SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  The Lounge    Mobile computing.
Page 1 2 
Go
New
Find
Notify
Tools
Reply
  
Mobile computing. Login/Join 
W07VH5
Picture of mark123
posted
I'm looking to add a mobile computer and printer to my work truck. Not only will this allow me to look up customer balances (they always ask as if I hadn't sent them an invoice already) but it will also allow me to drop off invoices while I'm working at the customer's property instead of mailing them. I send out between 60 to 80 invoices monthly. I'll also be able to avoid printing out daily work sheets. Heat will be a consideration. Cold will not (near zero winter work).

Unfortunately, it's going to have to be a Windows machine to work with my scheduling and invoicing application. Internet connection will be nice but probably not necessary.

I've installed a motherboard in my truck before but never added a monitor or printer or internet.

What else should I consider? Are there existing solutions?
 
Posts: 45330 | Location: Pennsyltucky | Registered: December 05, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
quarter MOA visionary
Picture of smschulz
posted Hide Post
Why is it unfortunate to use Windows? Confused

Laptop with Cellular connection with a data plan and mobile printer.
Should be GTG.
 
Posts: 22857 | Location: Houston, TX | Registered: June 11, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
W07VH5
Picture of mark123
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
Why is it unfortunate to use Windows? Confused ...
I'm, unfortunately, forced to use it on a daily basis. The quirks, the randomness, the required reboots, the daily updates, et al.

quote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
Laptop with Cellular connection with a data plan and mobile printer.
Should be GTG.
No cellular connection. That brings me from saving $500/year to spending more. I forgot to mention that.

I've never seen a mobile printer. How do you power it?

I'm also really concerned about heat affecting both the laptop and the printer. It'll be locked up in direct sunlight for hours at a time.
 
Posts: 45330 | Location: Pennsyltucky | Registered: December 05, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
The success of a solution usually depends upon your point of view
posted Hide Post
What about a surface pro tablet and a wireless printer? The tablet would allow your customers to review the invoices prior to printing without climbing into your truck and you could take and attach pictures.



“We truly live in a wondrous age of stupid.” - 83v45magna

"I think it's important that people understand free speech doesn't mean free from consequences societally or politically or culturally."
-Pranjit Kalita, founder and CIO of Birkoa Capital Management

 
Posts: 3839 | Location: Jacksonville, FL | Registered: September 10, 2010Reply With QuoteReport This Post
quarter MOA visionary
Picture of smschulz
posted Hide Post
Not sure how to address quirks, randomness? ... reboots are not daily nor are the updates.
Everyone loves to blame Microsoft when it is only one part of a system.

Mobile printers can and usually be battery powered.
You could also install an inverter in your vehicle.

https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/...st-portable-printers

Have you considered QuickBooks Online?
You could do all of that with an Internet Data Connection from a phone.
 
Posts: 22857 | Location: Houston, TX | Registered: June 11, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Back, and
to the left
Picture of 83v45magna
posted Hide Post
When I needed to produce invoices from a vehicle, I used an older version of THIS.



I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. -Ecclesiastes 9:11
 
Posts: 7230 | Location: Dallas | Registered: August 04, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
W07VH5
Picture of mark123
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
Not sure how to address quirks, randomness? ... reboots are not daily nor are the updates.
Everyone loves to blame Microsoft when it is only one part of a system.
I was simply trying to avoid getting suggestions for Apple Mini or iPad.

quote:
Mobile printers can and usually be battery powered.
You could also install an inverter in your vehicle.

https://www.pcmag.com/roundup/...st-portable-printers

Have you considered QuickBooks Online?
You could do all of that with an Internet Data Connection from a phone.
i don't think QuickBooks online doesn't have a scheduling system.
 
Posts: 45330 | Location: Pennsyltucky | Registered: December 05, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
W07VH5
Picture of mark123
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by SpinZone:
What about a surface pro tablet and a wireless printer? The tablet would allow your customers to review the invoices prior to printing without climbing into your truck and you could take and attach pictures.
Can the screen survive being left in the truck in 100° weather? That does seem like a decent idea.
 
Posts: 45330 | Location: Pennsyltucky | Registered: December 05, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
W07VH5
Picture of mark123
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by 83v45magna:
When I needed to produce invoices from a vehicle, I used an older version of THIS.
I'll check that out. Thanks.
 
Posts: 45330 | Location: Pennsyltucky | Registered: December 05, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
For real?
Picture of Chowser
posted Hide Post
Not sure about a tablet but our work laptops and printers survive the heat and cold in our police cars.



Not minority enough!
 
Posts: 7993 | Location: Cleveland, OH | Registered: August 09, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Mobile printing can be expensive. Either you're using a small inkjet printer with expensive cartridges or a thermal with expensive paper. The law enforcement world (at least where I am) is generally using thermal printers as they use less power and have fewer potential failure points. They are expensive to buy, though, and the print quality is poor. Brother's PocketJet line is probably most common.

