Running Business with Android Tablet

[crisscross]

Hi all,
I have an Asus Transfomer (without 3G) that i wish to use for my computer repair business. What I would like to do is track jobs and store customer info on my tablet, but also make all data available offline, if there is no wi-fi to use. I have been looking but haven't really found anything that really suits. At the moment i am just doing up a heap of word doc's, and storing them on Google Drive. Can anybody suggest anything that may make life easier? Thanks in advance, Chris

 

[16k_zx81]

Hi all,
I have an Asus Transfomer (without 3G) that i wish to use for my computer repair business. What I would like to do is track jobs and store customer info on my tablet, but also make all data available offline, if there is no wi-fi to use. I have been looking but haven't really found anything that really suits. At the moment i am just doing up a heap of word doc's, and storing them on Google Drive. Can anybody suggest anything that may make life easier? Thanks in advance, Chris

PCRT

https://www.google.com.au/search?su...me&ie=UTF-8&q=PCRT+site:technibble.com/forums

 

[gazza]

Get yourself the New Ipad and purchase PC Repair Tracker and your done.

PC Repair Tracker works a treat on my Ipad, allows my clients to sign repair tickets and repair reports on the Ipad and send them via email or print them out.

I have tried PC Repair Tracker on a Android Tablet and it is not in the same ballpark as the new Ipad.

 

[StableSolutions]

I have no idea as far as the app you're talking about... but

As far as the not having wifi issue goes... If you have an android phone (There is probably an Iphone version of this as well but I don't have an Iphone so I wouldn't know) you can download an app called PdaNet and an app called FoxFi

PdaNet allows you to tether your phone to your computer, and it also allows you to share your internet connection via bluetooth with capable devices as well.

FoxFi allows you to use the wifi hotspot ability of your phone (if applicable) without paying for the carrier sponsored app.

Neither of these require rooting your device in any way, though they are restricted to certain markets.

 

[gazza]

Pc Repair Tracker http://www.pcrepairtracker.com/

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Get yourself the New Ipad
I have tried PC Repair Tracker on a Android Tablet and it is not in the same ballpark as the new Ipad.

There are a lot of different levels of Androids....he has the best of them, an Asus Transformer. If you didn't try apps on a Transformer, it would not be fair to give a blanket negative statement about Androids since you're basing your experience on poorer performing brands.

 

[jdpetrov]

I currently run my business on my droid x, Quickbooks connect, etc, but when the iPhone 5 comes out I plan on switching over. Far too many good business apps for iOS than Android.

 

[codegreen]

I have tried PC Repair Tracker on a Android Tablet and it is not in the same ballpark as the new Ipad.

There are a lot of crappy Android tablets out there. The Asus Transformer line is not among them.

 

[Encrypted Existence]

PCRT

https://www.google.com.au/search?su...me&ie=UTF-8&q=PCRT+site:technibble.com/forums

Jim, PCRT makes data available offline? I thought it was completely web-based?

 

[16k_zx81]

Jim, PCRT makes data available offline? I thought it was completely web-based?

My bad! I missed the O word in the original post!

Yeah if OP is in a rural or remote area with no internet available anywhere, then its not great.

It CAN be run as a local install, but I dont know about doing that on Android or IOS - probably outside of the doability realm. This is where a Windows 8 tablet would come in handy (Im surprising myself at the oxymoron in that sentence, but its not without credence nonetheless)

OP: If not in Rural or Remote, you should be able to tether your IOS/Android device to any Smartphone, making a portable wifi hotspot. This would give you anywhere-access to the www, and hence the possibility of PCRT

 

[bdhageman]

After seeing FoxFi mentioned in this thread I tried it out on my phone with a combination of Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus. Worked very nicely. Was able to bring up the wi-fi and connect to my PCRT site. Great recommendation on a solution. The client was even impressed.

 

[gazza]

There are a lot of different levels of Androids....he has the best of them, an Asus Transformer. If you didn't try apps on a Transformer, it would not be fair to give a blanket negative statement about Androids since you're basing your experience on poorer performing brands.

Mate I was not bagging Andriod devices, I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 phone, a 7" Android tablet as well as the new Ipad.

I use the signature pad that is incorporated into PCRT to have my customers sign documents and in my experience (as confirmed by Luke from PCRT) the signature pad function did not work very well under android Gingerbread.

He confirmed that it work fine under the IOS operating system so I went and got me a IPAD 3 and it works a treat. I think it has something to with HTML5, maybe the new Icecream Sandwich OS has fixed the issues I was having but I can't confirm that.

 

[techguyforyou]

Mate I was not bagging Andriod devices, I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 phone, a 7" Android tablet as well as the new Ipad.

I use the signature pad that is incorporated into PCRT to have my customers sign documents and in my experience (as confirmed by Luke from PCRT) the signature pad function did not work very well under android Gingerbread.

He confirmed that it work fine under the IOS operating system so I went and got me a IPAD 3 and it works a treat. I think it has something to with HTML5, maybe the new Icecream Sandwich OS has fixed the issues I was having but I can't confirm that.

I can agree that with Gingerbread/honeycomb the signature pad function wasn't working well at all for me, but since updating to ICS this works very well. ICS has improved a bunch of my main gripes with my Transformer (battery life, crashing, etc.), I'm very happy with it's performance now.

Thank you guys for recommending Foxfi, it is working out very well for me, was using pdatablet before and it wasn't quite as good imo.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Mate I was not bagging Andriod devices, I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 phone, a 7" Android tablet as well as the new Ipad.

I use the signature pad that is incorporated into PCRT to have my customers sign documents and in my experience (as confirmed by Luke from PCRT) the signature pad function did not work very well under android Gingerbread.

He confirmed that it work fine under the IOS operating system so I went and got me a IPAD 3 and it works a treat. I think it has something to with HTML5, maybe the new Icecream Sandwich OS has fixed the issues I was having but I can't confirm that.

OK. Was just wanting to ensure it was a fair comparison (same grade quality vs quality)...because I've seen many people try out an Android tablet....a cheaper one, like a 180 dollar Coby Kyros or something el cheapo like that...and the touchscreen and response on those cheaper ones is horrible..HORRIBLE. And then they go spend 550 bucks on an iPad...and go "Wow...great touchscreen, great response!"...and they turn around and try to claim that "Androids SUCK!". Uhm...."No...the model tablet you purchased..that super cheap thing...sucked...not Android itself!".

It's not a fair comparison. We see the same thing with Windows vs Macs..people compare cheapo model WIntel machines against high end Macs..naturally it's an unfair comparison.

If they had done a fair comparison...using a higher end Droid tablet like the Asus Transformer...against the iPad...now we have a fair shake!

BTW...I have iPads in my house (my wifes)...and even little Kindle Fires (my 9yo daughter has one).