Recommendations and advice re. basic tablet to run Navionics

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PaulGS

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I intend to use Navionics on a tablet. I've decided to go down the 'cheap so it doesn't matter if I get it wet' route, rather than buying 'rugged'. I know this is a rabbit hole . . . let's try to keep it shallow by me asking for advice about minimum spec. and model recommendations given that it'll be used purely for running this one app.
 
I have always used Androids from Banggood ... no need to waste money on fancy brand names ...

Navionics I have running on a number of tablets and phone ... but my main tablet is a Headwolf from Banggood ... far faster spec than any Samsung ... half the price ... twin Sim ... SD card ... WiFi and GPS ... its only 8" - but that was for good reason ... to make it fit my pocket and handy to use out in cockpit. It has Navionics with WiFi AIS etc. to it ... brill !
Its now over 1 yrs old ... so there are newer versions still as cheap ... I cannot show a link to it as its sold out !!

Here's a link to pages of Androids :

android tablet - Buy android tablet with free shipping | Banggood Shopping UK

Back to my other tablets ... I have 3 others from the years before and all are still performing great ... 2 are twin sim .. all have sim, SD card, WiFi, GPS ... all Mediatek ... with high performance processors ...

Oh .. I forgot to add ... I have F1 TV Pro installed on its as well ... and Anchor Watch app.
 
Refueler said:
Thankyou, that's exactly the sort of info. I'm looking for! You mention speed - how does one ascertain that from the specs.? And how d'you find battery life (a site by Kerguelen Sailing advises 6000 mAh minimum - one Headwolf I've just looked at boasts just 4k)?
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Thankyou, that's exactly the sort of info. I'm looking for! You mention speed - how does one ascertain that from the specs.? And how d'you find battery life (a site by Kerguelen Sailing advises 6000 mAh minimum - one Headwolf I've just looked at boasts just 4k)?
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Battery life is good ... and the battery size is relative to what you are doing with the tablet ... and its size ...
If you just run the chart app ... no WiFi ... No Sim GSM ... GPS only ... that will help extend run time. (Airplane mode but GPS enabled).

That Headwolf ... I can watch F1 FP3, Quali / Sprint and Race easily on it - and still have battery left. That's quite heavy on any tablet ... as its wifi / or sim downloading streaming video etc. and extreme.

When we were delivering my new boat from Sweden to Latvia - approx 30hrs .... battery ran out once and I plugged in to USB on board ... charged up and it ran till moored at home berth.
Lets put it this way ... it lasts far better than my smartphone !!

Being a C usb ... it charges quickly ... and you can always have a powerbank plugged in if you are going to be on a longish trip.
 
I looked at the Banggood tablets, the 10.4" models don't look much cheeaper than a Samsung from Ebay. I have a couple that i picked up for under £150. Don't have dual SIMS, but i don't need them, just use wifi.
 
PaulRainbow said:
I looked at the Banggood tablets, the 10.4" models don't look much cheeaper than a Samsung from Ebay. I have a couple that i picked up for under £150. Don't have dual SIMS, but i don't need them, just use wifi.
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OK ... fair enough bit wgere the eBay ones refurbs / returns then resold ? Majority are on eBay ...
Plus its worth looking at the processor used ... the Mediatek and most others on BG far outstrip the Samsung models.... as well as the SIM and other functions ...

150 quid ? mmm quite a few on BG at 113 quid and up ... less if you go the 8" route as I did to have it 'pocket handy'.

We won't even bother to consider iPad ... :eek: I know they have a dedicated following but honestly ???

At end of day - it comes down to personal choice ..... I'm just suggesting - not pushing.
 
Refueler said:
OK ... fair enough bit wgere the eBay ones refurbs / returns then resold ? Majority are on eBay ...
Plus its worth looking at the processor used ... the Mediatek and most others on BG far outstrip the Samsung models.... as well as the SIM and other functions ...

150 quid ? mmm quite a few on BG at 113 quid and up ... less if you go the 8" route as I did to have it 'pocket handy'.

We won't even bother to consider iPad ... :eek: I know they have a dedicated following but honestly ???

At end of day - it comes down to personal choice ..... I'm just suggesting - not pushing.
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Both of mine were new, but you have to do a bit of searching to find the bargains. I went for the 10.4" models as i have them fitted to the lower helm dash. I fitted a piece of black gloss perspex over the holes from previously fitted instruments, matches the black of the tablets. Tablets held in place with Velco. 90 degree USB C connectors neatly get the cables behind the dash where they are connected to high speed USB chargers.

I hear you ref the iPads, just daft money.




