Orange Juice Studios Kickstarts Mobile CAD Project CADO

Orange Juice Studios is trying to create a fully mobile CAD program.  They are calling it CADO.  CADO is planned to be a full 2D mobile CAD program running on iOS and the iPad. It will be compatible with DWG and DXF files and have a full set of drafting tools.  This project has been in development for about two years and the developers are looking to finish things up.  They are hoping to raise £50,000 by Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014 through Kickstarter.  This Kickstarter round is to help raise some capitol and to help gauge the interest in the program.  I spoke with the developers and was able to get an idea of what they want to accomplish with CADO and their plans for the future.

Announcing Autodesk Instant – Group Messaging App from Autodesk

Autodesk launches group messaging app Autodesk Instant.  Right now it is only available in North America but they did manage to release it on Android and iOS.  It is a free app that provides a free service where groups of people can communicate through their mobile device.  I don’t have a lot of information on it right now but I am working on that.

Autodesk Instant will allow users to exchange messages, share photos, video and their location.  Users can communicate with anyone in their address book or a colleague that has verified their email with the app service.

The app is free and the service is free.  So far I have tried out the app with Curt Moreno, the Kung Fu Drafter, and it was easy enough to use.  He didn’t have Instant set up yet when I started the conversation so Instant went on its backup SMS delivery system.  Essentially it seems to be using my phone’s SMS options.  I was able to send him pictures just like you would any SMS or texting app.  I also sent him a map of my location.  Now he is stalking me!

Instant allows for one on one conversations or for group conversations.  I plan on investigating this new app and service from Autodesk further and will report back as soon as I have more information.

I have several questions for Autodesk about Instant and I am sure you do too.

Scott Sheppard, Autodesk Labs, discusses Autodesk Instant in his blog.

Links to download the app:
iOS
Android

Autodesk Teams Up With Evernote

Autodesk is teaming up today with Evernote.  AutoCAD 360 Mobile is getting an update soon (iOS only, for now) that will provide users a way to insert Evernote Notes into AutoCAD 360’s Design Feed directly from the mobile app.  You will also be able to export an area of a drawing into an Evernote Note!  For AutoCAD and Evernote junkies this is huge news!  It streamlines a method of sharing relevant project data between users and provides a history of data exchange.

Autodesk recognizes that their customers are using multiple technologies throughout their workflow to stay organized, share information with co-workers and clients, store data, etc.  This is an effort on their part to make Autodesk (in this case AutoCAD 360 Mobile) products more compatible with other technologies.  Many users and companies use Evernote to organize their project information.  This new integration simplifies the process.

I was able to speak with Autodesk’s Amy Bunszel, Vice President, AutoCAD Products and Mayte Zavaleta, Product Line Manager, AutoCAD Products about this new collaboration.

AutoCAD WS Changes its name to AutoCAD 360 and goes PRO!

Autodesk has released a new version of AutoCAD WS and has implemented several changes to their mobile CAD product.  First off, AutoCAD WS has a new name.  From henceforth it shall be called “AUTOCAD 360”!!  That makes sense.  It goes along with the rest of Autodesk’s cloud based 360 branding.  The WS, according to Autodesk, never actually stood for anything anyway.  (I always suspected it either stood for Web Service or that the URL was available so they went with it.)  The other big change is that there are now three versions of AutoCAD 360; free, Pro, and Pro Plus.  The free version will essentially look and feel like what we have been using these past few years.  The Pro and Pro Plus versions will require a monthly subscription but provide more storage space, more tools and better support.

Google Chromebook Pixel – Mobile CAD Workstation or Overpriced Web Browser?

image from Pixel order page

Google just announced their newest piece of hardware, the Google Chromebook Pixel.  It’s a Chromebook so it runs on Google Chrome.  Want to know what that’s like?  Run the Google Chrome browser and nothing else.  That’s an over simplification but you can get a good idea of what it is like.

