Ipad vs Android tablet

GaryM said:
Are current iPad minis less likely to overheat than their full-sized counterparts? I’ve got an older iPad now off support, so I’ll need to upgrade eventually. And I wont be getting an android.
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They all overheat. Heatsinks are big and apple puts form over function. The cost of a decent cooler for a mini almost doubles the price if you buy a used unit. My mini 5 off ebay was $313 A cooler is $200

A $500 Samsung S whatever ain't gonna overheat.

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GaryM said:
Are current iPad minis less likely to overheat than their full-sized counterparts? I’ve got an older iPad now off support, so I’ll need to upgrade eventually. And I wont be getting an android.
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You can’t go by me. I’ve been using iPads for flying for over 14 years without one overheat shutdown. But I think they are all subject to the possibility (I’ve had an Android phone overheat). We need to use mitigation strategies. Some of the things I do.

Mount in a way that allows airflow around it.​
Avoid closed cradles that trap internally generated heat.​
Keep the screen brightness low while still readable (bright screen = heat)​
Turn screen off when not actively being used.​
Have it already charged so you don’t have to charge in flight.​
Don’t leave it in the airplane when you land for lunch (and in a shaded spot during preflight*).​
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* I did an IPC once where the pilot left their iPad on the wing during preflight. Shut down shortly after takeoff. The good news is, they got a chance to deal with that scenario.
 
UngaWunga said:
My current tablet is a Samsung Galaxy Tab A running Android 11 from 2022. Its a little behind, as the current version of Android is 16. Most apps still run on it, and the battery life is still good. Can't update its OS because of the hardware. Garmin Pilot runs slow on it, take a long time to start up, and I'm running out of memory due the stuff Pilot needs to cache (only 32GB).
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I have a Galaxy Tab S5e running 11. In addition to the issues you described, GP will frequently take ~5 seconds, for example, to react to a two-finger expansion gesture to be able to zoom in on an approach chart. At least twice a flight it completely locks up and restarts, of course, always at the worst times. As I'm futzing w/ GP I tend to stray from heading and altitude and then get even more frustrated when @eman1200, thinking he's funny, starts mimicking a FMS calling out "ALTITUDE! ALTITUDE!" :-) I've tried all the tricks, clearing app cache, rebooting before each flight etc. and nothing works.
 
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Mahneuvers said:
I have a Galaxy Tab S5e running 11. In addition to the issues you described, GP will frequently take ~5 seconds, for example, to react to a two-finger expansion gesture to be able to zoom in on an approach chart. At least twice a flight it completely locks up and restarts, of course, always at the worst times. As I'm futzing w/ GP I tend to stray from heading and altitude and then get even more frustrated when @eman1200, thinking he's funny, starts mimicking a FMS calling out "ALTITUDE! ALTITUDE!" :-) I've tried all the tricks, clearing app cache, rebooting before each flight etc. and nothing works.
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The answer is simple. Avoid flying with @eman1200 and all the other problems will go away.
 
murphey said:
To mitigate the cost of an iPad....check out Apple's refurbished units. Cheaper than brand new but still includes the full guarantee as if new.
If you need new, find a teacher or student for the educational discount, works out to be about 8% but refurb is still cheaper.
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I have bought all my iThings Refurbed by Apple Never had a problem. Walmart has a new iPad for $299.
 
Mahneuvers said:
I have a Galaxy Tab S5e running 11. In addition to the issues you described, GP will frequently take ~5 seconds, for example, to react to a two-finger expansion gesture to be able to zoom in on an approach chart. At least twice a flight it completely locks up and restarts, of course, always at the worst times. As I'm futzing w/ GP I tend to stray from heading and altitude and then get even more frustrated when @eman1200, thinking he's funny, starts mimicking a FMS calling out "ALTITUDE! ALTITUDE!" :-) I've tried all the tricks, clearing app cache, rebooting before each flight etc. and nothing works.
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Android + high wings, perfect together.
 
Anthem said:
Best or better is and can be subjective. but thats like saying Kia is better than a Mercedes E or something. Yeah, to some it might be - namely probably because they might like the Kia.
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It can be subjective, but better best may be different for two different people on their needs. The Mercedes may be "better" in many ways, but it's not the "best" choice for, say, somebody on a limited budget needing a simple commuter car. And cost is just one of many factors.

Android is very customizable and there's a lot of variation. iOS is much more constrained and consistent. For this reason, developers and airline IT departments like iOS, making it "best" for them, and the cost difference is insignificant. Ditto for a private pilot going IFR who has a dedicated tablet for flying. But for a low budget aviator flying a clapped out rental 172 or cheap homebuilt, other factors go into what is "best". Me, I'm typing this on the same android tablet I use for flying, because a more expensive iPad + Foreflight subscription would have no benefit for me, and android with Avare meets all my requirements (including budgetary requirements). But I don't drive a Mercedes, either, because it's not "best" (or even "better") for me. (And I don't personally care for German automotive styling, but that's the subjective part).
eman1200 said:
Android + high wings, perfect together.
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Paper charts + open cockpit biplanes, perfect together. Well, maybe not... :rolleyes:
 
Anthem said:
Umm, this has been spewed for a decade. If you want to keep waiting. . sure.
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More than a decade.

