[defcribed]

@PeteSpencer

Didn't know there was a rush to buy refurbished models, but that (and buying from online outlets which limit your ability to enforce your rights as a consumer) would seem to have been your problem - not the fact that it was Android.

I don't buy second-hand consumer electronics. Certainly at the price point of a Nexus 7 it's hardly worth it. I'm on my second (since first buying in 2013 when SkyDemon launched on Android) and the second is only because I dropped the first and broke the screen.

You advised spending money on something 'better' to avoid having to replace a cheapo unit. That's what I understand the "buy cheap, buy twice" mantra to mean - it's saying that if you buy cheap you will buy twice, not suggesting that you should do. The mantra doesn't really work with consumer electronics, least of all Apple kit, because their intention is that you should buy a newer one to replace it at the earliest opportunity.

It's a free choice, but someone has asked the question and there are points to be made both ways. Pointing out that Apple devices are very expensive compared to the alternatives, shut down when a bit hot, and aren't in any objective way 'better' is not half-arsed, insulting, or based on anti-Apple bias as you suggest.

[PeteSpencer]

I'm clearly not a typical Apple customer, then.

Peter (can't find a 'yawn' smiley)

[stevelup]

Apple ... the company is known for planned obsolescence.

Sorry but you are talking utter nonsense. Apple are highly respected in the industry for the duration for which they continue supporting old devices. It goes way beyond the call of duty.

It massively exceeds that of the vast majority of, if not all Android manufacturers. The latest version of iOS runs on devices first introduced back in 2014.

You -might- have made some valid points in your previous diatribes (I don't personally agree), but this one is just rubbish!

[stevelup]

The long and short of this is that the actual developer of the software in question recommends you run it on an iPad. So frankly that is advice worth noting. Remember that they deal with support issues for their thousands of customers and have a much better idea about the real world than a couple of keyboard warriors. That it's available for myriad other devices is great though. Everyone has a free choice.

In my opinion, there is no better device for this application than the iPad Mini 4th or 5th generation. The bonded / laminated screen with anti-reflective coating is industry leading today even though it was first introduced five years ago now. I challenge anyone here to take one of these devices flying alongside any other and not notice how much better the display is. This is one of the 'objectively better' things that people need to be aware of.

[skydriller]

The long and short of this is that the actual developer of the software in question recommends you run it on an iPad.

Does he? ISTR there was something in the history of the developement of SD where there was a U-Turn wrt prefered operating system? I can never remember which way around that was though....

My own view is that if you like iOS and have the money, it will work, be aware of the possible overheating thing. If you dont have the money or dont like iOS, there are a multitude of Android devices that will happily run SD too.

I would also point out that other Nav/flight apps are available too.

You pay your money, you make your choice.

Regards, SD..

[stevelup]

Yep, he absolutely does. I don't just make random stuff up and state it as fact. I leave that to others

[Paul_Sengupta]

The bonded / laminated screen with anti-reflective coating is industry leading today even though it was first introduced five years ago now. I challenge anyone here to take one of these devices flying alongside any other and not notice how much better the display is. This is one of the 'objectively better' things that people need to be aware of.

Ok, I was intrigued enough to compare my Samsung S2 and my iPad Mini 4 side by side. One thing immediately noticeable is that the Samsung colours are better. The iPad has a pink hue to everything, which I think is part of the anti-reflective thing, as when I look at reflections, the reflections in the iPad are also pinkish! The pink gets more noticeable the further "off axis" you get.

The colours on the Samsung are more accurate, which means the contours of the land are more easily visible. The iPad looks a bit washed out. Greens, and shades of green (which contribute to terrain relief), don't come out very well at all on the iPad.

In terms of brightness, on full brightness there's not much in it when viewed square on, but as you get off axis, the Samsung looks brighter until you get very off-axis, where the Samsung starts to take on a green tinge and becomes less readable than the iPad. The Samsung suffers with reflections at this angle whereas the iPad retains its clarity.

Result: If look at them face-on or at a reasonable viewing angle, the Samsung looks better in terms of clarity, vividness and accuracy, but off axis could suffer a bit more with reflections. If viewing at a very acute angle, the iPad looks better.

This pink hue is a bit odd. I thought I'd compare it with my iPad Air 2 (larger tablet). The iPad Air 2 still has a pinkish tinge. but less than that of the Mini 4, has more accurate colours and is more vibrant than the Mini 4, but still not as good as the Samsung. Interestingly, the reflections on the Air 2 are very noticeably mauve coloured! But it doesn't seem to affect the on-axis display quite as much as on the Mini 4. Reflections seem less on the Air 2 generally. The Air 2 seems a little brighter than the Mini 4, with the Samsung being the brightest.

[Rob P]

Sorry but you are talking utter nonsense. Apple are highly respected in the industry for the duration for which they continue supporting old devices.

"The industry" might respect them. Those of us who had iPods we loved and which became effectively useless a couple of years after we had shelled out (from memory) something over three hundred quid are a tad less respectful/impressed

Rob P

[stevelup]

Eh?

The original iPod - the very, very first one with the click wheel - still works to this day as does every model released since.

With the right cable you can plug that into a brand new computer and it's still recognised and you can sync.

That was literally the worst possible example you could come up with. Who else supports a product released in 2001 on a 2020 operating system?

[Rob P]

I know nothing of click wheels

This was a current model bought in 2010 or 11 that by approx 2013 was "not supported" so would not play the BBC iPlayer app, about 40% of the use I had for it.

It became at that point a very expensive Walkman

Rob P

[stevelup]

Ah, iPod touch - right, fair enough. Not their finest moment.

[defcribed]

@stevelup Are you seriously saying that Apple's business model does not involve trying to get you to upgrade/replace with the latest and greatest model as often as possible.

The frequency with which they release new models of everything, and the frequency with which the kids buy them, suggests this is the case.

@paulsengupta makes a nice comparison of the displays. I'm sure the iPad mini is lovely, but I've never found the Nexus 7 display lacking - so what problem would it be solving?

Diatribes/keyboard warrior..... I really hate it that some people can't resist being insulting while making their point. Perhaps it's the internet, because I know (or I hope) that you wouldn't talk like that to my (or someone else's) face.

[Miscellaneous]

Anyone watch the congressional hearing with the 4 top tech company bosses, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, Google? Some awkward questions being asked based on the findings of an investigation.

I hope Sooty is okay if he heard Bezos. If he did he's probably had to go for a lie-down.

[peter272]

Apple ... the company is known for planned obsolescence.

Sorry but you are talking utter nonsense. Apple are highly respected in the industry for the duration for which they continue supporting old devices. It goes way beyond the call of duty.

It massively exceeds that of the vast majority of, if not all Android manufacturers. The latest version of iOS runs on devices first introduced back in 2014.

I was given an early version of an iPad but within a year was told that SD could not be updated beyond the existing version as the iPad would not qualify for an IOS update to a later version.

[rb14]

Having had the flying school's iPad mini 4 overheat on me without warning during my QXC, I was pleased to reach over to my already pretty old Samsung S2 (T710) that worked immediately. The same tablet I'm using to write this message and that I use daily.

I recently bought the iPad mini 5 with the intention of using it solely as my SkyDemon/PilotAware/GA hardware. Despite persevering for a good while, I find the user interface is far more hassle than the Samsung. I've stopped even taking it in the plane with me and it'll soon be on eBay where someone will hopefully get a genuine bargain. I'm sticking with my ageing Samsung for SD, and using my Pixel 4XL moby for backup. I think there's a new Samsung mini slated for release early in August. Selling the iPad will help fund the purchase.