7 inch tablet & ADDS-B options

Jack Allison

Jack Allison

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Jack Allison
Did some searching on this, didn't see anything recent...then again, I may have missed something.

Any recommendations for 7 inch tablets and ADDS-B receivers? My goal is to have something yoke mountable, preferably Android based. Would likely tie ADDS-B receiver to ship's power. Would want to use the tablet primarily for paperless charts and approach plates plus wether. Currently have a 496 for weather and backup GPS. Primary GPS is a 430.

I know Jay's recommendation will be a Nexus, which would definitely work fine.

I'll be searching through the vendors at OSH for info and maybe something on sale.
 
I'll be searching through the vendors at OSH ...
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I think that is your best bet. We are watching the middle phases of a horse race right now. All of the software vendors are adding features as fast as they can, eventually to end up in an almost dead heat. I'd concentrate on the ones most likely to survive the race, ForeFlight, Garmin, and WingX.

Re hardware (I ditched an iPad in favor of a N7) the iThings have the lead right now. ForeFlight is on record as not planning an Android product, Garmin's Android product is much weaker than their iThing product, and WingX's Android product seems to be almost abandoned. I expect that will change, though, and Garmin's product to be substantially improved. I am also hoping to see Hilton come into the market strongly. They have supposedly been hiring Android programmers.

Re add-on hardware like ADS-B boxes, ForeFlight and Garmin are playing the proprietary interface game. Only WingX is giving its users a choice. That's the main reason I'm rooting for WingX on Android. To me that would be the best possible outcome. Complete freedom for users to choose their hardware. No lock-ins for either the tablet manufacturer or the add-on box manufacturers.

Garmin on Android is good but not great. It's my choice for the time being with the expectation that as the horse race draws to a close all of the horses will end up with very similar capabilities. Choice will then mostly be a matter of choosing which interface is most pleasing and whether a product with proprietary interfaces is acceptable or not.
 
Yep, have seen/heard ForeFlight not doing anything non-iThingy. Heard rave reviews about it in iThing products. Great for ForeFlight but since I prefer a non-iThing product, I'll go with some other software solution.

At OSH, I'll be interested to see who has what in terms of ADDS-B units and how proprietary or not they may be. Should someone have a decent show special, I might bite.

Agreed that we're in the midst of the race right now on several fronts. For the software, there will likely be a couple of options that would work and I'd bet personal preference plays a big part. I'm not all that concerned about flight planning software that does everything. Mostly, I want a decent interface for ADDS-B weather, charts/plates, and something that functions as a backup GPS should the panel go dark.

The 496 works well for weather and a backup GPS but, in the long run, I'm looking forward to ditching the monthly subscription. I use the Aviator Lite which isn't much at $35/month but a couple years worth of that nearly pays for an ADDS-B unit.
 
Jack Allison said:
Yep, have seen/heard ForeFlight not doing anything non-iThingy. Heard rave reviews about it in iThing products. Great for ForeFlight but since I prefer a non-iThing product, I'll go with some other software solution.

At OSH, I'll be interested to see who has what in terms of ADDS-B units and how proprietary or not they may be. Should someone have a decent show special, I might bite.

Agreed that we're in the midst of the race right now on several fronts. For the software, there will likely be a couple of options that would work and I'd bet personal preference plays a big part. I'm not all that concerned about flight planning software that does everything. Mostly, I want a decent interface for ADDS-B weather, charts/plates, and something that functions as a backup GPS should the panel go dark.

The 496 works well for weather and a backup GPS but, in the long run, I'm looking forward to ditching the monthly subscription. I use the Aviator Lite which isn't much at $35/month but a couple years worth of that nearly pays for an ADDS-B unit.
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Ahem. It's ADS-B. ADDS-B is what the nuns never diagnosed in me. :D

The updated Nexus 7 is rumored to be released on 7/24. Combine that with Garmin's GDL-39 (or whatever new whiz-bang ADS-B receiver they release at OSH) and you will have the best weather and traffic combo available.
 
I used to run a 7 inch but after getting 10 there just isn't any going back. I am in a small plane - Lancair 235/320 - and still I manage. I run it on a kneeboard sourced from CV - the makers of anywhere map. I do not find it on their website but it is likely available if you call them. The kneeboard is hard yellow plastic formed to thigh shape with a Velcro strap and tilts the front up about 30 degrees which works great.

The 10 inch tablet I use is an Asus TF700 with 600 nits brightness. That is brighter than anything else out there I believe and it runs cool. Whatever you choose, you need brightness for sunlight readability.
 
For Android, check out the Samsung Note 8. Impressive little unit slightly larger than N7. GDL-39 works well, but wondering if a next gen version will come to OSH. Haven't heard any rumors but based on the competition something has to be in the works.
 
Sounds like this one...

http://www.diblasi.com/aviation.htm

navpad.jpg



FORANE said:
I run it on a kneeboard sourced from CV - the makers of anywhere map. I do not find it on their website but it is likely available if you call them. The kneeboard is hard yellow plastic formed to thigh shape with a Velcro strap and tilts the front up about 30 degrees which works great.
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Wait, I thought it got renamed to "Adds Bee" Um...yeah, laying in bed last night, I realized my brain was thinking "Adds B" as that's how some folks say it so my fingers typed it out with the extra B. Duh. Why did I think of that while laying in bed last night? No idea, just one of those odd things.
 
