Anyone Bring A Laptop to work?

[PlumbingSkool]

Hey Guys,

I am wondering if any of you guys carry a laptop with you on the truck?

Let me know

Thanks in advance !

[stxrus]

not yet, but it is on the list of things i wish to add. not for daily use but as a resource. looking at a small Vaio

steve

[PLUMBER RICK]

i've been for the last 8 years. i use it for invoicing along with my cannon bjc55 portable printer. this printer has been discontinued 4-5 years ago and updated to a larger less portable unit.

don't worry, i bought 3 when they were getting hard to find:D

now that wireless is so much more available, i can usually log onto a wireless network from the road;) and when i do, joey seems to know as my phone will ring. bla... bla,bla,bla... bla:eek:

rick.

[PlumbingSkool]

i've been for the last 8 years. i use it for invoicing along with my cannon bjc55 portable printer. this printer has been discontinued 4-5 years ago and updated to a larger less portable unit.

don't worry, i bought 3 when they were getting hard to find:D

now that wireless is so much more available, i can usually log onto a wireless network from the road;) and when i do, joey seems to know as my phone will ring. bla... bla,bla,bla... bla:eek:

rick.

Awesome :)

I was thinking of making some Ridgid Blog posts to show some cool gadgets that I use to make my office COMPLETELY mobile :)

Phone, Web cam, Video etc

It todays world you can even stream live video from any job in seconds :)

Thanks for posting guys and I would love more responses :)

[DuckButter]

I'd be afraid to.
I have a letter sized metal case that all checks, reciepts & paperwork go straight into.
The case is dented and scratched from months of concussive contact with tools stock and...me.
I regularly clean the cab with degreaser and elbow grease...I don't think a laptop couild handle that type of abuse.
Besides the fact that the only use for it on the road for me would be to type out & print invoices, estimates & reciepts, I doubt there's a mobile printer that'd fit in a truck.
I keep blank templates for those things and hand write when needed.

[mrs. westcoast]

hp has a great one

HP Deskjet 460wf Mobile Printer with Wireless Connectivity (C8152A#A2L)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31T6CDQ5VNL._SL500_.jpg

Professional, portable mobile InkJet printer with battery pack and built-in WiFi card
Crisp and clear 4,800 dpi print quality
PictBridge-enabled for printing straight from mobile phones and PDAs; SD/MMC card slot to print straight from memory cards
Super-fast USB 2.0 and WiFi connectivity; accepts HP Bluetooth cards (sold separately)
1-year limited manufacturer's warranty
Price:$348.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.

[PlumbingSkool]

hp has a great one

HP Deskjet 460wf Mobile Printer with Wireless Connectivity (C8152A#A2L)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31T6CDQ5VNL._SL500_.jpg

Professional, portable mobile InkJet printer with battery pack and built-in WiFi card
Crisp and clear 4,800 dpi print quality
PictBridge-enabled for printing straight from mobile phones and PDAs; SD/MMC card slot to print straight from memory cards
Super-fast USB 2.0 and WiFi connectivity; accepts HP Bluetooth cards (sold separately)
1-year limited manufacturer's warranty
Price:$348.99 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.


WITH A ( My Dream )

http://pcjoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/panasonic-toughbook-cf-30-fully-rugged-laptop.jpg

[MrsSeatDown]

I'd be afraid to.
I have a letter sized metal case that all checks, reciepts & paperwork go straight into.
The case is dented and scratched from months of concussive contact with tools stock and...me.
I regularly clean the cab with degreaser and elbow grease...I don't think a laptop couild handle that type of abuse.
Besides the fact that the only use for it on the road for me would be to type out & print invoices, estimates & reciepts, I doubt there's a mobile printer that'd fit in a truck.
I keep blank templates for those things and hand write when needed.


All of Rick's checks go right into his shirt pockets. Paperwork goes into his computer bag with the computer and printer.

In the end it really saves. He doesn't have to come home and type in the invoice he already wrote up. He doesn't have to decipher what it is he wrote. . . and neither does the customer.

You just need a basic laptop for work. Rick got one on sale at Radio Shack the last time. They really are more durable than you would think. I know I drop mine way more than Rick ever has and no problems:D

[savant]

I keep a laptop with me, in a bag. whatever truck I'm driving, I know I have what I need when the laptop's on board.

I have MS streets & trips on it so If I have trouble finding a supply house or customer's place, I can look it up. All Cellphones have GPS in them, so I got a cheap laptop data cable that'll power the phone when the GPS is running(very hungry)

it's also good for looking up spec sheets (you can usually snag a wifi signal in this area)

[DuckButter]

All of Rick's checks go right into his shirt pockets.
Stop right there, I really, really hope he's better with checks than those blue dye pills he leaves in his shirt...

I religiously put checks in my case, period.
I know me...I'd be wondering if every crumbled piece of paper in the dryer filter were a check I'd missed.
I'm that way with reciepts also, I lost ONE reciept all year last year, I use credit cards for all stock purchases so I can cross reference, every penny on those receipts is money back on taxes.
If I had wireless access on the job, forget me, I'd sit in my truck all day yacking at you guys and enjoying all the wholesome goodness the internet has to offer.
I figure the toys above would run me around $1 - $2K, for the ability to type out info I normally hand write.

Heck, I'm not a doctor, my handwriting ain't that bad!
As for looking up stock online, I have a good dozen numbers set on speed dial on my cell for different suppliers depending what area I'm in.

