Now that most of you have already upgraded to AutoCAD WS 1.2, it’s time for us to think about the next release.
As always, we want to hear from you to find out exactly what functionality you want to see next in AutoCAD WS.
We know that AutoCAD WS for Android is the #1 most requested feature/upgrade we have received, but if we leave the platform aside we want to know what functionality you want to see most.
.
A couple of days ago, we asked our AutoCAD Facebook fans which mobile platform they have and what kind of device they’d like to use for viewing, editing, and sharing drawings. Well, the results are in, and it’s clear our users are freeing themselves from their desktops and are interested in mobile CAD. If you haven’t downloaded AutoCAD WS mobile app for iOS devices yet, give it whirl.
Platform Showdown – Android Hot on the Heels of iPhone and iPad
Although Apple devices still represent the majority of responses (41%), Android is proving quite popular, with 36% of respondents commenting that Android devices – tablet or smart phone – was either what they already owned, or wanted to use. Windows devices came in a distant third, with 7% of the vote. And of course, there were a couple of old-school folks out there too who still want to use pencil and paper. Looks like the napkin sketch won’t go away just yet.
Smartphone vs. Tablet
Tablets are newer to the scene, and offer clear benefits for DWG file viewing with the extra screen real-estate. That said, as smart phones travel everywhere with us these days, they still have the lead—with iPhone being the most popular with our fans.
Here’s the surprise of the survey – almost 5% of the folks who commented were interested in the idea of a dedicated AutoCAD tablet designed specifically for our customers. A dedicated device that simplifies all the steps of your work, incorporates BIM functions, and takes advantage of the GPS and camera features of the mobile device. Interesting indeed…
Using a Laptop? Get AutoCAD WS Web App on Google Chrome Store
No matter what mobile device you have, you can start using the web browser version of AutoCAD WS with your laptop today. It’s available at www.autocadws.com (hey, that’s right here), and we just published our free AutoCAD WS app to the Google Chrome Store too.
We always like to hear from our customers about what they want to see in our products. If you’d like to contribute more feedback to AutoCAD WS product development, email us: feedback@autocadws.com.
Now that the latest version of the AutoCAD WS has been available for a month, we thought it was time to bring together the most frequently asked questions about the release and address them again in one place.
Q: How Does Offline Support work?
When your mobile device is connected to the internet, it will sync the drawings in your AutoCAD WS online directory and save them locally on your device. After that you are able to open AutoCAD WS, view and edit your drawings even when you are not connected to the internet.
Q: What happens to the edits I make when I’m working offline?
Your offline edits are saved locally as you make them. The next time your device connects to the internet, your version of the drawing will be uploaded to your AutoCAD WS account and saved as the latest version on the file’s timeline.
Q: How do I know if my file is saved locally or not?
Once a file has been saved locally it will be clearly marked “Downloaded” with a date and time stamp indicating the exact moment it was synced. You can initiate a manual sync at any time by tapping the sync button. All time stamps will be refreshed even if saved file was the most up-to-date version of the drawing.
Q: I can’t open the file from my email. What’s happening?
Once you have AutoCAD WS 1.1 installed, your device’s email client will recognize DWG files that you receive as email attachments. Tapping on the attachment will allow you to select AutoCAD WS as the right program for viewing the file. The file is also uploaded to your online account so that it will be accessible in the future from AutoCAD WS without having to find the email again.
Please note: Opening a DWG from email is only available in iOS 3.2 or better.
Q: How do I delete a file from my account.
Currently, you can only delete a file from your AutoCAD WS account using the web client. Login at www.autocadws.com, select the drawing you wish to delete and click the Delete button to remove it from your account.
Q: Will AutoCAD WS be integrated with iTunes to transfer files without ever connecting to the internet?
At the moment we are not planning to integrate with iTunes although we are always exploring ways to make the lives of our users easier.
Q: When will you release AutoCAD WS for Android?
There is no launch date, but we have heard the many calls for an Android version of AutoCAD WS and we consider it our goal to reach as wide an audience as possible. Rest assured as soon as there is something to announce, you’ll hear it directly from us.
