which tablet?

[Dockhead]

Doesn't fulfill the OP's requirements, since it does not have a 10" screen, but has anyone noticed that the new Sony Xperia tablet is waterproof?

I have the phone version of this device and it is brilliant.

I am not in the market for a tablet as I have a hand-me-down IPad and a hand-me-down Samsung 7" tablet which more than fulfill my tablet needs. I strongly prefer the Android platform to the made-for-monkeys (as it seems to me) Apple system, but I use both of them quite a lot.

Tablets for sailing should have built in GPS, IMHO. You don't want to be screwing around trying to find the separate GPS and get it connected, if you suddenly need the tablet for emergency navigation, one of its best uses.

[Wrong]

b.

"Many Android tablets do not support any devices via USB ports, there are no Android USB drivers for many GPS devices."

You are mostly correct as long as owners of android devices rely upon manufacturers to provide these drivers. However, custom ROMs are available from xda-developers and others. Because I own a Motorola MZ601 Xoom, I was able to install a ROM developed for my device by the EOS devs at xda. Upon my request they recompiled the kernel and provided the garmin_gps driver I needed. Their ROM already had the usb driver. I volunteered to contact development teams at xda for others using a different custom ROM for their device to request they provide drivers to meet the needs of any one wanting to use their external usb device with OpenCPN installed per my instructions.

I am still available to do this. My research reveals most external usb gps devices do not require a driver and will work with gpsd. Garmin is the exception.

As long as an android device has the capability to use, through an adapter and or an OTG cable, a usb stick, keyboard or mouse - they can use an external gps. But, in order for Garmin devices to be used, a custom ROM with the garmin_gps driver must be used. Otherwise, gpsd should suffice.

[barnakiel]

For anybody who already accumulated some Windows programs that they might want to use on the tablet, there are some Win 8 tablets and they seem to becoming more reasonably priced now that Win RT turned out a failure.

I found there is a 7 inch Acer (I think model W3 and also a 10 incher from Asus (model ME400)). These should run OpenCPN and all your older Windows software (MaxSea, Deckman, SeaClear, etc.) out of the box. However, I am not sure how and if they make use of internal GPS (if they do not, you will have a wired tablet which to me contradicts the whole idea of a tabet).

Bueno. Just another option.

b.

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

For anybody who already accumulated some Windows programs that they might want to use on the tablet, there are some Win 8 tablets and they seem to becoming more reasonably priced now that Win RT turned out a failure.

I found there is a 7 inch Acer (I think model W3 and also a 10 incher from Asus (model ME400)). These should run OpenCPN and all your older Windows software (MaxSea, Deckman, SeaClear, etc.) out of the box. However, I am not sure how and if they make use of internal GPS (if they do not, you will have a wired tablet which to me contradicts the whole idea of a tabet).

Bueno. Just another option.

b.

b.

I agree. But some people put more faith in the accuracy of their external gps than internal gps. Also the performance of internal gps vary considerably, with some owners of android devices complaining their internal gps can't hold a signal in cloudy conditions and etc.. While I see some difference in lat/long output between my tablet gps and external gps (not connected to a computer) there is not enough variation to concern me. The best practice would probably be to use them both while relying on your eyes if landmarks and or channel markers are visible to determine which is more accurate.

Under normal circumstances when ocean sailing where no known hazards exist, either will probably suffice. In a reef strewn area? A whole different matter.

Best practice is to be prepared to use them both. This way we always have a backup.

[Wrong]

A nifty way to compare the lat/long between an external and internal gps is to drop two marks in OpenCPN. Then enter the values from the two gps in the two marks. If the difference is significant you'll see it right away. Best done stationary with the devices side by side.

[belizesailor]

I finally moved into this decade and bought a tablet...Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, 16GB RAM, GPS, Dual-Core CPU, 10" HD display, Wifi only...wow what an awesome toy...and only $325 in Panama City. Im in the process of migrating off my old Dell B120 (low end) laptop. Appears this Tab will meet my needs just fine.