Google has been trying to sell Chromebooks for a while now and I have always been interested in them.  None of them have been powerful enough for my liking but they have been set at a good price.  Now that the Pixel is out and available for purchase and that Autodesk is making a major push for in the browser cloud based CAD software, could the Google Pixel be a viable candidate for a mobile CAD station?  I can’t honestly say yes or no until I get one (Google can you send me one to test please?) and try it out but my gut feeling is that it could be useful in certain situations. 

AutoCAD WS 1.6.1 Released – AutoCAD Utility Design Now Supported

Autodesk released the latest version of AutoCAD WS (mobile version 1.6.1) for the web based version as well as the iOS and Android versions.  All versions are up to date and match each other.  These latest versions support AutoCAD Utility Design drawings.  According to the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, various bug fixes are also addresses.

See the AutoCAD WS blog post here about this update.

 

AutoCAD WS now Supports AutoCAD Civil 3D Drawings!

According to the AutoCAD WS Blog (http://www.autocadws.com/blog), Autodesk’s mobile CAD program, AutoCAD WS, now supports Civil3D drawings.  According to the blog, all AutoCAD WS platforms, web, mobile, and mac, support Civil3D drawings.

The AutoCAD WS web platform doesn't seem to be handling my Civil3D drawings yet.

I’m waiting to hear back from Autodesk with more information.  I will let you know when I hear more.

UPDATE:
Everything seems to be working after further testing.  I had to upload all reference files and data source files first.  User error there on my part. If you have any more difficulty viewing the files make sure the setting PROXYGRAPHICS is set to "1" which turns it on.  In the mobile app platforms of AutoCAD WS you can change your viewing settings to 3D solids.  This displays the Civil3D objects quite well.  Especially any surfaces that you may have.

IMSI/Design announces TurboSite, a mobile solution in field and site survey visits

IMSI Design has had a natural progression with their mobile applications.  They started with a series of viewers and followed up with a markup app.  Now IMSI/Design is taking things to the next level.  TurboSite is IMSI/Design’s approach to taking full advantage of the mobility and tools built inside tablets, like Apple’s iPad.  They are using the hardware built within; cameras, microphones, accelerometers, GPS, Wi-Fi, and long battery life.  They are using these tools to create a software platform that can ultimately save time and effort during field visits.

Dell Announces New Precision Mobile Workstations – M4700 and M6700

Dell adds to its workstation product line with two new systems, the Dell Precision M4700 and M6700.  The M4700 is Dell’s 15-inch mobile workstation and the Dell Precision M6700 provides higher performing graphics with a 17-inch display.  The popular Covet Edition is back on the 17-inch version, featuring a Phoenix Red color finish and edge to edge Corning® Gorilla® Glass 2 for brighter images and increased resilience and protection.
 
The Dell Precision M4700 and M6700 incorporate the latest Intel Core i5, i7 and Extreme Edition processors with Turbo Boost Technology for optimal performance and an choice of professional graphics including the NVIDIA Quadro K-series GPUS and AMD FirePro graphics. The M6700 is the first and only to offer AMD FirePro M6000 with PCIe x16 Gen 3 for fast data throughput.

Autodesk to purchase Socialcam

Autodesk announced today that it has signed an agreement to purchase Socialcam for approximately $60 million (USD).
Socialcam is a mobile app that allows for video capture, editing and sharing.  The deal is set to close in Autodesk’s third quarter of fiscal 2013 which ends on October 31, 2012.
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120717005592/en/Autodesk-Signs-Agreement-Acquire-Socialcam

Socialcam is a small business (only 4 employees) that spun off of Justin.tv the prior year.  It has been able to receive funding and is now being purchased by Autodesk.

http://techcrunch.com/2012/04/30/socialcam-angel-funding-investors/

Why would Autodesk want a mobile app that creates and edits videos? Why did they purchase Pixlr? For the same reasons they are making several mobile app versions of their own software and giving them all away for free.  This is the consumerification of Autodesk.  Autodesk has been producing high end software that, let’s face it, is very expensive.  The average person can’t afford to purchase AutoCAD, let alone one of their design suites.  Even if they could, why would they?  Consumers make up a very large audience that Autodesk wasn’t reaching.  Now Autodesk is making an effort to reach out to consumers.  They have saturated the professional design market, the SFx market, and now they want the consumer market.  Besides, Socialcam can always be marketed to professionals as well.  How useful would it be to go to the job site, record an inspection video, edit it there and send it back to the client, office, approving agency, etc.?  Very.