[stxrus]

I religiously put checks in my case, period.[/B]
I know me...I'd be wondering if every crumbled piece of paper in the dryer filter were a check I'd missed.
I'm that way with reciepts also, I lost ONE reciept all year last year, I use credit cards for all stock purchases so I can cross reference, every penny on those receipts is money back on taxes.

AMEN, and any "washed" check is money NOT in my pocket. i'm very anal about checks, invoices, receipts, etc. once i get lax i'm doomed :eek:

steve

[Tyman]

No, not yet.

I wish I had the internet/laptop available in my van. Usually I write stuff on a pad of paper then look them up when I get home. I would love to pull up blueprints, order materials, and read up on pump sizing info when the job called for it.

Maybe someday when I plumb in a big city.:(

[glkearns]

I carry a laptop with me about 50% of the time. Deathly afraid that it will get broken or stolen or??? I too can usually snag a wireless signal if necessary.

Greg

[wrongler]

I carry a TomTom GPS in the truck at all times and my phone is a Palm Treo with internet access so between the two of them I don't have much need for one.

[MrsSeatDown]

Duck, I don't think Rick has ever washed or lost a check. First thing he does when he walks in the house is pull all the checks out. He forgets about the rest.

Looking in his pockets are like looking through a little boys pockets. . .you just might find rocks and frogs:D Sometimes there is cash though:p

[ToUtahNow]

Three laptops a tablet and a treo.

Mark

[plumberscrack]

Duck, I don't think Rick has ever washed or lost a check. First thing he does when he walks in the house is pull all the checks out. He forgets about the rest.

Looking in his pockets are like looking through a little boys pockets. . .you just might find rocks and frogs:D Sometimes there is cash though:p




LMAO! Rocks and frogs :rotflmao1:

[Devine Plumbing]

I have a large step van so lots of room for computer equipment. For a while I had a full desktop computer w/slide out keyboard, mouse, flat screen monitor, printer/scanner/copier, etc. However, now I just use the printer/scanner/copier and my laptop. Easy to modify estimates, invoice, and almost everywhere I travel there is a wireless connection so easy to get directions from Mapquest if I need them.

[Herk]

I carried one back around '92. I could look up prices and print invoices and so on. This was, if anyone remembers, the days of DOS. The laptop actually ran on DR Dos which was a slight cut above at the time.

It took longer to boot up than it did to make and print the invoice. The Citizen thermal tape printer did laser quality but the tapes were expensive and were hard to find. Both would run on batteries but battery life wasn't great back then.

One day I leaned over the computer on my kitchen counter and broke the LCD screen. That was the end of that. I never could find a replacement screen for the off-brand unit.

I still have the laptop, and it will work with an external monitor . . .

[OkieBill]

Dell 9200 Laptop on the truck with wireless internet through Sprint...

My wife made me an access database to track all of my customers information and good to know specific job information, I even keep the customers pet names if I get them... ( Thanks to Rick for the Database Idea):)

[MrsSeatDown]

Dell 9200 Laptop on the truck with wireless internet through Sprint...

My wife made me an access database to track all of my customers information and good to know specific job information, I even keep the customers pet names if I get them... ( Thanks to Rick for the Database Idea):)

For your own sake, you may want to refer to those as nick names;)

[OkieBill]

No really, I keep the Dogs and or Cats names.. Small town service, Kids names ect....:D

[MrsSeatDown]

No really, I keep the Dogs and or Cats names.. Small town service, Kids names ect....:D

:killingme:I thought. . .oh never mind you know what I thought:killingme:

[OkieBill]

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: :lol::lol:

[jrsaltz]

I carry my Dell Inspiron 6400 everywhere with me. It makes my life easier for many reasons.

I have a Sprint broadband card for access where there are no hot spots. I have a HP portable printer as well. Quick books makes it simple for billing and quotes.

between the laptop and my Blackberry curve with GPS I am set for anything and be in constant communication.

[westcoastplumber]

Yeah, I bought a laptop when I first started my company but it would be too much of a hassle. It would have been destroyed in 2 months.

I do everything when I come home on my desktop.

[kfosh]

I couldn't live without my laptop, Street Atlas and GPS. But also caring all the service manuals for all the tankless waterheaters. Gas sizing charts and programs. Faucet breakdowns cut sheets from tubs to urinals. Or getting the info I need from any unsecured wireless network on the area I’m in. Got to love technology.
__________________
Plumbers protect the health of the world!

Just remember ...... if it wasn't for your plumber, you wouldn't have any place to go"

[DuckButter]

No really, I keep the Dogs and or Cats names.. Small town service, Kids names ect....:D
I'd have to draw a line on that one.
Only a matter of time and it'd happen..."Hi, Mrs smith...is your husband Fido there?"

[Cuda]

I am always in the city and always have the laptop I look up side sewer cards all the time Seattle is cool having them online and lots of unsecured networks to log into, but I am always worried it will be stolen by some crack head.

[turdjerker]

I often keep my laptop with me in my work van equipped with an AT&T wireless modem...........I dont use it for invoices or billing, But listed below are some circumstances in which i use my laptop on the job. Look up parts, prices, show customers pics of fixtures, find diminsions of water heaters/etc, look up diagrams-spec sheets-plumbing codes, check emails, recieve notifications from miss utility., get directions to job locations,..........Also whenever I am waiting on a building inspector or have some free time, i catch up on my emails or job scheduling.....I think a laptop on the truck provides any technician with a great resource in the field.

[boillerman]

I have an old HP that I bought from my son several years ago. It's really outdated by todays standards, but I can still run most boiler software (like Munchkin) and look up literature and run the old software w/it. Mostly it rides around with me for looks, like the cinch tool I shouldn't have bought. I use it, just not daily.