Best Android Tablet for Navigation in 2017

Garry & June 'Friendship' said:
Navionics HD Europe from Google play... once installed simply download the maps for the area you require on the app, it is very easy .. and its worth paying the small extra for the extras on the app (sorry cannot remember what that bit is called)
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The last time I looked at Play Store Navionics for Europe did not cover the UK (did they have a precognition of Brexit :-) Just make sure that when you purchase, you take the one for the area you sail in.
 
dune16 said:
While the screen on the s2 is smaller vs the original s this is only down to the aspect ratio change. I have the s2 and it's a great bit of kit. Haven't used it on a boat yet (she arrives next week!) but I have Navionics and various sailing apps running quite happily on there. There is a new s3 just announced last week but it's the same size screen (albeit with better processor and more ram) but you will be paying an extra couple of hundred pounds for it. I'm not tempted to change.
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It looks likely that the S3 will be released here with a price of €799 and the S2 is in Amazon at around €500 - so that makes it an easy choice for me.
 
grumpy_o_g said:
Sony Z2 tablet is good, partly because it's so light but also because of the waterproofing and a better than average display in sunlight. It's been a while since I had a chance to compare tablets back to back but my advice would be to find somewhere that will let you take them outside to try them in sunlight (or cloudlight :(). The issue of using tablets in sunlight is something often talked about on drone forums as they have exactly the same problem when using tablets to control a few grands worth of drone and I suspect you have seen similar problems or tend to use use in the shade.

The bad news for you is that the brightest tablet out there is the Google Pixel C, which is about £500. http://www.anandtech.com/show/9972/the-google-pixel-c-review/4 To put things in perspective the Pixel C has 500 nit display whilst a Simrad 12" plotter has a 1200 nit display. In general none of the tablets from the major manufacturers are going to be bad but display brightness will range from 500 down to less than 300.
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The sunlight is a problem in Greece (who am I kidding, the sunlight is why we go there :-) and boosting the brightness of the display simply eats battery. I tend to keep the tablet in the cabin on the chart table and on perma-charge whilst in Navigation use.
 
Near new Experia tablet fell 18" onto carpet and broke the screen. Repair so expensive I bought an Argos refurbished Lenevo instead. Works fine. Anyone want to buy an Experia tablet with a cracked screen?
 
On YouTube, sail life, has purchased a latte panda. I believe when he posts this Sunday evening he will explain what he intends to do with it on his boat
 
For several years I have had Navionics and Memory map (with Antares) on my Google Nexus 10 with no problems at all, but it has needed a replacement battery.
I have also tried my wife's Samsung Galaxy 10.2, which has a brilliant screen , but the intrusive and battery sapping bloatware is a real PITA, and not at all easy to get rid of despite previous comments.
 
Still using what must be 3 or 4 year old Hudl, works great with navionics. Nothing bad to say about it, screen is bright and clear.
 
Neil_Y said:
Still using what must be 3 or 4 year old Hudl, works great with navionics. Nothing bad to say about it, screen is bright and clear.
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Agree. For the price it is good value and works fine with Navionics. Used it on s coast of Ireland last summer. Kept it below decks on 12v charger. Very satisfied and will use till i break it and then use my home tablet on boat and buy a new tab for home use..
 
Any updates on this subject? I use my iPad with Navionics and it is fine, mostly used below rather than on deck but I have a good weatherproof case as well. However I’m going to semi-permanently install a tablet in my new washboard and was wondering about a dedicated Android tablet, maybe a cheaply from GearBest or.... what’s this years’s favourite? I won’t pay Apple prices

Graham
 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-1-Tab...hash=item48b03d0711:m:mOOU2NZ5u975_vZANvR4rcA

This is a great speced tablet , it will run all your apps and navionics no issues , I'm afraid it is the same old story of consumer and product advertising , why we think we need the latest fastest computer , just to surf the net , and open word documents at home , tablets are the same we use a fraction of what these processors can do but keep buying the most expensive ones , the only true advantages of spending lots of money on a tablet is for the camera and the screen , but for map reading there is very little advantages , apart from reflection , which can be corrected with a little brain power. the other advantage is you will find battery power, less due to the lesser demands of power hungry add ons and if it goes overboard you wont cry
Me I am getting one for my main navigation at the helm with a pc down below running Open CPN and using the internal wifi and the tablet as a slave , this gives me 2 chart plotters for 260 pounds one 10 inch screen and one 22 inch screen
 
moomba said:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-1-Tab...hash=item48b03d0711:m:mOOU2NZ5u975_vZANvR4rcA

This is a great speced tablet , it will run all your apps and navionics no issues , I'm afraid it is the same old story of consumer and product advertising , why we think we need the latest fastest computer , just to surf the net , and open word documents at home , tablets are the same we use a fraction of what these processors can do but keep buying the most expensive ones , the only true advantages of spending lots of money on a tablet is for the camera and the screen , but for map reading there is very little advantages , apart from reflection , which can be corrected with a little brain power. the other advantage is you will find battery power, less due to the lesser demands of power hungry add ons and if it goes overboard you wont cry
Me I am getting one for my main navigation at the helm with a pc down below running Open CPN and using the internal wifi and the tablet as a slave , this gives me 2 chart plotters for 260 pounds one 10 inch screen and one 22 inch screen
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Thanks for that Moomba. Looks very interesting
 
moomba said:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10-1-Tab...hash=item48b03d0711:m:mOOU2NZ5u975_vZANvR4rcA This is a great speced tablet , it will run all your apps and navionics no issues , I'm afraid it is the same old story of consumer and product advertising , why we think we need the latest fastest computer , just to surf the net , and open word documents at home , tablets are the same we use a fraction of what these processors can do but keep buying the most expensive ones , the only true advantages of spending lots of money on a tablet is for the camera and the screen , but for map reading there is very little advantages , apart from reflection , which can be corrected with a little brain power. the other advantage is you will find battery power, less due to the lesser demands of power hungry add ons and if it goes overboard you wont cry Me I am getting one for my main navigation at the helm with a pc down below running Open CPN and using the internal wifi and the tablet as a slave , this gives me 2 chart plotters for 260 pounds one 10 inch screen and one 22 inch screen
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Looks nice, but I see no mention of GPS?
 
If I buy a cheap generic Android tablet will it come with some basic apps? Eg a web browser of some sort so I can use a search engine? Excuse my ignorance...
 
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