Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Tim Dawson
SkyDemon developer
#1699145
I would personally recommend the latest iPad Mini (the cellular version which has built-in GPS) for the very best SkyDemon experience on the move where cockpit space is at a premium.
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By Rob P
#1699149
Tim Dawson wrote:I would personally recommend the latest iPad Mini (the cellular version which has built-in GPS) for the very best SkyDemon experience


Ah Tim :D

Maybe you can explain what constitutes a 'best experience' in tablet use in the cockpit? It seems a rather vague and airy-fairy term.

Rob P
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By Dangerman
#1699152
Paul_Sengupta wrote:
PeteSpencer wrote:Why do people always go cheap?
Push the boat out and get a iPad mini 5 with integral GPS (or even the previous 4)


Why? It's no better for running SD than the Samsung S2 really. And they're both the same screen format.

And you can bank several hundred pounds to put towards avgas!

Most people have no problems with their second gen Nexus tablets. The first gen works for running SD but can be a little slow. But at this point I'd be more inclined to get the Samsung if the slightly larger screen format suits.


Just to say "+1" for the recommendation of the Samsung S2 8". I bought mine 3 years ago (at full price, I would add, which was similar to what I could have paid for an iPad Mini at the time). Never missed a beat, great screen, and acquires GPS virtually instantaneously. If I lost it I would buy another.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1699159
stevelup wrote:It is disingenuous to say that a current iPad is no better than a budget Android tablet that was discontinued three years ago.


But the Samsung S2 isn't a budget tablet, it's a top of the line tablet. The S3 has been released since but it's only available in the larger format. A bit like the iPad where they brought out the replacement for the larger ones but not the mini until very recently. ;-)

Ok, no comment on the iPad mini 5, but the 4 came out in 2015. Note that the S2 has two revisions as well, The T710 for the older one and T713 for the newer one (or 715/719 for the cellular versions I believe).

Longfinal wrote:Go for the cheapest reliable tablet and spend the savings on more nav instruction for the day when the GPS fails.


Spend the savings on another one as a backup. ;-) Or a good phone to keep in your pocket.
Last edited by Paul_Sengupta on Mon Jun 10, 2019 12:13 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1699165
stevelup wrote:And I also didn't properly read what you wrote because you were clearly specifically talking about the S2. So apologies.


Speed reading! ;-)

The second gen Nexus was also the top of the range back in the day but that day was 2013! :D It's still got one of the best screen resolutions for a 7" tablet, and also has 2GB RAM which most 7" tablets these days don't have.

kanga wrote:It was the only way to do things before tablets and SD


Ah, well, not entirely. Moving map GPSs have been around since the mid-'90s, you didn't have to enter the coordinates yourself!
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By Yankee-K
#1699178
+1 for Paul's advice.

Some considerable time ago, based on Paul's recommendation, I purchased a 1st gen Nexus 7 (Wi-fi only) which ran SD without a problem and no overheating even fastened to a kneeboard.
At the time I didn't think it had GPS so purchased an inexpensive stand-alone Bluetooth GPS (the Nexus did have GPS) A friend purchased a Wi-Fi only iPad and couldn't run SD because the iPad didn't have GPS so I said use my stand-alone GPS. It wouldn't connect to the iPad because Apple doesn't implement the standard Bluetooth stack so you have to buy an Apple compatible GPS.
My GPS from memory cost £14, an Apple compatible one cost around £100!

My 1st gen Nexus started to run slowly so I "upgraded" to a 2nd gen Nexus 7 which is working fine, battery last around 2 hours.
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By Tim Dawson
SkyDemon developer
#1699179
Rob P wrote:Maybe you can explain what constitutes a 'best experience' in tablet use in the cockpit? It seems a rather vague and airy-fairy term.


No, I'm not getting into a technology debate.

Based on our experiences of tens of thousands of customers using roughly half-and-half iOS and Android, at SkyDemon we have no doubt whatsoever that people are happiest overall with iOS. That's why, if asked, we always recommend iOS.
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By TheFarmer
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1699187
To the OP,

I’d suggest buying Shoestring Flyers iPad. It’s fairly priced and will be perfect for you to run SD on, and won’t require an external aerial etc.

I too have a dedicated iPad for flying. No other apps, and nothing else runs in the background.
PaulB, Paul_Sengupta, Ridders and 5 others liked this
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By kanga
#1699191
Cub wrote:
Paul_Sengupta wrote:Ah, well, not entirely. Moving map GPSs have been around since the mid-'90s, you didn't have to enter the coordinates yourself!


AWARE was absolutely brilliant for £139


I found mine was a pain to update with new database material, eg changed controlled airspace boundaries, and the built-in battery lasted less than a typical flight. I stopped using it as soon as I had SD and tablet.

On the other hand, the Aware case was commendably rugged. I have actually had three tablets. I bought cases which protected the corners if dropped on a hard surface eg a hangar floor for the second and third :oops: