iPad vs. Nexus 7

Here is a two month user update on the Nexus 7:

I continue to find new things to do with this amazing device. I've created NFC tags and stuck 'em in the plane (to automatically start Garmin Pilot) and in the car (to automatically start CoPilot GPS). Try doing THAT with an iPad! (No NFC capability in any Apple products yet.)

We've purchased two Logitech Bluetooth receivers for our home and hangar stereo systems. (My daughter bought one for her iHome in her bedroom, too.). We now control all of our Cloud-resident music from anywhere, using the Nexus 7. As a result, we are rarely without music.

Mary has read several books on hers. Strangely, she hated reading on the iPad (something I never could understand), but loves reading on the N7. I read ALL of my news on it, now, finally breaking a 50-year newspaper habit. Because it can be toted in a cargo pocket, it goes with me everywhere.

In flight, it's been terrific, especially now that Garmin has updated their Pilot software to work properly with a 7" tablet. Just make sure you've got the 2.1 amp charge cord that works with Android products!

I've watched feature length movies on it, using Bluetooth stereo headphones for the sound. It works and looks great. I watch college football on it, using the ESPN Live app. Video is one of the N7's strongest points, thanks to it's NVidia video processor -- and it looks great.

I use the N7 all day, every day -- often 8 to 10 hours, for everything from email, to Facebook, to PofA. Battery life has been excellent.

I bought a Bluetooth keyboard because I've always hated faux keyboards. Amazingly, it sits on the charger, unused, as I've grown to really like the N7's faux keyboard. (Wish I could say the same about my phone's...). The N7 is small enough to hold properly, but the keys are large enough so I don't fat-finger them.

Today I watched as the FIFTH person I know got a Nexus 7. All I have to do is let them watch me use mine for a while. I then hand it to them to play with.

Hook, line, sinker -- SOLD! :D

I've had mine since the Nexus 7 first came out in July. I use it all day, every day, for everything. This is the single best piece of electronics I have ever bought -- and that's really saying something. I literally couldn't be happier with it.

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
All of the above mentioned works with an iPad including location aware apps that launch when you're at a particular place, which is essentially what you're using NFC for.

And it did it years earlier. Yawn.

It's nice that you caught up, though. ;)
 
denverpilot said:
All of the above mentioned works with an iPad including location aware apps that launch when you're at a particular place, which is essentially what you're using NFC for.

And it did it years earlier. Yawn.

It's nice that you caught up, though. ;)
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I suspect you will be first in line for a 7" iPad. The advantage of that form factor is enormous -- much more than I would have guessed, having owned an iPad.

Now, if only Apple could do something about their OS, the rumored 7" iPad could really give the Nexus 7 a run for the money! :D

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
Jay Honeck said:
Now, if only Apple could do something about their OS, the rumored 7" iPad could really give the Nexus 7 a run for the money! :D
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Funny that you say that, because if the Nexus 7 ran iOS, they would sell tens of millions of them ;)

I would buy one in a second. Sadly, they don't.
 
Jay, did you get an update for Garmin Pilot that fixes the rubber-banding blue screen? That's my only current "glitch" where something doesn't work.

I'm seriously looking at the Nexus Q to add to my main stereo system to stream my music from Google. I'll look at other options too
 
TMetzinger said:
Jay, did you get an update for Garmin Pilot that fixes the rubber-banding blue screen? That's my only current "glitch" where something doesn't work.

I'm seriously looking at the Nexus Q to add to my main stereo system to stream my music from Google. I'll look at other options too
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Nope, not yet -- but I don't really use that feature, so I haven't missed it.

On a more important note, Google has NFL Madden 2012 on sale for 25 cents at the play store right now! :D

(They've been celebrating 25 billion app downloads all week by putting a bunch of apps on sale....)

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
My laptop lost 90% of its usage when I got my iPad. My iPad has lost 90% of its usage since getting the Nexus 7, mainly because of the convenient form factor, plus it's light enough to velcro to my newly revised RAM mount. Super convenient. Used it tonight for a 200 nm night x-c jaunt in the Apache Geronimo. It is definitely a great little device.

Biggest disappointment to date is lack of support for Square's credit card app/card reader.
 
denverpilot said:
All of the above mentioned works with an iPad including location aware apps that launch when you're at a particular place, which is essentially what you're using NFC for.