I’m interested in seeing how Autodesk uses this soon to be acquisition.

Autodesk Releases ForceEffect for Android

Autodesk® has released their mobile engineering app for simulating design concepts ForceEffect™ for Android. It’s about time. ForceEffect™ is a simulation app that can perform calculations for you. Since it is on your mobile device you can perform these design calculations anywhere. All of your designs can be exported to a DXF file format which allows you to use your work in most of Autodesk’s design platforms.
If you have been waiting for this app today is your day.  Go to Google Play and download it.  It is completely free.

Free TurboViewer SDK is First to Offer 2D & 3D Programmability

IMSI/Design, producers of TurboCAD®, DoubleCAD™, DesignCAD™, and the TurboViewer families have announced that in February they will be releasing the TurboApps™ SDK.  This SDK (Software Developers Kit) will allow developers to produce applications that incorporate features from IMSI/Design's mobile CAD apps based off of their  TurboViewer®  series.  The TurboApps™ SDK will be free and will be available in February 2012.

See a copy of the press release below.

AutoCAD WS now available for the Kindle Fire

Image courtesy of autocadws.com

The AutoCAD WS blog announced today that AutoCAD WS is now available as an app for the Kindle Fire through the Amazon App Store.  It's the same as the "regular" AutoCAD WS Android app, but now you can get it through the Amazon App Store and it works on the Kindle Fire.  Good call Autodesk as the number of Kindle Fires in the wild will keep increasing.  Now, how about getting it on Barnes and Noble's Nook Color or Nook Tablet?  What?  Am I asking for too much?

Autodesk SketchBook Mobile for Android $0.10

The Android Market is celebrating the downloading of Ten Billion apps with their 10 Days of Offers - Top Premium Apps for $0.10 per day sale!!  Yes it's a mouthful.  The bottom line is that today Android users can get Autodesk's SketchBook Mobile for $0.10!!!  It is normally priced at $1.00 I believe.  At that price it won't break the bank but at one tenth the normal cost you may want to try it out if you haven't already.

Right now the other nine apps for ten cents are:

• Great Little War Game
• Paper Camera
• Sound Hound
• Asphalt 6
• Fieldrunners HD
• SwiftKey
• Minecraft
• Endomondo Sports Tracker Pro
• Color and Draw for Kids

Check them out.  I also use Paper Camera and SwiftKey in case you were wondering.

Autodesk announces new features coming to AutoCAD WS

At the start of Autodesk University 2011 Autodesk announced the new features coming to the next release of AutoCAD WS. There are three new major features that they announced:

3D Support 

GPS Integration 

Plot to Print from Mobile 

These three new features are very exciting from a user’s perspective, like me. The 3D support will allow users to view and share three dimensional objects in DWG files.

The GPS integration is said to allow users to position themselves inside their designs when out on a site visit! That’s amazing if it really works that well. We will have to wait and field test it. This is a huge deal for all sorts of design professionals and DIY’ers. I can take a set of civil engineering drawings and visit a site. I could then, depending on the accuracy of your GPS unit in your mobile device, collect locations of existing fire hydrants, valves, sidewalks, trees, buildings, etc. I’m skeptical on this because I know how inaccurate mobile devices are with regards to GPS. However, it could be accurate enough for many field location tasks.

The ability to print from a mobile device is not a game changer but a good feature to have especially when collaborating out of the office with a tablet and AutoCAD WS. I feel that the real use of this feature will be limited. If I am collaborating with an uploaded DWG file then printing it is not a problem once I return to my desk, where my printer is. If I am collaborating with another user then they already have access to the file. Since they have access they will be able to print the drawing as much as they want to. I can print to my mobile device to my home or work printer (Yes I’m a geek) but I have yet to need to use that feature. That being said, having the ability to print from AutoCAD WS if the need arises is a good thing.

