Zac
Anarchist
Agree!
My expectations wouldn't change if every software update didn't slow it down little by little. I guess no updates is the way to go, then I wouldn't lose my jailbreak again.
Android Tablet Recommendations
- Thread starter Gone Ballistic
- Start date
My expectations wouldn't change if every software update didn't slow it down little by little. I guess no updates is the way to go, then I wouldn't lose my jailbreak again.
I just bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab-2 7 inch. It looks great and you can read anything except the very small print outdoors but then again I can't read that print indoors. Basically very good even in direct sun. $240 at Costco with 2 year extended warranty and a cheap case. I added iRegatta to it and that looks really nice. Amazingly, the guy added TURN for me. TURN tells you which way to go to get to your waypoint and I find it extremely useful. A big thank you for that.
I want to turn it into a race instrument mounted on the boat. Waterproof with a zip lock bag seems easy but how to mount it on the boat? What are people doing to mount tablets on the cabin top or on a bulkhead?
I want to turn it into a race instrument mounted on the boat. Waterproof with a zip lock bag seems easy but how to mount it on the boat? What are people doing to mount tablets on the cabin top or on a bulkhead?
I need to add that I have looked at what is out there commercially for tablet mounts and they look like they mount to the helm of a boat with a wheel. I have a tiller so that it out. I obviously could make it work on the cabin top but it just looks like it leaves the tablet too exposed. It would get kicked at some point and that would be the end of it. Maybe I am answering my own question in that I need a mount you could stand on and probably will have to make it. But I am still interested if anyone has solved this problem already.
Allen
Allen
ProaSailor
dreaming my life away...
Found these using Google:
http://www.passageweather.com/mobi/ (free HTML "app" discussed here)
mobileGRIB (€3.99)
WHK
Super Anarchist
I built spring loaded (to hold open) swing out arms that sit in the companionway for my primary and backup gps. That way they are only there when I want them. This could be done with RAM mounts too. My guess is this concept could be effective for tablets.
F18 Sailor
Super Anarchist
Along with mounting, what are people using for cases for their tablets? I have an ipad I'm looking to take on board for bermuda. In the past I've used the Aquapac series of cases with good luck, so tempted to go back to them. Any other recommendations? Something that is waterproof and easy to mount? Looking in the sub $100 range, no $400 Defender case.
Expedition
Member
- 335
- 29
I also found these recently
http://www.pantechusa.com/phones/element/
No idea how good they are, but are available from At&T for $299
http://www.pantechusa.com/phones/element/
No idea how good they are, but are available from At&T for $299
Touch of Gray
Super Anarchist
Touch of Gray
Super Anarchist
Question If one goes tablet they have various storage options 16/32/64 GB with typically +$100 each bump. If you want to use for navigation, streaming say Netflix (when WiFi available) but not a whole lot of pictures and music, is 16 GB enough?
Now the $64,000 question, is it or will it be possible to interface a tablet to the autopilot via Seatalk or NMEA in the future, or talk to and display the AIS, making the chartplotter obsolete? If this is coming, I'm all in on a tablet.
However, so far there is some question in my mind raised on bright/outdoor use. How do the charplotters solve this? Weatherproof covers solve outside use, but bright still seems to need some work.
Thanks
TOG
Now the $64,000 question, is it or will it be possible to interface a tablet to the autopilot via Seatalk or NMEA in the future, or talk to and display the AIS, making the chartplotter obsolete? If this is coming, I'm all in on a tablet.
However, so far there is some question in my mind raised on bright/outdoor use. How do the charplotters solve this? Weatherproof covers solve outside use, but bright still seems to need some work.
Thanks
TOG
I just got a Samsung Galaxy Tab-2 7 inch. I can read it outside just fine. It has 8G of memory but a little micro-SD slot so I could add 32G for about $30. I also just got iRegatta and while not that familiar with it yet, it does seem to interface to at least some NEMA systems. Not sure about all your questions though.
SAIL has an article about the tablets talking to Raymarine and Furuno via NMEA in this months edition (Wi-Fi Afloat). It sounds like most of the marine navigation companies are recognizing the trend towards tablets and ensuring their products will talk to them. That said, Navionics, one of the few iOS and Android chart plotters will supposedly tell your on board systems what it's doing after you've plotted a course on it. You can also relay data to other repeaters through out the boat. I have not tried any of this first hand but I'm sure others on here have....
Some of the tablets have ultra bright settings that will make the screen easier to read in daylight. ASUS makes one called the transformer prime (although there are reports that the GPS doesn't get great signal). I've never used an iPad in direct sunlight so can't comment on that....
In terms of hard drive space, if you're not storing movies or music on it 16 gigs is more then enough....
One concern over using them in hot climates in direct sunlight is over heating. They have safeties built in to shut them down if the core or batteries get too hot. I'm not sure if your boat systems will continue to the course plotted on your tab if that happens, but it's definitely worth looking into....
