The Palmdoc Chronicles

Monday, January 26, 2015

The year of the Windows Tablets

via Palmdoc.net

When the iPad first came out, it was the best thing since sliced bread for doctors. Now a tablet sized device can be a boon during ward rounds for accessing medical information and in some cases even an EMR on a device with a large enough screen yet maintaining portability, being able to fit in a large lab coat pocket, especially if you have one custom made like my eLab Coat.
It’s been almost 5 years since the iPad was first introduced (on April 3, 2010) and while it still is a great device, I find it difficult to do “real work” on it, particularly when it comes to creating content as opposed to consuming content e.g. making slides and full fledged “Office type” applications.
Windows is coming of age to the touch screen era. While Windows 8.1 has still a way to go, I believe the recently announced Windows 10 looks very promising.
But what about the hardware? In recent times we have been seeing a slew of cheap Tablets coming out of China. These 8 to 10 inch devices are really affordable, costing less than $250 in many cases. This price point is way below what you would have to pay for a Surface Pro 3 though admittedly these cheaper tablets have lower end specs. But being cheap does not mean these things can’t do a decent job for every day tasks.
My twitter buddy @mikecane has been doing a great job of reviewing the deluge of Windows tabletswith various brands like Teclast, Onda, Chuwi etc. There are so many to choose from but the price point is so tempting I succumbed and decided to get a Chuwi v89 Windows 8.1 tablet. This is an 8.9 inch light weight device (weighing only 370g) yet running full Windows 8.1
The Tech specs:
 CHUWI V89 Windows 8.1 Tablet
 CPU Intel Z3735F quad core X86 1.83GHz
 System 7th Generration intel graphincs 646MHz
 RAM 2GB
 Capacity 64GB
 Screen 8.9 inch 10-points capacitive touch screen
 Resolution1920 x 1200
 Extend  Card Support,up to 32GB
 Camera Front is 2.0MegaPixels,Rear is 5.0MegaPixels
 WIFI Support WiFi 802.11b/g/n
 Bluetooth Built in Bluetooth 4.0
 Gravity
Sensor
 Support
 3G GSM:900+1800
 WCDMA:900+2100
 Audio OGG,AAC,M4A,FLAC,AMR etc
 Picture JPG, JPEG, GIF, BMP, PNG
 Video AVI,MKV,MP4,M4V,WEBM,3GP,MPEG4, etc
 Language Multiple languages
 Microphone Built in
 Speaker Built in
 I/O Port 1 x Micro USB Port
 1 x TF Card Slot
 1 x SIM Card Slot
 1 x 3.5mm Earphone Port
 Battery 3.7V/6400mAh
 Weight 369g
 Size 233.2*148.2*8mm
My impression after using it for a few days is it’s a decent Windows tablet. It is quite well built and has a reasonable battery life – I can get through a whole day’s work without any problem. The retina display is very nice and even though the default font on the Chrome browser is rather tiny, you can still make it out. It is hard to tap with one’s finger for the Desktop applications so for those it would be better in some cases to use a Bluetooth mouse. I paired my Bluetooth keyboard with it (made for the iPad 2) and it works fine too.
The main drawback is that one has to be careful how many applications are open at the same time since with the limited 2Gb Ram things can slow down if you are too enthusiastic with multi-tasking. That being said, it generally is sprightly and has fast boot up times should you need to restart.
The 64Gb eMMC is decent (more than the usual 32Gb you see with many other models) and if you throw in a 32 Gb SD card that should be plenty of storage for most people. A point to note in case you are not aware is that  you cannot install the downloaded Windows touch screen apps from the Store onto the external SD card but you can install regular Windows applications onto the external card.  For additional storage access, the set comes with a micro USB to standard USB host adaptor so you could plugin a thumb drive which the tablet reads without any problem.
Things which I plan to do:
1) Install DuOS so that I can have Android OS running side by side
In conclusion I give the Chuwi v89 Windows 8.1 tablet two thumbs up. It’s cheap yet a decent performer.
2015 will be the year of the Windows tablets as Microsoft makes a strong come back with Windows 10, and the market will be saturated with many Windows tablets or convertibles to choose from.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Follow us on Facebook



Aside from the main Palmdoc.net site, you can follow our posts and shared links on the Palmdoc Techblog Facebook Page. The editorial team there comprises a group of mobile tech enthusiasts doctors who are ever willing to share their experience and knowledge using mobile devices and also to highlight apps and news regarding mobile medical technology.
Do Like the page in order to see the posts in your Facebook newsfeed.

