Just about any software application needs to work across multiple devices to be of any use, particularly in industries which rely on out-of-office work. When building new software, it makes sense that the software product is available across as many different devices as possible and as an offline option as well. 

But the greatest issue that software designers can’t (completely) account for is the physical limitations of phones themselves and how to harness the benefits of new software in challenging outdoor environments and situations. So in this blog, we’ll cover some of the most significant problems around using phones outdoors and the simple, effective solutions that can help mitigate the problem.

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Glare.

Unlike computer screens, which we tend to use under a controlled interior environment, our phones stick with us in all elements. The sun blinds our screens when rising, at its peak and at sunset, making it difficult to see what on earth we’re actually trying to achieve.

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One solid option here is to invest in an anti-glare phone screen protector. Your phone should already have some sort of protector to handle the scratches, bumps and nicks that naturally fade your screen. However, just because a screen protects against grit doesn’t mean it fends off the sun’s glare, so you may want to consider getting a specially tinted protector.

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The other way to avoid the sun’s blinding wrath is to play with your phone settings. Most apps you run won’t have their own light-based settings, but your phone will. Newer models may even have adaptive brightness, which adjusts the phone’s screen for you, depending on the sun’s light. Alternatively, you can turn your phone to dark mode to reduce the amount of glare from a white background screen.

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Water.

The natural enemy of all electronic devices, phones have rapidly become better at repelling water, with some more or less completely waterproof. However, this doesn’t mean they’re any easier to use in a downpour. 

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Applying a water-resistant screen protector is one solution for adapting a standard phone. Still, the best option for field engineers and data entry personnel, in particular, is an industrial-grade tablet. Not only does the larger screen mean greater usability, allowing as much functionality as a standard laptop screen in some cases, but they’re also far harder than ordinary phones. 

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While there’s no accounting for personal taste, Samsung offers the greatest range of tablet devices, some of which can adjust for gloves over the touch screen. Industrial tablets like the Active Pro are also designed with sturdier casings, external keyboards and a stylist pen for drawing or taking notes. Some can even survive depths of up to 1m and are resistant to raindrops, mud, dirt and other various outdoor messes. Brighter screen settings can also set off the rain droplets, making them easier to view.

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So, while it’s definitely easier to use a device in calmer weather, having more rugged gear means you don’t have to stop when the rain starts.

‍

Accuracy.

Recording accurate readings onsite is difficult, particularly for surveyors who put up boundary liens that may become misinterpreted or completely ignored by contractors and other field workers. Recording on-site map data and measurements digitally is ideal because the distance can be worked out accurately in real-time, avoiding later disputes. 

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Hardware like the EMLID RS2 is terrific for giving you up to cm accuracy in the field and is fully compatible with Datanest. Staking out a data point, you can create real-time measured coordinates using a network RTK rover or GNSS receiver and your phone. The app even lets you set your measurement parameters before you head off, which means you can work within the expected parameters, depending on the task you’re trying to achieve. 

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EMLID is a terrific example of a specific tool that can be used in line with data point capture apps like our own Gather and Maps, which allow users to annotate a site, collect data points and create a map of their own, including boundary lines. The other advantage is that maps gathered on EMLID can be uploaded and compared with other service layers and base maps stored on Datanest and online. This allows users to compare their created site map with other records.

‍

4G.

One of the most significant challenges we wanted to address in our own software was 4G access using cellular data, and uploading said data between onsite locations and the office. And until Elon Musk’s Starlink internet system is fully realised, this problem remains challenging for all field technicians.

‍

Datanest does the next best thing in that it’s designed to record information in offline mode with the Datanest app and upload it as soon as the user comes within range of a signal. This allows teams to work with the same maps and templates on site without worrying about updating or double-entering information when they head back into civilisation.

‍

Battery Life. 

If you're in the field all day, you want to ensure that the battery life on your device is going to last the distance. Battery life is impacted by a number of things. While mobile technology has advanced in leaps and bounds in recent years, battery technology has not kept pace. As a result, users are often forced to carry around chargers or portable power banks to keep their devices powered throughout the day. 

‍

If your phone is running low, it may be because of the number of apps you have going on in the background or because your device is desperately searching for the internet. Switch off any non-essential programs on your phone or even flick it to battery-saver mode. Reducing the brightness can also help. Regulating the temperature of the phone many phones are designed to dissipate heat; however, covers of phones and tablets can reduce this effect and cause the phone to start to overheat, not only slowing the phone but also increasing battery usage. 