I'm still very happy with my ASUS Transformer tf300 but admittedly it's terrible in direct sunlight....I haven't tried any anti glare screen protectors or anything yet....
ProaSailor
dreaming my life away...
Looking for the first time at the Navionics software for Android on the Google play Store and noticed that the smartphone version costs only $10 and won't work on tablets; it rates 4.0 stars (out of 5) and has ~45 reviews dating back to October, 2011.
The tablet version (HD) costs $50 and rates 2.6 stars, based on only five reviews dating back to last month (April, 2012)! Two of the five reviews rate one star for failing on the Motorola Droid Xyboard; another reviewer noted that Navionics shuts down on this tablet when Wi-Fi is enabled.
Looking at these reviews for both smartphones and tablets, it appears that when Navionics works, people love it; but when the hardware/OS fails to run the software well, it gets only one star, dragging the average down. Clearly, Navionics on Android is very new and will run best on recommended (tested) devices.
Navionics FAQ:
The tablet version (HD) costs $50 and rates 2.6 stars, based on only five reviews dating back to last month (April, 2012)! Two of the five reviews rate one star for failing on the Motorola Droid Xyboard; another reviewer noted that Navionics shuts down on this tablet when Wi-Fi is enabled.
Looking at these reviews for both smartphones and tablets, it appears that when Navionics works, people love it; but when the hardware/OS fails to run the software well, it gets only one star, dragging the average down. Clearly, Navionics on Android is very new and will run best on recommended (tested) devices.
Navionics FAQ:
J24Soup
Super Anarchist
Worth checking out the iAIS for Digital Yacht if you're interested in getting AIS/boat data over to an iPAD/tablet/PC and don't already have AIS. We're still working through how to get the instrument data over as the Nexus Classic doesn't use checksums, but otherwise works great. Biggest downside on the iPAD is trying to use it in much light, and concern about it getting wet. Also check out Ram Mounts for some nice mounting options. As someone else mentioned, have a Panasonic Tougbook CF-29 that literally will not die. Playing with a Panasonic CF-H2, great piece of kit, but not cheap.
Distance
New member
It is possible today to do much of that today. We sell a box that we are soon to advertise on sailing anarchy that connects your tablet to the boat using UDP packets. (very fast data rate) Getting routes to the chartplotter will happen in the future I bet but a solution requires a software interface and development that has not happened yet. The chartplotter will be obsolete because there is just so much more you can do with tablets for cheaper, and you don't have to cut ugly holes in your boat. We are DMK Yacht if you want to see it work with to chartplot or show AIS check our www.dmkyacht.com/inavx
MauganTornado
Super Anarchist
I figure the biggest reason to get an android tablet would be so that you can video chat with anyone - even when you're not on wifi and you don't have to root your device to do it.
I've owned a motorola Xoom (stingray) since launch day on verizon. I admit that Honeycomb was slow and irritating at times, but it did what I needed it to do. I finally got fucking sick of Verizon dicking us around on the ICS update so I flashed the AOKP ROM to it with ICS 4.0.4 and its everything that I have ever wanted in a tablet. I use it by the pool to do teleconferences over VOIP and do my day to day work emails.
Referencing the fact that "nobody ever complains about their iPad".
My friends in IT say that nobody complains about their iPad because they feel like a pariah in an otherwise devout congregation of loyal followers.
I've owned a motorola Xoom (stingray) since launch day on verizon. I admit that Honeycomb was slow and irritating at times, but it did what I needed it to do. I finally got fucking sick of Verizon dicking us around on the ICS update so I flashed the AOKP ROM to it with ICS 4.0.4 and its everything that I have ever wanted in a tablet. I use it by the pool to do teleconferences over VOIP and do my day to day work emails.
Referencing the fact that "nobody ever complains about their iPad".
My friends in IT say that nobody complains about their iPad because they feel like a pariah in an otherwise devout congregation of loyal followers.
My wife says the new OS upgrade of her iPad has fixed the constant crashes. Everyone with a gen 1 iPad was complaining as far as I could tell.
My new Galaxy Tab-2 7 inch is wonderful and very good outside. Much better outside than the gen 1 iPad. Don't know about the later generation iPads though.
Allen
WHK
Super Anarchist
We picked up the iPad gen 3 for my mother-in-law to do primarily emails with her grandchildren. The display is stunning indoors but not so good outside. My brother-in-law has a 7" Galaxy Tab (Honeycomb) he uses on his boat. The display is better than the iPad outside . I've got a Motorola Droid X (Gingerbread). We both downloaded the Navionics east coast charts about a year back for something like $9.95 at the then Google Marketplace. I could see no difference in the functionality between his tablet and my phone with this program. I use it as my "3rd backup GPS" when cruising. It is also my 3G Wifi hotspot if there isn't free Wifi where I cruise. My phone is rooted and I run Foxfi for the free Wifi hotspot app and tether my netbook that has all the boat stuff on it.
