iPhone Apps for Cruising?

[chartertom]

Any first hand accounts of the use of an I phone when cruising? It sounds like the perfect solution with wi fi, email and lots of other applications.

[delmarrey]

No different then any other cell phone or computer. You get so far off shore and it's dead.

Good for sailing here around in the Puget Sound and probably San Francisco and parts of the ICW.

[nautical62]

It's really helped me out in the Bahamas, especially for getting weather forecasts, but as you said, it can be nice for e-mail and other applications as well. I had many times where I'd be out of range of VHF forecasts and never near WiFi for several days, but could frequently get a cell signal. As delmarrey said, you won't get any connection off shore.

Beware, if you are not in U.S. territories, the roaming fee for data, can add up. On my last cruise to the Bahamas, most e-mails downloaded were 40-50 c each. This is not bad for the e-mail you really need, but if you are getting a lot of spam, and other e-mail you don't care about, this can easily add up to $100 or more per week. However I think there are a few ways to help deal with this.

1. One thing I may do in the future, is create a new e-mail address and have an auto reply on all my other accounts telling people of my new cruising e-mail, so I only get the really important e-mails on my Iphone. I'll then turn on the other accounts when I get WiFi.

2. I've seen mentioned in these threads an application called Truphone which apparently allows you to make phone calls via your data service, thus greatly reducing the costs and also allows less expensive data transmission. I have not yet used this myself, but it sounds like it's worth checking out.

[Amfivena]

I think the iPhone (or iPod Touch) is a great all-around communication and entertainment device. The wi-fi is nice for saving cell charges. I appreciate not having to lug a laptop everywhere. I find lots of free wi-fi signals everywhere I go.

The big limit from a cruising perspective is the small storage. This is fine for music or audiobooks and a few videos. But, from a cruising perspective, it won't hold enough media for long stretches imo - so it won't replace a computer. Also the screen is strictly for individual viewing, so it can't be a communal tv.

[chartertom]

Thank you all for the info. How do you think the I Phone stands up to a Blackberry? I like the fact that I can easily go online, check my email and not have to lug around my laptop.

[Bash]

I recently had a trip to El Salvador, and didn't want to lug a laptop around because I was going to be going through some rough country. I found it fairly easy to find a coffee house, hotel, et cetera where I was able to use the wireless connection to get email--not to mention to use the New York Times app to get the day's news back home.

My wife uses a blackberry, and I'd have to say that it doesn't compare to the applications available on the Iphone, especially in terms of finding local tides, wind buoys, et cetera. Also, the GPS is much more user friendly on the iphone than the blackberry.

[SurfNRG]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm able to tether my laptop to my Blackberry and use it as a modem and go online high speed as long as there is a phone signal. I've been told that you cannot do this with the iPhone (tethering) because AT&T (who iPhone is strictly with) would prefer people to purchase their wireless card to go online. Been very happy with Verizon and Blackberry here in Florida. The Network has the highest coverage. I'm sure it's a whole different world beyond the Sunshine State though.

[nautical62]

Originally Posted by chartertom

Thank you all for the info. How do you think the I Phone stands up to a Blackberry? I like the fact that I can easily go online, check my email and not have to lug around my laptop.

On my last trip to the Bahamas, I had my Iphone and a friend had his blackberry. Bother were with at&t, so both could retrieve email or get web browse in the same locations similarly. I did like the larger screen size the Iphone has along with the simple touch to zoom in and out. It makes reading many web pages much easier. Another thing I really like it it displays all my email accounts on one screen, giving the unread e-mails for each account, so there is no need to log in and check them one by one.

To me the big difference is that the Iphone is also an ipod touch and has many available applications. When I charter, I use my Iphone to watch movies on the flights each way, and perhaps even on a rainy night on board. A simple adapter allows me to both charge it through a 12-volt recepticle and play music through any FM radio stereo. I never bring CDs anymore. All my work outlook calendar, e-mail, and contact sync wirelessly.

Of course, I wireless card for a computer would offer many of the same wireless options, but I like that the Iphone provides all this in a compact package and I'd be paying a monthly fee for a cell phone anyways. My feeling is for the small difference in price, it's worth getting an Iphone over a black berry. Actually when I purchased, the monthly fee was less for the Iphone, so it was a no brainer.

Even when I bring my computer, I'll still bring my Iphone, both for the phone and for it's ability to get a signal when there is no WiFi around.

Compared to a real computer, I do find typing on either a black berry or Iphone slow. A quick email or text message is easy. Writing something like this post would be difficult.

Again, a warning when using it overseas, that if you use it like you do in your home country, the roaming fees for all the data download can be a killer if you don't take steps minimize it.

[Pblais]

I'm sure it's a whole different world beyond the Sunshine State though.

Actually not bad on the east coast. Once out of sight from land the coverage drops like a rock. That won't change. Land based Internet hot spots are really the only thing international that seems well covered. That would be the lowest cost and they seem to be in more places than you might think, just not on the water.

[SurfNRG]

I've been a total MAC fan since the mid 80's and the sole reason I went with the Blackberry (verse the iPhone) was being able to Tether it to my Apple laptop and go online high speed - download files, send photo's, etc.. Does anyone know if you can do that with the iPhone yet? Last year you couldn't. I think I have the BB model 8803. The newer Blackberry Storm is touch screen with a 3.25 diagonal screen vs. 3.5 of the latest Apple iPhone. I can type must faster on the query (?) keyboard on my current BB than the touchscreens. I also download radar off weather.com occaisionally to see what's coming. They all are pretty amazing though, eh?

[Arch Stanton]

I bought Navionics for the iPhone right when it came out and would like to say:

Don't make the same mistake! It constantly freezes for ten seconds at a time, and often crashes.

Don't waste your money!

[maxingout]

I just got an Iphone, and it's great for web cruising and weather. The 3G system means I can check internet anywhere there is ATT coverage. That makes it cheap and affordable in the USA. $69.99/month gives 450 anytime minutes and unlimited internet included. Outside the USA I would only use wireless connections in restaurants and establishments where it is free. I would not use ATT 3G system to connect. Too expensive.

[Bucky205]

The apps for the Iphone are what provide the power. There is very little you can not find for the Iphone. GPS, Ereader, music, video, movies, Navigation, Email, Tides, Recipe's, Banking, Investment, you name it and you can find an application for the Iphone. I espescially enjoy ereader pro (free) If you have not tried ereader give it a try. You simply go to ereader.com and purchase any book you want and the title is downloaded to your phone. No lighting required and you can sit and read.

[iain_scott]

there is a program called PdaNet for the iPhone, it lets you thether the iPhone to your laptop. You just need to create an ad-hoc wireless connection between iPhone and laptop and you can browse the net on your laptop using your data allowance.

From ATTs perspective they won't know the difference between data originating from the iPhone or from a tethered device.

I think you need to jailbreak your iphone first and use cydia to download the app.

[drew.ward]

my iphone is the first handheld device phone or otherwise I have had that I actually felt was worth it. I used to have a great budget in the Army for testing whatever sort of devices I wanted to try and none of them came even close to the ease and usefulness of the iPhone.

The internet features are great as well be it from cell towers or from snagging any nearby wifi.

I use mine for email, weather, and gps on a daily basis. The GPS uses google's mapping service and is really accurate. It's also handy to check the water temp and waves on the surf report app

FYI the iphone 3G just went down to 99 bucks today and the new 3G 's' is now 199 and 299 (for 32 gigs of storage).