SolidWorks to Give Away Free iPad 2 for Software Purchase

Even though SolidWorks hasn't done much to reach out to the iPad user community, the company seems to be acknowledging the tablet's appeal among its customers. In a promotion that began running earlier this month, SolidWorks promises, "When you purchase a new license of SolidWorks Premium with subscription, your participating reseller will send you an iPad 2."

SolidWorks' main rival Autodesk has released a robust collection of iPad, iPhone, and Android apps. The consumer-friendly drawing program SketchBook Mobile, one of Autodesk's most successful mobile apps, has racked up more than 7 million downloads since its launch in 2009. In addition, the company has released Autodesk Inventor Publisher Mobile Viewer, for viewing interactive 3D animation sequences published in Autodesk Inventor Publisher; and AutoCAD WS, for sharing, viewing, and annotating DWG files on mobile devices. The latest addition to the Autodesk mobile app collection is Autodesk ForceEffect, which allows you to sketch and draw schematics representing assembly joints, apply loads, then observe its impact on the design.

SolidWorks' parent company, Dassault Systemes, has grabbed a firm foothold in the iPad community with its 3DVIA Mobile app, for sharing, hosting, and viewing lightweight 3D models published from some CAD software.

If the "iPad eDrawing Viewer" discussion thread on SolidWorks Forum is any indication of user desire, SolidWorks community will welcome an iPad app that allows them to view eDrawings published from SolidWorks CAD software.

"It would be so nice if there was a vewer of some sorts for iPad and iPhone.  It would be so easy to bring an iPad to a customer to present projects," wrote Curt, who initiated the discussion.

"Yes, this has been requested; quite a few times," noted Charles.

"I agree -- An iPad App for eDrawings would be a very useful tool for our machine engineers as they install at a customer's site," replied Don.

While SolidWorks users wait, they may tryout CadFaster Collaborate, an iPad app that allows tablet users to collaborate with desktop SolidWorks software users. Among its distinguishing features is a co-viewing option, which allows more than one user to view the same design file. (For more on CadFaster, read "CadFaster Collaborate: Bridging the Desktop and the iPad," September 2011.)

SolidWorks' iPad giveaway promotion runs till end of December.