And it did it years earlier. Yawn.

It's nice that you caught up, though. ;)
Click to expand...

How do you do that without NFC?
 
SkyHog said:
How do you do that without NFC?
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The App has to do it. I have a few that do. Developers seem slow on the uptake on it.

One is a weather alert App that knows where you are and gives appropriate weather alerts.

Another is a podcatcher App that starts downloading my podcasts every time I pull into my driveway.

Aviation apps don't seem to be big on it, but if Foreflight added a feature to download the latest weather maps every time I pulled onto the airport grounds, I'd probably use it.
 
denverpilot said:
The App has to do it. I have a few that do. Developers seem slow on the uptake on it.

One is a weather alert App that knows where you are and gives appropriate weather alerts.

Another is a podcatcher App that starts downloading my podcasts every time I pull into my driveway.

Aviation apps don't seem to be big on it, but if Foreflight added a feature to download the latest weather maps every time I pulled onto the airport grounds, I'd probably use it.
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I see, it must use GPS. The problem is that for a location that moves (for example, an airplane or a car), without NFC, you can't launch an app when you enter the location -

For example - you fly to Podunk, Mo. for the first time. You go get lunch and get a rental car. Your iDevice won't know you're in a car. When you get back, your iDevice won't know you're in a plane (although, I suppose you could do it based on GPS being at an Airport...).

That's where NFC comes in REALLY handy.
 
The NFC thing is cool, and I don't think Apple has an equivalent.

However I can just hold the home button and say "Open ForeFlight" and it does. That works for any app, and that's good enough for me.

Can you do that on an Android Device?
 
Mafoo said:
The NFC thing is cool, and I don't think Apple has an equivalent.

However I can just hold the home button and say "Open ForeFlight" and it does. That works for any app, and that's good enough for me.

Can you do that on an Android Device?
Click to expand...

Yes. Android had voice command for years before siri was even considered at Apple.
 
SkyHog said:
Yes. Android had voice command for years before siri was even considered at Apple.
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I know they have had it for a while (however Siri was considered before there was Android, so that's not really an accurate statement).

But the question I have, is can you pull your android phone out of your pocket, hold a button down, and say "Open Pandora", and you are in the app?

I am not saying it won't do that, I just have never seen that done. All the voice activation I have seen on Android, requires the OS to first be opened up, and then a soft key pressed.

Can you just launch an app with voice commands on Android, from a locked device?
 
Mafoo said:
I know they have had it for a while (however Siri was considered before there was Android, so that's not really an accurate statement).

But the question I have, is can you pull your android phone out of your pocket, hold a button down, and say "Open Pandora", and you are in the app?

I am not saying it won't do that, I just have never seen that done. All the voice activation I have seen on Android, requires the OS to first be opened up, and then a soft key pressed.

Can you just launch an app with voice commands on Android, from a locked device?
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Sent from my Nexus 7
 
Jay Honeck said:
Sent from my Nexus 7
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Edit: Funny. I was trying to cut your question about voice searching -- and accidentally fat-fingered a series of keystrokes that instantly sent a reply, before I had a chance to enter anything. :rolleyes:

Too bad I don't know what they were... :D

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
Mafoo said:
I know they have had it for a while (however Siri was considered before there was Android, so that's not really an accurate statement).

But the question I have, is can you pull your android phone out of your pocket, hold a button down, and say "Open Pandora", and you are in the app?

I am not saying it won't do that, I just have never seen that done. All the voice activation I have seen on Android, requires the OS to first be opened up, and then a soft key pressed.

Can you just launch an app with voice commands on Android, from a locked device?
Click to expand...

Oh...that I don't know. There's probably a way to map a button to voice command, but I don't know how, I never bothered with it much.
 
Mafoo said:
Can you just launch an app with voice commands on Android, from a locked device?
Click to expand...

If "Google Now" is running, yes. If not, you tap the microphone icon and talk. From the web:

Voice Action Commands – Here’s the list of voice actions commands you can use with Google’s Voice Search, which is activated by tapping the microphone icon on the search bar (or just by speaking, if Google Now is running). Say the phrase and then whatever you are looking for after it.