[barnakiel]

Re in-built / external GPS accuracy.

I have tried this far:
- Garmin 72/76 models handhelds,
- USB puck BU353,
- Acer Android tablet,
- Samsung Android phone (GPS+GLONASS).

---

I have found all of them report position within 6 meters radius hot. Most stable was USB BU 353, fastest lock was Samsung (probably using a-GPS), last to lock on and less stable was Acer (also a-GPS but somehow not all that fast). BUT my Acer tablet is the most economy thing you can find in the market, so no wonder here.

Feeding GPS wirelessly should be a straighforward thing for anybody who wants to use tablets for navigation: you will want instrument data, positioning data, AIS/radar data, you name it. I have found wifi the easiest way to feed data - now with Win 8 your laptop/PC/tablet base station may act as an AP. This helps a lot when interconnecting with Android tablets as most of them do not connect to ad-hoc networks unless rooted. So, if you want to use you laptop/PC as a base for all data (say from the nav table area) then go for Win 8 station. Or buy a NMEA wifi router/multiplekser (these can be expensiveish).

If at a point you want to feed data from an older laptop (e.g. Windows XP) then you can run a AP on your Android and connect your Windows XP base machine to this Android AP. This way some Android apps can use all and any NMEA data available on your base station.

b.

[valhalla360]

If it has built in GPS, there is no point in a USB puck. Either the built in GPS uses battery power or the USB puch uses up your battery power.

Bluetooth would help a bit but if you are hooking the puck into another power source, why not just plug the tablet into a 12v outlet and have unlimited battery life. You can always unplug for a few hours if you need to move around with it.

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

If it has built in GPS, there is no point in a USB puck. Either the built in GPS uses battery power or the USB puch uses up your battery power.

Bluetooth would help a bit but if you are hooking the puck into another power source, why not just plug the tablet into a 12v outlet and have unlimited battery life. You can always unplug for a few hours if you need to move around with it.

I agree, and always use onboard 12V power for the tablet. The variation in accuracy is so slight, using the built in gps negates having to move a usb gps connected to the tablet around with the tablet.

Regarding AIS with android tablets using a cheap RTL-SDR dongle. I managed to compile all necessary files to accomplish this until I ran up against a missing glibc-dev file called stubs-hard.h My message to the maintainer received no response. Otherwise, should work.

[nmit5903]

I don't think one can go past the IPAD - any version from 1 on. I have both Garmin Bluecharts and Navionics. Couldn't be happier but only as secondary systems. I have often wondered about using them as primaries however can't tie up to autopilot so would be a bit limiting for cruising I think.

Havnt tried to charge via a USB 12v charger however don't see why it wouldn't work. Could always hide a small inverter somewhere if necessary.

I have thought about putting one in the cockpit in a pod but will probably end up just using the IPAD when I want a but of flexibility to
Move around the boat.

Don't need one with a sim - can use a hot spot connected to an iPhone. I am also streaming TV to a HD 12 TV via an AppleTV. Guess I just like Apple!!

[Wrong]

Originally Posted by nmit5903

I don't think one can go past the IPAD - any version from 1 on. I have both Garmin Bluecharts and Navionics. Couldn't be happier but only as secondary systems. I have often wondered about using them as primaries however can't tie up to autopilot so would be a bit limiting for cruising I think.

Havnt tried to charge via a USB 12v charger however don't see why it wouldn't work. Could always hide a small inverter somewhere if necessary.

I have thought about putting one in the cockpit in a pod but will probably end up just using the IPAD when I want a but of flexibility to
Move around the boat.

Don't need one with a sim - can use a hot spot connected to an iPhone. I am also streaming TV to a HD 12 TV via an AppleTV. Guess I just like Apple!!

No doubt. You need an inverter to provide power to your ipad? Why? Also, does the pad have a usb port?

Just curious