Nexus 7 Replacement for Garmin Pilot

Jim Rosenow

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Jim Rosenow
My Nexus 7 v2012 32G had a gravity well issue this morning (got dropped). Now all I get is a blank screen with a few random sparklies when booting. I've tried the commands for re-setting etc to no avail. I suspect it's time for a replacement unit. Primary usage of the unit is Garmin Pilot.

I like the 7-inch format. Amazon lists a new N7 2013 32G at $254, or new direct replacement for my model at $140. Anyone have any experience with both and their disparate capabilities? Is the difference worth $100?

Are there other tablets I should be considering in the price range?

Thanks for your thoughts!

Jim
 
My N7 v1 bricked so I replaced it with the v2. New features: rear camera, HD resolution, better graphics. Loses the charging port pins on the side.

The N7 has been discontinued and replaced by the N9 at nearly 2x the price. If you like the N7 form factor, features, and value, consider picking up a v2 while they are still available.
 
Get an iPad. Prices have come down on the mini 2's
 
My Nexus 7 v2012 32G had a gravity well issue this morning (got dropped). [...]

I bought a refurbished Nexus 7 2nd gen. of eBay as an upgrade from my 1st gen..
This is the seller I got it from, couldn't be happier: http://www.ebay.com/itm/201177051781


Get an iPad. Prices have come down on the mini 2's

Though about that one too, I actually even have an additional iOS license for iFly, my preferred aviation software. Since I got used to Android, iOS is however not to my liking anymore... ;)
 
Get an iPad. Prices have come down on the mini 2's

I have both, the iPad is more stable for sure, and of course it runs Foreflight.


I use the Nexus 7 for most non-aviation stuff. It's slower and less stable, but it seems like a real computer, especially since I'm all-n with the Google-verse.
 
After Christmas Best Buy had the Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 for $199. While my N7v2 was running fine my wife thought she wanted a tablet. Order a white Tab Pro and went to pick it up after getting a BB email. They couldn't find it and offered a black Tab Pro for $149. Now the 7 gathers dust as I like the 8.4 much better in spite of the Samsung bloatware. Wife is happier with a Kindle paper white.
 
Thanks for your thoughts, folks! I just ordered a refurb N7 2013. I've been using refurbs for years... mostly Lenovo laptops.. hope this works as well.

Your thoughts are well-taken on iOS/Foreflight, but I'm sort of an Android guy. If I could figure out a painless way, I'd port real Linux to a tablet :) Also stuck in the Garmin camp...650 in the panel, 795 on the pilots yoke, and the new unit on the co-pilots side.

Fly safe!
Jim
 
Most "refurbs" are actually brand new, only marketed differently, with white box and 90 day warranty.
 
I purchased the Samsung 8.4" Tab S to replace my dead Nexus 7 (2013). I could have reverted to my old No (2012), but became so enamored with the brilliant Amoled screen on my Samsung Galaxy S5 that when I found out the Tab S had a larger version of the same screen, I had to have it -- price be damned. (It's twice as expensive as the N7 was.)

I have not been disappointed. The screen is absolutely brilliant, and is much more visible in the back hole of our RV-8A. In dim light, I must turn it down or it hurts my eyes.

The Samsung's keyboard is also much nicer than the N7s, with real arrow and delete keys, just like your PC. And that extra inch (8.4" vs. 7") doesn't sound like much, but it really helps the old eyes, while still retaining the handy "fits in your cargo pocket" size.

It also has the ability to snap a special flip cover into receptacles on the backside, which gives you screen protection without being in the way. It also puts the tablet to sleep when you close it, and awakens it when you open it. Nice.

I've got a 8 weeks of flying with it, without a burp. I can highly recommend the Tab S.
 
By the way - the N7 v1 has a sensor (I think it's in the lower right corner) that picks up a magnetic signal. If you get a cover specifically for the Nexus it might have a magnet in that corner. When you close the cover, the sensor reads the magnet and puts the Nexus to sleep, and wakes it up when you open it.

But then you have an extra magnet in the cockpit.

