Tag: tech: Page 38

Technology

The 5 best smartphones for construction work

Team communication and connectivity are two of the most important aspects of any successful business and the smartphone has done a lot in the past six years to make both of those things easier. However, picking the right smartphone is just as important as choosing to augment your business with a smartphone in the first place. […]

November 6, 2013

Technology

No. 2: Caterpillar B15

While the Galaxy S4 Active went for rugged and sleek, the Caterpillar B15—the company’s first smartphone— goes for rugged with attitude. The device is military spec with an IP67 rating. That means it’s waterproof, dustproof and will survive a 5.9-foot drop to hard concrete. The device can also operate in temperatures ranging from 122F to -4F. […]

November 6, 2013

Technology

No. 4: Samsung Galaxy Note 3

Make no bones about it: the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is a giant phone. With a 5.7-inch display, it makes even 5-inch phones like the Nexus 5 look small, not to mention the iPhone 5S. And that’s exactly what some folks like. And for some, like those who want to jot down information on their […]

November 6, 2013

Technology

Caterpillar granted early access to Google Glass, working on ways to improve interaction with equipment

While we’re pretty sure Google Glass isn’t ready for primetime on jobsites just yet, Caterpillar is working to figure out how best to use the wearable technology in manufacturing and construction. Caterpillar recently announced that it was selected by Google to participate in the Google Glass Explorer program. Brian Stokoe from Caterpillar’s eBusiness division made […]

September 9, 2013

Technology

Toughen up your iPhone with this concrete skin

The iPhone is an impressive device. But, as beautiful as its design is, it’s still rather delicate. Now you can make your iPhone as tough as the stuff you build with with a new skin made of pure concrete. A Korean design firm named Posh Projects has crafted the Luna. Named for its moon-like craters, […]

July 23, 2013

Technology

Topcon launches rugged SL-100 modem for connecting Sitelink3D network

Topcon’s Sitelink3D is a pretty amazing thing to see in action. The Web portal provides real time jobsite management, data control and system support and during our coverage of Komatsu’s new fully-automatic D61i-23 dozer, we got to head inside and watch as the work of the dozer and a few other pieces of equipment was […]

July 16, 2013

Technology

Samsung’s water- and dustproof Galaxy S4 Active redefines top-of-the-line in rugged smartphones

The design isn’t quite as exciting as Caterpillar’s take on rugged smartphones, but Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 Active certainly continues the recent and satisfying trend of water- and dustproof phones that aren’t hideous and a pain to use. In the past, most smartphones granted with an IP67 rating were bulky and badly specced—typically running an […]

June 6, 2013

Technology

BIM and iPad use quickly gaining traction in construction industry thanks to productivity boosts

Using an iPad or another of the myriad tablets on the market today to view plans and blueprints on the jobsite is not a new concept to the construction industry. But it is one gaining considerable traction in recent years as firms look to avoid costly mistakes in efforts to boost efficiency. So when a […]

June 5, 2013

Construction Equipment

Researchers turn cement into metal that could be used in electronics

A collective of researchers from the U.S., Finland, Germany and Japan have connected a few dots that weren’t particularly obvious. The group, according to a report from The Atlantic, has figured out a way to turn cement into metal. The researchers employed lasers and a process known as electron trapping to melt mayenite—also known as […]

May 29, 2013

Technology

Google Glass won’t revolutionize the construction industry. Not yet anyway.

If you put aside all the coverage of Apple’s stock price and the company’s “uncertain future,” the biggest tech story going right now is Google Glass. Just in case you’re unfamiliar with it, Glass is Google’s wearable computer currently in development. It’s a device that looks a bit like a pair of glasses without the […]

May 14, 2013

Business

Budget for Apple’s new HQ balloons to $5 billion, would be a challenge for any contractor

Back in November, it was reported that the completion of Apple’s spaceship-like Campus 2 headquarters would be delayed from 2015 to 2016. Now, a report from Bloomberg says that in the meantime, the budget for the project has ballooned from $3 billon to $5 billion. If you’re not well acquainted with this mammoth project, the […]

April 8, 2013

Technology

Better Roads: 3 challenges to Google’s self-driving car

John Latta, editor of our sister publication Better Roads, has put down some thoughts on the self-driving car Google has been working on. In California, Google’ cars have safely logged 500,000 miles. Not a bad vote of confidence for the future of the technology. However there are still three challenges that Google faces in perfecting […]

March 27, 2013