[sims] SIMS on a tablet

[OverWorked]

Is anyone using SIMS on Windows tablets? How practical is it?

 

I've been asked to get prices for mobile devices for all our LSAs to use with SIMS for taking registers. The teacher concerned wants small laptops, not tablets (because that's what they're used to). I'd like them to at least consider tablets as I think the LSAs would like them more than laptops.

 

Any shared experiences welcome.

 

Thanks.

[IrritableTech]

The sims.net app is not designed for tablet use really. We have a MS Surface pro we've shoved it on, but the user feedback was poor. You have to use the pen to navigate small links, enlarging text caused links to move position. As for the surface, people found it heavy and hot.

 

The next option is to look at iPads and Emerge, but this has it's limitations and extra licencing cost.

[Marci]

I'd hold off on SIMS / tablets until they launch the official tablet app to be honest. Making any decisions based on running full-blown SIMS on a windows tablet would all need to be re-evaluated once the app is out.

[IrritableTech]

I'd hold off on SIMS / tablets until they launch the official tablet app to be honest. Making any decisions based on running full-blown SIMS on a windows tablet would all need to be re-evaluated once the app is out.

 

Any idea of an ETA @Marci?

[3s-gtech]

We've been using it for several years now on various tablets, from old convertible slates to brand new 8.1 tablets. PE needed it for taking registers in changing rooms for instance. Obviously much better on the newer devices due to portability, battery life etc.

 

Useability not perfect, but we have one member of staff arranging all of the cover in SIMS on a Surface while it's undocked, which is a pretty damn good test!

[budgester]

Have a look at Groupcall Emerge - the powerful yet intuitive iPhone / iPod 'App' which enables schools to have an up-to-the-minute copy of their MIS data instantly and securely available in the palm of their hand

[OverWorked]

Thanks everyone.

 

I think that for our purposes I'll get the small laptops, rather than tablets.

[zag]

Emerge on ipads will do what you need. We do the majority of our registers on that now

[Boredguy]

We bought cheap android tablets for our PE department (although they are 10" screens) and just run a RDP session for SIMS so they get the full software.

Since we started to use it properly back in September, I've not had any complaints from them. I've set the session timeout to 7 hours so they can logon to the server first thing in the morning and load SIMS, and for the rest of the day they just have to connect/disconnect the client session.

 

Until such time as a proper SIMS app comes out that can do everything you can on the PC, I'll stick to the RDP session (plus it gives the RDP farm something to do during school hours)

[timbo343]

Thanks everyone.

 

I think that for our purposes I'll get the small laptops, rather than tablets.

 

We bought a lightweight laptop from ictdirect for our pe dept. Thinking about putting a samsung evo 120gb SSD drive in it now so the login times and using sims will be a lot quicker.

[Marshall_IT]

Any idea of an ETA @Marci?

 

Their initial hope was for sept2014 but now a more realistic timeline has been jan 2015.

 

There is a major caveat with the sims iPad app at the moment and that is that is requires SLG.

 

now I've been. Told that sims 8 should be able to separate itself from slg but there is absolutely no timescale for this.

 

These timelines are not official btw, just well placed rumours, but should be hopefully quite accurate.

[SteveM555]

We run SIMS Emerge on iPads and Samsung Galaxy Tab 3's...

 

Not had a single issue with it since installing (around 8 months).

 

The actual app is extremely user friendly and fast - The app is free to download on both iPads and Androids and click "Sample Data" and you can have a look around it without actually trialing/purchasing.