Am also looking for the right tablet choice - i use two ipad airs today, have played with a laptop, and my work machine - MS-surface pro4.
Will respectfully and gently disagree with Marek on suitability of a tablet - IMO depending on the application a tablet is fine. Not likely to take Windstar 'round Cape Horn. Am part way through integrating a tablet with my instrumentation (with some great help from folks here) and for two seasons have used an ipad, ram mount and lifeproof case. Smashed one ipad season 1, (it was in my backpack, which took a tumble belowdecks) bought the case, then the mount. None of it cheap, but it's good stuff. Ram mount means I can choose multiple locations. Under the bimini, in the case, and on the mount, many of the tablet's shortcomings are overcome, and it's fine and reliable for Great Lakes daysailing and cruising. I like its portability, versatility, being able to jump between apps, tether to my phone, etc, and can update, upgrade or replace anything relatively inexpensively. (I have two ipads actually, and keep both onboard. Have also downloaded the chartplotter app to my iphone.) I like that I do not need a large pod and upgraded rail at the helm - It's crowded and costly enough. Details, rambling discourses, and a few toned-down rants here: http://cncwindstar.blogspot.ca/2016/09/electronics-what-to-do.html Still issues to resolve with using the iPad. It does many things well but does not play 100% well with other applications. Windows seems obvious but.... I agree with Marek on the windows tablets, - if you get one, you must get a good one. Was ready to buy and after investigation I decided against it. (so far) I have a surface pro 4 for work, works fine with a few maddening quirks, but it is expensive, seems fragile, and the power connection is definitely designed for on-the-desk use.. Also agree with Marek on the smaller tablets - handier. The ipad air especially the MS-Surface are both very non-ergonomic in the hands, and easy to drop as you know. The lifeproof case helps this. Whatever you get, make sure you can also get a good case and mount. Agreed also on the BT keyboard. IF you want a weatherproof and rugged case you will not have an attached keyboard. Without a GPS receiver you can always get a dongle (fragile) or bluetooth type. Google "Bad elf" or Garmin GLO. I have the latter and it works fine. Windstar has 3 GPS antennae... By using bluetooth and possibly onboard GPS you will require more frequent charging. Have installed a blueseas dual USB charger at my nav station (handy) but a rugged connection to power at the helm is a resolvable problem I have not yet resolved. Dave Message: 1 Date: Tue, 1 Nov 2016 02:27:45 +0000 From: Marek Dziedzic <dziedzi...@hotmail.com> To: "cnc-list@cnc-list.com" <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> Subject: Re: Stus-List Best new tablet for nav/general use Message-ID: <CY4PR17MB095143D6466E9E5CD9C9903CCEA10@CY4PR17MB0951. namprd17.prod.outlook.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I do not believe that a tablet of any kind is a good enough navigation instrument (I have a Garmin 720 and I trust it much more (I can see the screen in full sunlight without problems, it is completely waterproof and I can operate it with keys (not touch)), but I find that if you want a tablet for anything you are much better off with a low cost ( I don't necessarily mean cheap) tablet that you can use as disposable. I had very good success with a Dell Venue Pro (Windows), an Acer (also Windows) and an ASUS Android one. I also find that the 7-8 inch tablets are much less prone to shattering problems (they are simply much easier to handle and they have a size that is much better for keeping in one's hand). The cost can be as low as just around $100 (8" Android) or around $200 for an 8" Windows. For that money you can break 3 and buy the 4th and you just come about to the cost of the Surface Pro or worse yet to the cost of a cheap iPad. None of the generally available tablets is waterproof or even hardened, so I would not use it in the cockpit where it might be subjected to water damage. If you want a keyboard, you can easily buy a BT keyboard for under $30. Add 410 more an you have a complete system with a carrying case and keyboard. I have a Surface at work and I don't find the screen any better than 1/4 price Dell Venue (or even 1/10 price Acer). It is only bigger. True, the case is metal, but if you drop it a few times on the ground, the screen will break. A word of caution: If you buy a Windows tablet, spend more and get a 64 GB version (or bigger). With 32 GB you will have a major juggling task if you need to make a major system upgrade. This unfortunately means that the majority of tablets that are available on sale are out. Marek 2015 8" Dell Venue Pro (Win 10) 2012 7" Asus (Android) 2014 8" Acer Iconia (Android) Ottawa, ON -----Original Message----- From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Ryan Doyle via CnC-List Sent: Monday, October 31, 2016 17:40 To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Ryan Doyle <ryanpdo...@gmail.com> Subject: Stus-List Best new tablet for nav/general use Hi all, I have a Garmin GPSmap 740 chartplotter and a Garmin radar, but I am looking to buy a tablet computer (possibly a Microsoft surface or an iPad) to supplement the Garmin unit as an electronic chartplotter (running navionics and raster charts) as well as just being my general computer - for writing emails, web browsing, and using Microsoft word. I was looking hard at the Microsoft surface because it comes with a keyboard, however it does not have an internal GPS receiver. I'm sure they make USB GPS receivers though. My requirements are: a good keyboard, a touch screen, GPS (for running nav apps) and it needs to be sturdy tough enough to hold up reasonably well on a boat. I have destroyed two iPads (the screens shattered) by traveling with them and being a tad clumsy, so i don't trust myself with iPads anymore... I'm looking for something hardier. Would love to hear what people out there are using on their boats. Thanks in advance, Ryan Sent from my iPhone
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