Apple I-Pad GPS/Plotter

As I've reported elsewhere, I have been using our iPhone with Navionics apps as a backup for our Garmin. We used it as a primary nav. device on Lake Superior and in Voyageurs NP this summer. The iPhone 4 has a very fast GPS and it has worked perfectly for us.

The display, of course is smaller than that of the iPad - there are advantages and disadvantages to this, since it easily fits in the pocket (or in El's hand) when cruising but is a smaller screen for viewing.

So we suggest considering the iPhone (which has many other uses beyond the iPad) for a backup nav. system.
 
How the Internet started:-


A revelation with an Incredibly Big Message (IBM):

Well, you might have thought that you knew how the Internet started,
but here's the TRUE story ......

In ancient Israel , it came to pass that a trader by the name of
Abraham Com did take unto himself a young wife by the name of Dot.

And Dot Com was a comely woman, broad of shoulder and long of leg.
Indeed, she was often called Amazon Dot Com.

And she said unto Abraham, her husband: "Why dost thou travel so far
from town to town with thy goods when thou canst trade without ever
leaving thy tent?"

And Abraham did look at her - as though she were several saddle bags
short of a camel load, but simply said: "How, dear?"

And Dot replied: "I will place drums in all the towns and drums in
between to send messages saying what you have for
sale, and they will reply telling you who hath the best price.

And the sale can be made on the drums and delivery made by Uriah's
Pony Stable (UPS)."

Abraham thought long and decided he would let Dot have her way with
the drums. And the drums rang out and were an immediate success.
Abraham sold all the goods he had at the top price, without ever having
to move from his tent.

To prevent neighbouring countries from overhearing what the drums were saying, Dot devised a system that only she and the drummers knew. It was called Must Send Drum Over Sound (MSDOS), and she also developed
a language to transmit ideas and pictures - Hebrew To The People (HTTP)

But this success did arouse envy. A man named Maccabia did secrete
himself inside Abraham's drum and began to siphon off some of
Abraham's business. But he was soon discovered, arrested and prosecuted -
for insider trading.

And the young men did take to Dot Com's trading as doth the greedy
horsefly take to camel dung.

They were called Nomadic Ecclesiastical Rich Dominican Sybarites, or NERDS.

And lo, the land was so feverish with joy at the new riches and the
deafening sound of drums that no one noticed that the real riches were
going to that enterprising drum dealer, Brother William of Gates, who bought off every drum maker in the land.

And indeed did insist on drums to be made that would work only with
Brother Gates' drumheads and drumsticks.

And Dot did say: "Oh, Abraham, what we have started is being taken
over by others."

And Abraham looked out over the Bay of Ezekiel , or eBay as it came to
be known. He said: "We need a name that reflects what we are."

And Dot replied: "Young Ambitious Hebrew Owner Operators."
"YAHOO," said Abraham.
And because it was Dot's idea, they named it YAHOO Dot Com.

Abraham's cousin, Joshua, being the young Gregarious Energetic Educated
Kid (GEEK) that he was, soon started using Dot's drums to locate things around the countryside. It soon became known as God's Own Official Guide to Locating Everything (GOOGLE)

And that is how it all began.


Truuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuly!!!
 
centerisland":1saofxbu said:
...I just decided to try an Andriod tablet, so about an hour ago I ordered this 10.2" Android tablet (with built-in GPS) for $225 from Amazon...
And now I'm returning the Andriod tablet (15% restocking fee) and getting a 1st gen iPad Wi-Fi (they just dropped the price $100, might even get the refurb one for $349) and Bad Elf GPS for another $100:
http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Elf-Recei...dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
I'm going with the external GPS for two reasons - better GPS receiver, and I'll be able to move it to my next iPad device (presumably an iPad 3 when it comes out).

The Andriod SuperPad screen wasn't very legible (I didn't mind the capacitve versus resistive screen and lack of multi-touch) and the GPS was sporadic. Either of these would be a deal killer for a nav device, even as a backup.
 
So why is this bad elf GPS add on necessary? I though the I-Pad 3G with the appropriate apps would provide me with quality highway GPS and marine charting capabilities? I thought my decision was do I buy a discounted I-Pad or do I buy the $800.00 I-Pad 2?
wapiti
 
wapiti":vl7m2ftt said:
So why is this bad elf GPS add on necessary? I though the I-Pad 3G with the appropriate apps would provide me with quality highway GPS and marine charting capabilities? I thought my decision was do I buy a discounted I-Pad or do I buy the $800.00 I-Pad 2?
wapiti

Bad Elf - "This Apple-approved accessory allows owners of iOS devices without an integrated GPS receiver (original iPhone, all iPod touch devices, and the iPad Wi-Fi) to use mapping, navigation, geocaching, golf range-finding, and other location-based apps. "
So with an i-Pad 3G (which has an integrated GPS receiver, Bad Elf is not needed.
 
rogerbum":czs0egu7 said:
So with an i-Pad 3G (which has an integrated GPS receiver, Bad Elf is not needed.
Exactly - the difference in price between the WiFi and 3G (w/GPS) versions of the iPad is $130. Versus an add-on GPS that's $99, but is significantly higher performance and portable to other devices (iPod, iPad, iPhone). There was one reviewer who plugged it into his iPhone (in Airplane Mode) and was able to track his flight at 500 knots.

For nav use on the boat I don't think the GPS dongle will present a significant problem <fingers crossed> and the advantages of the iPad 2 (faster processor, thinner, cameras, optional folding case) would have negligible value for a nav device, so my personal calculation is that this $450-$499 combo is the best "value" (for me, of course).
 
I would agree that the i pad 2 does not offer much additional value for boat navigation(or unless you want to video conference) If you can live with the dongle--that should work well. There were some things which didn't come with the i pad 2--and probably will with 3--that includes a "Thunderbolt port" and direct SD card reader (I have the dongle).
 
Bit the bullet and ordered an iPad 2 today. 64GB, wi-fi, 3G, Verizon. I will get the various Navionics apps for the places we cruise. Planning on BC to the Broughtons, June through August. Or starting the Great Loop in June and see what happens. I guess we have two months to decide which way to head out. Talking the pros and cons of each.

Brent and Dixie
 
Discovery":361gbqks said:
Bit the bullet and ordered an iPad 2 today. 64GB, wi-fi, 3G, Verizon. I will get the various Navionics apps for the places we cruise. Planning on BC to the Broughtons, June through August. Or starting the Great Loop in June and see what happens. I guess we have two months to decide which way to head out. Talking the pros and cons of each.

Brent and Dixie

Brent - one app (yes count it - ONE) covers all of the US and Canada. $34.99 gets it all.
 
Discovery":3c52oyvu said:
Bit the bullet and ordered an iPad 2 today. 64GB, wi-fi, 3G, Verizon. I will get the various Navionics apps for the places we cruise. Planning on BC to the Broughtons, June through August. Or starting the Great Loop in June and see what happens. I guess we have two months to decide which way to head out. Talking the pros and cons of each.

Brent and Dixie

You are gonna like that new iPad. Keep us posted on the "which way" decisions - can't go wrong with either, and you'll have the portable nav back-up for it.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
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