I don't think the v2 has it. I just tried it with a magnet and didn't get it to work. Maybe there is a setting for that?
 
[...] I don't think the v2 has it. I just tried it with a magnet and didn't get it to work. Maybe there is a setting for that?

Mine turns off when I close the case. I suspect it's also done with magnet, which seems to sit somewhere in the left of bezel, as the display turns off as soon as I put the first portion of the 3-segment cover on the screen.
 
A word of warning re: the Nexus 7 tablet. I loved my N7 (2013), as many of you know, but when it bricked, it died completely. It had a frozen screen, never getting past the start-up splash screen, and no number of internet tricks and tips could bring it back to life.

Then, the fun began. I called Asus (the manufacturer), got an RA number (which many people who have dealt with Asus claim is a miracle in itself), was told I did NOT have to include a copy of the purchase receipt (it was less than 6 months old), but I did anyway, because I thought that sounded absurd.

So, I boxed it up, returned it to Asus (in Grapevine, TX, just 2 hours North of me)...and waited.

And waited.

Finally, after a few weeks, I called them. They claimed they had not received it. After insisting that they had (I had the tracking number, for chrissakes), they "found" it, and told me it would be "looked at" in a "few days".

Three days later, I got an email -- and an INVOICE for $200! They claimed it was out of warranty, even though I had included a copy of the purchase receipt proving that it was less than six months old.

I called again, and told them these facts. They, at first, claimed there was no receipt in the box. When I insisted, they then "found" the receipt, but claimed it was for a different Nexus 7! I had returned a 32 GB version, and the receipt was for a 16 GB version, so they claimed.

Now, remember, we had owned FIVE of these Nexus 7s, at one point, so it's not impossible that we had mixed them up -- but this was my personal unit, and Mary had deliberately placed the receipt apart from everything else when we bought it. And mine was the last one purchased.

So....what could it be? Did Sam's Club put the wrong data on their receipt at the time of purchase? Did they actually charge me for a 16 GB, but give me a 32 GB model? I had no idea, but I certainly wasn't going to pay $200 to fix a 6 month old tablet, when a new one could be had for less.

After going round and round, I finally gave up. They mailed it back to me, and I plan on taking it out to the range, where I will use it for target practice, as a reminder to never, ever, EVER buy another Asus product. :mad2:
 
...
After going round and round, I finally gave up. They mailed it back to me, and I plan on taking it out to the range, where I will use it for target practice, as a reminder to never, ever, EVER buy another Asus product. :mad2:

:needpics:
 
I got the 2013 version of the N7. Very happy.

Ditto. I decided to finally do away with paper charts, having started them with Jeppessen during the stone age (or so it seems). So I needed a backup tablet with charts, as a minimum, and ended up getting a 16GB 2013 N7 from Amazon.
I was pleasantly surprised by two features of the Garmin Pilot + GDL-39:
1. They support two devices for the price of a single subscription, so I now have one tablet mounted on each yoke.
2. The GDL-39 has two bluetooth channels so both of my devices get the GPS, ADSB traffic and weather feeds, one per yoke!

So count me as a happy camper. :wink2:
(But waiting to see terrain on the Android GP.)
 
I recently bought an ASUS ME572C 7" tablet from Worst Buy for $150. it's only got 16gb internal storage but accepts a micro sd card for more storage. The processor speed blows away the N7 and the screen is sharper but slightly less bright. I decided to buy this to be my general purpose carry around tablet so I could save my N7 for airplane use only and not risk damaging the N7. The ASUS is proving to be a pretty serious 7" tablet nonetheless and I've already loaded Avare onto it and used it in flight. The N7 is a tad brighter under the RV6's canopy in daylight but if it croaks and I have to resort to using the ASUS instead, it would still do a very good job.
 
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After going round and round, I finally gave up. They mailed it back to me, and I plan on taking it out to the range, where I will use it for target practice, as a reminder to never, ever, EVER buy another Asus product. :mad2:

I would love to see the video. And that gives me a good idea of what to do with the one my wife dropped, breaking the screen and bricking the thing. :D
 
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