Map of…
Directions to…
Navigate to…
Go to…
Send email…
Note to self…
Set alarm…
Listen to…

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
ok, so those are all good.

But for me, if I had NFC in the iPad, and could do what your doing, I still wouldn't. I would snap it into my plane, hold down the start button, and say "Open ForeFlight".

Both do the same thing slightly differently. I will say my way requires an internet connection, so that's less handy. However it works anywhere, anytime, with any app, when you have one :).
 
Mafoo said:
ok, so those are all good.

But for me, if I had NFC in the iPad, and could do what your doing, I still wouldn't. I would snap it into my plane, hold down the start button, and say "Open ForeFlight".

Both do the same thing slightly differently. I will say my way requires an internet connection, so that's less handy. However it works anywhere, anytime, with any app, when you have one :).
Click to expand...

NFC is in its infancy. As a baby, it's a bit hard to predict, and occasionally misbehaves.

Some glitches are annoying. For example, best I can determine, NFC cannot configure your device to connect to my WiFi unless you are running the app that let's that function work. Well, crap, that doesn't help the 99.6% of NFC-equipped device-users who DON'T have that app installed.

Until that functionality is built into the OS, this part of NFC will be a user-specific trick pony. Too bad, as it would be very helpful to me if our hotel guests could connect to our WiFi simply by waving their device over an NFC tag. Heck, I would put one in every guestroom book.

Still, it's cool to play with, and will hopefully continue to improve.

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
Heh heh... this one will make Jay laugh...

"I don't always use maps, but when I do, it's Apple Maps." - Amelia Earhart

(Shamelessly stolen from a buddy's Facebook post of similar wording, after adding the meme.)
 
I had to use maps on my iPhone this weekend, and I will say the Apple maps is absolute crap.

However I was able to use Google web app just fine, and it found what I was looking for.
 
This post pushed me to pick up a nexus 7 to "try out". The ipad is just too bulky, especially to mount on a smaller yoke. I am really impressed and have very few complaints.

It would be nice if the power and volume buttons were separated a bit more and it feels like I am going to break the power cord when plugging in.

Garmin pilot works perfect. The gps signal on the ipad 2 works indoors, and nexus 7 rarely gets a signal. I haven't tried it while flying or driving, but haven't seen any complaints.

There is a free gps app called copilot which saves maps to the drive which makes a great car gps. It even stores waypoints, etc.


How many hours are you getting out of it with Garmin pilot and full brightness?
 
Mike5250 said:
This post pushed me to pick up a nexus 7 to "try out". The ipad is just too bulky, especially to mount on a smaller yoke. I am really impressed and have very few complaints.

It would be nice if the power and volume buttons were separated a bit more and it feels like I am going to break the power cord when plugging in.

Garmin pilot works perfect. The gps signal on the ipad 2 works indoors, and nexus 7 rarely gets a signal. I haven't tried it while flying or driving, but haven't seen any complaints.

There is a free gps app called copilot which saves maps to the drive which makes a great car gps. It even stores waypoints, etc.


How many hours are you getting out of it with Garmin pilot and full brightness?
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Interesting comment on the GPS. Most comments I've read about the N7's GPS have been positive. My personal experience is that it locks on quickly and never loses lock.

Copilot is free, but its worth it to buy the full app. This gets you a much more polished 3D display, and a slew of features.

Battery life is excellent. I go all day, every day, on one charge, and I'm a heavy user. In the plane, with Bluetooth, GPS, Garmin Pilot, and full brightness, its a good idea to plug in. It's fine for a hamburger flight and back, but longer flights you'll want ship's power.

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
I just ordered a Nexus 7, in preparation for using it during my flight to Alabama in a few days. I already have an ASUS Transformer, but I've found the 10" form factor to be too large for the cockpit, I've had some GPS locking issues with the TF101 too (although I did solve those with an external bluetooth unit). Anyhow, I'm anxious to see how well it works out.
 
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I, too. Am surprised by the GPS comment. My Nexus 7 consistently locks on faster and more reliably in more places than my iPad or Droid phone.

Used it for a quick 200nm night flight Sat. night and return Sun. night in the Apache and it was flawless. ForeFlight is still a better app than GP, but GP us certainly "good enough" to use....and a bit cheaper now.
 
