Months back I tested (using barrowed tablets) the Garmin Pilot on the Ipad and on a Samsung 8.9? tablet. Unfortunately the Garmin Pilot for the Android operating system wasn?t as mature as the Ipad version and there really wasn't fair comparison on performance between the two. So I decided to wait to commit to a tablet. I found both the Ipad and Samsung 8.9? to be too large to use in the cockpit. I also wanted to see if Garmin was going to update the Android version and make it on pair with the Ipad version. A few weeks ago Apple announced the Ipad mini and its pricing. Additionally Google announced they were releasing a 32g Nexus 7 (built in gps receiver) for $249. With the 16g Ipad mini selling for $329 (no gps receiver in the mini), and the 32g Ipad mini selling for $429, the 32g Nexus 7 is a compelling option. The real question in my min was whether the Garmin Pilot on Android worked as well on the Nexus as it did on the Ipad.
First off I did look at the Ipad Mini over at Best Buy. It is very nice but a bit too wide to hold in the hand comfortably, the Nexus fits nicely. I plan on using this tablet for other things besides flight planning and navigation so the ergonomics are important to me. Additionally the image on the screen on the Ipad Mini isn?t as sharp as the Nexus due to the lower pixel count. So I decided to purchase a 32g Nexus 7 from Walmart (they have 15 day return policy) and load up the Garmin Pilot (30 day free trial) and see how it works.
The Nexus 7 GPS receiver is great. It picked up at least 7 satellites while I was sitting in my house. It takes only 10-20 seconds to lock satellites when in the cockpit. Far better then my cell phone and quicker then my Garmin 496.
The Garmin Pilot works great on the Nexus 7. Garmin has continually updated the program for the Android operating system and it has all I hoped it would have had months ago. My wife ran the Nexus 7 while I flew. She really liked being able to see more on the Nexus 7 then the 496.
Like all the tablets the screen is a bit hard to see in bright light, but it isn't the best but is manageable.
All in all the Nexus 7 appears to be a winner from my standpoint. I got the 32g version just in case I need the storage space (music, movies, etc.) However the 16g Nexus 7 (at $199) would most likely have met all my current and future needs.
For those interested in the Ipad Mini, Walmart had stock on the first release date while Best Buy didn?t.
First off I did look at the Ipad Mini over at Best Buy. It is very nice but a bit too wide to hold in the hand comfortably, the Nexus fits nicely. I plan on using this tablet for other things besides flight planning and navigation so the ergonomics are important to me. Additionally the image on the screen on the Ipad Mini isn?t as sharp as the Nexus due to the lower pixel count. So I decided to purchase a 32g Nexus 7 from Walmart (they have 15 day return policy) and load up the Garmin Pilot (30 day free trial) and see how it works.
The Nexus 7 GPS receiver is great. It picked up at least 7 satellites while I was sitting in my house. It takes only 10-20 seconds to lock satellites when in the cockpit. Far better then my cell phone and quicker then my Garmin 496.
The Garmin Pilot works great on the Nexus 7. Garmin has continually updated the program for the Android operating system and it has all I hoped it would have had months ago. My wife ran the Nexus 7 while I flew. She really liked being able to see more on the Nexus 7 then the 496.
Like all the tablets the screen is a bit hard to see in bright light, but it isn't the best but is manageable.
All in all the Nexus 7 appears to be a winner from my standpoint. I got the 32g version just in case I need the storage space (music, movies, etc.) However the 16g Nexus 7 (at $199) would most likely have met all my current and future needs.
For those interested in the Ipad Mini, Walmart had stock on the first release date while Best Buy didn?t.