I am anxious to see these new features in place. There is no word (as of this writing) which, if not all, of these new features will be available on the Web Application (the website) or just on the mobile apps (for iOS and Android). I doubt that the GPS will be needed in the web app unless users plan on using it on a laptop, ok, so maybe the GPS but then the laptop would need a GPS radio. The Print from Mobile feature is rather obvious; besides, the Web App can already print. However, the 3D object abilities better be applied to both the mobile app and the web app. Then there is the stand alone Mac only version. I’m sure it will get whatever the Web App gets. By the way Autodesk, when is the Windows standalone version coming?



images from autocadws.com

AutoCAD WS Mobile App now available on Amazon App Store - Ready for the Kindle Fire

AutoCAD WS, Autodesk’s mobile (and/or browser based) version of AutoCAD (or at least a CAD like program that can open and edit DWG files) is now available for download (for free) on Android devices from the Amazon App Store. AutoCAD WS has already been available through the Android Market for some time now as well as on iOS through the Apple App Store. So who cares? It’s the same thing just from a different place. Kindle Fire owners. I know, the Kindle Fire from Amazon will not be available until November 15th and the Amazon App Store is only available to customers in the United States. But the Kindle Fire has already pre-sold over a million units through preorders and will sell even more. The Kindle is an Android device that has been heavily customized by Amazon. Even though it is Android based it will not have access to the Android Market. It has apps but only through the Amazon App Store. That’s why this is a big deal. The Kindle Fire is going to double the amount of Android based tablets in the wild (that’s my prediction based on my own opinion). So if you have an Android App and you want Kindle Fire owners to use it, buy it, or recommend it to their friends then you really need to get your app on the Amazon App Store. It seems that Autodesk understands this.

Mobi Systems Office Suite Pro 5 FREE on Amazon App Store - Today

The Amazon App Store has a free Android based App every day.  Today's app is Office Suite Pro 5 from Mobi Systems.  I already have an Office Suite for my Android hardware but I downloaded it anyway.  Why you ask?  Because (according to Mrs. CAD-a-Blog) I am an "App Hoarder"  She's not wrong.  I love me some apps, especially when they are free!  Amazon's Free App a day program is typically made up of stupid little games running anywhere from $0.99 and up.  Typically not a huge savings and typically apps I would never get, even when free.  But once every two to three weeks it seems Amazon throws in a golden nugget that keeps me coming back every day to see what's available.  I have gleaned some good stuff; CAM Scanner, Cut the Rope, Swift Key, Paper Camera, Printer Share Mobile (I can print from my phone/tablet), Thumb Keyboard, Wifi File Explorer and more.

The Amazon Android App Store is significant for two reasons: the free app a day program and the Kindle Fire (Coming November 15th.)  If you already have an Android device then getting free apps is a good thing.  If you plan on getting the Amazon Kindle then the only access you have to Android Apps will be through the Amazon App Store.  So if it's not there then your Kindle can't get it.  That's why I got this app today.  I didn't need it but there is a chance that I will be getting a Kindle Fire.  If so then I will want an office suite on it.  Now I don't have to buy one because the Amazon App Store knows which apps you purchased and you can reload them on all of your android devices, up to 5 I believe.  I just saved $15, if I get a Kindle Fire that is.  Yes I am an app hoarder.  If you don't like it then cast me in a reality show.

Office Suite Pro 5 is a pretty good mobile office suite.  It can open and edit Word, Excel, and Power Point files.  It can also open (not edit) PDF files.  But then most mobile office suites these days can.  It can handle these file types:

• Text formats - Microsoft Office 97 to 2010 text documents - DOC and DOCX, RTF, TXT, LOG
• Spreadsheets -Microsoft Office 97 to 2010 spreadsheets -XLS, XLSX andCSV
• Presentations - Microsoft Office 97 to 2010 presentations -PPT, PPTX, PPSand PPSX
• Other formats -PDF, EML, ZIP

Not bad, especially the ZIP format.  The App really shines when run on Honeycomb where it has a multi-pane view ability.  Another nice feature is the dictionary integration in the word processor.  Select a word and pick the Look Up option in the menu.  You have to have one of Mobi Systems Dictionary apps loaded to use this feature of course but maybe one day Amazon will give one of those away for free too!

