Tablet for navigation - Android or iOS?

[jlavery]

I'm interested in what platform people are using for tablets, and if both, which you prefer. From a developer's point of view there are vastly more Android devices available than iOS, despite the hype that iOS often gets.

Separate to the question of whether a plotter is better or not. If you're using a tablet (instead of or alongside a plotter), which platform do you use or prefer.

Afraid I'm not interested in discussion on the topic - just the numbers!

 

[Sticky Fingers]

…..

Afraid I'm not interested in discussion on the topic …

Best of luck with that!

 

[Daydream believer]

There is no provision for "Neither- get a proper chart plotter"

 

[dunedin]

There is no option for both- which is what I currently use

 

[jlavery]

Best of luck with that!

I can only try!

 

[jlavery]

There is no option for both- which is what I currently use

Good point - that's valid. Added.

 

[jlavery]

There is no provision for "Neither- get a proper chart plotter"

Correct - that's not what the question is about. I'll tweak the description.

 

[Frank Holden]

iSailor on an iPad is my current 'go to'.
Also have a shipboard PC with openCPN and a MacBook pro also with openCPN

 

[Kerenza]

There are windows tablets, I use qtvlm on android and Windows tablets as well as onboard PC.

 

[jlavery]

There are windows tablets, I use qtvlm on android and Windows tablets as well as onboard PC.

Tsk. Good point. Adding Windows. I know "Both" is not not quite right, but can't change that. Ho hum.

 

[Stemar]

I got a reconditioned tablet from London Chartplotters. a year or two back, It's OK, but I'm not a great fan of the plotter software. I wanted to switch to Navionics, but the tablet runs an old version of Android, so no go. It's a good tablet, but it's something to be aware of if you're tempted to go down that route

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Android to answer the OPs question.

I replaced the plotter at the chart table with an android tablet. Bought a clip in case, cut the front flap off and screwed it over the hole from the previous plotter - it clipped in and out so was also portable, recharged with a short flying lead from the USB charging ports below it.

Coupled with an NMEA200 WiFi Router and a SIM card it could do everything, weather, nav, entertainment, engine monitoring, recipes to cook on board etc. etc. etc... a real hotch-potch of equipment all networked together and functioning superbly.

 

[davidej]

I have used both but can’t really see any differences "…….but

You have to pay quite a lot extra to get an iPad with built in GPS.

 

[Bristolfashion]

10" Samsung tablet, android 11 under £150 at the moment - a bargain. I use one of these at the nav station - on deck I have an 8" Lenovo running Android 7 which handles navionics fine and would be cheap as chips 2nd hand.

 

[B27]

Both.
But last time we were out, I fired up an old handheld GPS, slapped in a waypoint and preferred a nice simple display of COG, SOG DTW and BRG. Viewable in bright sunlight across the cockpit while busy actually sailing the boat.

The 'toys' are great for pilotage, but you have to ask yourself how you will operate the boat if things get difficult.
What will it be like if green water is flying around? Or proper heavy rain?
We did have some issues with the Samsung tablet going into some sort of limpdim mode due to the hot sun. And that was Devon, not Cyprus. In September.

 

[fredrussell]

I prefer IPads, but I wear skinny/tight fit trousers. If you’re more of a boot cut/generous cut slacks type of person I’d say go with Android.

 

[davidaprice]

I use an iPad and (more often) an Android smartphone. But that's just because those are what I had anyway, not specifically chosen for sailing.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

I use an elderly iPad mini running Navionics plus Memory Map for those superb large scale charts of Scottish anchorages.
The iPad is in a waterproof case mounted on a bracket at the helm and plugged into power so no danger of it going flat on me. It works, shrugs off the rain and spray, and if/when it dies I'll probably replace it with another bought cheaply 2nd hand.

 

[nigel1]

I got a reconditioned tablet from London Chartplotters. a year or two back, It's OK, but I'm not a great fan of the plotter software. I wanted to switch to Navionics, but the tablet runs an old version of Android, so no go. It's a good tablet, but it's something to be aware of if you're tempted to go down that route

Did the same just recently, a Galaxy Tab A, android version 8.1.
Felt the plotter software was awful. As I was running open CPN on a PC using Osenc charts, I purchased the open CPN app and then downloaded my back up set of Osenc charts onto the tablet, much happier with this set up compared to the pre-installed software.

 

[lustyd]

From a developer's point of view there are vastly more Android devices available than iOS, despite the hype that iOS often gets.

From a developer's point of view number of devices available/sold is irrelevant. Many Android devices are trash, and given to kids as babysitters. Propensity to install and pay for an app or in app purchase is more important, and the reason the vast majority of apps start on the Apple platform.
You're also not dealing with the population as a whole, you're dealing with "wealthy" yachties so percentage of iPhones is higher than in the population.

Finally, you're not asking the yachting community. The forums here are frequented by beardy old men who are far more likely to tell you they use paper charts than admit to owning a phone more recent than a Nokia 3310.

Good luck with your quest. I recommend asking the cruising forums on Facebook for better data.