ArcPad on a SmartPhone

[LindseyMitchener]

For many years I have used ArcPad on an iPAQ for data collection using Windows CE operating system.  As we know the iPAQ is extinct so I am looking into options with the Smart Phones.  Which smart phones support ArcPad?  Is a Windows phone the way to go?  Is there any Smart Phone out there that that will support ArcPad?  Any info would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks.

[Kylie]

I would recommend asking this question in the ArcPad forum to learn the plans for it moving forward:

http://forums.arcgis.com/forums/55-ArcPad

Thank you!

[TimHopper]

Lindsey,

Any smartphone running Windows Mobile 5.0, 6.0, 6.1, or 6.5 will support ArcPad 10.

Take a look at the ArcPad 10 System Requirements which further discusses the supported operating systems and hardware requirements.

[KeithAubin]

Honestly, you should just stick with what you have. There really is not much of anything better out there because ArcPad is stuck on Windows Mobile. Windows mobile died 6 years ago and ESRI has not kept up with the times. They FINALLY have simple viewing software for Android/iOS/WP7 but nothing as powerful as ArcPad. Also, the new windows phones do not work with ArcPad as Windows Phone 7 has nothing in common with Windows Mobile 6.x. Not to mention WP7 has been a giant flop, it would be stupid for ESRI to waste any time developing software for it.

The only hope coming down the pike is Windows Embedded. It can support Windows Mobile 6.x software. But I don't know of anything worth getting yet. The hardware is 3x the cost of an Android device and 1/4 as powerful. So like I said your better of sticking with what you have for now. Maybe in future ESRI will get with the times, but for right now ArcPad is lingering a slow painful death with Windows Mobile 6.x

[PatrickMurphy]

The other thing to be aware of is that some of the newer WM phones are capacitive touch instead of resistive touch, so your fat finger tip vs. and stylus is used.  It is less accurate if you are drawing lines or locating points without using a GPS.  Also, little icons are harder to activate with a fat finger tip sometimes.  There are some capacitive touch stylii, but they have fat tips too.

I have software that I have developed for WM and one of the programs I have converted to run on Android.  Virtually all of the Android devices are capacitive touch, but with a little modification of icon size, I love the Android device I am using.  It is the Samsung Galaxy Player 4" with built in GPS (5-10 m accuracy) that can also connect via bluetooth to a cheap external GPS (2-5 m accuracy), two cameras and on and on.  It is sold as an MP3 player and NOT a phone, so you are not stuck with an expensive data plan that is typically required for any smart phones.

[NormanyClark]

According to me,some windows mobile phones have slide-out keyboards you may use to type in text when editing features in ArcPad. ArcPad takes advantage of the windows file systems when sharing GIS data with desktop GIS software.

[DeniseKing]

Follow this link to the ArcGIS Ideas Portal as others have already posted on this topic and the more people that vote on it the more likely it is to happen.

ArcPad for Android, http://ideas.arcgis.com/ideaView?id=08730000000bsj1AAA

ArcPad for Windows Phone, http://ideas.arcgis.com/ideaView?id=08730000000boHhAAI

Cheers,
Denise