CT4ME Posted June 29, 2012 Report Posted June 29, 2012 Just announced and looking sweet- the new "Google" Nexus 7 tablet. The specs of this are awesome, and the price is right ($199 & $249). The unit is made by Asus. The "Nexus" name means it meant to be a ground-breaking, definitive product, without all the bloatware associated with some devices. The Nexus 7 comes as a wifi-only device, no built-in cellular Internet... and NO monthly bills or contracts. Unlike the similarly-priced, and sized, Kinde Fire, the Nexus 7 has a GPS and is a "real" tablet... with real power... its benchmarks are near the top of all tablets. I suspect this unit will become an instant hit with pilots, and will find a place under many Chrstmas trees (pilots or not). Pre-orders are being taken through the Google Play store, with delivery starting in mid-July. If I hadn't just purchased a 7-inch tablet, I'd be all over one of these (and still might be...) Tim
Mike Koerner Posted June 29, 2012 Report Posted June 29, 2012 There is one critical requirement for any screen that you expect to read in our cockpits: brightness. The Nexus 7 tablet is 400 nits. I don't think that bright enough. Mike Koerner
CT4ME Posted June 29, 2012 Author Report Posted June 29, 2012 No argument that a brighter is better, but the Nexus is on par with everything out there, except for some of the dedicated EFB units ($$$). Some early reviews say the screen is brighter than most, due to some new techniques with the Corning glass process. Asus also makes the Prime, which is one of the brightest tablets. I have an iPad, two Android tablets, and the latest Htc phone... fact is, they all suck in bright sunlight... but so does my Garmin. It's one reason I like to keep the EFB mounted so its position can be adjusted to the best viewing angles. (or un-mounted) FWIW... IT Pro Magazine just published this: Asus has packed in a 1280 x 800 IPS display, which uses a new-manufacturing process to make the screen brighter and thinner. Asus has worked in conjunction with Gorilla Glass maker Corning and its panel manufacturer to ensure the touch module, LCD screen and glass are all integrated as tightly as possible. Asus has focused on providing a bright screen despite the budget price. The Nexus 7 screen has a depth of 0.7mm in comparison to typical tablet screens, which are usually around 1.2mm thick. Asus claims this helps to make the display 20 per cent more transparent than competing devices – resulting in a brighter picture and more vibrant colours. It'll still suck in bright light. Tim
Doug G. Posted June 29, 2012 Report Posted June 29, 2012 Looks good, ASUS also just came out with a better than Prime tablet called Infinity which has extremely good specs (other than a shorter battery life than Prime). It is 10" instad of 7" and costs more. Do you like the 7" better than the larger format Tim? Doug
CT4ME Posted June 29, 2012 Author Report Posted June 29, 2012 A bigger screen is always nice, but not when it interferes with control of the aircraft or visibility. I find my iPad gets in the way of the stick when I use it on my knee. Even when the wife holds it in her lap, it occasionally impedes stick movement. For that reason, I'm gravitating to 7"... but have looked at the 8-inchers, too. Tim
Ed Cesnalis Posted January 7, 2013 Report Posted January 7, 2013 A Nexus 7 or a Nexus 10 with a mount?
CT4ME Posted January 7, 2013 Author Report Posted January 7, 2013 good question... I bought a Nexus 7 and an iPad mini...'like that size. Now if WingX or Foreflight would get it together to produce an Android version... tim
Ed Cesnalis Posted January 7, 2013 Report Posted January 7, 2013 I was going to use this http://www.avilution.com/ for $5/month.
Doug G. Posted January 7, 2013 Report Posted January 7, 2013 Love the Avilution software and it is constantly being improved.
CT4ME Posted January 7, 2013 Author Report Posted January 7, 2013 I've used Avilution and Naviator, both good... in fact, Naviator just had a sale: $39 year! Both products handle the essentials, and are being updated periodically, but are a far cry from WingX or Foreflight. I wish Avilution would provide decoded weather, not that I can't figure it out, but I feel it introduces extra chances for errors for reading and interpreting, especially on a bouncing, small, not-so-perfect screen. These guys really have a selection of mounts... http://www.mountguys.com/Apple_iPad_...nts_s/5414.htm Tim
Doug G. Posted January 8, 2013 Report Posted January 8, 2013 I use Aviation tools or Aero Weather for translated. I'll contact the Avilution folks, my guess is they are working on it. I think there last project was the ADS-B interface and the Wing-X interface.
