抄録
Today's portable computing devices are suitable for geological field surveys because digital field data are easily stored and shared. However, most specialized systems for this purpose are expensive and require specific software and/or hardware. Widespread use of such systems would require readily available hardware and software. As a case study, a portable computer and software for general use were tested in a geological field survey, yielding the following results. The advantages of using a digital device were text input using a clipboard extension utility, sketching over a digital photograph, GPS assistance, and the portability of reference data. Disadvantages include the lower quality of route maps, difficulty in sketching by hand, limited battery life, and the need to protect the device from water and dust. Despite these limitations, the use of portable computing devices is already advantageous in some cases and has the potential for greater convenience during field work.