My first exposure to Foreflight was through a friend who subscribed pretty much as soon as it came out. He showed it to me. Even at that early stage, it was pretty impressive, but being a dedicated Android user, my thought was that it would be great once it came to Android. Unfortunately, even a year later there was no Android tablet worthy of the name. I went to a local seminar highlighting Foreflight and WingX and bought an iPad the next day. That was 14 years ago.

I think you are correct that in the EFB world, it's about market share. Not the world-wide iOS vs Android share, but the market share in the aviation EFB space. To me the issue isn't the quality of the hardware. The old saw about iPads being better or more reliable is demonstrably false by the simple fact that there are medical apps that run on Android. For an example, the Freestyle Libre's dedicated hardware for glucose monitoring is Android-based. The Android app was first, predating the iOS one by a few years. I could be wrong, but I think glucose monitoring for a diabetic might be a wee bit more mission critical than an EFB. Bottom line, iOS "took over" the aviation space because it was out there first and pilots were hungry for a good electronic solution. We can find threads in the pre-iPad world where folks were talking about how to get approach plates onto the Kindles! I wasn't the only one doing flight planning with Copilot on my Palm Pilot.

I do quibble a bit with some of your examples, but as you said, "running an EFB - forget the ecosystem. The only thing that is important is the actual EFB, not the ecosystem it runs on." My version: "It's the app, stupid." I have a very anti-iOS friend. Used an Android EFB for years. Quite happy with it. Then he flew from the east coast to the east with a friend who was bringing his newly-purchase airplane. The new owner was using Foreflight so, my friend got a chance to see it i use for the first time. My friend bought an iPad when he got home.
 
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Dana said:
It can be subjective, but better best may be different for two different people on their needs. The Mercedes may be "better" in many ways, but it's not the "best" choice for, say, somebody on a limited budget needing a simple commuter car. And cost is just one of many factors.
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Exactly.

Example: my business leverages the Google Workspace platform, which is orders of magnitude better than anything Apple offers for enterprises. So I carry an Android phone. I want to be able to flight plan wherever I am. I do not want to carry two devices. That means any app which does not support Android is a No Go for me. Bye, FF.

I really don't care if the Apple version of an app is better than the Android version. I only care whether the Android version has sufficient features and functionality for my uses.

I fully recognize that others may have different priorities, and there is no "best". Just best for me.
 
Dana said:
Not quite correct. Yes, Avare is not much more than a moving map with rudimentary flight planning and weather, but that's all many pilots need. X isn't the iPad version; it's the new version, period, a complete rewrite of the code which unlike the old version runs on multiple platforms (Android, ipad, and Windows). X is still in development and rough around the edges... IMO its interface is generally better and more modern than the old version but they've dropped some useful features in the name of simplicity.

For most people it makes sense to use the same type of device in the cockpit that you use on the ground. Unless you're using Foreflight because you're a pro pilot or otherwise need its features.

Me, I have an android phone, and an android tablet that I use both in the air and on the ground. In flight, the phone is the backup to the tablet.
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I agree - Avare is really just a moving map, and that’s exactly what I like about it. The simplicity is the appeal. I prefer to keep flight planning and navigation as separate tasks. For planning, nothing beats sitting down at a desktop. I use tools like the AOPA planner and aviationweather.gov. Sure, there are rare situations - like being stuck on an unfamiliar airport ramp late at night needing to plan out an IFR flight in marginal weather - but that’s not the kind of flying I typically do.
 
Anthem said:
Cellular connectivity - ipadPro M4 wins. Guess what - the Samsung doesnt even offer it as an option. Good luck getting PDC clearances while in the cockpit. You're stuck on getting wifi, or tethering.
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FYI, some Samsungs do, like the S9+ at least: https://www.verizon.com/support/knowledge-base-305305/

You also forgot to mention that to get built-in GPS in an iPad, you *have* to buy an iPad with cell data capability whether you want to use that feature or not. And when you have an iPad that has its own mobile data capability, then you can run into problems maintaining an Internet connection while connected to a wifi network with no internet, like an onboard ADSB receiver. At least, that used to be an issue; I'm not an iOS guy so maybe that's been resolved, I dunno. I just know there used to be a guy at my airport who griped about having to toggle connecting/disconnecting from his ADSB wifi if he wanted to get Internet data, because his iPad/iPhone would always give preference to the wifi connection and shut off mobile data even if there was no Internet available on the wifi. Or maybe he just didn't know how to configure his devices? :dunno:

At any rate, that's never been an issue for me. I've been using a Stratux for many years, and I have it configured so that when it powers up, it automatically attaches to my phone's wifi hotspot. The Stratux will then pass that Internet connectivity through its broadcast wifi network in the plane. My Android tablets default to connect to the Stratux wifi and so they automagically have ADSB-in plus internet connectivity any time my phone does. Easy peasy.
 