Saturday, November 09, 2013

Medical #webapp discussion on Facebook

facebook
If you are interested in medical web app development do join the Medwebapp Facebook group. It's a group for both coders and users, to exchange ideas on what you'd like to see developed as a medical web app. The emphasis is on mobiles and the web apps should be able to run well on a mobile device.
I have been thinking of forming such a discussion group for some time now, but this tweet:
really prompted me to get going. As a platform, Windows phone 8 is somewhat reminiscent of webOS. As a challenger to the mighty two mobile OSes - Android and iOS - it lacks the necessary apps which medical professionals might need. Web apps can fill the need and the best part is when the web app is sufficiently mature, can be easily compiled into native apps for any platform (Android, iOS, Windows phone, BB etc).
The Medwebapp group is an open one so come on over and join us!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Free Ugg Boots

Sponsored link:

Here's a chance to Win free Ugg Boots.
They do indeed look very comfortable!

Palmdoc PDA posts now at Palmdoc.net

Friday, July 21, 2006

The Palmdoc Chronicles has moved house

Exciting news.
First of all, I've got a proper domain name, at last. You can now access the Palmdoc Chronicles simply by surfing over to

http://palmdoc.net

The new site is hosted on a server which uses the Wordpress publishing engine. I like Wordpress as I am familiar with it, there are many beautiful templates I can use and more importantly I can categorise posts and search posts as it is database driven.
While Blogger has served me well all these years, it is time to move on.
So ladies and gentlemen, please change your web links and your bookmarks to http://palmdoc.net
If you are using Feedburner, I've changed the feed to point to the new RSS feed, If you are using Bloglines or some other RSS feed reader, you may point the reader directly to the new site's RSS feed, http://palmdoc.net/?feed=rss2

This will be the last post on Blogger. Thank you for your attention.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

ICIS PocketPACS

Press Release: Global Care Quest Announces ICIS PocketPACS(via MedGadget )

picICIS PocketPACS, the newest member of healthcare software developer Global Care Quest, Inc.’s Integrated Clinical Information System (ICIS) line up, is an advanced viewing application that can take images from virtually any Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and send it to a handheld device or mobile smartphone via wireless Internet or high-speed cellular phone network. The system displays and manipulates chest X-rays, bone X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and most other medical imaging modalities.

ICIS PocketPACSBeyond simple image display, ICIS PocketPACS offers a number of advanced viewing functions including zoom, pan, multi-slice scrolling, Cine mode, window-level contrast adjustments, and Image inversion and rotation. The system will display all PACS images at the maximum screen size and image resolution of which the handheld device is capable. In most situations ICIS PocketPACS displays diagnostic quality images suitable for assessment and patient triaging.



Nice to see them use the Treo as an example. Even with the Treo's 320x320 screen, I really don't know how sharp the X-ray images will turn out. Still, interesting use of technology but I suspect this will evolve as the hardware gets better and better.

Saturday, July 15, 2006

Dx/Rx: Palliative Cancer Care

New in Palmgear: Dx/Rx: Palliative Cancer Care

picDetails precise, up-to-date information on palliative cancer care.
Key Features
* Provides a look at the field of pallative care which has been emerging in cancer centers across the nation
* Concisely and precisely introduces this vital aspect of oncologic care
* Discusses cancer pain and palliative care in a very understandable context
* New interactive flowcharts: Now, complex algorithms and protocols are transformed from static images into dynamic step-by-step decision support tools. See how this innovative feature can quickly and easily walk you through even the most intricate decision models.
* Built-in Medical Calculator: Equianalgesic Doses of Common Opioids Form provides instant access from within topics

Friday, July 14, 2006

Beta: Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia, PDA Edition

Tarascon Publishing and USBMIS, Inc. would like to offer you the opportunity to be one of the first to test-drive the newest PDA version of the Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia.
Visit http://www.usbmis.com/beta for more information and to get your Beta copy of the new Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia for your PDA.

The new Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia, PDA Edition is now more complete than ever. Many additional features join the existing trusted content to create the most valuable drug reference available for Palm and Pocket PC devices.

