Issue link: http://winesandvines.uberflip.com/i/66137
CO VER S T OR Y Highlights • Smartphones now perform many tasks in vineyards that used to require a computer. • Compact applications or "apps" make it easy to use GPS, monitor weather remotely and collect irrigation data using a handheld device. • The vineyard technology field is still evolving rapidly, but many products now are accepted and valued by vineyard managers. A winery worker uses the Meristem software loaded on a handheld device to record crop weights at Clos Pegase winery in Calistoga, Calif. Smartphones Invade Vineyards Mobile apps have started to transform viticulture By Paul Franson t's not just teenagers walking around poking at their iPhones; vineyard managers are becoming avid users as well. They are not only accessing the usual email and web- sites with the phone's browser but starting to take advantage of dedicated vi- ticulture tools designed for smartphones. Wines & Vines recently spoke with vineyard managers using smartphones (and other hand-held computer devices) to perform many tasks that once required laptops if not larger computers. • Collecting and accessing geographic data I 26 Wines & Vines JULY 2011 • Monitoring weather • Collecting irrigation data • Making notes and taking photos to share • Collecting labor data • Estimating crop yields Remote applications are even being used to initiate actions such as starting sprinklers used for frost protection and opening irrigation valves. This capability has expanded as software programs for vineyards have migrated from standalone products installed on portable computers to Internet-based services. This move was a natural one. All viti- culture managers have cell phones—you can't find most of them any other way. And as anyone with a smartphone knows, you can access data via the Internet anywhere you have a signal, either using Wi-Fi or the cellular data network. The only problem is that, unless the content is optimized for smartphones, the display is very small. Tablet devices like the iPad represent larger format options. Many software companies and developers are addressing the issue by creating special pages formatted for smartphone-size displays.