Navionics / Raymarine confusion and disgruntlement.

[Ric]

Does anybody know what Navionics are trying to achieve by messing up the previously excellent iPad app?

Every time I start up the Navionics app on my iPad, it asks me if I want to sync my chart with my Raymarine E7D, so I select "yes" then it says "Your charts are not valid - upgrade to Navionics+". Is it telling me that the charts on my E7D need upgrading? Or the charts on my iPad? I have been on Navionics website to try to understand what the difference is between "Navionics+", "Freshest Data", and what they cost, but this is not at all clear.

Also, it now seems that whereas previously I could sync waypoints, routes and tracks - this is no longer available, and all that I can sync is sounder data which is considerably less useful.

One of the reasons I bought a Raymarine chart plotter is for the routes/waypoints/ tracks sync, and this excellent feature which is promoted but Raymarine in their product description now appears to have been arbitrarily removed by Navionics - I suspect to be re-introduced at a later date as a premium option....

Navionics seem to be attempting to follow the marketing strategy of that awful Jeppesen company that I have to deal with in aviation by making myriads of semi-overlapping semi-disabled products so that the consumer has to buy lots of different products and options in order to achieve desired options. i wish they would put it back to how it was before!

 

[prv]

No idea about the Raymarine sync I'm afraid, my stuff is way too old for that. I also daren't touch the old copy of Navionics on my phone and ipad because I bought it for a quid and I don't want to have to pay for a new one!

However, as far as charts for plotters are concerned, I do find Navionics Plus to be a reasonable product. Relatively cheap to buy into the system if you have existing charts (of any age), and you can seemingly have multiple cards on the account (I have two plotters on board). Buying any product adds another year of updates to all of them, and once those run out you can subscribe directly.

However, I heartily agree that the website is appallingly bad at explaining any of this. I had to find out partly by emailing John at JG Tech, and partly by trial and error having taken the plunge. Far from making money out of people by selling lots of little bits, I'm sure they're losing sales because nobody can figure out what the hell is actually on offer.

Pete

 

[struth]

I'm another disgruntled Navionics 'user'. Check out my last post.

 

[Beau Nidle]

Yep same here. Spent a small fortune on an A series chartplotter and navionics on the strength of the sync to my ipad and within three months it was gone. Navionics no help and are now trying to sell me another app I don't need, with data I don't want (sonar) to end up with something that still won't do what they advertised and I paid for.

Seriously considering a small claims action under the sale of goods act and would be very interested if someone comes up with an alternative.

Navionics are crooks. Just trying to extract as much money as possible while delivering as little as possible. Raymarine would do well to take notice and find themselves another supplier before they get tarred with the same brush.

 

[Tempus]

There have been a number of posts in this already. If. I you have an old copy of navionics saved, maybe as a backup to your iTunes library then you can delete the new navionics app and install the old to roll back to get Raymarine synch. I did this having found that my son had turned auto updates off his ipad.

I contacted Navionics directly over this and after a lot of run-arounds they did seem to indicate that they had only withdrawn the plotter synch temporarily as it didn't work very well and were planning to reintroduce. However until they do I will not be upgrading. I also agree with others that replacing a feature which is viral for a bunch of nice to haves ranks up there with new coke in terms of carp marketing decisions. Worth noting that when this first happened in May it seemed to take Raymarine by surprise too, which begs some questions. If you haven't got a backed up copy of the old Raymarine app then pm me and I can email you the iTunes file, but I don't know if my login credentials are embedded in the file preventing it from installing on anther account. Worth a crack though if you want to give it a go.

 

[Cardo]

I have had many a toing and throing with Navionics over this disastrous app update. I will enlighten you as best as I can.

Does anybody know what Navionics are trying to achieve by messing up the previously excellent iPad app?

Becase Navionics KNOWS BEST!

Every time I start up the Navionics app on my iPad, it asks me if I want to sync my chart with my Raymarine E7D, so I select "yes" then it says "Your charts are not valid - upgrade to Navionics+". Is it telling me that the charts on my E7D need upgrading? Or the charts on my iPad? I have been on Navionics website to try to understand what the difference is between "Navionics+", "Freshest Data", and what they cost, but this is not at all clear.

Which charts do you have? If, like me, you bought the plotter with included charts, then you'll likely have the Silver charts. These aren't able to be updated in the usual fashion. However, you could get one of those Navionics Updates cards, which will give you Navionics+ and allow you to update your charts for a year. The Navionics app on the iPad should then update your charts, instead of having to remove the card and place it into your laptop to update.

Also, it now seems that whereas previously I could sync waypoints, routes and tracks - this is no longer available, and all that I can sync is sounder data which is considerably less useful.

One of the reasons I bought a Raymarine chart plotter is for the routes/waypoints/ tracks sync, and this excellent feature which is promoted but Raymarine in their product description now appears to have been arbitrarily removed by Navionics - I suspect to be re-introduced at a later date as a premium option....

Navionics seem to be attempting to follow the marketing strategy of that awful Jeppesen company that I have to deal with in aviation by making myriads of semi-overlapping semi-disabled products so that the consumer has to buy lots of different products and options in order to achieve desired options. i wish they would put it back to how it was before!

Navionics decided the sync feature was too clunky and broken. To be fair, it's pretty naff and glitchy, but at least it could be coaxed into working. With their new redesign of the app, they've also redesigned the sync software. However, they haven't yet sorted out the route/waypoint syncing, so they released the app without these features. Apparently, they're hoping to reintroduce this feature in the "coming months".
At the moment, the plotter sync feature uploads sonar data from the plotter to the Navionics servers, and also allows you to update the charts on your plotter.

I've stuck with the older version of the app, as the route sync feature is the main reason I bought the things in the first place.

 

[nigelmercier]

Does anybody know what Navionics are trying to achieve by messing up the previously excellent iPad app?

Getting more of your money.

 

[Beau Nidle]

There have been a number of posts in this already. If. I you have an old copy of navionics saved, maybe as a backup to your iTunes library then you can delete the new navionics app and install the old to roll back to get Raymarine synch. I did this having found that my son had turned auto updates off his ipad.

I contacted Navionics directly over this and after a lot of run-arounds they did seem to indicate that they had only withdrawn the plotter synch temporarily as it didn't work very well and were planning to reintroduce. However until they do I will not be upgrading. I also agree with others that replacing a feature which is viral for a bunch of nice to haves ranks up there with new coke in terms of carp marketing decisions. Worth noting that when this first happened in May it seemed to take Raymarine by surprise too, which begs some questions. If you haven't got a backed up copy of the old Raymarine app then pm me and I can email you the iTunes file, but I don't know if my login credentials are embedded in the file preventing it from installing on anther account. Worth a crack though if you want to give it a go.

thanks, but the iTunes account details are embedded in the IPA files so not a great idea to try and copy them. I don't use iTunes at all (awful bit of software) as there's no need but it does make roll back a bit more awkward.

will have to wait or find a sensible alternative I guess. If anyone knows a replacement for navionics on raymarine speak up...