Bought a used ipad air. Seeing all sorts of features that aren't on android yet... :)
 
Ok, Garmin Pilot vs Foreflight.. how in Pilot can I find an IFR chart symbol legend? Instructor showed me how she got to it rather quickly in Foreflight, but can't find a path in Pilot to find that info.
 
I have both an Android and an I Pad, use both I Fly and ForeFlight. Yeah, borderline "over attraction to tech" syndrom.

I Pad and F Flight - use on the ground for just about everything.
Android and I Fly - the Android tablet I use is a Sun Light Readable version, large battery life, and I've yet to get it to overheat. I Fly is simpler to use in the cockpit for flight related tasks. https://www.amazon.com/TRIPLTEK-12200mAh-Construction-Waterproof-Brightest/dp/B09GTXKVCH?th=1

The NITs / brightness of the I Pad is still not constantly sun light readable. The higher NIT's ratings of the newer I Pads is for certain video playback applications. You're not going to get 1200 NITs / sunlight readable with F Flight or any other EFB.
 
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I had Foreflight and Garmin Pilot for years. I dropped Foreflight and remain a big GP fan, largely because I've had Garmin GPS units since consumer GPS was invented, I have a G3X Touch, and I understand Garmin better than the others. I have it on two iPad mini6s and my iPhone 16 Promax. The improvement of the iPad Mini6 over the Mini4 was worth upgrading. This year the iPad chips and screens got better again but I'll stand with the Mini6 for now. If you want bigger? You have choices in the Air and Pro lines that are awesome machines. GP is a pretty low demand app so much of what they offer won't be utilized but if you use bigger apps you may appreciate the features. My GP downloads use 2.6gb of storage. I buy a cell capable version to have internal GPS, even though I have GDLs that provide GPS, and I buy the smallest storage size available, which was 128gb. Don't fall into the more is better mindset unless you store a lot of stuff other than GP. For screen size? Bigger is better if you have the space for it. My iPhone has 270gb of 512 used. The newer iPhones are clearly superior in speed and function over older models, especially for the satellite texting. Screen size matters there, too. Guys will whine about Apple updating their tech and rendering old units obsolete. Why do they do it? Because the market (us) demands it. Dell does it, Samsung does it, Microsoft does it. Anyone here still using Windows 10? Are the newer machines with improved chips and screens worth the price? Absolutely they are. I stopped buying Garmin portable GPS units years ago. iPads do everything the aviation units do, and they update charts automatically, and my iPhone does everything a hiking GPS does, and more. With the satellite texting my Inreach stays home more often than not. Modern tech is friggin amazing, and it's moving fast. Lead, follow, or get out of the way. If you fail to keep pace, even the hind tit is out of reach.
 
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Stewartb said:
The newer iPhones are clearly superior in speed and function over older models, especially for the satellite texting. Screen size matters there, too. Guys will whine about Apple updating their tech and rendering old units obsolete. Why do they do it? Because the market (us) demands it. Dell does it, Samsung does it, Microsoft does it. Anyone here still using Windows 10?
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iPhones stopped being cutting edge 5 years ago. About all they do now is upgrade the camera. Compare the iphone 13 and 16... is all camera stuff that's been upgraded. An iphone is basically a camera with internet access.​
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You can get Windows licenses for almost nothing. You can use Windows for free now... you just get a desktop watermark and no MS tech support (lol). There is also $10 ebay keys (legal) and your WIn 10 license will work on 11. Consumers didn't demand it... its just that MS learned that license keys could be hacked (no, I won't post key hacking links). My copy of Office365 was $15 off ebay. 100% legit.​
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Yes I use WIndows 10. My W541 didn't have the TPM 2.0 hardware... but that's changed as MS realized that forcing TPM was a bad idea. My T480s/T490s both run Windows 11 but that's becuase they are ex-corp lease units with Win 10 keys in BIOS.​
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Windows is a profit center. MS has had several chances to start over (WIndows 95, Windows NT, WIndows 7) and every time the bad guys (tm) find ways to exploit the software. MS just makes stupid decisions. I remember back in Win 95 and dial up internet (even on Win 95 initailly DUN was a hack) that the hackers found out that you could send netbios pop-up messages... I would get calls weekly about messages... MS just never though to NOT allow every PC to not talk to every other PC.. what could go wrong? lol. A few firewall rules later and it was fixed but for 3-6 months its was maddening.​
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Bitlocker is a kludge. I spents countless hours typing in Bitlocker keys simply becuase a computer didn't shut down properly.​
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Meanwhile our Redhad servers chugged on like a fat kid eating candy... they. never. stopped. working.​
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So the bottom line is that no, WE DON'T WANT IT. Its forced upon us. Think of how flawless Windows 7 would be if they spend the 5 years to fix it vs make a new mess aka WIndows 10/11?​
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'WE' are happy to pay annual licenses for gps chart data but to pay $50/year for an OS license? Everyone clutches thier pearls and gasps at the idea. So we get 'free' garbage that's only supported for a few years and we have to start over.​
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