20221106_110317.jpg
 
I'd be leery of buying a refurbished tablet. I got one from London Chartplotters two or three years ago. I got fed up with the provided plotter software and went to install Navionics to find that the current version won't run on the tablet's Android, which thinks it's up to date.

I'm currently in negotiations with Santa about one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/DOOGEE-Oct...refix=doogee+rugged+tablet,aps,58&sr=8-3&th=1

If it turns out that I've been a good boy. I'll report back in the New Year.
 
I'm using an old Samsung Tab A, with a 1TB sd card (I know, over the top, but the sd card was cheap).
I have various Nav Apps, including Navionics. But tend to use Memory-Map for all.
The sd card has all the UK charts on it plus all the UK OS maps, plus the Antares charts.
Chart loading is bit slow, but it works, battery life is very good, it runs for a full day's sailing.
Tab A are old, you should be able to pick one up for very little money. Mine was free!
 
PaulRainbow said:
Both of mine were new, but you have to do a bit of searching to find the bargains. I went for the 10.4" models as i have them fitted to the lower helm dash. I fitted a piece of black gloss perspex over the holes from previously fitted instruments, matches the black of the tablets. Tablets held in place with Velco. 90 degree USB C connectors neatly get the cables behind the dash where they are connected to high speed USB chargers.

I hear you ref the iPads, just daft money.




View attachment 169097
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Nice ...
 
Stemar said:
I'd be leery of buying a refurbished tablet. I got one from London Chartplotters two or three years ago. I got fed up with the provided plotter software and went to install Navionics to find that the current version won't run on the tablet's Android, which thinks it's up to date.

I'm currently in negotiations with Santa about one of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/DOOGEE-Octa-Core-Processor-2000×1200-10800mAh/dp/B0C5XPD1BZ/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1Y0FHTXWUSN00&keywords=doogee+r10+rugged+tablet&qid=1702457989&sprefix=doogee+rugged+tablet,aps,58&sr=8-3&th=1

If it turns out that I've been a good boy. I'll report back in the New Year.
Click to expand...

Its a common problem with older Androids ... my older tabs cannot run OTG endoscope ... as example.

The Doogee looks nice ...

Tablets - like the phones can update so far - then they just stop at a certain version and will not go further.

You can 'force-flash' a tablet to take newer Android version - but 1. you risk bricking ... 2. often the tablet slows down !! being pushed past its limits .. 3. you need to be sure you know what you're doing !!
 
I'm using an old Aldi 10.4" Medion Lifetab with a bust SIM card slot, apart from that it has served well as a Navionics platform and with other apps too, like Nautical Maps: Boat Navigation for the inland waterways and Windy for the weather info, the one app that I do need on it for the inland waterways is Visuris's Pleasure Boating, Visuris is part of the Belgian Waterways and the app is for managing your boat registration, planning routes through the waterways giving details of bridges and locks plus the contact details if you need a bridge opened or to pass through a lock.
 
This website, Blackmarket, offers refurbished devices, phones as well as tablets. iPads as low as £190 pounds, but check if model can be upgraded to latest software.

https://www.backmarket.co.uk/en-gb/l/ipad/6053d9e8-2eaa-4971-9b6e-79b8a16e4dee

Other tablets on here Blackmarket as well, all come with guarantee, also a guide to external visual condition of refurbished devices is on the site, hence you know what you are getting.

Personally, I currently use iPads, they work well for my needs, but need to run at full brightness for daylight viewing in sun, better under shade of spray hood. Still they burn through battery life and USA charging may not keep up. Running at full brightness for a while, and charging, they can run hot.

My iPad is now old, not sure I will replace with another Apple product, but price and spec will determine that. It will be left on my boat as a backup chart plotter, so I only need it to run Navionics and a few Apps, plus hold vessel's pdf manuals.

Associates have bought tablets from London Chartplotters and are happy with their purchases. See latest offer on their home page.

Londonchartplotters

Defiantly agree with PaulRainbow regarding shopping around, there is a lot of good spec stuff at low cost out there, as electronics are disposable consumer products that have been manufactured in their millions.

All the best with your search.
 
The only reason i looked is because my faithful Huawei T3 tablet is a few years old, running Android 7, it also is a non Sim version, i just thought the Amazon one was a good price.
 
Davy_S said:
The only reason i looked is because my faithful Huawei T3 tablet is a few years old, running Android 7, it also is a non Sim version, i just thought the Amazon one was a good price.
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Android 7 should be ok ... are you having trouble with app's ?? Bit dated of course ... but I have Tabs with older version Android and they run fine.... ok OTG is a bit hit or miss.
 
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