So in this blog, we’ll cover some of the most significant problems around using phones outdoors and the simple, effective solutions that can help mitigate the problem.

‍

Glare.

Unlike computer screens, which we tend to use under a controlled interior environment, our phones stick with us in all elements. The sun blinds our screens when rising, at its peak and at sunset, making it difficult to see what on earth we’re actually trying to achieve.

One solid option here is to invest in an anti-glare phone screen protector. Your phone should already have some sort of protector to handle the scratches, bumps and nicks that naturally fade your screen. However, just because a screen protects against grit doesn’t mean it fends off the sun’s glare, so you may want to consider getting a specially tinted protector.

The other way to avoid the sun’s blinding wrath is to play with your phone settings. Most apps you run won’t have their own light-based settings, but your phone will. Newer models may even have adaptive brightness, which adjusts the phone’s screen for you, depending on the sun’s light. Alternatively, you can turn your phone to dark mode to reduce the amount of glare from a white background screen.

‍

Water.

The natural enemy of all electronic devices, phones have rapidly become better at repelling water, with some more or less completely waterproof. However, this doesn’t mean they’re any easier to use in a downpour. 

Applying a water-resistant screen protector is one solution for adapting a standard phone. Still, the best option for field engineers and data entry personnel, in particular, is an industrial-grade tablet. Not only does the larger screen mean greater usability, allowing as much functionality as a standard laptop screen in some cases, but they’re also far harder than ordinary phones. 

While there’s no accounting for personal taste, Samsung offers the greatest range of tablet devices, some of which can adjust for gloves over the touch screen. Industrial tablets like the Active Pro are also designed with sturdier casings, external keyboards and a stylist pen for drawing or taking notes. Some can even survive depths of up to 1m and are resistant to raindrops, mud, dirt and other various outdoor messes. Brighter screen settings can also set off the rain droplets, making them easier to view.

So, while it’s definitely easier to use a device in calmer weather, having more rugged gear means you don’t have to stop when the rain starts.

‍

Accuracy.

Recording accurate readings onsite is difficult, particularly for surveyors who put up boundary liens that may become misinterpreted or completely ignored by contractors and other field workers. Recording on-site map data and measurements digitally is ideal because the distance can be worked out accurately in real-time, avoiding later disputes. 

Hardware like the EMLID RS2 is terrific for giving you up to cm accuracy in the field and is fully compatible with Datanest. Staking out a data point, you can create real-time measured coordinates using a network RTK rover or GNSS receiver and your phone. The app even lets you set your measurement parameters before you head off, which means you can work within the expected parameters, depending on the task you’re trying to achieve. 

EMLID is a terrific example of a specific tool that can be used in line with data point capture apps like our own Gather and Maps, which allow users to annotate a site, collect data points and create a map of their own, including boundary lines. The other advantage is that maps gathered on EMLID can be uploaded and compared with other service layers and base maps stored on Datanest and online. This allows users to compare their created site map with other records.

‍

4G.

One of the most significant challenges we wanted to address in our own software was 4G access using cellular data, and uploading said data between onsite locations and the office. And until Elon Musk’s Starlink internet system is fully realised, this problem remains challenging for all field technicians.

Datanest does the next best thing in that it’s designed to record information in offline mode with the Datanest app and upload it as soon as the user comes within range of a signal. This allows teams to work with the same maps and templates on site without worrying about updating or double-entering information when they head back into civilisation.

‍

Battery Life. 

If you're in the field all day, you want to ensure that the battery life on your device is going to last the distance. Battery life is impacted by a number of things. While mobile technology has advanced in leaps and bounds in recent years, battery technology has not kept pace. As a result, users are often forced to carry around chargers or portable power banks to keep their devices powered throughout the day. 

If your phone is running low, it may be because of the number of apps you have going on in the background or because your device is desperately searching for the internet. Switch off any non-essential programs on your phone or even flick it to battery-saver mode. Reducing the brightness can also help. Regulating the temperature of the phone many phones are designed to dissipate heat; however, covers of phones and tablets can reduce this effect and cause the phone to start to overheat, not only slowing the phone but also increasing battery usage. 

‍