Survey data collection and rugged tablets

For years, surveyors have used handheld computing devices for the collection of field data, putting us at the forefront of using mobile devices in an outdoor setting. For the past fifteen years or so, most handheld devices used by surveyors were hardware-software units based on Windows Mobile OS or its predecessors, with a specific app made just for the surveyor. However, small handheld mobile devices are now almost universal among business and individual users, and the market for rugged mobile devices for outdoor use has never been bigger. Surveying software vendors are now making their apps available for leading mobile OS platforms, such as Windows 8.1 and Androids. We are no longer tied to a particular hardware-software combination, so we may now select from a growing array of rugged mobile devices when choosing the device that best suits our needs.