Product Idea: iSketchUp! don't be hate'n

[mattritzman]

Have you taken a look at the new Product Ideas http://productideas.appspot.com/#25/e=2191e&o=20&v=26 site that Google SketchUp is running? It's like American Idol for SketchUp ideas. If you like that sort of thing you should check it out.

I did and one of my suggestions, iSketchUp, is currently the William Hung of the list. I'm not hoping stack the votes. I'm not looking for sympathy. I'm actually kind of proud of coming up with the WORST idea. There are only two spots that anybody remembers at the end of the day, and I'm happily in one of them.

The funny thing is I didn't do it on purpose. I would like to know why it is such a bad idea. Why is it a worse idea than a poorly proof read rant about the current state of the software? I thik iSketchUp could be a useful tool (or at least a toy). I mean, you can't take your laptop everywhere. Think about doodling in 3d on a smart phone! And what about site visits? Would you prefer lugging your laptop all around your buildings?

Perhaps its the requested platform. Would you rather see an Android implementation?

Anyway, I'd like to know your thoughts.

[xrok1]

i don't think its a terible idea at all. great for site surveys, quick layout then add detail at home on a real machine.

[remus]

At a guess, i think lots of people would see it as a novelty, and would prefer time was spent improving the core app.

[xrok1]

really, if you take away all the excellent plugin's that have no direct connection to SU development, "the core app." is actually a novelty software.

[remus]

havent looked at it like that before.

[Starling75]

It is a great idea - portable sketchup. Maybe some people are irritated by quoting one specific smartphone brand - apple iphone.

[plot-paris]

I think its a brilliant idea!
but I think modelling isn't as important as the viewing capabilities. I have two different methods in mind.

the first is the typical iPhone navigation - one-finger movement is rotation, two-finger movement is panning, and you zoom as you do with images (two fingers increasing or decreasing their relative distance).

the second navigation option is a lot more exciting - the "geo-tagged motion": you create a model with your computer at home and geo-tag the right location via google earth. then, when you are on site, you load the model. with it's gps sensor the iPhone will not only update the position within the model correctly... using the compass and rotation data it will automatically rotate your view depending on where you point your phone - your iPhone functions as a 'window into the future'!

I need an iPhone!!!

[kwistenbiebel]

I voted yes on the Iphone idea.
Would be very cool...

Somehow, the swiping motion on the Iphoown reminds me off a bitch slapping movement .
Would be great to be doing that while SketchUp'ing .

[mattritzman]

You are all too kind!

I first ran SketchUp (was it v3 or v4) on my old college computer, a pentium III mx, if I recall correctly. It's specs (speed, memory, and storage) were just about on par with the iPhone's. So I'm sure it isn't a hardware limitation, especially if some of the extras are stripped out (If you're in the field, do you really need sketchy edges, or shadows?)

Of course it wouldn't be simple, you'd have to toss the 3button mouse interface (which is perhaps one of the best SketchUp innovations IMHO), and come up with a multi-touch solution to deal with 3D. Also, measurement entry would be very important, but done without a keyboard. That's gotta be hard - I haven't seen it done very well anywhere, yet.

I'd settle for a model markup tool (taking xrok1's suggestion a bit further) - no actual edits, but a simple interface to add notes for later editing.

Actually, I'll settle for whatever the Google Guys come up with. Unless I become a programmer, I'll take what I can get;)