Navionics sign in soon required

[stu9000]

Just had a notification appear on my Navionics app.
Sign in will soon be required.
I have no issue with this in principle but am concerned that a Web connection might be required.
I'm sure they know this would be a bhuge barrier to mariners, but does anyone know any more?
I tried the website and could not get more info or a way to email questions.

 

[EugeneR]

Might it be that it needs to re-validate your subscriptions every X months and, if unable to do so, you drop back to free features only?

 

[HenrikH]

This was my fear when they were taken over. Perhaps in a year we may have to use a Garmin-pad?

 

[PaulRainbow]

This was my fear when they were taken over. Perhaps in a year we may have to use a Garmin-pad?

Highly unlikely. In my experience, Garmin don't operate that way. For instance, my Garmin plotter charts can be used on my phone/tablet/PC at no cost.

 

[rszemeti]

That would be the end of it for me.

I have a similar issue with an app I use for navigation when flying. They recommend you check you are signed in before you start the journey ... except I've had it sign itself out mid flight. I've had it need to sign in at airfields where there is no mobile coverage at all.

 

[stu9000]

That would be the end of it for me.

I have a similar issue with an app I use for navigation when flying. They recommend you check you are signed in before you start the journey ... except I've had it sign itself out mid flight. I've had it need to sign in at airfields where there is no mobile coverage at all.

This was my concern.

 

[[70521]]

Highly unlikely. In my experience, Garmin don't operate that way. For instance, my Garmin plotter charts can be used on my phone/tablet/PC at no cost.

I spoke to Sea Chest in Plymouth, a chart agent who I use and trust, a few days ago about updating my Garmin Charts as they are well out of date and I have a fairly old chart plotter. They spoke to Garmin and reported back that the "new" Navonics update for a circumnavigation of the the UK would be four new sets of charts. It would be cheaper to buy a new plotter!

I'm updating my papercharts with NV ones as they do electronic copies that you can download on to a maximum of five devices. The chart plotter will not be updated as paper is my primary navigation tool.

 

[stu9000]

There is a help@ e mail in the app. Enquiry sent.

 

[Bilgediver]

Just had a notification appear on my Navionics app.
Sign in will soon be required.
I have no issue with this in principle but am concerned that a Web connection might be required.
I'm sure they know this would be a bhuge barrier to mariners, but does anyone know any more?
I tried the website and could not get more info or a way to email questions.

May be more information would help. How long is it since your system in question was allowed to sniff the internet and what sort of device are talking about.

I run Navionics on a Hudl1 which never sniffs the internet. It does complain and does try and connect to Navionics however I deny it permission and it fires up .

I run Navionics on a Hudl 2 which most of the time fires up and tells me there are upgrades and I only allow this to happen from time to time when WiFi is available and convenient.

I run Navionics on my PC and it just runs but no doubt it logged in automically.

I have never had a message on any device asking me to get in though of course with the hudl2 and Lappy this will be happening anyway when WiFi is available.

It could be that your messages are just referring to a requirement to update if a considerable time has passed since the previous update and this is the case with my Hudl 1 however I have been disregarding these messages for years for various reasons and it fired up.

I agree Navionics are revising their charging fees as their cost for updating the USA charts is now £20 however I always felt that the previous charges of £5.00 was a little low as it does include inland lakes and Canada .

 

[ryanroberts]

Anti piracy measures pushed past the point of usability will increase piracy or push people to alternatives. I can just see some consultant / new hire manager on their make a difference run specifying something like this though. There's probably a powerpoint deck with a bullet point 'Netflix, but for sailing' hanging around on their intranet. I had a gig lined up with Navico last year for a lot of ..very online next generation systems work, but the UK tech leadership quit.

 

[stu9000]

My main device is Asus zenpad. Android os. Connects to web daily. I run navoinics app weekly ish and update the maps every month or so. Maps are the East Coast and France Holland pack. The message I received was not a push to update. It was the notification banner in the top right which allows you to click "later".

