jbrown40004 Posted March 14, 2011 Report Posted March 14, 2011 Is anybody using the Tap Inspect App for iPhone? http://tapinspect.com/ It's fairly new. The app is free. Once you sign up you get 5 free inspection reports. After that they are $5 each or $60/month for unlimited. I have downloaded it and briefly looked at the format and the format of the report product. What do you all think?
Marc Posted March 14, 2011 Report Posted March 14, 2011 Should be fine for anyone who does little if any typing. I spend hours on each report typing in changes that customize it to the particular house. Marc
Brad Manor Posted March 14, 2011 Report Posted March 14, 2011 It looks like it would be great for inspectors that don't want to burden their clients with concise, comprehensive reports. -B
randynavarro Posted March 14, 2011 Report Posted March 14, 2011 I haven't even looked at it but the notion that an App is the solution to everything is pretty sad. Are we that lazy? Boy, to think that a home inspection report would be reduced to something as skeletal as an app is scary.
ericwlewis Posted March 14, 2011 Report Posted March 14, 2011 did you notice the total fee in the example report? $125.
Erby Posted March 15, 2011 Report Posted March 15, 2011 Looked at it briefly. Didn't see the $125.00 fee part though. Consider the source. Outrider Software Inc. 4949 Brownsboro Road #293 Housing Consultants Inc, Wirth Ralph 4949 Brownsboro Rd Louisville, KY 40222 Of course, that address is a UPS mail drop. Michael Wirth (the sample inspector) is the son of Ralph Wirth, former NAHI president quite some time ago. When Ralph was on the Kentucky Board of Home Inspectors, he was allegedly behind the push for MAXIMUM standards of practice and a big force behind the most recent attempt to change Kentucky Law regarding Home inspectors, not, in my opinion, for the better. It didn't get through the Senate. The sponsor withdrew the bill after several other home inspectors from Louisville contacted her with their objections. But hey, to each their own. I'm sure some of the minimalists will enjoy it. Jason Adams, the software developer has some great creds though. Done some neat stuff with other types of software. Support and putting in your own comments would be the key, just like most other software programs. After all, Inspect Express, HomeGauge and others are just software apps as good as their users make them.
jbrown40004 Posted April 14, 2011 Author Report Posted April 14, 2011 Tap Inspect has updated the iPhone app. Version 2.0 allows the user to modify the template, add customized headers and footers, add additional drop down boxes and selections. Has anybody started using this new version? Any comments?
kurt Posted April 14, 2011 Report Posted April 14, 2011 Sure. I think it's lousy. Anyone that would use it is a piker.
Scottpat Posted April 15, 2011 Report Posted April 15, 2011 I'm sorry but an app for a smart phone is just not going to get the job done.
kurt Posted April 15, 2011 Report Posted April 15, 2011 I'm sorry but an app for a smart phone is just not going to get the job done. Nope.....and I guarantee that there will be a few hundred HI's that use it and are thrilled with how easy it makes everything.
Gibsonguy Posted April 17, 2011 Report Posted April 17, 2011 I like the instant photo loading idea. I have just added some tech myself. I purchased an Eye-FI SD card and a router. The Eye-FI SD card works over WI-FI and it sends pics directly to the folder I choose in my laptop as I take them. Just trying to work out a few bugs before implementing it...
mjwirth Posted April 28, 2011 Report Posted April 28, 2011 I'm glad for the compliments and understand the skepticism. As home inspectors we are an independent lot. Get three inspectors in the same house and you get three different reports. Hopefully we all report the same big stuff but after that, who knows. Some inspectors like to go back to the office and do their reports. It works for them. Some inspectors like the detailed narrative style, some like simple check lists. Whatever works in their market for they way they do business. While reading through the "How long to do reports?" thread it sounds like we all share the same frustrations and many of us already use pdas to collect data. What is so different about a smartphone or an iPad? Tap Inspect was developed to address these problems because I, as an inspector, share them. One thing is certain, Tap Inspect is not for everyone. Some inspectors just don't get it. You are free to add as many items and sections as you want and record as many informational and deficiency comments as needed with Tap Inspect. It is up to the inspector. Is it the idea of using your phone to do reports that concerns you about Tap Inspect or is it the belief you are stuck with the basic template? Let us know and we'll work on making it better.
gtblum Posted April 28, 2011 Report Posted April 28, 2011 The Honey Badger Oh! I don't think so, chief.
