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iPad plus add on GPS module vs newer iPad

About MiFi:

First of all, you do not need MiFi or connectivity to use the Ipad's built in GPS. You can disable all connection services on the Ipad, and the GPS works just fine, as least as well as on a Garmin aera 500: in fact it may be a better receiver, my friends aera 500 will not access satellites from within my hangar, and my Ipad will.

My experience with 3G on my Ipad has been fairly good. I know that AT&T has a poor reputation, but with my Ipad connected at times with AT&T Edge and other times AT&T 3G, dependent on geographical availability, there have been no unhappy experiences.

The cost to use unlimited connectivity on the Ipad is $29.95 a month, with no contract necessary. You can subscribe directly from the Ipad for a month at a time, and when a month expires you can chose to renew or not. This cost is less than the $39.95 minimum Verizon charges for their MiFi.

Also, I should mention that the newest version of Skype for the Ipad, Skype's update of May 28th, you can now use Skype to make a call with your Ipad over an AT&T 3G or Edge connection. With Edge the bandwidth suffers a little, but with 3G the call is crisp and solid.

TK at PUB
 
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Just FYI,
The unlimited plan is going away, new iPad owners now will only get 2G for 30 days for $25.

I did buy the 3G iPad (currently on order) but I don't intend to use the 3G service. If the GPS was available in the non-3G version I would have gotten that instead.

I *do* intend to try putting my iPhone's SIM into the iPad and see if I can get a data connection that way, so I know I can use it when in a pinch.
 
I went the route of the wifi only with hopes of jailbreaking and using an old bluetooth gps receiver I have to get gps info to the Ipad. Has anyone had success with this? I haven't had a chance to try it yet with mine.
 
IPAD Data Usage:

With the notice by AT&T of changes to their data usage charges, I checked on my Ipad how much data usage I had accumulated since April 30 when I received it. The total listed was sligthtly over 290mb.

All of my ForeFlight and SkyCharts map downloads have been using wifi, to use 3G takes way too long. To check if map updating is charged by AT&T as data usage I just updated my ABQ sectional with Skycharts, and checked the data usage log on the Ipad. It showed in excess of 29mb, which means that you would need to have the 2GB data plan if you were going to depend only on 3G for map updates.

I also checked data usage using ForeFlight to access weather at about a dozen airports and 3 routes. The data log showed 141kb of usage. I should point out that the 290 mb listed above does include using a 3G connection almost exclusively with ForeFlight to access weather since I bought my Ipad. I have also used Weather Underground ( Wonderground ) quite a bit as well as the Ipad mapping program when in the car, including two trips to Albuquerque. My best guess is that a 200mb data plan would easily cover all of the needed non wifi data usage associated with using your Ipad with ForeFlight and or SkyCharts for a month.

For the next month I will probably go with the minimum usage plan of 200mb for $15 and see what happens.

TK at PUB
 
If you like paying $30 for unlimited data, don't change it! You are grandfathered in, but as soon as you pick one of the new plans you can't go back.
 
ccrawford said:
If you like paying $30 for unlimited data, don't change it! You are grandfathered in, but as soon as you pick one of the new plans you can't go back.
Click to expand...

Is AT&T changing their plan strucutre? I still see it advertised for unlimited usage plan for $30/month both in their store and their Web site.

Also they seem to be quite unaware of the GPS in the 3G model. I went to their store today to buy one and they insisted that their GPS (map and location finder) will not work without wifi or 3G connection. We turned the wifi off and it could not find its location on the map but we were inside the building. They were not aware of any GPS chip in the device.

Can any one reverify please? Am I missing it or the sells people were uninformed.

Thanks
 
GPS chip is in the 3G.

Some mapping apps migh not store the maps so without Wifi or 3G you will move off the map.

Unlike some of the reports however, I will state the GPS has a very difficult time or will not find its position if you are moving fast.
 
fkrutzke said:
About MiFi:

First of all, you do not need MiFi or connectivity to use the Ipad's built in GPS. You can disable all connection services on the Ipad, and the GPS works just fine, as least as well as on a Garmin aera 500: in fact it may be a better receiver, my friends aera 500 will not access satellites from within my hangar, and my Ipad will.
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TK at PUB
Click to expand...

The Wi-Fi only version of the iPad does NOT have a built in GPS. If you already have a MiFi with location services, it seems a better solution than the 3G version of the iPad. It also allows you to place the MiFi in a fixed location for better satellite view.
 
I am on my new I Pad right now. It is absolutely awesome. Foreflight is also great, though I have not flown with it yet. I have already downloaded all the maps I will need for my upcoming Bahama trip.
So far I give the I Pad a A+

Chad
 
Just Issued -- MAJOR UPDATE to ForeFlight

I just checked the update page on my Ipad and downloaded ForeFlight's new update.

