laptop for work

[sav]

hi all ive got a netbook laptop for work that i save a load of pdf versions of boiler manuals on.


just wondering if anyone on here uses a laptop and if so what else do they use it for and what else could i use theis netbook for? ie diary so i can book jobs in ect insted of having a paper diary ect.


thanks

 

[Bubblecraft]

I use an iPad for my work. I use it for everything.

Doing quotes
Invoices
Gallery for customers work
Day to day diary
Certs
Shopping list for retailers
and many other things.

Keep it all in a happy owl case which keeps all my money, cards, pens, invoice & deposit books, receipts & orders & some other misc stuff.

I used to use a laptop but it was a pain lumping it about in a stop lock case with many other things & waiting on it booting up for a customer is a pain. Best accessory for work I ever purchased!

 

[mikegas]

I'm waiting on the iPad 3, due in march, prob overkill for work but I'm sad like that

 

[dancinplumba]

wierd that, was thinking about ipad bout hour ago, wether i should get one and what else besides looking at maunals i could use it for, you have swayed me bubblecraft into getting one

 

[Bubblecraft]

It's well worth it, honestly!

I use Mental note for measuring up. You can type, draw, record & take pics on it.

I use my photos to show potential new clients of what can be done. I take several pictures all the way through a job. The pics generally sell it for me.

I use pages for my quotations & invoices. If its a job I can price there & then, I type it up while I'm with the customer & email it to them in PDF form while I'm still with them!

I use reminders app for my shopping list for all my retailers.

There's loads more apps I use but there the most common. It's very professional looking & 9 times out of 10 I get the job, purely down to presentation.

 

[markfxy]

I use a 13" laoptop its a pain waiting for it to boot up but I cant justify the cost of an ipad yet, I also bought a HP470 printer wireless with battery to print invoices haven't used it once! just as well it was cheap off Ebay

 

[Bubblecraft]

I also have an iPhone 4 so everything I do on my iPad goes straight on to my iPhone via iCloud & visa versa.
The downside to apple is no flash though there are apps that let you use some things that are flash enabled. It restricts me to updating me website on some things but still well worth it.
I use a 32gb iPad for work, 64gb iPad 2 for pleasure, mrs has a 16gb iPad, and there 2 iPhone 4's, a iPhone 3GS & 2 iPod touches in my house. I'm appled out my nut lol

I don't have the 3G iPads as its not required if you have an iPhone. I have a tethering bundle which allows me to connect my ipads to my iphones. They all have have wifi to!

 

[Bubblecraft]

I also have 2 HP3050a all in one printer scanners that has eprint facility which is great. Print straight from iPhone or iPad. If a customer does not have an email address, I can print it while on the job. Have 1 printer in the house & 1 wired in the van.

 

[dancinplumba]

steady, will just start with ipad first lol

 

[Pipedream]

Bubblecraft

I am a fellow Mac enthusiast.

We have two iPads , two iPhones (with a third iphone with a broken mic, which out three year old uses as a games console), an iMac and a Mac book - only used for accounts.

Everything syncs on iCloud so all of my customer contacts, diary, quotes, emails etc are available on all devices at all times

I use invoice 2 go for my invoicing - brilliant. I have an app for drawing bathroom and kitchen plans. I do all of my quotes on the iPad and usually do them before I leave the customers house.

I also have some slide shows of previous jobs and when I am quoting I let customers browse them while I am measuring up.

I use it to listen to music while I am working, keep on top of emails, read the Guardian app or a book at lunchtime and of course spend hours on Plants v Zombies.

My iPad has 3G and I often do an online order with a well known merchant checking stock and picking it up 15 mins later.

I also use it to visit manufacturers websites for specs and manuals.

I have most of the manuals is use most in ibooks

I use google maps instead of a Sat Nav.

Off duty it is great for the BBC iplayer etc for watching TV

I use an Otterbox defender case for the iPad and iphone and they kept as good as new.

I really cannot imagine life without my iPad and could not contemplate using a laptop.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Bubblecraft]

An iPad 1 is cheap enough & does the job great. It don't have a camera but if you have an iPhone, you can either transfer pics via your computer, via iCloud or use a photo transfer app. iPad 2 is great as it has the camera on it to save the hassle of transferring but other than that, there ain't much difference. Slightly thinner & slightly faster proccessor but not really noticeable.

Battery life if great as well. I can use it all day & still have plenty battery life left (excluding hardcore gaming). I've a charger in the van & about 4 chargers in every room & everything gets plugged up at night anyway.

 

[dancinplumba]

got to thinking bout mac books as well, because sick of microsot stuff, they are expensive tho, but i guess woth it

 

[Bubblecraft]

My 1 year old, yes 1, has her own iPhone 3GS & watches movies on it & plays baby apps (no sim in it).

My 4 year old has his own iPod touch which he got at Xmas to keep him off the Mrs iPhone 4 & he also uses her iPad for gaming & YouTube. He's literally taught himself to read & write with it.

My 10 year old has his own iPod touch & uses my iPad for gaming etc.

I have the Griffen case for my iPhone & had one on the iPad but wanted rid of my wallet & wanted somewhere to store everything I needed so got the happy owl wallet imported. Well worth the money! Here's mine -

Normally has invoice books in it also but there in the van

 

[Bubblecraft]

...I have an app for drawing bathroom and kitchen plans...

If you don't me asking, what app do you use? I've tried loads & can't seem to find one as good as the one on my PC. I use one similar to Howdens software.

 

[dancinplumba]

i have a bag of golden delicious in the fridge :drunk: lol

 

[dancinplumba]

home of the future is on ch4

 

[dancinplumba]

does IBM still exist ??

 

[dancinplumba]

would ipad 16g wifi + 3g be ok for work ?
how much should i pay ?
how much for internet access per month etc

 

[mikegas]

would ipad 16g wifi + 3g be ok for work ?
how much should i pay ?
how much for internet access per month etc

do you have an iphone?

 

[Mike Jackson]

I'm waiting for the Kindle Fire. Until then I'll stick with my laptop.

 

[dancinplumba]

no mike, always worried that will damage it, but guess will need one as well ??

 

[Pipedream]

Bubblecraft

I use the floorplans app.

I have tried a few and this the one that best suits me. It is great when planning a layout with a customer as you can place items like baths, showers and size them to the actual product size. It has helped me avoid a couple of disasters when customers were convinced they could get a 1200 x 900 enclosure , a full size bath, fitted furniture and a massive rad into a 2m x 2m bathroom

I have not yet used it to do a detailed plan for a kitchen, but I cannot see any problems.

A link to the website

http://www.floorplansapp.com/


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Pipedream]

Bubblecraft

What is Mental note like ?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[mikegas]

no mike, always worried that will damage it, but guess will need one as well ??

if you had an iphone you can connect your ipad to the internet via the phone, so you dont need a data plan for the ipad

 

[Bubblecraft]

Bubblecraft

What is Mental note like ?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Hi pipedream, I've actually downloaded invoice to go. It's awesome. Been playing with it since you posted it. I'm in the middle of transferring all my pages stuff to it now. Great app btw. Cheers.

Mental note is great. When I take a call, I open the app. Take their details & jot it down or transfer an email to it if they contacted via my enquiry form on my website. If you book a date & write it on mental note then click on it, it automatically puts it in calendar.

When I goto job, I open it again, draw my sizes, write down all my notes, record a memo if need be or take a picture & then you can draw on the pic. When back home, I take all my details & work on the quote (which will now be on invoice2go thanks to you )

Here's a quick example -

Will try the bathroom/kitchen app & see what it's like.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Couple a' Tools