In August 2010 (news release), Autodesk released AutoCAD for Mac and AutoCAD WS, a mobile application aimed at users of Apple-based iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch devices (since downloaded over one million times). Autodesk’s reach out to mobile users is set to grow still further with the release later this month (20 April) of AutoCAD WS for Android 2.2 or higher (industry analyst firm Gartner recently predicted further growth in Android’s share of the smartphone OS market, accounting for 49 percent of the smartphone market by the end of 2012).
A post on AndroidGuys quotes an Autodesk news release which says the Android app includes “features such as a simplified, intuitive set of viewing, editing, and markup tools so users can work on their designs while on the go”.
It continues:
“One feature unique to Android version of AutoCAD WS is the text annotation tool supports integrated voice commands available on devices running Android 2.2 (Froyo) or above. Now Android users can insert comments and notations on a drawing simply by speaking rather than typing them into the text edit box.” …
Additional feature enhancements include ‘Anywhere Storage’:
“… customers can now connect directly to alternate storage folders from their Android, iPad and iPhone devices, as well as through the AutoCAD WS web application. This currently includes: the Autodesk Buzzsaw service, Dropbox (through DropDAV), Microsoft SharePoint, Windows Server 2008, Box.net, MobileMe, and Egnyte, and other cloud storage providers who support the WebDAV protocol.”
Presumably, Anywhere Storage will also allow AutoCAD WS users to connect to HP’s ePrint & Share cloud storage service, launched in October 2010 (see post). Autodesk Buzzsaw is already covered, but I am still waiting to hear if the ePrint & Share service can also connect to other commonly used AEC collaboration platforms (eg: 4Projects, Asite, BIW, etc).
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