Before I went on my cruise to the Bahamas I researched tablets for waterproofness. Only Sony advertised their tablet as water. I'm not naive, I do not believe it to be truly water proof but splash proof yes. So I mounted the Sony at the helm on a home made mount. I also carry an IPad, laptop, and Raymarine radar/chart plotter. It's amazing how many times the systems didn't agree on my position.
Mike PERSUASION C&C 37 K/CB Long Sault > On Nov 1, 2016, at 5:49 AM, Dave S via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > > 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: > > <cy4pr17mb095143d6466e9e5cd9c9903cce...@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 > _______________________________________________ > > This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you wish > to make a contribution to offset our costs, please go to: > https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > > All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
_______________________________________________ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you wish to make a contribution to offset our costs, please go to: https://www.paypal.me/stumurray All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
