Using an iPad mini for soaring stuff

Surely the solution is for Soaring companies to write apps for the
IPad. Foreflight is an example of what is possible on the iPad. The
controlled universe of Apple is very attractive, compared to the
chaos of Microsoft.



At 22:57 23 December 2013, wrote:
On Monday, December 23, 2013 2:08:50 PM UTC-6, Papa3
wrote:
The good news is that a slightly used iPad mini should be fairly
easy to
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sell on eBay without taking too much of a bath. =20
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But seriously, I also find all things Apple incredibly frustrating
if
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u want to do anything at all outside the "norm" as defined by
Steve Jobs
(R=
IP). So, how about a Nexus 7? While Google Play doesn't yet
have the
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me number of aviation apps, it's only a matter of time (what with
Samsung
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nd other big brands behind the platform). The Nexus supports
micro USB,
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o you'd need an adapter cable to interface your USB stick
between the
Clear=
Nav and the Nexus.
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http://www.gizmag.com/tablet-comparison-2013/29708/
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P3
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On Monday, December 23, 2013 12:54:33 PM UTC-5, Eric
Greenwell wrote:
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I decided traveling with a tablet computer in a touring
motorglider=20
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would be easier than lugging around my 6+ pound Windows
laptop, so I=20
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took advantage of a good deal on an iPad mini. I thought it's
wealth
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aviation apps, including soaring apps like iGlide, and others
was a
plu=
s.
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It's a lovely device, visible in sunlight, but I've discovered
Apple
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built a rather wide moat around the castle that keeps out
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anything that doesn't say "Apple" on it. It's very frustrating,
because=
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these are things that are trivial with my Windows laptop:
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- Getting my ClearNav IGC files off the SD card or USB stick
and
sendin=
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them to the OLC, or to anyone else.
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- Viewing flight files
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- Downloading an update to ClearNav, PowerFlarm, etc and
put it on the=
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SD/USB devices.
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- Modifying my waypoint files (CUP format) and placing them
on SC/USB
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I'm hoping someone has easy answers for these operations,
or I will
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to consider options other than the iPad, which could include
a
smaller,=
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lighter Windows laptop (or netbook) or Android tablet.
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--=20
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Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to
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email me)

Pappi is right, I love my Nexus 7, fantastic screen, fast and light.
Would=
look good on that Phoenix panel, actually.

Andrew wrote, On 12/23/2013 7:23 PM:
Surely the solution is for Soaring companies to write apps for the
IPad. Foreflight is an example of what is possible on the iPad. The
controlled universe of Apple is very attractive, compared to the
chaos of Microsoft.

Pappi is right, I love my Nexus 7, fantastic screen, fast and light.
Would=
look good on that Phoenix panel, actually.

The iPad apps are great! That was one reason I decided to get an iPad;
that, and I knew it had decent visibility in a cockpit with a bubble
canopy.

The problem I ran into is three of the instruments in my new glider
depend on that "chaos" to be updated, waypoints added, and to retrieve
flight logs, engine logs, and diagnostics, using an SD card or USB
stick. I have not found a way to do that with the iPad, but any MS
Windows computer out there can do that right out of the box! Ditto for
some of the Android tablets.

There is nothing "attractive" about the situation to me. The iPad might
as well be a brick for my soaring purposes. It's a gorgeous device, but
it has a very deep moat around it that limits what it can do. I'm still
hopeful that someone knows how to do this, but it it can't be solved,
I'll have at least one iPad for sale.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)
- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm
http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

Actually I have a Nexus 7 - only down fall is cracking the screen - and love using XCSOAR paired to my Nano. For business I would prefer the ipad (should sell ok on the open market)but for soaring the Nexus 7 seven wins hands down.


Marry Christmas all and be safe.

Dale

Dale Watkins wrote, On 12/24/2013 7:06 AM:
Actually I have a Nexus 7 - only down fall is cracking the screen -
and love using XCSOAR paired to my Nano. For business I would prefer
the ipad (should sell ok on the open market)but for soaring the Nexus
7 seven wins hands down.

A major use for me is using SD cards and USB sticks to support the
instruments in the glider. Do you use it to exchange files on SD cards
and USB sticks? Can you use it to send your IGC files to the OLC?

It sounds like it's plenty bright enough to use in the cockpit - any
issues there?

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (change ".netto" to ".us" to
email me)