Edu-IT Posted May 18, 2011 Posted May 18, 2011 The exact phrase was So i took this to mean the data we provide out of SIMS, not their other product. In the same way you can now call a number in contacts, you could send a text. Oh, so you mean on an iPhone?
Palleon Posted May 18, 2011 Posted May 18, 2011 The prices say £299 for the first device, £99 per device following this - we presume that includes the iphone also, so can you confirm this, and if so, which model do you provide (3G, 4 etc) and do we have to set up the phone network once it arrives? Thank you
vikpaw Posted May 18, 2011 Author Posted May 18, 2011 @Edu-IT - Yes for an iPhone. @Palleon - they dont provide the devices, you would need to supply these, either iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, i would go for the latest but it will work on any that support iOS 4. I wish it came with the iPhone! You'd have to setup your own devices, however, if a member of staff already has one, they just need to download the app from your server, and it would work. And there is a way to remotely disable the app, should for when they leave.
Palleon Posted May 18, 2011 Posted May 18, 2011 @Edu-IT - Yes for an iPhone. @Palleon - they dont provide the devices, you would need to supply these, either iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, i would go for the latest but it will work on any that support iOS 4. I wish it came with the iPhone! You'd have to setup your own devices, however, if a member of staff already has one, they just need to download the app from your server, and it would work. And there is a way to remotely disable the app, should for when they leave. Hi, thanks for the reply. Those prices seem a little steep then if they do not include the devices. We already pay for a SIMS license, plus other SIMS things on top, plus we have to buy the phones - so this App just seems to work as a portal between the two - but for a huge amount of money. We may have to leave that for now then sadly. Thanks again for letting us know.
Edu-IT Posted May 18, 2011 Posted May 18, 2011 Hi, thanks for the reply. Those prices seem a little steep then if they do not include the devices. We already pay for a SIMS license, plus other SIMS things on top, plus we have to buy the phones - so this App just seems to work as a portal between the two - but for a huge amount of money. We may have to leave that for now then sadly. Thanks again for letting us know. An iPhone is priced around £400 nowadays. You can run this on an iPod Touch which aren't badly priced now.
Palleon Posted May 18, 2011 Posted May 18, 2011 An iPhone is priced around £400 nowadays. You can run this on an iPod Touch which aren't badly priced now. Yes, but this app is hundreds of pounds per device - which appears to be us paying to access our own data, from the system we already pay for, via our own devices. So, this additional cost of this "gateway" seems slightly extreme, and not one I think I can get past our school board sadly
Edu-IT Posted May 18, 2011 Posted May 18, 2011 Yes, but this app is hundreds of pounds per device - which appears to be us paying to access our own data, from the system we already pay for, via our own devices. So, this additional cost of this "gateway" seems slightly extreme, and not one I think I can get past our school board sadly I totally understand what you're saying. I get you're paying for the 'novelty' of it as nothing else exists, to my knowledge. I guess they also have to pay a ton to CAPITA.
resin1 Posted May 18, 2011 Posted May 18, 2011 Not something I've investigated, but I'm wondering whether Bromcom are also putting themselves in a position to compete for the SIMS "mobile interface only" user market with their Teachers Webfolder SD - I mean for a SIMS school who don't want to replace the predominant desktop SIMS client access, with Teacher Webfolder, but would like the mobile version for the types of usage that this Groupcall solution meets. I think typically you'd be paying for both the TWF software and the TWF Mobile option on top (per annum), so suspect they'd be pricing themselves out if the school is only interested in solving a mobile user requirement. But might be worth someone pushing on them to see what they could do ;-) For them it might be a way of levering in the interest for TWF to then have it spread to all SIMS users at a site.
