Tablet confusion

[charles_reed]

A very good question that nobody has answered.

Why don't the phone companies make this clear? As I understand it a phone without a dedicated GPS chip CAN give GPS position because it knows where the phone masts are and can triangulate a rough GPS position. The more masts it can see the better the position accuracy. A phone with a dedicated chip uses a lot of battery power - but you always get an accurate fix.

Perhaps some confusion with early GPS-enabled smartphones which used the cellular positioning to start themselves off - from memory some of the 600 series Nokia. However that era is about 10 years ago. All phones automatically leave a record of which cell you are in. Those who are obsessional about privacy should turn their phone off (or hide it, like a squirrel, in a tree).
The problems with being old - first you have a lots of memories, 2nd you have a problem of time sequence and 3rd the more recent is the more likely to fade into forgetfulness.
I remember, vividly, starting a petrol-engined car, standing still and without a self-starter. Admittedly the vehicle was rather more than 31 years older than me.
I bet no-one on this site can quote the model and make!

 

[jellidreamer]

Just brought myself a Samsung tab 10.1 with the primary purpose of down loading navionics marine apps.spent hours trying to do so.E mail navionics in the end and they replied android marine apps have been temporarily removed from Google play store why they work on correcting functionality issues. Navionics have not given me a date when the marine apps will be ready ,very frustrating having a new toy and not being able to play with it.Very pleased with Samsung Tab.

 

[dnickj]

A very good question that nobody has answered.

Why don't the phone companies make this clear? As I understand it a phone without a dedicated GPS chip CAN give GPS position because it knows where the phone masts are and can triangulate a rough GPS position. The more masts it can see the better the position accuracy. A phone with a dedicated chip uses a lot of battery power - but you always get an accurate fix.

Hi

I believe the basic reason is that US regulation requires all devices that are Now manufactured for connection to the mobile networks have to have an embedded GPS chip this is not required for WIFI only devices

 

[Ravi]

Thank you, I have seen KitKat on ebay, will avoid them is not compatible with Navionics, the main purpose for my search.
What is HUDL2?

I think that you misundertood the previous poster. His DEVICE is incompatible with Navionics but he is uncertain why.
His device runs a version of Android called "KitKat". KitKat is a widely used version of Android.
Do not discount devices with KitKat just because the poster had a problem with his specific device!

Significantly, that device did no have GPS. I seel little point in having Navionics on a device without GPS, when GPS is built in on almost all GPS devices (apart from the crazily overpriced, overhyped Apple kit!)

My backup plotter is a Tesco HUDL which does the job, very well, at a very low price.

 

[Sarnia]

It's sometimes difficult to understand explanations written down without having the gadget in front of you and seeing it in action. Getting your hands on one and seeing it in action is def the way to go. Better still if you can find someone who has one to show you it in action.
One thing I like about android devices is the ability to be able to plug it into a computer or plug in a memory stick and move files/pics/videos about. Not so simple on an Apple device. E.G. my sons will download a movie to their PCs or laptop. I can copy it onto a memory stick and pop it in my tablet to watch.

Thats very true, getting a hands on is a good way to evaluate something, what I have learnt now from posts here gives me a good idea of the questions I need to ask the salesman, such as your point regarding connecting to a computer, moving files etc. which was a bit of a mystery before opening this thread. I am gratefull to all for their posts.

 

[VicMallows]

I think that you misundertood the previous poster. His DEVICE is incompatible with Navionics but he is uncertain why.

Thanks for explaining. I had just read the post myself and was about to do so.

 

[Ravi]

It's a little like a packaged holiday (but an expensive, 4-star one, not a cheap Benidorm trip) where everything is organised for you and there are reps to ensure things run smoothly, versus getting on the Web and booking your own flights and accommodation and activities. Someone who is a nervous traveller would be better off with the package, whereas a more adventurous sort who wants to go somewhere more unusual (or who wants to save a few quid) and doesn't mind getting to grips with foreign train timetables or whatever, will prefer the self-booked option.

(And even an experienced traveller who just wants an easy and relaxing time and finds the package matches what they want, may go for the package even if they'd be perfectly capable of the other option ).

Pete

I LOVE your analogy!

But ...
When while Apple couple are sitting on their wonderful hotel balcony admiring the beautiful view outside their luxurious room and delighting on the holiday which is as fantastic as it was advertised on the Apple Travel Agency's expensive marketing campaign and which they booked in the swish and fancy Apple Travel Agency high street shop.....

There is a couple sitting on the balcony above who used Google Nexus Travel. They have a better view, outside a better room, flew first class on a direct flight and have a wider range of excursions available - at a fraction of the price that the Apple couple paid.

The apple couple sit below, understandably contented, because the Apple sales rep assured them that they were getting the best holiday. ;-)

I do agree, however, that, if the OP is already used to an iPhone, he will find an Apple 'tablet' easier to use, in the short term.

