For more than 30 years, Arbor Age magazine has been covering new and innovative products, services, technology and research vital to tree care companies, municipal arborists and utility right-of-way maintenance companies
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APPS FOR ARBORISTS Images provided by Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements By Brandon Gallagher Watson O ur company was running into a recurring problem when we went to trade shows:we have too much stuff.We have a ton of products, with more all the time, and those prod- ucts have a ton of collateral material such as labels/MSDS, product fact sheets, supporting research papers, sell sheets, application guides, before and after photos, videos, and so on. At every show we attend we have to decide beforehand what to bring and, inevitably, someone will walk up to the booth and request the one thing we didn't bring.We needed a way to have all our content available without the bulk or inconvenience of having to work with a laptop computer for each request.To solve this, we looked to an iPad and it solved our problem by allowing us to have all the materials we could possibly need accessible by just a few quick taps of the finger. Since then, I have been interested in how tablet computers — such as the iPad — and smartphones can be used by other arborists to help their businesses.Anytime I see an arborist with an iPad, I immediately ask them how they are using it to help sales,what apps they use, and where they have trouble using it effectively.Through this process, I have become convinced that these gadgets are not just for the techno-nerd types. Because these devices can do so many different things, they can be utilized by all types of tree care professionals. In fact, an arborist who is comfortable with them can find a reason to use one in just about every sales call, crew train- ing,or business transaction.Thirty years ago,only a handful of busi- nesses relied on personal computers but today every business does. Tablet computers have the potential that in 30 years you'll wonder how you communicated to clients without one. Although it's true that tablets and smartphones are simpler and more intuitive to use than a computer, just like all tools they are 22 Arbor Age / January/February 2012 worthless if you aren't utilizing them properly. That's the idea behind this "Apps for Arborists" column. In each issue of Arbor Age I will discuss at least three apps that may be useful for arborists. Some may be tree related, some business related, and some that are just useful for running around town. Device decisions Just like a computer, there is a difference between hardware and software, and although this column will focus on the software, it is good to talk hardware first.With mobile gadgets, hardware is the device itself, like a phone or tablet, but the hardware you choose makes a big difference because the hardware determines the oper- ating system (OS) used.Apple's iOS operating system is only avail- able on Apple devices (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad) while the other major player, Google's Android OS, is available on devices from many different manufacturers.This is just the same as with com- puters where you can buy a Dell,IBM,or Sony computer and they can all run Windows but Apple's systems only come on Apple com- puters.As a general rule,Apple products cost more, but proponents say they work better because Apple makes everything — the hard- ware and the OS.Apple's iOS also uses iTunes as a central hub for purchasing and managing content, which can be useful for keep- ing your stuff relevant and updated.Android products are typically less expensive and have more options in hardware, but are also more prone to issues as the hardware and software are developed by different parties.You'll find brand enthusiasts on both sides; and if you haven't tried either, I recommend trying both to see which seems more comfortable for you.Although I may be biased towards Apple's iOS devices (iPhone and iPad), I do use an Android phone for work, and will make it clear what devices each app is available for when I post reviews of them. www.arborage.com