Kyle Posted May 19, 2011 Posted May 19, 2011 Just out of interest, as the data is available offline where do we stand with the DataProtection issues of a user lost the iDevice or had it stolen.. How secure is this?
vikpaw Posted May 21, 2011 Author Posted May 21, 2011 @Kyle - it has a remote disablement feature, so in theory could be deactivated. I believe this would work in the same way other systems do, in that it needs to be online. I have been asking that it has a timeout feature, so that it needs to go online to authorise itself every so often, or just picks up a kill clause when it synchs, so that after a fixed period it will end itself, or deactivate if it hasn't authorised. Not sure if that's in the works but would be a great selling point. In terms of the device itself, it's pin protected, and encrypted+locked to the device, so can't be backed up and transferred, or used in any other way. So in order to get the benefits of offline, you have to live with that window of opportunity should it get lost, or pin compromised, but no more so than staff taking a list of phone numbers printed off with them on a trip. In fact it's much more secure than that.
Kyle Posted May 25, 2011 Posted May 25, 2011 Thanks VikPaw, That is the only thing that as been asked about from our SMT, apart from the security thing i mentioned above. We are really pleased with Emerge so far but still only trialling it but the feedback as been good.
vikpaw Posted June 12, 2011 Author Posted June 12, 2011 Nice list of new features in the update here Groupcall Emerge - Latest Updates
Hedgehog13 Posted July 18, 2011 Posted July 18, 2011 The Android version of Emerge is being worked on already and should be rolled out during the second half of the Autumn Term
vikpaw Posted July 18, 2011 Author Posted July 18, 2011 My sources tell me progress is going well, and should be around September time. Pricing will remain the same as the iphone version, and licences can be combined, so you can have any device in a mixed client environment (iPhone,iPad,Android..). iPad version ready by 1st September or earlier. [Though i thought this was already out ]
creese Posted July 18, 2011 Posted July 18, 2011 My sources tell me progress is going well, and should be around September time. Pricing will remain the same as the iphone version, and licences can be combined, so you can have any device in a mixed client environment (iPhone,iPad,Android..). iPad version ready by 1st September or earlier. [Though i thought this was already out ] 2 weeks ago the Rep told us that iPad and Android should both be out by early September, only iPhone is live.
vikpaw Posted July 18, 2011 Author Posted July 18, 2011 I see, well that explains what i was told. Funny, that when i ordered 3 licences a month ago, nobody told me that the brand new iPad2s that we are buying would not be usable! The test software does work on the IT Manager's iPad, so i presumed it was live, also because it was demo'ed on an iPad at BETT ( i took the video! ). I hope they can stick to the September deadline then..
Hedgehog13 Posted July 18, 2011 Posted July 18, 2011 The current iPhone version of Emerge runs perfectly on the iPad in any case, but there will be a native iPad version in September. 2
creese Posted July 18, 2011 Posted July 18, 2011 (edited) Which company was the rep' from @creese ? Groupcall EDIT: Their site says..."Groupcall Emerge can be used on an iPod touch, iPhone or iPad with 3G connectivity".... I'm sure he said something about iPad in September though. Edited July 18, 2011 by creese
Hecate Posted July 18, 2011 Posted July 18, 2011 we've been trialling it and the staff who've used it love it. We've also been impressed with the support
Sylv3r Posted July 18, 2011 Posted July 18, 2011 I imagine the full on iPAD version will run using full resolution, rather than having to blow up the standard iPOD app to full screen. Functionality I would guess will be the same. PE are still loving using it here on iPOD touches.
vikpaw Posted July 18, 2011 Author Posted July 18, 2011 What does server side need, i.e. Management software? SQL? I'm thinking of letting them put it on my ADP/sims app tier server.
creese Posted July 18, 2011 Posted July 18, 2011 What does server side need, i.e. Management software? SQL? I'm thinking of letting them put it on my ADP/sims app tier server. Groupcall Xporter. It's a Service that runs on a server. Any server with a SIMS client.
robk Posted July 18, 2011 Posted July 18, 2011 Not wishing to divert this thread but the CMOS version is well on the way too. Testing it on this iPod.
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