This solves most of the slight annoyances with Foreflight, and adds several very useful improvements.

To start : ForeFlight now remembers a route when you exit the program and return. This now allows me to look at my checklists using the PDF file viewer and return to ForeFlight with the route still in place.

Second : ForeFlight now has the route function up and running and interfaced with the File and Brief page. To use this enter your route in the Map page, for example, KPUB KORD 153kts 13.3gph 9500ft.

This will then plot the route on the map and create a small overlay on the screen showing route the information ( Time, Fuel Burn, Speed, and Distance ) and buttons for ATC Routes, Reverse, File & Brief and Favorite.

Hitting the Favorite button will save the route for future use, File & Brief will copy it to the File & Brief page and Revese reverses the route on the map screen and in the overlay block.

In the overlay block there is a list of the airports entered that when touched bring the Airport Page for that waypoint.

When you start the GPS, then at the bottom of the screen a progress window ( strip ) opens which shows groundspeed, GPS altitude, Track and Accuracy.

On the overlay that shows the route and route data, the program takes into account winds aloft.

Of course, I have not had a chance to use this in the air, anw will not until my plane is out of annual inspection. If the new pages / updatew work as well as the reswt of the program, this gives ForeFlight a major leg up on the competition.


The Ipad offers an great deal of potential, and with ForeFlight is now an extremely useful flight planning tool, especiallt with inflight georeferenced Sectional, or IFR Low charts.

TK at PUB
 
Foreflight

I agree, the new updates are great. As a new apple user, I find myself struggling a little to change speeds from being a microsoft user but I am getting it.

I did find some videos that foreflight has out on their site that did help me figure it out.
Last night I planned flights all over the place and compared the flight times between the 172 and what I hope my 9a to hit. Big difference, big fun.

Nice stuff.
 
Having flown using the Ipad and new update from ForeFlight, I have only one suggestion.

On the flight progress strip at the bottom of the screen which shows Groundspeed, GPS Altitude, Track and Accuracy they need to add one other item, estimated time enroute remaining or ETE that updates from the present GPS location.

One nice touch noted : when using a multiple waypoing flight plan, for instance, KPUB KLAA KGBD KEMP KSUS, the layout on the route shows each waypoint with a marker. If you touch that marker, KEMP for instance, you are presented with the waypoint name, Emporia Muni, the altitude and the necessary CTAF or Tower Frequency. If the waypoint is a VOR, EMP as an example, touching the marker lists Name, ie. EMP, type, vortac and Lattitude and Longitude. This also holds true if the waypoint is a ndb.

Also, when you use a multiple waypoint route, using airports, ForeFlight downloads AND CACHES all the most current weather for those airport waypoints.

ForeFlight is making great strides in improving their program. It is an amazing piece of software, and when coupled with the IPAD 3G makes the package a "real deal" compared to the Garmin 695. Now, if only ForeFlight will georeference the approach plates and make synthetic vision available "GOODBY GARMIN."

TK at PUB
 
anti-glare film

The one complaint I have had with the ipad is the glare issue with the screen. I installed an anti-glare film on the ipad today and it made a world of difference. I also do not detect any degradation in the operation of the touch pad. I researched this before I ordered and found a review of 6 different ant-glare films online and I ordered the one rated highest which was a little more expensive that some of the others.
http://www.powersupportusa.com/product/show/ipad-antiglare-film

( Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with this company )
 
Get your iPad later if you can bear to wait because...

The next version is going to be so much better according a little apple insight guesstimating I've been getting...

In addition to a new camera you can be pretty sure it's going to get the newer technology that would be interesting for us you now find on the latest iPhone.

The Retina quality display and the addition of a 3 axis gyroscope are going to really open the door for better applications.

http://www.apple.com/iphone/design/

And like the iPhone, when the newer version comes out, the current ones will drop in price if you are happy with the current design. :D
 
When looking at what the new Iphone will have and comparing to the Ipad, the Ipad already has the A4 Processor as well as most of the other features.

At the end of the summer, Apple will have a new opperating system available for download that will allow multi-tasking and some other features. Where the Ipad falls short is with the multi-pin port, even using the USB adapter, it is not USB compliant for anything other than headphones, keyboard and some photo/video IO, either direct camera or to a SD card. This is software dependent and can be circumvented by jail breaking. Hopefully Apple will make other USB functions available in their software update. It would be nice to address a printer and maybe an XM weather receiver, either through USB or Bluetooth.

TK at PUB
 
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