New Features Include:

  • New Graphical Interface gives the application a sharp, new look for hi-resolution devices
  • 6 New Calculators assist with adult GFR, pediatric GFR, Temperature Conversions, and Weight Conversions
  • New Content Preferences feature allows users to customize the order in which content is displayed in their application
  • New Bookmarks enables further customization of frequently-used content
  • Improved Device Support now includes support for higher resolutions, larger screens and Palm landscape mode.
Beta testing for the new Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia, PDA edition is going on now and will be open until Aug 2nd, 2006.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Must-have Medical Apps for your PDA

I thought of kicking off a series of "Must-have Medical Apps" for your PDA as it would be useful for doctors starting off with their new PDA or Smartphone.
PalmOS or PPC platforms welcome. Perhaps we'll start off for those of you in General Practice or General Medicine.
Please add your suggestions in this forum or post your comment here.

Watch out for the next post: Must-have Medical Apps for your PDA - General Medicine

Friday, July 07, 2006

Harrison’s Practice

Harrison's Practice is a completely new resource from the expert editors of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. Practical, concise answers to your clinical questions are presented in an innovative and easy-to-navigate format that helps you quickly find everything you need to establish a diagnosis and select the right treatment option.
With Unbound Medicine's unique PDA, Web and Wireless platform you can carry Harrison's Practice anywhere! Intuitive built-in navigation helps you quickly review information and link to related topics. Regular updates are delivered automatically on the Web and when you synchronize your handheld.

Monday, July 03, 2006

My Procedures v1.1

My Procedures v1.1 is a freebie which trainees and students who need to keep medical procedure logs might want to have in their PDAs.
Description:
"My Procedures" lets you track your procedures, from your pda or Windows desktop, print a list of your procedures, with a spreadsheet, and email a list of your procedures.

Sunday, July 02, 2006

New Skyscape Releases

Dx/Rx: Leukemia 9.0.7
Dx/Rx: Leukemia (DxRxLeuk) provides a comprehensive review of the leukemias and myeloproliferative disorders.
Dx/Rx: Breast Cancer 9.0.5
Dx/Rx: Breast Cancer is a complete but concise reference that covers staging, monoclonal antibody therapy, genetic aspects of breast cancer, and prevention strategies, among other important topics.
FDA Guide to Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins 9.0.7
Badbugs is an essential mobile reference that provides the basic facts regarding the characteristic disease symptoms of foodborne pathogenic microorganisms and natural toxins.

Friday, June 30, 2006

Medical Imaging Consultant

Medical Imaging Consultant PDA Edition by USBMIS is the ordering physician’s quick reference for diagnostic imaging exams. It provides portable, fast access to extensive information that will help determine whether image testing is necessary, and if so, assist in choosing the most appropriate exam.

With interlinked content and a custom designed user interface, the Medical Imaging Consultant PDA Edition provides the most convenient and accurate way to select the single, best exam.

Features include:

* Current information for over 350 clinical conditions
* Data on diagnostic procedure
* Clinical benefit
* CPT Code
* Medicare reimbursement
* Radiation in chest X-ray equivalents
* Overall risk factors
* Clearly divided pediatric and adult sections
* Easy-search index

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Superb Palm Service

Thought I'd digress from the usual medical software news and give credit where it's due. My Treo650 gave trouble - the keyboard became unresponsive at several sections. I called up Palm Asia and without much trouble, got an SRO number for an exchange with a refurbished unit (the usual practice). I was expecting a downtime of 72 hours or thereabouts and I switched to my Dell Axim x50v for synchronizing Outlook Data between my work and home PCs, and for a phone my backup was my old trusty SEt68i. Needless to say, the Dell made a mess of the sync and I ended up with numerous duplicates. Luckily I also have MapiLab Outlook Duplicate remover installed and this removed the dupes like grease lightning.
Anyway the happy story is when I sent my Treo650 to the Palm Drop Zone which happened to be fairly near where I work, I got an immediate swop!. So the down-time was really minimal, less than 24 hours. Kudos to Palm. Great service once again, thank you.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

PalmPDF updated

I use PalmPDF a lot to read full text Journal articles in their original Adobe PDF format. This great freeware has been updated to version 1.3 and you can downloaod it from their website.
(via MobileRead)

Friday, June 23, 2006

Basic Concepts In Pharmacology

USBMIS and McGraw-Hill have launched a portable survival guide for the most difficult-to-learn concepts in pharmacology. Now available for both the Palm and Pocket PC platforms, Basic Concepts in Pharmacology contains an organized approach to the hundreds of drugs covered in pharmacology classes today. The unique design and ease of organization in this application yields greater retention and reduces stress for the pharmacology student preparing for a course review or for the board exams.

