of drawings

19
Problems with Tablets

• LCD screen
• Outright failure of one tablet
• Problems with the monitor
• Zone alarm locking out the computer
• Incompatibility of software with Windows XP
  tablet edition
• Incompatibility of warning messages
• External drives inconvenient in the field
• Pressure sensitivity problems with more than one
  user
• Problems with conversion from laptop to tablet
• Steeper learning curve than for laptops

20
Advantages of one over the other

• Tablets
• More versatility for use in the field, especially
  with rugged tablets
• Better with graphic programs than laptops
• More versatility in wider range of sites
• Laptops
• Less costly than tablets
• Fewer firewall and fragility problems
• Students more familiar with laptops

21
Problems with Technology

• Traditions remain
• Students take notes on paper
• Later translate to computer
• Problems relearning techniques in order to use
  technology
• Adaptive students
• Take notes directly
• Take less time
• Learn new software faster

22
Learning Curve

• Using tablet to mimic existing laptop
• Students and instructors
• Fail to take advantage of technology
• Adaptations
• Use handwriting recognition software
• Switch between keypad and stylus when appropriate
• Word processing
• Sketching

23
The Future

• Explore the ruggedized tablet computers for
  educational use
• Our ultimate challenge
• How to make full use of the equipment and
  technologies
• How to change our mindsets, and those of our
  students, to embrace new methods and technologies
  

24
References

• J. De Vry and G.H. Watson, University of
  Delaware's Faculty-IT Partnership Educational
  Transformation through Teamwork. The Technology
  Source, May/June (2003).
• A.L . Foster, Tablets sneak up on laptops. The
  Chronicle of Higher Education, April 4 (2003).
• S. Pacey, Luck of the Draw. RIBA Journal,109(5)
  79-80 (2002).
• D. Berque, T. Bonebright, and M. Whitesell,
  Using Pen-based computers across the computer
  science curriculum. In Proceedings of SIGCSE 04,
  Norfolk VA, 61 65 (2004).
• (Anon) TabletPCs go to college Microsoft is
  launching a pilot project at the University of
  Virginia utilizing TabletPC hardware that links
  students and professors. InformationWeek, May 19
  (2004).
• T.P. Johnson, PhotoShop Workshop. New Jersey
  American Society of Landscape Architects Annual
  Meeting. February 9 (2004).
• R. Anderson, R. Anderson, B. Simon, S.A.
  Wolfman, T. VanDeGrift, and K. Yasuhara,
  Experience with tablet based PC lecture
  presentation systems in computer science courses.
  In Proceedings of SIGCSE 04, Norfolk VA, 56-60
  (2004).