[mickmul]

I agree with the previous posts. Having electronic items "talking" to each other is creating a chain that can fail. laptop is very handy for route planning and other comms, even DVD watching, but why not passage-plan from the charts, input your waypoints, and use your GPS or chartplotter (or laptop) to monitor your cross track error, correct on the autopilot, and alter course when waypoint is reached. It's not as though, when extended cruising, you won't have the time on your hands to monitor each system. Good luck!!