 

[Sarnia]

Yes, you are confused - Apple have nothing to do with Samsung and use their own operating system. Samsung and many other manufacturers use the Android operating system.
Having read the thread I can see no possible reference anywhere which should lead to your confusion.
The point has been made that having Navionics on your iphone you may find it easier to use an ipad as everything will be so similar

The light has come on now Charles, but with respect I was reading the post without the insight you had when you did, which has now been clarified
and the whole point of my original question, to me ipad was a generic term, but has been explained in subsequent posts ipad is apple, and in no way to be confused with Samsung, in the same way you have.
I find my i4 very simple to use, would not wish to change it, but I am looking for a larger screen size, on which I have the same navionics app for cockpit use.
I have a dedicated laptop on my chartable, ( navionics app not available for laptops) on which I run TIKI navigation for planning routes, waypoints etc, but for close in approaches a tablet with a larger screen than my i4 in the cockpit would be ideal.

 

[Sarnia]

Perhaps some confusion with early GPS-enabled smartphones which used the cellular positioning to start themselves off - from memory some of the 600 series Nokia. However that era is about 10 years ago. All phones automatically leave a record of which cell you are in. Those who are obsessional about privacy should turn their phone off (or hide it, like a squirrel, in a tree).
The problems with being old - first you have a lots of memories, 2nd you have a problem of time sequence and 3rd the more recent is the more likely to fade into forgetfulness.
I remember, vividly, starting a petrol-engined car, standing still and without a self-starter. Admittedly the vehicle was rather more than 31 years older than me.
I bet no-one on this site can quote the model and make!

My first car was a 1934 Hillman Minx, hand crank start, it had a 'free wheel' attachment, forerunner I expect of a fifth gear, had a 6v battery, wire wheels, and wire brakes which constantly required adjustment to stop in a straight line, I coverted the carb to a SU downdraft, happy days.

 

[Sarnia]

I LOVE your analogy!

But ...
When while Apple couple are sitting on their wonderful hotel balcony admiring the beautiful view outside their luxurious room and delighting on the holiday which is as fantastic as it was advertised on the Apple Travel Agency's expensive marketing campaign and which they booked in the swish and fancy Apple Travel Agency high street shop.....

There is a couple sitting on the balcony above who used Google Nexus Travel. They have a better view, outside a better room, flew first class on a direct flight and have a wider range of excursions available - at a fraction of the price that the Apple couple paid.

The apple couple sit below, understandably contented, because the Apple sales rep assured them that they were getting the best holiday. ;-)

I do agree, however, that, if the OP is already used to an iPhone, he will find an Apple 'tablet' easier to use, in the short term.

'In the short term' is correct, I had to find my way around my i4, so I am confident an android which may present similar challenges to what I experienced with my i4 will also be short term.

 

[charles_reed]

My first car was a 1934 Hillman Minx, hand crank start, it had a 'free wheel' attachment, forerunner I expect of a fifth gear, had a 6v battery, wire wheels, and wire brakes which constantly required adjustment to stop in a straight line, I coverted the carb to a SU downdraft, happy days.

SU were nearly all side-draft, the piston alongside the float chamber and moving a needle up and down in the choke tube.
Downdraft were usually Solex (probably on that age Hillman), which were a fixed jet carb.
By 1934 carburation was getting quite complex. The downdraft SUs made were for out-and-out race machines like the Murray Jamieson Austin 7 twin ohc fitted to the Ulster.
From memory, at inception, all the Hillmans had electric start, though starting handles didn't finally disappear until the late 50s. The one you had was the last of the 3-speed boxes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillman_Minx

Fred Drift...

 

[Stemar]

go to: www.londonchartplotters.com

I got one of their tablets, but wasn't especially impressed with it. It was a chinese version with chinese software built in. Battery life wasn't fantastic running their plotting software, the screen was unreadable in sunshine and it gps lock on was slow. Their software's OK, but you're paying for it. If you've already got Navionics, I reckon you'd do better to get something else.

Of course, I may be a bit biased because it got bent in my bag, killing the display, a couple of months after I bought it, which is something else to consider on a boat. Whatever you get, keep it in a hard case!

 

[Sarnia]

SU were nearly all side-draft, the piston alongside the float chamber and moving a needle up and down in the choke tube.
Downdraft were usually Solex (probably on that age Hillman), which were a fixed jet carb.
By 1934 carburation was getting quite complex. The downdraft SUs made were for out-and-out race machines like the Murray Jamieson Austin 7 twin ohc fitted to the Ulster.
From memory, at inception, all the Hillmans had electric start, though starting handles didn't finally disappear until the late 50s. The one you had was the last of the 3-speed boxes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillman_Minx

Fred Drift...

Thank you for the link, the 1932 looks same as the 1935, and I remember mine as 1934 (same year as me) the SU was a downdraft, i had to modify the inlet manifold and the engine side cover to accomadate it, I ran it amazingly well for 2 years before the dreaded rust ate the suspension, I had lots fun with it

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I got one of their tablets, but wasn't especially impressed with it. It was a chinese version with chinese software built in. Battery life wasn't fantastic running their plotting software, the screen was unreadable in sunshine and it gps lock on was slow. Their software's OK, but you're paying for it. If you've already got Navionics, I reckon you'd do better to get something else.

