Which Tablet.

[TOM]

I wish to purchase a tablet that I can use for navagation. My preferred navagation software would be Navionics. I am very confused not being a techo, with regards to the GPS capabilities of some of the devices. Some tablets say they have A-GPS, which I understand to be assisted GPS. I am uncertain whether these models will fall back to a stand alone GPS once they are out of network range and can they operate with no internet access?
I am currently in Santa Marta Columbia, so my choice of tablets is quite limited. I would like an Ipad but they are expensive. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10 inch is available here for about $400. I could get an Ipad mini for about $380 but I am unsure whether the ipad mini has a stand alone GPS function. Being in a Spanish speaking country and not being able to speak the language is making it very difficult. I would love to hear from people who are successfully using a tablet with Navionics and what their recommendations would be.
Is there an 8 inch tablet available that has a stand alone GPS? As I rather like the idea of an 8 inch tablet.
Also, is anyone using the Nexus 7 or Nexus 10 as I have heard good reports about both of these tablets? Any help would be appreciated.

[Cotemar]

I can only speak about an iPad.

iPads work fine offshore as long as you purchase the iPad with Cellular or 3g.

I use Navionics and Garmin Blue charts mobile all the time on the iPad and they work great.

I use the iPad to store all my onboard manuals, get weather updates and so much more.

[a64pilot]

I can tell you from flying with Ipads that you want a bluetooth GPS to go with one if you want accuracy. Ipads are not very good at being sunlight readable, and you need an apple specific bluetooth GPS, ones that work with eveything else won't work with apple products.
If you go with anything other than an Ipad, look for a SSD, solid state drive, in my opinion for a hand held transportable device they are more rugged, but storage space will be smaller and more expensive with SSD.
Better computer Guru's than me will chime in I'm sure, and I'll get flamed for this for sure, but for just pure navigation, the Garmin plotters are hard to beat, just my opinion.

[Tim R.]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I can tell you from flying with Ipads that you want a bluetooth GPS to go with one if you want accuracy...

My ipad internal GPS is very accurate. As good as my Garmin chartplotter. The ipads without the cellular chip(GPS is on the cellular chip) will not work without an external GPS(Bad Elf). I also use Garmin's blue chart software for planning and the Active Captain plug in.

You can buy the ipad with the cell chip but not activate it.

We also have a Nexus 10 with GPS but do not use it for navigation. My wife loves it and uses it for maintenance logs, recipes, email, reading, etc.

[WebWench]

I have a regular Ipad and a mini....both have the GPS and cellular capability...make sure you get one that has this if you go with an ipad.
They were very handy when we were on a passage recently and in the middle of it our chart plotter quit! The Ipads brought us home! I use navionics and love it !

[colemj]

I can't help you with the tablet choice, but can note that if you are heading for Cartagena, you will have more choice and possibly better prices there. There is a large mall with many electronic stores in it.

Mark

[a64pilot]

I know this is a flying thing and maybe you don't need any greater accuracy than what is built in with the IPAD, but you can I think buy a stand alone Blue Tooth GPS and IPAD for less than a 3 or 4G Ipad? All Apple GPS's that I have seen will connect to Android and Windows machines as well. Now if you want to use the cell part of an Ipad, then of course buy that.
Do I really need an external GPS? - iPad Pilot News

[Stumble]

A64,

The ipad GPS also is speed limited at around 500kn. Not much of an issue for sailing or most flying, but for high speed aircraft it gets a little squirlie when pushed.

[a64pilot]

Didn't know about the speed limit, but we were trying to Export a couple of aircraft and had them impounded until we could prove that the Garmin 430's weren't capable of being used to guide a missile or something, I thought we were screwed, because truthfully I thought they could, but Garmin had been down this road and provided the necessary info. I wouldn't be surprised if not all civilian GPS's aren't "clipped" around 500 Kts.
What are you flying that can do 500 Kts?

[valhalla360]

Our cheap samsung with built in gps will show us in the correct slip when you zoom in.

As long as it has built in gps, it really shouldn't matter. Do check the specs to make sure it is a gps not a cell approximation. gps with cell is even better but realistically overkill.

[Inkwell]

I recommend you follow Tim R's advice. I have GPSNavx, ActiveCaptain, Earth NC loaded on the the iPad. Be sure to visit AvtiveCaptain's web site. Lots of info for you to think about.

[bill352]

FWIW, Delta is issuing M/S Surface 2s to its pilots to replace the iPad. Not sure if this has to do with technical stuff or just marketing, nor how it translates to sailing nav abilities.

[StuM]

I recently tested Navionics on a Motorola Xoom as the primary tool from Cairns to Port Moresby (via the inner reef to One and a Half Mile Passage). It was just as accurate as the Garmin which I used for backup.

[Khagan1227]

I'll keep my ASUS transformer tablet, I've had it for over a year with on problems

[banjoship]

An issue for me is battery life. The inbuilt GPS in my android tablet pulls the battery down quickly, meaning I have to have it connected to power most of the time.

I have recently installed a Garmin Glo Bluetooth mouse as GPS, leaving the inbuilt GPS turned off. The Glo is powered. I can now move the tablet around at will without a power cord. Without power cord it is much easier to keep the tablet in a waterproof bag.

My tablet is a cheapo Lenovo K1, but I think the inbuilt GPS in most tablets is power hungry??

Lee