For Rugged Tablets, It's All About Access (To GIS Data)

By Scott Ball, Xplore Technologies

Geospatial information system (GIS) technologies are not new. Neither are rugged tablet computer technologies. Both ideas were born out of the need for access to data not easily documented or digestible on paper. Both have gained increasing relevance across almost every global industry over the last 20 years: Rugged tablets’ role in workflow mobility has expanded beyond simple data acquisition, and GIS applications have made great strides in centralizing disparate map collections and simplifying complex data analysis. As each has evolved in response to a rapidly changing technology landscape and emerging business demands, one thing has remained fundamentally consistent: The way that rugged tablets and GIS data work cohesively to acquire and analyze actionable data.

GIS data is no longer relevant only to a small segment of engineers, field service workers or road warriors. Together, GIS software and rugged tablet technologies drive more informed decision-making for all global industries by granting unrestricted access to critical data from anywhere using a single mobile PC device.