Another option would be to find a place to mount a small laser printer and run off of a power inverter. Lasers can be pretty power intensive, though. You would likely save on supplies over the long run being able to use standard paper and toner cartridges with a fairly high yield. I have seen one drug task force guy in my area do this with reasonably good results. He had the printer sitting or mounted in a wood box with handles that sat on the back seat of his truck so it would be easy to move.

For a computer, I would give consideration to just carting around a laptop. The expense and inherent limitation in mounting something in the truck would be pretty limiting unless you are using it constantly. If you are really worried about temps, look for a year or two old Toughbook. They're ghastly expensive new, but generally fairly affordable after a couple years. There are also a number of docks and mounts available. The same with Dell's Latitude series.
 
Posts: 5143 | Location: Iowa | Registered: February 24, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of bigdeal
posted Hide Post
Instead of mailing out paper invoices, can you move to emailing them? That would save a lot of time, energy, and money, eliminate the need for a portable printer, and allow you to re-send invoices on the fly from your phone or a laptop. Just a thought.


-----------------------------
Guns are awesome because they shoot solid lead freedom. Every man should have several guns. And several dogs, because a man with a cat is a woman. Kurt Schlichter
 
Posts: 33845 | Location: Orlando, FL | Registered: April 30, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Ignored facts
still exist
posted Hide Post
quote:
What else should I consider?


encrypt the drive with Bitlocker or equiv so when it gets stolen your customer information is (more) safe.

quote:
No cellular connection.

Do you park the vehicle within range of your WiFi? If so, some type of automated backup to elsewhere is nice, as well as syncing records to some other computer someplace else. Or just bring the thing in at night, which is likely best.


----------------------
Let's Go Brandon!
 
Posts: 10860 | Location: 45 miles from the Pacific Ocean | Registered: February 28, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
quarter MOA visionary
Picture of smschulz
posted Hide Post
quote:
i don't think QuickBooks online doesn't have a scheduling system.


Not a QB expert although I have done many installations.
Looking over the features not sure of what scheduling features you require but it appears they support many other software apps through integration.
Might be worth it to check out.
Of course you will need an Internet Connection of some type.
 
Posts: 22857 | Location: Houston, TX | Registered: June 11, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
bigger government
= smaller citizen
Picture of Veeper
posted Hide Post
See your email.




“The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it.”—H.L. Mencken
 
Posts: 9144 | Location: West Michigan | Registered: April 20, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of cyanide357
posted Hide Post
Probably because isn't the superior OS choice -- Linux. Big Grin

quote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
Why is it unfortunate to use Windows? Confused


Mark, What software are you using / needing compatibility with?
 
Posts: 249 | Registered: November 24, 2005Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Info Guru
Picture of BamaJeepster
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by mark123:
quote:
Originally posted by smschulz:
Laptop with Cellular connection with a data plan and mobile printer.
Should be GTG.
No cellular connection. That brings me from saving $500/year to spending more. I forgot to mention that.


Does your cell phone have internet access? If so, you may be able to tether it to your laptop (turn your personal hotspot on, if allowed by your carrier).



“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
- John Adams
 
Posts: 29408 | Location: In the red hinterlands of Deep Blue VA | Registered: June 29, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of fpuhan
posted Hide Post
I'll stay out of the OS war. I will say that for years I used a Canon PIXMA iP90 compact printer. Now, according to LifeWire, the PIXMA iP110 is "The industry standard for what a mobile printer should be."

At Amazon for $150.




You can't truly call yourself "peaceful" unless you are capable of great violence. If you're not capable of great violence, you're not peaceful, you're harmless.

NRA Benefactor/Patriot Member
 
Posts: 2857 | Location: Peoples Republic of North Virginia | Registered: December 04, 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Chip away the stone
Picture of rusbro
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by bigdeal:
Instead of mailing out paper invoices, can you move to emailing them? That would save a lot of time, energy, and money, eliminate the need for a portable printer, and allow you to re-send invoices on the fly from your phone or a laptop. Just a thought.


This is what I would do. Offer to email them an invoice. Print and mail from home, only when necessary.

Also, as mentioned, use online accounting and scheduling applications, so that if your laptop/tablet dies, it's no big deal.
 
Posts: 11597 | Registered: August 22, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
W07VH5
Picture of mark123
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by cyanide357:
Probably because isn't the superior OS choice -- Linux. Big Grin
Truth! Big Grin The motherboard I had installed in my old truck ran Linux.

quote:
Mark, What software are you using / needing compatibility with?
Gopher
 
Posts: 45330 | Location: Pennsyltucky | Registered: December 05, 2001Reply With QuoteReport This Post
  Powered by Social Strata Page 1 2  
 

SIGforum.com    Main Page  Hop To Forum Categories  The Lounge    Mobile computing.

© SIGforum 2024