someone help a iVirgin

WannFly

WannFly

Final Approach
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Priyo
ok i admit i am iVirgin but going to go with a 9.7 inch Pro with 128 GB storage and GPS. plan to pair it with GDL-39 and Garmin pilot (not to start a FF vs GP war, i already have 1 yr free subscription of garmin)
i am on bestbuy site, and i only see the GPS option tied to one of the cellular providers, i dont want a data connection right now . do i have a choice of buying a Pro with GPS chip thats not tied to a provider?
 
IIRC you are a student pilot. Put the tablet money into training. Get your cert and then fly with others who use those things and compare by playing with the toy while someone else flies the plane.
 
What an iTease. sigh.

Pricing is pretty much the same if you buy from Best Buy or Apple. Just go to Apple and you won't need to sign up for a cellular provider. Plus, if you're a student, I think you get a small discount. (No such discount from Best Buy.)
 
rtk11 said:
What an iTease. sigh.

Pricing is pretty much the same if you buy from Best Buy or Apple. Just go to Apple and you won't need to sign up for a cellular provider. Plus, if you're a student, I think you get a small discount. (No such discount from Best Buy.)
Click to expand...
I don't even see an option with gps on apples site, it only lists the WiFi versions unless I am missing something

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I believe all iPad Pros are GPS + WiFi enabled. You just need to pick one up from Apple and just not select a carrier.

I am doing the same with an iPad 4 that I have. I don't have an SIM card in it, but the GPS works just fine.
 
rtk11 said:
I believe all iPad Pros are GPS + WiFi enabled. You just need to pick one up and just not select a carrier.
Click to expand...
Cool, thanks

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You can find a 4G iPad on Ebay sans SIM card. And, cheaper than store bought. Plenty of sellers with 100% or 99.9% positive feedback on 1000+ transactions. I got an iPad Air2 64GB 4G for a greatly discounted price because the mic was inop. Other than that, it looks and works like brand new. Works for me.
 
rtk11 said:
I believe all iPad Pros are GPS + WiFi enabled. You just need to pick one up from Apple and just not select a carrier.

I am doing the same with an iPad 4 that I have. I don't have an SIM card in it, but the GPS works just fine.
Click to expand...
Found the option with wifi and cellular...

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From what I understand, you will have to purchase the option with the GPS chip. Even though it's advertised as the model that allows for a data plan with a wireless provider, you do NOT have to activate it. You just need the GPS that's built into the iPad.

I use my iPhone 7+ and it's plenty big enough for me.
 
If you want to download all the DBs, you need the 128. Foreflight is a huge data hog.
 
I wouldn't buy a pro for in-cockpit use. I had a standard size for a while before they made a pro and I felt like it was too big. I have had a mini 32GB for a number of years now and I prefer it. Screen is the perfect size for in-flight use and for VFR/IFR low charts in the continental US, 32gb is more than enough. FF is only using just under 13GB on my tablet. I suppose if you download EVERYTHING it probably takes more but unless you want to put a bunch of other apps/movies/photos/etc on the ipad as well I would thing 32 or 64GB would be sufficient.

*edit to add
and if you select a bunch of data you won't need... charts for places you definitely won't go to and such you're going to have to wait for that stuff to download for every. single. update. It takes forever even on a reasonably speedy connection.
 
The pro size is too big for cockpit. Even the standard can be too big. I'm thinking of the mini for my next cockpit tablet.
 
Ryanb said:
From what I understand, you will have to purchase the option with the GPS chip. Even though it's advertised as the model that allows for a data plan with a wireless provider, you do NOT have to activate it. You just need the GPS that's built into the iPad.

I use my iPhone 7+ and it's plenty big enough for me.
Click to expand...

My first iPad had the gps chip. Depending on where it was in the cockpit it would lose the gps lock.
My second iPad does not have the gps. I use a Bad Elf Pro on Bluetooth for gps data. The Elf stays on the glareshield, no issues.

I'm not familiar with the gdl garmin unit that the OP was going to use. Does it provide gps much like the Stratus? Then GPS receiver in the iPad is not needed.

I also run a dual band Stratux receiver on wifi for ADSB in data.
 
BillTIZ said:
The pro size is too big for cockpit. Even the standard can be too big. I'm thinking of the mini for my next cockpit tablet.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean, but there's a 9.7" "Pro" model alongside the 12.9".

Waiting a month or so might be prudent, as others have suggested. Just guessing, but a Mini "Pro" does not seem out of the realm of possibility.
 
BillTIZ said:
My first iPad had the gps chip. Depending on where it was in the cockpit it would lose the gps lock.
My second iPad does not have the gps. I use a Bad Elf Pro on Bluetooth for gps data. The Elf stays on the glareshield, no issues.

I'm not familiar with the gdl garmin unit that the OP was going to use. Does it provide gps much like the Stratus? Then GPS receiver in the iPad is not needed.

I also run a dual band Stratux receiver on wifi for ADSB in data.
Click to expand...
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/93601

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I have a history with iDevices with and without active cell plans. The gps is reliable without cell service. I use a GDl39-3D and it's also very reliable. This new equipment is incredible for the price, and that includes Garmin Pilot.
 
You pay just a bit more for the cellular-capable with GPS, but then again you get a bit more for it when it's time to move on.

With the overall price of admission so low, I always go with the cellular models. As a datapoint, in all these years we've bought two months of cellular service for road trips. Other times our iphones get us by when there's no WiFi available.
 
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