GPS navigation by 7" tablet

[buck454]

Through the numerous post on WiFi devices and GPS units I do not believe I have seen single mention of navigation via the small tablets. Less than the cost of manyof the new GPS units, this tablet could be had and with features of e-reader, websearch, and navigation. There must be a draw-back that I am missing. I know a number of you use a tablet and/or laptop along with standard GPS (Garmin, RM, TT, Mag, etc) but why would this not be a compromise in ability at less $$?

bb

[texnet]

If it is a WiFi device, i.e. does not have 3G/4G, then it probably does not have a real GPS and thus the positioning information is not accurate. Also from what I have seen the software has yet to catch up to the tablet technology.

[RustyJC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by texnet If it is a WiFi device, i.e. does not have 3G/4G, then it probably does not have a real GPS and thus the positioning information is not accurate.

I can be sitting at the house with my wife's iPod touch, and the navigation function has my location off by about 2 blocks. That's not close enough for me - that level of inaccuracy borders on making the function useless AFAIC.

Rusty

[QuietWater]

With the addition of one little piece of equipment, you can have an accurate iPad, iPod, Smartphone, or any other blue tooth enabled pad. The aviation industry has already caught on to this and use them quite a bit for navigation. There are a couple of very good aviation navigation programs for the iPad. You just need one of these:

Dual XGPS150

[GreatWhite]

Wouldn't work in our rig.. my DW would be playing Spider Solitaire all the time.. Not me.. I didn't say that.....

[RickO]

I'm not sure exactly what the definition of "tablet" includes but I have a 10" HP mini mounted on my dash that handles both our VMSPC and GPS via MS Streets & Trips software. The actual GPS unit is just a USB plug in no larger than a jump drive.

Rick

[fansill]

A couple of times, during this past week's vacation in Washington DC, I used my Acer tablet with Co-Pilot loaded onto it. As long as I could establish the GPS postitioning to begin with, it seemed to work passibly well.

I will admit to having a paper back-up of maps and mapquest print-outs for comparison...

Faith

[Eric_H_E]

My I phone 3 is very accurate in it's location.

Sitting in my house is shows very closely I am located IN my house when zoomed in. :-)
Am very happy using it for navigation along with motion x gps software it will give spoken turn by turn directions

[Midniteoyl]

My Samsung Focus has GPS that is accurate to 15 feet if still and 50-60 feet on the move.... Even has a 'circle of inaccuracy' if it starts losing signals..

The 'normal' GPS's (Garmin, Tom Tom) are also only accurate to within 50 feet, sometimes 150... The reason they 'look' more accurate is due to a 'snap to road' feature: it assumes you are on the road since you're driving. If you need 3 foot accuracy, you need WAAS.

[Cat]

The Ipad does have Gps. But it needs an internet connection to download the trip information. Once you start moving it shows where you are in that trip and what turns are coming up just as do regular Gps and you do not have to be connected to the internet- but if you want to change the route or ask about POIs then it has to in contact with the internet. We have Verizon air card hot spot (mifi 4510) so our IPAD is connected to the internet most the time while we are driving. The IPAD gps does not have the Voice directions function.

[texnet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eric_H_E My I phone 3 is very accurate in it's location. Sitting in my house is shows very closely I am located IN my house when zoomed in. :-) Am very happy using it for navigation along with motion x gps software it will give spoken turn by turn directions

Your iPhone 3 SHOULD work well as it has a GPS built into the unit i.e. it is not a WiFi only device...

[texnet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cat The Ipad does have Gps. But it needs an internet connection to download the trip information. Once you start moving it shows where you are in that trip and what turns are coming up just as do regular Gps and you do not have to be connected to the internet- but if you want to change the route or ask about POIs then it has to in contact with the internet. We have Verizon air card hot spot (mifi 4510) so our IPAD is connected to the internet most the time while we are driving. The IPAD gps does not have the Voice directions function.

If your iPad is a 3G verison then it does have a real GPS built in the unit. The WiFi ONLY devices do NOT have a GPS built in. You do NOT need to be connected to the Internet if your maps are stored on your iPad. The only time you need an Internet connection is when you are using something like Google Maps or some of the other mapping programs that only download the maps of the areas you are displaying. Purchase a real mapping ap and you will be able to navigate without being connected to the Internet. The iPad would also have the voice navigation with an ap that supplied it.

[texnet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midniteoyl My Samsung Focus has GPS that is accurate to 15 feet if still and 50-60 feet on the move....

A Samsung Focus is a 3G device and has a real GPS built in so it should be accurate.

[texnet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO I'm not sure exactly what the definition of "tablet" includes but I have a 10" HP mini mounted on my dash that handles both our VMSPC and GPS via MS Streets & Trips software. The actual GPS unit is just a USB plug in no larger than a jump drive. Rick

Tablet = no keyboard or a laptop with a screen that can be turned around to use as a computer without a keyboard

One feature that I hope Apple will include on the iPad 3 is a standard USB port that would take a USB GPS, but I don't have much faith in them doing that as they don't like making things that don't require you to purchase something from them

I have a 12vdc computer that I built that has a 10" touch screen. The touch screen is mounted just above all the switches on the left console. I run Windows 7, VMSPC, Garmin PC, Trailer Life Navigator, USB GPS and the CentraFuse front end. I also have a wireless keyboard and mouse. The computer also is used for digital music, storing documents and many other functions. This system allows me the use of the navigation programs via the touch screen just like a standalone GPS does but also provides me touch screen ability to change programs. If I want to map out a trip then I use the keyboard and mouse.