Airplane partner Lenny had some widget to stick to an ithingie to get ADSB in. Needed its won power source. I'm certain it and all its cousins will be at the Show.
 
The most popular 7 inch tablet seems to be the Nexus 7 but a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 can be had at a pretty reasonable price now as well. I just bought one for my 12 yr old son for $179 at Best Buy. One aspect i liked about the Tab 2 is that it has expandable memory...the Nexus does not. Garmin Pilot seems to run just fine on it. (Disclaimer: I have not tried it in the air and have not tried it with the GDL-39, but I can't imagine why it wouldn't work just fine.) Another benefit in trying the Galaxy Tab 2 is that you can purchase it at Best Buy and try it out. If it doesn't meet your needs then return it for a refund. As far as I know the Nexus is not available at BB.
 
Chris Mitchell said:
Another benefit in trying the Galaxy Tab 2 is that you can purchase it at Best Buy and try it out. If it doesn't meet your needs then return it for a refund.
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Has Best Buy resumed cash refunds? I quit shopping there when they insisted on loading refunds onto one of their gift cards. Admittedly, that's been a while ago.
 
Papa Foxtrot said:
Has Best Buy resumed cash refunds? I quit shopping there when they insisted on loading refunds onto one of their gift cards. Admittedly, that's been a while ago.
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Good question. I haven't tried lately to get cash back but about 8 months ago I bought my wife a kindle fire from BB? She ended up not liking it and I returned it for a full refund on my debit card. Since then the only thing I've done, in terms of refunds, was to do an exchange.
 
Chris Mitchell said:
I haven't tried lately to get cash back but about 8 months ago I bought my wife a kindle fire from BB? She ended up not liking it and I returned it for a full refund on my debit card.
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A refund to debit/credit card is fine if that's how I paid. IIRC, at one time they didn't even want to do that. I always expect a refund in kind. If I pay cash, then I want cash back; not a gift card.

Maybe they've changed their tune. At the time I wondered if they might be violating their merchant agreement with the processing company. I just went elsewhere as there were many other options to buy electronics. Haven't darkened their door in many years.

Thanks for the feedback!
 
Papa Foxtrot said:
A refund to debit/credit card is fine if that's how I paid. IIRC, at one time they didn't even want to do that. I always expect a refund in kind. If I pay cash, then I want cash back; not a gift card.

Maybe they've changed their tune. At the time I wondered if they might be violating their merchant agreement with the processing company. I just went elsewhere as there were many other options to buy electronics. Haven't darkened their door in many years.

Thanks for the feedback!
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Welcome!

In any case BB seems to have the best return policy of any store I've ever shopped. Case in point...the kindle fire that I bought for my wife. I gave the gift to her and then several days later we decided to return it. By this time I had thrown away the box, bag and everything that came with it...including the receipt (I'm awful about keeping receipts)! All I had was the device. I called BB and they said fine, no problem, bring it in and we will do a refund. And that's exactly what they did. They looked me up in their database using my phone number and it was done...no questions asked. Now I don't make a habit of doing this as I don't want to abuse their generous return policy. But it's nice to know its available. I'm not a BB fanboy, nor do I work there, but I do buy stuff there if at all possible!
 
Like Walmart, Best Buy is my "last chance, no other option" shopping choice. I've been abused and mistreated by both of those chains too many times to count.

The Nexus 7 is available at Staples, or, if you must shop Wally World, at Sam's Club.
 
Not counting your siblings or broken ones. Rather than go through the adoption hassles, you can simply buy me one instead :)
 
I prefer wing x pro and like the smoothness of ipad over nexus 7. Can't speak for the other androids. Enough so, that I'm working the wing x booth at Osh.
 
Here's my $2 worth..
I used a N-7 w/ Garmin P for almost 1 year. Not great, just OK...
I Spoke with Hilton G. at WingX. He was rather direct in saying that there are "No Plans for now, or any future release, of WingX Pro for the Droid system". I used WingX for a month trial & was hooked.
I did go to the iThing with WingX. No, I don't like i-things, but the app is super & by far the best, but thats just my opinion. I mainly use the ipad (mini) for flight & just use the other apps as entertainment / online stuff.
Wanna buy a cheap Nexus7...? :yesnod:
 
"No Plans for now, or any future release, of WingX Pro for the Droid system".
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I am really disappointed to hear that. When was the conversation?

I agree that if the primary use is flying, the iThings are the best choice because they have the best flying software currently available.

I am an Android guy, however, because I find the incompetence and arrogance of Apple to be completely off-putting. My hope has been that Garmin will eventually bring Android Pilot up to the iThings standard and, better yet, that Hilton would enter the market with WingX and its open approach to add-on boxes. Hence my disappointment.

Hilton's web page says that they are hiring Android developers. Hope. Hope. ...
 
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