Cadalyst-Mobile-CAD-Software-Roundup

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CADALYST LABS REPORT 4 Price. Mobile apps vary wildly in pricing, ranging from free to a couple hundred dollars. Most cost less than $20, however, and many paid apps offer a free version that includes a limited feature set. Supported file formats. File support provided by each mobile CAD application is important. For example, if you use AutoCAD or collaborate with others who do, you need a mobile app that can create, save, import, and export DWGs or, at the very least, AutoCAD-compatible files. The same holds true for any desktop CAD software package you already use. If you Mobile apps vary widely in pricing, ranging from free to a couple hundred dollars. are not a desktop CAD user, choose a mobile CAD application that supports industry-standard formats such as DWG, DGN, or a common graphics format such as JPG so you can collaborate with others. Potential Pitfalls Some amount of risk always seems to accompany technological change, and the mobile CAD world is no exception. Before making the decision to use a mobile CAD application, be sure to think through the following concerns. Security. As we put more of our lives online, the threat to our data — including our CAD files — rises exponentially. From viruses and bugs such as the recent Heartbleed OpenSSL cryptographic crisis to the ubiquitous presence of cybercriminals of every stripe, there is no end to the number of threats we face online. Plus, nearly all mobile CAD apps use cloud storage. Therefore you must consider the security risks of transmitting your files and trusting the security measures of your online storage provider, as well as the confidentiality ramifications related to your clients’ privacy. Device suitability. While user interfaces that are specifically designed for smaller screens are a hallmark of mobile CAD applications, be aware that they will limit the amount of your drawings that can be displayed at any given time. Moving from a 15" notebook screen to a 10" tablet screen may seem reasonable; however, moving from that 15" notebook to a 5" smartphone will be too much of a change for some. This concern is certainly legitimate, but it is purely a matter of personal preference. Some users may enjoy the ability to perform CAD © iStock/shotbydave tasks on their iPhones, while some may find even 10.5" Android tablets too small. Additional costs. While many mobile CAD apps are completely free, included as part of a desktop software purchase, or have a free trial period, there are other cost concerns beyond the price of the application itself. Keep in mind the cost of your equipment, which can range from free (with carrier subsidization) to more than $1,000. And whether you select a device that uses a built-in cellular connection for data, or one that uses a stationary or mobile Wi-Fi router, there is a hard cost for that data service as well. Application Reviews Now that we have defined what constitutes a mobile CAD application, and identified major features and concerns, it is time to look at the applications themselves. For this review I chose seven free CAD apps from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. These selections represent a range of desirable features and are produced by some of the best-known names in CAD software development. How we tested. The review process for these mobile CAD applications involved several steps. First, I graded each application on the following factors: • User interface. Is the app’s user interface designed for efficient fingertip control? Does it incorporate easyto-access controls and tools? • Features. Does the app provide a full range of features to enable efficient viewing and editing (if applicable)? Are only the most fundamental of CAD tools present, or are additional features included? • Sharing/collaboration options. Does the app include mechanisms to easily share files and/or collaborate in either a synchronous or asynchronous manner? How easy is it to import and export drawing files? • Ease of use. Has the app been designed in a manner that facilitates access by both novice and veteran users? Is it possible to achieve meaningful productivity by using the app in a mobile environment? In addition, we discuss the file formats each app opens and saves, but don’t grade this element because many of these tools were developed for users of a particular CAD software program. For example, Bentley Systems’ Navigator Mobile is specifically designed for users of other Bentley software products. I rated each app from 1 to 4 in each category, then averaged the weighted totals. Finally, I correlated numeric values to arrive at a letter grade for each app in our roundup. www.cadalyst.com cadalyst Special Report Summer 2014
CADALYST LABS REPORT AutoCAD 360 v2.2 (Android) Mobile CAD editor Overall Grade: A Pros: Opens, edits, and marks up standard DWG files; produces and e-mails PDF and DWG files; offers an excellent touch interface; includes online storage. Cons: Limits size of created files to 10 MB; less responsive to stylus input than finger input. Price: Free Autodesk 800.440.4198 www.autodesk.com AutoCAD has been a major name in desktop CAD for many years, and Autodesk’s AutoCAD 360 will not disappoint mobile users. AutoCAD 360 is a well-equipped, easy-to-use mobile CAD app available at a variety of price points and feature tiers for CAD users looking to work on the go. Formerly known as AutoCAD WS, Auto- CAD 360 is now part of Autodesk’s formidable array of mobile and cloud-based products under the Autodesk 360 umbrella. AutoCAD 360 is available for both the Android and iOS mobile operating systems; I reviewed the Android version. Installing AutoCAD 360 is as simple as visiting the appropriate app store and creating a free AutoCAD 360 account. You can easily upload project files from the desktop, or create them on your mobile device in the Pro and Pro Plus versions. While very different from the desktop experience, the AutoCAD 360 interface is very intuitive and quick to learn. The application operated very smoothly and responded quickly to multitouch gestures and was stable throughout testing. I found the app to be somewhat less responsive to input from my Samsung Galaxy Note 3 stylus than to my finger. Free AutoCAD 360 is a well-developed mobile CAD app that lets users open a variety of filetypes, including DWG, DXF, PDF, and JPG, plus enables them to view and mark up files, and collaborate with others. Inquiry tools such as distance, area, and coordinate support, as well as basic layer support, are all included. Users can change unit types and also plot to PDF or DWF, then automatically e-mail the results to coworkers. The free version can produce PDF and DWF files, but file size is limited to 10 MB. Users can view and edit files stored in their included 5 GB of storage. AutoCAD 360 lets users open a variety of file formats and use basic CAD tools, such as those in the tool ribbon at the bottom of the screen. The markup tool ribbon in AutoCAD 360. AutoCAD 360 Pro and Pro Plus expand on the features of AutoCAD 360 by adding drawing, inquiry, and layer management tools, plus they can create DWG files. Users also gain access to block library support, object properties, and other enhancements. Online storage is increased to 25 GB and 100 GB, with file sizes up to 30 MB and 40 MB, respectively. The cost for Pro is $4.99/month or $49.99/year, while Pro Plus is $99.99/year. Highly Recommended. Special Report Summer 2014 cadalyst www.cadalyst.com 5
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Cadalyst-Mobile-CAD-Software-Roundup

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