At home are you a desktop person or a laptop person? Maybe it’s neither. Maybe you are team tablet all the way. I’ll be honest: never do I envy the “tablet folks” more than when I’m on a plane and cursing the heft and footprint of my work laptop. Carry-on (and tray table) space is precious! And let’s face it, when it comes to our phones, TVs and computers, smaller wins the prize. In the consumer world, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S2 8.0 with its 8-inch screen weighs in at a feathery .58 pounds. And famously, Apple shrunk its smartphone down (yet again) and wants to strap it to your wrist. This “smartwatch” boasts fitness software, hundreds of apps and the ability to send and receive calls. And yes, it will run you a bit more than a Timex.
This month we talk a lot about communication tech. This includes everything from how you choose to communicate with line officers, to achieving internet connectivity in the field … even how mobile data factors into investigations.
The ‘small device’ market is penetrating public safety work in earnest. Swanzey, New Hampshire police recently installed Microsoft Surface Pro tablets in their patrol cars to replace the military-grade, metal mounted toughbooks. Swanzey’s Chief Thomas De Angelis did it to save space and reduce the chance of injury, but he references other benefits: “The tablet is…lightweight with two cameras (front and back) and has a long battery life,” he says. The Surface Pros mount via Velcro and easily detach when an officer exits their vehicle. Officers can also pair a Bluetooth device wirelessly with a keyboard to type reports and reference information.
If this is the trend, to what extent can it benefit law enforcement? Writer Robert Galvin investigates whether RMS software can really support records management software (RMS on a tablet, pg. 24) or whether tablets will remain better suited to light-duty tasks.
Personally, I’m always a bit slow to jump to “the next thing”. Especially when I’m using works fine. I’m not ready to have conversations into my wristwatch in public. But ask me again a year from now and I might change my tune.