I'm not overly concerned but I have had a couple of gremlins in recent months. My phone, Sony Xperia, would not run the app when I was last on the boat, then it did but as if I had not purchased maps. Eventually it sorted itself out, recognising the app and my account and associated maps. But this was when I had a web connection. I'm not sure what would have happened if I had had no connectivity.

I don't really believe Garmin would require a web login but I'm keeping an eye on it.

 

[Daverw]

Use the app all the time and it logs in itself, asks if I want to update the stored maps but all this is normal and has not changed over the last few years, I have full uk and Ireland subscription which has been about £34 per year. When I don’t have internet connection just works on downloaded version.

 

[Bilgediver]

With the Android Hudl 1 Which is well past its best before and can't cope with the latest version I run the old version and when I start up and regardless of connection it always tells me to update but beneath and almost invisible is a continue button .
Try starting your devices with WiFi and data off repeatedly and just check what happens. I sometimes see the icon top right on other devices and just ignore it and have no problems running the Android Hudl2 afloat and without a signal.

 

[rszemeti]

I sometimes see the icon top right on other devices and just ignore it and have no problems running the Android Hudl2 afloat and without a signal.

That indeed does seem to be the way it works *at the moment* but if they switch to some ridiculous "have to sign on at least once a week" nonsense, that will be a big problem. There are places I sail where I may not have connectivity for extended periods.

If I have paid for a years license, I don't really want to sign in more than once a year to download my new license.

Update: I just fired up the tablet, it wanted to do a map update and I let it. It seems to be stuck now saying "requesting map". I tried signing in to the website, it doesn't seem to recognise my password (which was stored on my browser, so I don't think I've forgotten it) and it rejects my login. Using the password recover email thing fails to work as well, no email received. Sigh.

 

[dansaskip]

That indeed does seem to be the way it works *at the moment* but if they switch to some ridiculous "have to sign on at least once a week" nonsense, that will be a big problem. There are places I sail where I may not have connectivity for extended periods.

Update: I just fired up the tablet, it wanted to do a map update and I let it. It seems to be stuck now saying "requesting map". I tried signing in to the website, it doesn't seem to recognise my password (which was stored on my browser, so I don't think I've forgotten it) and it rejects my login. Using the password recover email thing fails to work as well, no email received. Sigh.

I had this issue to - stuck on requesting map.
Here is Garmins response

Dear Chris, The issue that you reported is a software issue usually when the coverage to update is very extended. We suggest to try to update charts from Menu>>Download maps. Best regards, Elisa TECHNICAL SUPPORT

 

[Solent sailer]

The App just asked me to sign in, my subscription is out of date but once i signed in it worked fine and doesn't seen to be asking again.

We did suffer a more serious problem last summer with it and (Navionics kept insisting it was not possible and never came up with a solution).

Whilst at anchor in the Helford river (no 4G or phone connection) I let the app on my phone connect to the Raymarine plotter to sync the routes and tracks, it decided to also sync the charts and downgraded my newly updated charts on the plotter to the out of date charts on the phone! I don't navigate on the phone and only renew the subscription every 4 or 5 years, the chart plotter is always in subscription and we just did an up date ready for our trip to the isles of Sicily the following day.
The sailing club were great and let us use there wifi but it was very slow and what i had thought would just be a couple of cups of coffee ended up with several coffees, steak and chips and wine! Great food and very helpful staff. i try not to let the app connect to anything now!

 

[Gentleman of Leisure]

With the Android Hudl 1 Which is well past its best before and can't cope with the latest version I run the old version and when I start up and regardless of connection it always tells me to update but beneath and almost invisible is a continue button .
Try starting your devices with WiFi and data off repeatedly and just check what happens. I sometimes see the icon top right on other devices and just ignore it and have no problems running the Android Hudl2 afloat and without a signal.

I'd be very wary about relying on a Hudl device, they are well known to be unreliable and could leave you in the lurch. Tesco no longer support them and gave me a full refund when mine packed up with which I bought a Samsung Galaxy for the same price and which is bullet proof.