Basic Concepts in Pharmacology, PDA edition provides all of the same valuable information as the print edition, as well as many additional features that can only be found within the PDA edition, in addition to the overall convenience of portable, mobile technology.

Features Include:

* Automatic updates to all chapters reflecting the latest advances in practice
* Bookmarks personalize your application for the information you access most frequently
* Interlinked content and a comprehensive index for easy searching
* Key concepts and definitions highlight essential information
* Charts, Tables and Illustrations allow easy comprehension of complex material

Thursday, June 22, 2006

ActiveECG goes Bluetooth

ActiveECG for Palm Handhelds Now Available with Bluetooth Connectivity

CASTINE, Maine - June 21, 2006 - Active Corporation, Inc., producer of portable medical devices used "when life is on the lineT," today announced the availability of a new BluetoothR adapter for their ActiveECGT cardiac monitor. For a limited time, the Bluetooth adapter will be offered to new ActiveECG customers for free.

ActiveECG is an inexpensive, handheld, professional cardiac monitor which provides diagnostic quality cardiac monitoring on PalmR handheld devices. The Bluetooth adapter for ActiveECG provides users with access to a wide variety of Palm handheld devices including Treo smartphones and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. This eliminates the use of varying cables for different devices and ensures that users can continue to use ActiveECG when they upgrade to new handhelds.

ActiveECG provides real-time display and recording of ECG data on Palm handheld devices. ActiveECG offers comprehensive cardiac monitoring capabilities which include QRS (heart beat) detection, pacemaker detection, leads-off sensing, active noise suppression and extensive self-testing. Its small size, rugged design and long battery life make it perfect for wilderness or other harsh environments. Its low price and use of standard, low cost consumables make it practical as a personal monitoring device.

"Palm's easy-to-use, flexible platform lets third-party solution providers, like Active Corporation, offer customers mobile versions of their products," said Tara Griffin, vice president of enterprise markets for Palm, Inc. "Treo smartphones with a Bluetooth connection to ActiveECG gives individuals the power to collect and monitor data cable free. Best of all, testing and monitoring capabilities are accessible outside the confines of a hospital."

By adding a Bluetooth adapter, ActiveECG can more readily be used in difficult monitoring situations. A patient can be monitored during the difficult extrications performed in wilderness medicine or by a ski patrol. An Emergency Medical Technician can monitor a patient trapped in a car or under debris from a secure distance, providing increased safety for the patient and the rescuer. Veterinarians can more easily monitor their patients who may not be willing to lie down
and cooperate, or who may be of a size that it is impractical to be connected via a cable.

Link

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Google Epocrates

You can now look up Epocrates drug info via Google
If you are a Gmail account holder, you can subscribe to Epocrates® Online via "Google Co-op."
With this service, you will automatically see links to FREE Epocrates drug monographs at the top of your results list when doing Google drug searches.



I wish Google would also get it to work with Mobile Google searches. Then one might consider replacing the memory hogging Epocrates application on the PDA with just your PDA's browser!

Friday, June 16, 2006

ICD-9CM Handheld Coding Tool

Thomson and Novartis bring you the ICD-9CM Handheld Coding Tool - Version 1.2 with 2006 data for Palm and Pocket PC.
A little unusual that the setup program is for both Palm and Pocket PC. Unfortunate as you are forced to download 21 MB! Wish they could have separated the two setup programs. But it's free, so can't complain.
(Hat tip to Ectopic Brain.)

IPDA-II

Initial Psychological Disorder Analysis v3.0 is now available in Freewarepalm.com
Description:
Quickly determine an initial diagnoses of an Axis-I or Axis-II psychological disorder.
Accurately determine a clients course of action with this easy to use, flexible software for all Palm OS PDAs. IPDA-II is a versatile instrument for evaluating individuals suspected of having a psychological disorder. It enables mental health professionals to rapidly & easily determine an initial diagnoses of an Axis-I or Axis-II disorders via answering simple guided "Yes"/"No" questions leading to a result. IPDA-II saves and displays client's histories, initial diagnosis, demographics, medications & progress notes all at your finger tips.