LDJones said:
I, too. Am surprised by the GPS comment. My Nexus 7 consistently locks on faster and more reliably in more places than my iPad or Droid phone.

Used it for a quick 200nm night flight Sat. night and return Sun. night in the Apache and it was flawless. ForeFlight is still a better app than GP, but GP us certainly "good enough" to use....and a bit cheaper now.
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Yeah, Garmin Pilot is still a second tier program, but it improved greatly with the last update, so I'm hopeful that it will rapidly catch up.

Sent from my Nexus 7
 
While I don't have a ADB-S receiver so I don't get traffic, I do have a 10 inch transformer tablet. I don't have it mounted because it would block to much of the panel. I use it like I would a chart, I pick it up and confirm where I am and where I'm going every few minutes. I don't fly with the chart in my lap and a finger on the leg so it's not really a big change. I do like the larger form factor because when I am looking at it I see more of the charts. I also have a 530W in the panel so it's not like I'm going to be lost without it anyway. Mostly I use it to avoid having to get/use paper charts. I have a current local chart for my home area but carry a few expired ones as backup if I lose both panel mount and portable gps displays. So for me the bigger form factor is the most important reason for not getting a Nexus.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Yeah, Garmin Pilot is still a second tier program, but it improved greatly with the last update, so I'm hopeful that it will rapidly catch up.
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I have to ask a Wayne style question:

What makes you believe from current evidence, that they will ever treat it as more than a "second tier" program within Garmin?

(I'd say tenth tier, or lower... But we'll go with second tier.)
 
I got to speak to Garmin Tech Support about Pilot. The guy knew the product, knew the developers, and left me with the impression that Garmin sees the program as a good thing. The current discount of $49.95 will go away and subscribers will be paying essentially $100.00 per year for the product, and more for add-ons like SafeTaxi.

I expect that while it won't be as profitable as their other lines, at least within the aviation side of the house it should be pretty good.

It's a second-tier product on the iPad.. but it's got less competition on Android.
 
I just signed up for the 30 day trial.
question: if I purchase a year subscription for $49.95, will that be tacked onto my current 30 day trial for a total of 13 months?
 
Nexus 7 is great, but I bought a Galaxy Tab 2, 7.0.

It has a few more niceties than the Nexus.

Perfect size in a GA cockpit, mounted to yoke.

I've been using Naviator for about a year.
It is great and reasonably priced.



When it came down to it, $250 was the right price & size for a tablet.
 
Badger said:
I just signed up for the 30 day trial.
question: if I purchase a year subscription for $49.95, will that be tacked onto my current 30 day trial for a total of 13 months?
Click to expand...
Checking... No. subscription expires 1 year from when you buy it.
 
TMetzinger said:
Checking... No. subscription expires 1 year from when you buy it.
Click to expand...

thanks.
(I do recall posts here about purchasing 2-3 years subscriptions at this price, I wonder if that strategy works)
 
I've got one gripe with the Nexus 7 Hardware... the headset port is really a headphones port - TRS, not TRRS, and that means there's no audio input on it. Means things like the SQUARE credit card reader won't work, and it means that you can't use it as an easy sound recorder when wired to your headset.

Not a deal-breaker for me, but when i see the word "headset" I have the concept of earphones AND a microphone.
 
Jay Honeck said:
Yeah, Garmin Pilot is still a second tier program, but it improved greatly with the last update, so I'm hopeful that it will rapidly catch up.
Click to expand...

The problem is they need a top down redesign if they want to get nywhere close to FF. They've made design decisions that I think will forever hobble it. I hope I'm wrong.
 
Ghery said:
Now if it would just recognize that I bought it...
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You need to login to garmin pilot and set up that crosslink to the google account for your android device.

Edit... maybe not. You may just do it all by giving it your Garmin Pilot login info. Be sure you're logged in on the Subscriptions page.
 
TMetzinger said:
I've got one gripe with the Nexus 7 Hardware... the headset port is really a headphones port - TRS, not TRRS, and that means there's no audio input on it. Means things like the SQUARE credit card reader won't work, and it means that you can't use it as an easy sound recorder when wired to your headset.

Not a deal-breaker for me, but when i see the word "headset" I have the concept of earphones AND a microphone.
Click to expand...

I agree that bites. I use Square for credit card payments nd had hoped to use it for that. Darn.
 
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