Of course, I may be a bit biased because it got bent in my bag, killing the display, a couple of months after I bought it, which is something else to consider on a boat. Whatever you get, keep it in a hard case!

I have Navionics and I use it on my Samsung Note3 as a back up if I ever need it, the quality of the Samsung is great. I have been looking at the londondchartplotters site and I was tempted to buy one of their cheap tablets because it is larger than my Samsung note3; however, I take your point, you get what you pay for.

 

[Stemar]

I have Navionics and I use it on my Samsung Note3 as a back up if I ever need it, the quality of the Samsung is great. I have been looking at the londondchartplotters site and I was tempted to buy one of their cheap tablets because it is larger than my Samsung note3; however, I take your point, you get what you pay for.

Not sure if I'm going to get a replacement, but I am tempted by the HUDL, apart from battery life which doesn't seem as good as others. I'd also like a SIM slot for forecasts & the like, though I suppose I could link my phone.

A daylight-visible screen is something I'd pay good money for, as that seems to be what limits the effectiveness of phones & tablets in the cockpit, which is where I want my plotter. It's always struck me as being a bit daft to have to go below to look at one. If I need information, I probably want it now, and now is probably a bad time to have to set up the tiller pilot and stop looking where I'm going!

 

[Spirit of Glenans]

the screen was unreadable in sunshine

Remember in those old war films set on naval vessels, the radar operator always viewed the screen under a hood. Perhaps it would be beneficial to rig up some kind of fabric cowl to shade the plotter?

 

[Colvic Watson]

I LOVE your analogy!

But ...
When while Apple couple are sitting on their wonderful hotel balcony admiring the beautiful view outside their luxurious room and delighting on the holiday which is as fantastic as it was advertised on the Apple Travel Agency's expensive marketing campaign and which they booked in the swish and fancy Apple Travel Agency high street shop.....

There is a couple sitting on the balcony above who used Google Nexus Travel. They have a better view, outside a better room, flew first class on a direct flight and have a wider range of excursions available - at a fraction of the price that the Apple couple paid.

The apple couple sit below, understandably contented, because the Apple sales rep assured them that they were getting the best holiday. ;-)

I do agree, however, that, if the OP is already used to an iPhone, he will find an Apple 'tablet' easier to use, in the short term.

Then suddenly the Android couple are locked in their room, the code to exit is clearly displayed but in a filing cabinet in the basement which requires special permission to enter - which you don't have. Then the water starts to come out of the sockets and the electricity out of the taps because this very particular make of hotel room isn't 100% compatible with the hotel systems delivery network. Then their flight home is cancelled but nobody knows why, at least until the airline reboot takes place, but no one knows which switch does that. They are fairly sure a switch does actually reboot the system but no one can find it. Fortunately there is a bang on the door from the tour rep who has come to offer them 27 choices for their lion safari; after that they have 19 different choices to make about what colour tour bus to go on and 15 choices about which type of lion to see. All of which is irrelevant because they are still locked in their room.

Meanwhile Mr & Mrs Apple remain content with their three choices for dinner and their room that just works. Plus they won't have to walk home, their flight wasn't cancelled.

 

[Sarnia]

I think that you misundertood the previous poster. His DEVICE is incompatible with Navionics but he is uncertain why.
His device runs a version of Android called "KitKat". KitKat is a widely used version of Android.
Do not discount devices with KitKat just because the poster had a problem with his specific device!

Significantly, that device did no have GPS. I seel little point in having Navionics on a device without GPS, when GPS is built in on almost all GPS devices (apart from the crazily overpriced, overhyped Apple kit!)

My backup plotter is a Tesco HUDL which does the job, very well, at a very low price.

Yes I did misunderstand the post, but thanks to others here, and along with yourself, I now have a better understanding than when I replied to it, I did not realise what a HUDL was as the post shows.
It now seems for me that the HUDL2 tablet (which it appears uses Kit Kat technology) is very much a front runner, particularly following reading the report on it which for me says it all, plus the positive contributions about it here.

 

[EugeneR]

As somewhat of a geek, we have around 8 Samsungs while the wife has iThings. They all run Navionics plus one or two other navigation apps, and I use them more often than I use the Raymarine equipment we have on board.

1. Samsung's GPS has proven more accurate than my two Garmin handhelds. I tested this in several places, relative to known features. Never bothered to test the accuracy of the iThings so can't compare.

2. Do not get something with 3G or even 4G built in. That feature will increase cost very significantly and limit your network choice and what you can do with it. Instead, get a cheap mifi device and connect to it using WIFI. Then you can upgrade to the next G without needing a new tablet.

3. Phone-based GPS will not work offshore i.e. out of mobile coverage.

 

[NickRobinson]

From memory, at inception, all the Hillmans had electric start, though starting handles didn't finally disappear until the late 50s. The one you had was the last of the 3-speed boxes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillman_Minx

Fred Drift...

Fred again... Hillman Imps had starter dogs and pierced (rear) bumpers up to 1971?