Marc Posted April 28, 2011 Report Posted April 28, 2011 While reading through the "How long to do reports?" thread it sounds like we all share the same frustrations and many of us already use pdas to collect data. What is so different about a smartphone or an iPad? Tap Inspect was developed to address these problems because I, as an inspector, share them. Can I sync the data from an Ipad to the parent software on my laptop so I can type in the customizations? One thing is certain, Tap Inspect is not for everyone. Some inspectors just don't get it. You are free to add as many items and sections as you want and record as many informational and deficiency comments as needed with Tap Inspect. It is up to the inspector. No offense but perhaps you don't get it. I need a full fledged keyboard to edit to my satisfaction within a reasonable period of time. Is it the idea of using your phone to do reports that concerns you about Tap Inspect or is it the belief you are stuck with the basic template? Let us know and we'll work on making it better. Is there an I/O port, infrared port or something that I can use to connect a keyboard to it? My last report was 4 hrs of editing with a qwerty. Average is more like 3 hrs. I also do a lot of research on google and attach documents, web links, etc. Any chance of that surviving on an I pod based inspection report? Marc
Ben H Posted April 28, 2011 Report Posted April 28, 2011 The Honey Badger Oh! I don't think so, chief. You changed my life with the video on the honey badger! What did I miss?
Bain Posted April 28, 2011 Report Posted April 28, 2011 The Honey Badger Oh! I don't think so, chief. You changed my life with the video on the honey badger! It could have only been for the better. Steady. Just teasing, Ellie.
kurt Posted April 28, 2011 Report Posted April 28, 2011 Is it the idea of using your phone to do reports that concerns you about Tap Inspect or is it the belief you are stuck with the basic template? No, and I understand that there are more templates. What concerns me is still yet another software developer dumbing down the profession with a "tap and comment" approach that allows individuals that can't form an idea or write a sentence providing the illusion that they are competent and know something.
mjwirth Posted April 29, 2011 Report Posted April 29, 2011 What concerns me is still yet another software developer dumbing down the profession with a "tap and comment" approach that allows individuals that can't form an idea or write a sentence providing the illusion that they are competent and know something. This concerns me too because it is the exact opposite of what we want to do. With Tap Inspect you really need to know what you want to report and how to do an inspection. An inspector knows what's important and what needs to be reported. We don't need 1842 items to click off and a list of possible comments to choose from for each item. When I see a crack or a water mark I have a pretty good idea of what I want to say and where I want to report it. Software will never be able to do that for me but it can help me record it, add photos, build the PDF and send it to the client. That's the stuff we want to make quick and easy. Let the inspector do the home inspection and teach their client about the house they want to buy. That is why we got in the business. Marc has some good suggestions, thanks. I do know some guys are using a bluetooth keyboard because they don't like the little virtual one on the iPhone. Some use the iPad because the screen, photos, keyboard and buttons are easier to see and use. One even has an IR camera that talks to his iPad over wifi. IR photos go right into his reports. Cool but too much for me. We are looking at developing a web interface to let you do as much as you want on the iPhone or iPad and then pulling the report up in a web browser later and polishing it your satisfaction. Same kind of workflow as using a PDA to collect notes and then a PC except the photos are already imported and there is no software to install and update on your PC. It is several months away but from what I am reading it would make a big difference.
kurt Posted April 29, 2011 Report Posted April 29, 2011 I'm fine with any manner of input device that makes the job easier. What I'm not fine with is what you say you are not fine with. So, maybe we agree on something. I'm not sure exactly what that is yet, but I'm open to any new idea.
Phillip Posted April 29, 2011 Report Posted April 29, 2011 I can't get my big old fingers to type on them little phone key pads and the screens are to small for my old eyes to see[]
kurt Posted April 29, 2011 Report Posted April 29, 2011 Damn, Philip......glad to see you walking and talking. My thoughts go out to you and all your neighbors.
Phillip Posted April 29, 2011 Report Posted April 29, 2011 Damn, Philip......glad to see you walking and talking. My thoughts go out to you and all your neighbors. Thanks
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