iPad 4?

On Fri, 29 Jun 2012 08:29:52 -0700 (PDT), Duster
wrote:
iPad? Alternatively, what's the best smartphone or PDA (with
internal
GPS) available now; the Dell Streak 5?

http://xcsoar-i24.wikispaces.com/mul...b-serial-ioio-
adaptor

Only limitations.

Dell Streak is not made anymore and there are no official os updates.
Ioio adaptor is not yet commercially available.
XCSoar is still undergoing rapid development which is not cool if you
want something realy stable so you can focus on flying not learning
new features on the pda.

But for

daylight readability
live wind data
flarm radar
responsive touch screen
modest power consumption
practical 5 inch size for panel real estate use
no bluetooth and simple power harness
works fine with internal gps

There is nothing to match it for the price budget. And the Streak
works great in the car at home and for cycling too.

Ian

Just to mention iPad, there are two wildly competitive apps for POWER pilots. WingX and ForeFlight. These apps are fantastic for planning. For a reasonable yearly fee, they have seamless sectionals for the entire USA, weather, airport data with zoomable satellite images of the airports. WingX logs flights in a non IGC format. But these apps are very good for preflight planning, learning the area with seamless sectional, getting notams, TFR obstructions, moving weather on top of the sectional etc etc.

I bring my iPad in the cockpit and leave it off most of the time. But in areas I don't know as well, I check it once in a while to make sure I'm clearing airspace, or as a backup is XCSoar goes south. The built in GPS shows your location of course.

I love these apps/iPad for planning, not really a cockpit solution for lack of soaring specific apps and it's size. ... Aaron

Mark Mocho wrote:
but there still needs to be a utility app for the Android to replace
the Cambridge Utility 257.

Are you aware that XCSoar 6.3 can do most of a CAI302 configuration?
(3rd Config menu, Devices, Manage)

If you think a feature is missing, don't hesitate to write a ticket,
and I'll implement it.

Ian wrote:
XCSoar is still undergoing rapid development which is not cool if you
want something realy stable so you can focus on flying not learning
new features on the pda.

XCSoar has two branches: a "stable" branch (that is 6.3.x currently)
and an "unstable" branch for those brave early adopters (6.4 alpha1
currently). The "stable" branch does not get new features, only bug
fixes. We do that because we are aware that many pilots just want the
most stable release possible without dangerous experiments on new
features.

Max

While the Streak display is good for an LCD it does not compare with the best new technology for sunlight readability

For an Android device, the 5.7", 1024x768 Kyobo eReader (or any of it's Mirasol clones) available now for $150 from ebay is unmatched, in full sun it's entirely reflective, i.e. no backlight is used at all, this link shows a comparison with an iPad2 in bright sun and yes, the iPad is on

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-A...kyoboVipad.jpg

But the ultimate display uses Pixel Qi technology, here is a link to an image of a 7", 1024x600 Windows tablet (Win7 or 8) running LK8000 (or any other open source or commercial nav software including SkyDemon), this screen also uses no backlight at all in high ambient light but has the benefit of being as intense as the best LCDs when used with the backlight. It is however, MUCH more expensive.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e...k8000Small.jpg

The Kyobo only has WiFi for connectivity but the does support USB host for IOIO boards for serial devices, the Cynovo has 2xUSB, WiFi, Bluetooth and internal GPS

In addition I understand a bunch of 5inch phones will be coming out soon. I think LG has one with a retina display and Lenovo may have one also with full HD screen. I was also thinking Samsung, which already has a large phone in the Galaxy s3 with AMOLED screen. For me still I'm still trying to decide if a Nexus 7 is too big.

On 6/29/2012 11:29 AM, Duster wrote:
Apple is rumored to have a smaller, 7" iPad in the works to compete
with the Kindle Fire which would make it more accomodating in the
cockpit for a nav aid than the 11" version.

If you are weighing the rumored (ios) 7" IPAD against the (Android)
Kindle Fire, then the new $199.00 Google Nexus7 7" pad should also be
considered. Mine seems to have an excellent GPS built into it,
something the Kindle Fire lacks and also something likely to be left out
of the 7" IPAD. But as others have noted, it all depends on what you
want to do with it. My Nexus7 will be what I use for power flying in
rentals.