One thing that I don't like about Office Suite Pro 5 is that it can only open/save files on the device or to your Google Docs account.  It can not integrate with other cloud based applications like MobileMe, Dropbox, Sugar Sync, Box, etc.  If you use Google Docs and the others then it's fine.  Or you can download your file from Dropbox to your device then open it through Office Suite Pro 5.  I use Dropbox a lot so for me it's an issue.  But I got the app for free!

Overall Mobi Systems Office Suite Pro 5 is a good mobile Office viewing/editing application.  It's worth the regular price of $15 in the Amazon App store but it's a steal for free.  Get it.  Right now. Before it's too late!

AutoCAD WS available for Android and now with Anywhere Storage

Autodesk released their latest OS version of AutoCAD WS today. AutoCAD WS is now available (click here) for free on the Android operating system.  Autodesk's AutoCAD WS mobile platform has been available for Apple's iOS (iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch) for a while now, but this new version brings some Mobile CAD love to the Android Fanboys (and Fangirls.)

If you are new to AutoCAD WS Mobile, don't worry.  Autodesk has provided a nice little tutorial on how to use it on your Android device.

AutoCAD WS on Android is not the only new item on the list, the browser based version (the full version) has some new add functionality to it.  (from the AutoCAD WS Website)

• Anywhere Storage - Now you can connect your AutoCAD WS web and mobile account to a variety of storage sites. Click on the following tutorials to learn how to connect to: Buzzsaw, Box.net, Dropbox (via DropDAV),MobileMe, Egnyte and even your own Fille server or SharePoint site. 

• Plot-to-PDF/DWFx -- You can now create PDF or DWFx files from your DWG files for plotting or sharing with others. 

• PDF Support -- You are now able to open markup and share a PDF in AutoCAD WS in the same way as a DWG file.

AutoCAD WS already had the ability to save files in the cloud, its own cloud.  This new "Anywhere Storage" functionality means that you will always have access to your files, even if you can't get to AutoCAD WS, or if you loose connection to the internet.  Log in to your AutoCAD WS account and open the Drawings Tab (it's on the left side of the screen.)  Click the CONNECT button.  This opens the "Connect to Service" window.  Click the down arrow icon next to the URL field to populate a list of typical cloud based systems.  Pick the service you plan on using (Buzzsaw, Box.net, Dropbox, and more) and fill out your username/password, etc.

If you are going to use Dropbox with AutoCAD WS, you will need to set up an account with DropDAV.  Once you've done that you can use Dropbox.

Autodesk releases AutoCAD WS 1.2 - Import Inventor Files

Autodesk has released the next version of AutoCAD WS, version 1.2.  This new update is available for download in Apple’s App Store at this link.

(This video demonstrates the new features in AutoCAD WS 1.2)

It is also available in a web browser (for all of you non iOS designers) at www.autocadws.com .

AutoCAD WS 1.2 has several major updates; Inventor Support, Multi Language Support, and several feature enhancements.

If you are an inventor user and want to share your model with AutoCAD WS users, export your file to a DWG format and share it with AutoCAD WS.  It will seamlessly upload for collaborative sharing, editing and viewing.  The language update means that AutoCAD WS is now available in nine languages; English, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German and Italian.

There are also several feature updates.  One of the biggest is layout support.  Users can now go to model space in shared files.  The Free Line tool has been improved so that its width can be set.  It can also be set to sketch mode where users can draw, well, anything.  Copy/Paste now works with a double tap to select an object to copy it, cut or paste.  Units (inches or feet) can now be displayed as such if the files units have been set.  Why wouldn’t they be set?

AutoCAD WS is a great collaboration tool that has been used by over 900,000 designers (according to Autodesk.)  It keeps getting better and I fully expect it to become a very powerful design tool in the future.  If you haven’t tried it out, do.  It’s free, it’s simple, and you already know how to use it.  All we need now is for it to be available on other mobile platforms (like WebOS.)