As everything is moving to the cloud, I have become a DropBox user. I maintain the web site for my homeowners association. Sometimes I would be at work, and the site would need a small change -- something that would literally only take 5 minutes. In my old world, I would have to wait to make the change until I got home because the files for the site were on my home PC. Waiting 9 hours to make a 5 minute change was not optimal. Today by storing the files on DropBox, I can update them from either location. In addition, I can view them on my iPhone or iPad, but can't update them from those devices. As time goes on my guess is that device support will only get more and more capable.

Given this state of affairs, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that scanner manufacturers are getting involved on the DropBox ecosystem. Contex, one of our Autodesk partners, has a solution where you can scan a document right into your DropBox. It's called PageDrop and will be standard on Contex IQ 2490 devices. International Product Manager, Morten Nielsen, sent me the info below, and since the Autodesk Labs community is comprised of early adopters, I thought I would share it. Morten is looking for beta participants.

Contex PageDrop Beta

• Make every scan personal.

  Any PageDrop enabled Contex scanner can send documents directly to your preferred destinations. PageDrop does not require a PC. Instead it simply utilizes your smart phone or tablet to control the process. Load the document, scan the QR code, and send the document directly to your desired destination.

• Get images where you need them.

  Your PageDrop enabled Contex scanner is the first wide format scanner that truly works for you. The only choice you have to make, is where you need the documents - PageDrop handles the rest. PageDrop can deliver images by e-mail, directly into your DropBox and print to any of your HP ePrint enabled printers.

• PageDrop is a Web App.

  As a Web App PageDrop is supported on any smartphone or tablet with a QR reader and a browser.

  

  PageDrop can be added in your iOS device (iPhone, iPad, etc.) as a Web App. Once you have scanned the QR code simply select "Add to home screen" in your iOS browser to create the Web App icon. Now you can bring up PageDrop directly from you iOS device whenever you need a scan.

  On your Android device the same is possible. Simply add the web page to your favorites. From there you can add them to your start menu.

• More to come...

  As a Web App new destinations and features can be added without the need for updating your scanner. They will appear as soon as they are implemented on our PageDrop servers.

• PageDrop is secure.

  PageDrop includes a new pending patent that ensures a secure method for QR codes and Web Interfaces. PageDrop will only allow you to scan if you are in front of the scanner.

• Scan the QR code - Select your destination - PageDrop handles the rest.

  Once a scan is completed an e-mail notification will be sent to your inbox to let you know you document is ready for use.

• The process is as easy as 1-2-3:

  1. Touch the green button.

      

  2. Select a destination.

     

  3. The scanner starts scanning.

     

• PageDrop Beta Testing

  The first release of PageDrop is in Beta as we need your input to make this work the right way for you. PageDrop is a new way of scanning that changes everything. With your help the Beta program will allow us to create the right interfaces for your scanning devices.

  Key features

  • Makes every PageDrop enabled scanner your personal scanner.
  • Supports any smart phone or tablet including iOS and Android based solutions.
  • Standard HTML5 web interface.
  • Images transferred directly from scanner to you destination.
  • All scans delivered as industry standard PDF.
  • Secure transfer though Contex PageDrop Servers.
  • Security enabled to protect your images.

  Contact Morten Nielsen (mni@contex.com) for more information on the beta program.

Oh the times they are a changing. Now large format scanning is becoming as simple as it should be. Thanks Morten. Does anyone think scanning right from the device into Autodesk 360 would be a next logical step?

Mobile devices are alive in the lab.