MONROE - It's a battle of price versus usefulness, as the city's Information Technology Committee moves to test tablet computers, Apple iPad against Microsoft Surface Pro, on council members starting as early as June 18, the date of the next council meeting.
Last fall, the IT Committee set aside funds in the 2013 budget to purchase iPads, but since then Microsoft has released Surface Pro, a more powerful version of the Microsoft Surface Tablet, which runs the full version of Windows 8 operating system.
"At budget time, we talked about it, but there was no deadline for its release," said Rob Jacobson, IT director.
Now that it's on the market, the Surface Pro with the full power of Windows 8 OS and Intel-powered processors seems to be very powerful indeed, according to Rex Ewald, the city IT coordinator, who has purchased his own system.
"It's a full-blown computer and can run any software," Ewald said. It could even be synchronized with the city network for searching data.
But the cost, starting at $900 each, is a bit more than the $800 iPad with cover case and warranty that the committee was thinking about buying for the council members. Surface Pro also needs a cover and keyboard, which adds another $120. Users may need more training with the Surface Pro than with the iPad touchscreen interface, too, said Jacobson.
City Administrator Phil Rath said the question driving the decision of which system to buy is, "What are you going to be using it for?"
"We're trying to wade in to the water, and technology keeps changing," he said. "Do we want to get our feet wet with the iPad now, or get a less expensive option or other version?"
One consideration for the committee is the wide range of computer-savvy, or non-savvy, council members. Another question is how much do they need or want to use it?
Neither Reid Stangel nor Jeff Newcomer, two council members who sit on the IT Committee, offered to be among the first to try the new technology for their council work.
Stangel, chairman of the IT Committee, said the choice of who gets to do the testing may come down to "drawing names out of a hat."
But wading into technology has to begin soon.
"By the time council changes again, you will have a whole new platform out (on the market)," Jacobson said.
Last fall, the IT Committee set aside funds in the 2013 budget to purchase iPads, but since then Microsoft has released Surface Pro, a more powerful version of the Microsoft Surface Tablet, which runs the full version of Windows 8 operating system.
"At budget time, we talked about it, but there was no deadline for its release," said Rob Jacobson, IT director.
Now that it's on the market, the Surface Pro with the full power of Windows 8 OS and Intel-powered processors seems to be very powerful indeed, according to Rex Ewald, the city IT coordinator, who has purchased his own system.
"It's a full-blown computer and can run any software," Ewald said. It could even be synchronized with the city network for searching data.
But the cost, starting at $900 each, is a bit more than the $800 iPad with cover case and warranty that the committee was thinking about buying for the council members. Surface Pro also needs a cover and keyboard, which adds another $120. Users may need more training with the Surface Pro than with the iPad touchscreen interface, too, said Jacobson.
City Administrator Phil Rath said the question driving the decision of which system to buy is, "What are you going to be using it for?"
"We're trying to wade in to the water, and technology keeps changing," he said. "Do we want to get our feet wet with the iPad now, or get a less expensive option or other version?"
One consideration for the committee is the wide range of computer-savvy, or non-savvy, council members. Another question is how much do they need or want to use it?
Neither Reid Stangel nor Jeff Newcomer, two council members who sit on the IT Committee, offered to be among the first to try the new technology for their council work.
Stangel, chairman of the IT Committee, said the choice of who gets to do the testing may come down to "drawing names out of a hat."
But wading into technology has to begin soon.
"By the time council changes again, you will have a whole new platform out (on the market)," Jacobson said.