iPad Mini Killer

[170C]

Bruce did a commendable job recently giving us his personal experience with his new Apple iPad Mini (thanks Bruce). The only criticism I have heard so far (excluding the smaller size for those who prefer the larger 10 inch version) was that it wasn't WAAS capable. I seem to remember that that could be had with a Garmin GDL39 or other separate devices (at add'l $$). I am not sure if I understood this correctly, but that source (not Bruce) thinks Apple will add that internal capability in an upcoming upgraded model (likely more $$).

Now I read the article in the latest (January 2013) issue of FLYING regarding the Google Nexus 7. Seems technology just keeps coming at us at warp speed . Just wondering if anyone out there has personally checked one of these units out or knows someone who has done so (excluding Robert Goyer @ FLYING). At $250 vs approx $660 (32GB Google vs 64 GB Mini) one has to wonder if there are any major shortcomings to the Nexus 7 vs the Mini. Goyer didn't mention how one would mount the Nexus 7 and what websites I saw didn't mention mounts, but they weren't aviation websites. I wasn't clear what app one would purchase with the Nexus 7 in order to have VFR charts or weather data. How about it

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

one has to wonder if there are any major shortcomings to the Nexus 7 vs the Mini.

Well Frank the obvious shortcoming of the Nexus is IT IS NOT A MINI. In other words it is not an Apple product using Apples vast network and library of available programs and the number of programmers programming for it. If all you want to do is have a tablet for navigating you might probably like the NEXUS because it is cheaper. And yes there are likely other programs you can use to do other things like surf the web and read a book.

Here is what I know about an Apple products which I've been using since the mid '80s. They have always cost more. They have always worked. I can not remember EVER meeting a person who bought an Apple product who was disappointed in the product or the work they were able to perform with it. Yes they were disappointed they had to pay to get the quality.

On the other hand I've lost track of people who have bought brand x, y, z, or maybe a, b, or c, of course all operating with operating system M, who are frustrated and not getting the performance or work out of their purchased that they had hoped. And they wished they had just bought the Apple.

So the first thing I will ask is why your comparing a 32g Nexus to a 64g Mini and not the 32g Mini? The price of a Nexus 32g WIFI only is $245. A 32g WIFI only Mini is $429. That is $130 savings and you become a test pilot waiting for developers to port the program they just wrote for the Apple IOS to Andriod (Nexus). Ok you can get a Nexus 32g with data for $299 or the Mini 32g with data for 559.. Now there is a bigger difference as you will save $260 to become a test pilot waiting for the developers to port the program they just wrote for the IOS ot Andriod.

Now the for your question about the GPS. At some point WAAS will likely become standard in all devices so I imagine it will come to the Apple at some point. But it is hardly required for pilots now let alone the vast majority of consumers so they haven't offered it. I'd be surprised that it is actually available built in to the NEXUS now.

If you want WAAS you simply buy the $100 external GPS. Probably the same one you would buy for the NEXUS to get WAAS with it. Of course today your more likely to buy a GDL 39 or it's competitor from Bad Elf or one of the others that will not only give you WAAS but also an ADS-B data link for weather traffic.

As for the program you would use on the Andriod Nexus it would be which ever developer ports their IOS program to that operating system but your choices of programs and the features found in them is likely to be smaller because the programmers will concentrate on the larger Apple IOS market first.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

I don't know why this popped into my head. But I want to correct something from my rant above.

The Nexus 32g comes with a built is GPS. The WIFI only Mini or full size IPad does not have a built in GPS. You have to buy a IPad or Mini with data in order to get that built in GPS. So comparing apples to apples as best we can the Nexus 32G with GPS at $245 and the equivalent Mini is the Mini 32g with data at $559 or a $314 difference.

My point I was trying to make above is you get what you pay for. Yes someone who does not mind being a renegade because few of his friends will have a Nexus, and does not need help with their electronic devices, cause their friends won't have a Nexus like theirs to help them, might enjoy saving $314 and getting something they find useful.

If you are like 9-out of 10 people (this is you Frank), you don't want to engineer your own solution and you would like to ask your friends for help because you just can't quite figure it out, the Apple is the way to go and the price of success is worth it. Now if the Nexus takes the market share and everyone has a Nexus rather than an Apple then the Nexus will be the thing to have but I don't see that happening for a few years and never if Apple has anything to do with it.

[GAHorn]

Frank is not nine out of ten.
Frank is one of a kind.

[170C]

Does it help that my plane is GREEN

[hilltop170]

I don't know anything about any of them but when I'm flying IFR with one instead of paper charts, it needs to work EVERY TIME! The iPad gives me that level of comfort and has never let me down.

[lowNslow]

The nice thing about the iPad is the whole third party support behind it. For software you have your choice of ForeFlight, WingX, Jeppesen, and now even Garmin. On the hardware side it's hard to keep up with all the companies coming out with GPSs, attitude indicators, ADS-B, you name it. We were issued these at work but due to the FAA approval process it is taking forever to implement all features available.

[aldunn]

Bruce I am not to versed on any kind of computors or these forums and this is my first attempt to enter them.My question is is16 GB enough to run one of the flying programs .My wife gave me the mini wifi only for Christmas and apple was kind enough to let me return it even though I had used it.I just want make sure I order the right one this time.Thanks

[c170b53]

Welcome to the forums, you're on a roll after that first big step. Fore flight on my Pad takes up 3 GB, and depending on what you want to load on your for that application will determine your usage. Safe to say with 16Gb you're good to go. If you a heavy user and you put movies, tons of books and many applications into your device, then maybe you want more memory but you'll have to work hard to run out of room.

[GAHorn]

Memory is like engines, bilge-pumps, anchors, and certain other cute things... the bigger the better.
If you can afford 32G ...go for it. If you can afford more ...go for it. Nothing is so irritating as later
discovering for only a few bucks you could avoid buying a whole new device. IMO, (All the guys at work
say 32G is more than enough for all the work they do, charts, performance programs, maintenance mgmt,
photos, etc.)

[bagarre]

"640K ought to be enough for anybody."

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

George has it right. You usually want to buy all the memory you can. But I only bought 32 gigs because of the price and I was advised and it's become true that I would not need more than 32 gigabytes.
The 16 gig machine would've worked as well but by the time you added many programs and songs and all the other things you might want to use it for it probably would've gotten a little tight.

[c170b53]

Really?
I've got fore flight, x- wing, tons of stuff like aircraft manuals, ipc's, plus books pictures and movie clips and I've used 8 GB
I went and bought a 64GB and by the time I fill it up, it will be totally obsolete and likely I will be as well.
O.k. Get a 32 GB, for a first time user, knock yourself out trying to find stuff to put in there.

[bagarre]

Start using a GoPro camera and you'll fill it up quick.

If you've never owned a tablet before, it's hard to judge how much YOU will make use of other features.

When I got mine, I told myself it would be for 'airplane stuff' only.

Now, it's my primary non-work computer.

I use it for everything from airplane stuff to all my photos/email/music/tv shows/books/web browsing and any aviation related game that cost less than $2.00 (and there are a ton of those)

I am very glad I bought the most memory possible at the time, even tho I was convinced i'd never use it all.

I just filled the thing up last week with videos of me landing 81D.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

David is right. If your going to be a video or picture junkie, get all you can afford. But for most of us, I think 32g is about right.

I have Foreflight and Garmin Pilot as well as all the data for the entire US and a whole bunch of other apps. I also have the entire Beatles library as well as about 24 hours of other music and I've used 6g of the 32g I have available.