BridgePal Scoring System
Hardware Requirements
Scoring Units
Scoring units would usually be android smartphones or android tablets, but can be other touchscreen phones/tablets that have a web browser (e.g. iPhone/iPad). A mobile network connection is not required, only wifi support. Manufacturers are continually bringing out new models, so any specific recommendation made here would soon be out of date, However, even a low end device will suffice. The BridgePal app will run on any android version from 3.0 upwards.
5 inch phones (like Alcatel POP 4) are proving to be quite popular, also 7 inch tablets, like Lenovo Tab E7 or Amazon Fire. These can be purchased refurbished on eBay.
WiFi Router
You can use your in-house router if suitable. Otherwise buy a dedicated router. An expensive high performance model is not necessary. This TP Link router works well in one of our local club. A user recently (2024) bought this router and she is very pleased with it.
PC
A PC running Windows is required to host the scoring program and interface to the scoring units via wifi. Any version of Windows from XP (Service Pack 3 and Internet explorer 8) onwards is suitable. The hardware requirements are minimal, and even the cheapest new windows laptops are adequate for the task. Alternatively, rather than purchasing a new PC or tablet, it may be possible to use an old second hand laptop which is no longer considered to have adequate capacity or performance for other use.