Ed Cesnalis Posted January 8, 2013 Report Posted January 8, 2013 I've used Avilution and Naviator, both good... in fact, Naviator just had a sale: $39 year! Both products handle the essentials, and are being updated periodically, but are a far cry from WingX or Foreflight. I wish Avilution would provide decoded weather, not that I can't figure it out, but I feel it introduces extra chances for errors for reading and interpreting, especially on a bouncing, small, not-so-perfect screen. These guys really have a selection of mounts... http://www.mountguys....nts_s/5414.htm Tim I have been reading pireps and it seems that today the one feature keeping people from Avilotuion is geo referenced approach plates. I wouldn't pay the $70 to activate them if I could so I guess I'm ready. Tim, which mount from the mountguys will work well in a CTSW?
CT4ME Posted January 8, 2013 Author Report Posted January 8, 2013 Doug, I Emailed with the Avilution developer and hit a brick wall, as he actually believes coded weather is the way to go. I argued that the coding was a hold-over from the days of teletypes and such, and pointed out the even the worst free weax programs provided decoded weather. Who knows, if enough folks say something, maybe he'll change his mind. I read somewhere that the programming needed to produce decoded weather is available in the public domain. tim
S4Flier Posted January 8, 2013 Report Posted January 8, 2013 Presumably, Avilution is getting their weather from DUAT or DUATS. Both of them offer a plain language translation so no coding, other than providing an option in Avilution, would be needed. Now then, they may need to do a minor change in their language parser to 'read' the winds aloft (and other data they may use). Pretty trivial coding.
CT4ME Posted January 8, 2013 Author Report Posted January 8, 2013 Ed, 'depends on what you like... some folks like the short suction mount for the side windows, others have suctioned it to the front windscreen in the corners. I've seen a couple who've used the "flexible seat rail" unit and attached it to the floor (right below the brake handle). If I get a mount, I'm likely to go with the floor mount with the little hood attachment. That way it would rotate to either side. As it is, the wife enjoys playing navigator, so she just holds the tablet. tim
S4Flier Posted January 8, 2013 Report Posted January 8, 2013 Just curious. Why not 'Garmin Pilot' on the Nexus? I've been testing it out on my iPhone and iPad and I'd rate it in line with Foreflight and WingX (stronger in some areas, weaker in others) Basic VFR package is $50/year. Also has the added advantage of having the same user interface as Aera GPS series.
Doug G. Posted January 9, 2013 Report Posted January 9, 2013 Maybe Garmin has gotten better since I tried it when it first came out, but I didn't care for it then. I don't recall why at the moment. A lot of this seems to be a matter of taste.
CT4ME Posted January 9, 2013 Author Report Posted January 9, 2013 Especially with the price, I'd have to agree, Garmin Pilot is a good product. It's not quite on par with WingX and Foreflight, but definitely in the "pro" category. Initially there were some rough edges, and I've read where some updates cause some problems with select hardware, but that's more an Android thing. The great thing is all of these products offer a 30 day trial... just download them and play! tim
Doug G. Posted January 9, 2013 Report Posted January 9, 2013 BTW, Aviluton now has a manual for WeatherMaps (they should have come up with a better name because it does a lot more tha weather - sectionals, tac, high and low level aooroach, AF/D, etc. even filing flight plans and providing a flight pad/ scratch pad for atc info) available on their web site www.avilution.com
CT4ME Posted January 10, 2013 Author Report Posted January 10, 2013 FWIW... I see Garmin Pilot had an Android update today... added split screen, track up, and navigation panel display including altitude, vertical speed and heading indicators... also fixed some crash issues. 'going to have to load it on the new Nexus for another trial.. 'would still like to see terrain and a notepad. Tim
Runtoeat Posted March 21, 2013 Report Posted March 21, 2013 Tim, any updates on your testing of the Android (Galaxy?) 7" tablet?
Ed Cesnalis Posted March 21, 2013 Report Posted March 21, 2013 I got some graduated sun glass readers. Makes my knee work really well for the Nexus 7 because the reading correction is at the bottom and when I look down at the tablet I can read it.
CT4ME Posted March 21, 2013 Author Report Posted March 21, 2013 Been using my ipad mini and Nexus 7... The best programs, WingX and Foreflight, are still not available on the android, and FF indicates it never will be. That leaves Garmin Pilot and some lesser programs on the Android. I'm using GP on both 7" tablets and like the ipad version better, but they're close. A few more updates will make it close to the competition. The Nexus 7 is a nice tablet, with all the specs and features a guy could use. But, at least on my units, the ipad screen is a bit easier to see. Tim
WmInce Posted March 21, 2013 Report Posted March 21, 2013 . . . "the ipad screen is a bit easier to see." . . . It should be even better with the, soon to be released, Retina display.
Doug G. Posted March 21, 2013 Report Posted March 21, 2013 I don't use my tablet in flight, or my S III phone. I do use them for flight planning and checking the weather on the ground. I also use them to have documentation for mainenance, etc. I don't have access to the internet at the hangar so I use my phone, or set it up as a hot spot for my tablet.
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