GPS shopping - What's the best for all purposes? (Off-roading being one...)

[RobRed]

Here is some video of my setup

ipad install.mov - YouTube

 

[titanpat57]

Great install Bro...looks awesome!!

 

[hicruise55]

So, six months later...

Is the iPad still in the lead? I have navigation in dash and an iPhone as well, road nav. not really needed.

Topo would be nice, hiking, eh? Boat maybe but mainly offroad. Thoughts?

 

[RobRed]

The iPad experience for navigation continues to lead. The iPad hardware continues to improve and the apps, esp. Motion X, is updated continuously. What are you waiting for?

 

[hicruise55]

Was at the Apple store earlier, now with the new release iPad 3 is that the one to get? Is it needed? Or the iPad 2 16g good enough?? Or just go big, or go home... I'm not a "latest and greatest chaser..." Aaron

 

[RobRed]

The screen is phenom on the new gen iPad but if I'm looking for nav I would look for a iPad2 32GB (or 64) 3G model. You should be able to find one on CL now that the 3 is out. Frankly an iPad 1 3G would be great for nav.

You want t a 3g model because it has the GPS hardware. you dont have to provision 3g service if you dont want to.

 

[Mad Matt]

I personally wouldn't pay the premium for a 3G/4G iPad when you can pick up either the Duel Electronics or Bad Elf GPS receiver for about $100.

 

[RobRed]

I personally wouldn't pay the premium for a 3G/4G iPad when you can pick up either the Duel Electronics or Bad Elf GPS receiver for about $100.

Prepare for sarcasm:

Well that's a way to go....

Let me do the math...

Bad Elf at Amazon = $100 OR Duel Electronics at Amazon = $110

versus

Extra Cost on iPad for 3g modem + GPS = $130

if you dont mind recharging an extra device (I know the ELF draws from the host device) that you have to find a home for in the limited area that is a land cruiser or like having something stuck to your iPad dock connector... to save $20... then I think you nailed it.

 

[Mad Matt]

I don't dispute your math or space constraints, but i think the benefit of an external GPS receiver in an auto application more then make up for it. There is a reason why in commercial applications the receiver is positioned somewhere with optimum visibility of the sky (roof or in my case where the windshield meets the dash) and not buried deep in the interior of your car by your transmission or head unit. Just sayin.

What really got me looking down the external receiver route was after I started reading threads on the various aviation forums where pilots have had a lot better success with the external receivers then they had with Apples built in GPS

 

[RobRed]

If you have an installation that requires an external scenario then of course. My experience with ground based navigation with the iPad over the last 2 years is that it works great. Additionally the iPad 2 and 3 have accelerometer and gyroscopes that can enhance the precision of navigation which an external solution may not support. Another advantage of the 3G/GPS model iPad is assisted-GPS which enhances location tracking and speed weather you subscribe to data services or not.

There is a lot of confusion with folks thinking they need to subscribe to a data service with the iPad, and the answer is you don't need to, to get all the gps functionality.

Sent from my iPad 2 using IH8MUD