MtnHermit Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I've never owned any Apple product, but I'm very impressed by the iPad. Both by the sales, the interface and how far it is ahead of all the iPad wannabees. If I could load either MapSource or BaseCamp for map viewing that would be a clincher, especially with the 4X resolution iPad 2. Your thoughts? Quote Link to comment
Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) I've never owned any Apple product, but I'm very impressed by the iPad. Both by the sales, the interface and how far it is ahead of all the iPad wannabees. If I could load either MapSource or BaseCamp for map viewing that would be a clincher, especially with the 4X resolution iPad 2. Your thoughts? No way you can do that currently. I have an iPad and it's awesome, but Garmin does not have a iPad app yet and Mapsource/Basecamp is not possible on it. Here's discussion on the Garmin forums relating to your question: https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?t=8322 Edited January 23, 2011 by Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) If they see profit potential for it, Garmin will go there (eventually). I was surprised by their StreetPilot app for the iPhone -- it streams data online rather than storing the maps on the phone, so it's not what you're really looking for. But it shows they're willing to move their products onto other folks' hardware. http://appshopper.com/navigation/garmin-streetpilot Edited January 23, 2011 by Portland Cyclist Quote Link to comment
+mpilchfamily Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Even if Garmin where to create a Basecamp or Mapsource iPhone/iPad app it wouldn't do you much good since you wouldn't be able to connect your GPSr to the iPhone/iPad. Well maybe it could be useful on the iPhone with the iPhone's GPSr. Quote Link to comment
Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Even if Garmin where to create a Basecamp or Mapsource iPhone/iPad app it wouldn't do you much good since you wouldn't be able to connect your GPSr to the iPhone/iPad. Well maybe it could be useful on the iPhone with the iPhone's GPSr. I wonder if Jail Breaking the iPad might not give software developers access to the iPad camera connector's USB port? I have a camera connector/usb device and it does not allow access to very many other usb devices... but then my iPad is not "Jail Broken". Edited January 23, 2011 by Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide Quote Link to comment
MtnHermit Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 Even if Garmin where to create a Basecamp or Mapsource iPhone/iPad app it wouldn't do you much good since you wouldn't be able to connect your GPSr to the iPhone/iPad. Well maybe it could be useful on the iPhone with the iPhone's GPSr. Doesn't the iPad have Bluetooth? A bluetooth GPS dongle can't be that expensive. Besides I'm aiming at the iPad 2, supposed to have a mini-USB port, wouldn't that work? Quote Link to comment
+LukeTrocity Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Even if Garmin where to create a Basecamp or Mapsource iPhone/iPad app it wouldn't do you much good since you wouldn't be able to connect your GPSr to the iPhone/iPad. Well maybe it could be useful on the iPhone with the iPhone's GPSr. Doesn't the iPad have Bluetooth? A bluetooth GPS dongle can't be that expensive. Besides I'm aiming at the iPad 2, supposed to have a mini-USB port, wouldn't that work? Why not get a netbook. Its cheaper and more powerful... Quote Link to comment
Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Even if Garmin where to create a Basecamp or Mapsource iPhone/iPad app it wouldn't do you much good since you wouldn't be able to connect your GPSr to the iPhone/iPad. Well maybe it could be useful on the iPhone with the iPhone's GPSr. Doesn't the iPad have Bluetooth? A bluetooth GPS dongle can't be that expensive. Besides I'm aiming at the iPad 2, supposed to have a mini-USB port, wouldn't that work? Why not get a netbook. Its cheaper and more powerful... I already have 2 Netbooks and they're good computers, but they are not iPads. Quote Link to comment
Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hide Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Even if Garmin where to create a Basecamp or Mapsource iPhone/iPad app it wouldn't do you much good since you wouldn't be able to connect your GPSr to the iPhone/iPad. Well maybe it could be useful on the iPhone with the iPhone's GPSr. Doesn't the iPad have Bluetooth? A bluetooth GPS dongle can't be that expensive. Besides I'm aiming at the iPad 2, supposed to have a mini-USB port, wouldn't that work? You'd still not be able to use Mapsource or BaseCamp since you can't install them on the iPad. Quote Link to comment
+dfx Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I already have 2 Netbooks and they're good computers, but they are not iPads. So you can use Mapsource on them. Big advantage there, isn't it? Quote Link to comment
+LukeTrocity Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) Even if Garmin where to create a Basecamp or Mapsource iPhone/iPad app it wouldn't do you much good since you wouldn't be able to connect your GPSr to the iPhone/iPad. Well maybe it could be useful on the iPhone with the iPhone's GPSr. Doesn't the iPad have Bluetooth? A bluetooth GPS dongle can't be that expensive. Besides I'm aiming at the iPad 2, supposed to have a mini-USB port, wouldn't that work? Why not get a netbook. Its cheaper and more powerful... I already have 2 Netbooks and they're good computers, but they are not iPads. Right they do everything an ipad does and more. I'm just saying instead of trying to find some backwards way of making this work, why not just get something that suits your needs. Edited January 23, 2011 by LukeTrocity Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) MtnHermit: All current iPhone and several iPad models already include a GPS, and there are tons of mapping packages available for them -- what's your real quest here? Specific Garmin maps you want to use, or some other features of the Basecamp/Mapsource familiy? Edited January 23, 2011 by Portland Cyclist Quote Link to comment
MtnHermit Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 MtnHermit: All current iPhone and several iPad models already include a GPS, and there are tons of mapping packages available for them -- what's your real quest here? Specific Garmin maps you want to use, or some other features of the Basecamp/Mapsource familiy? Fair question. While I do content creation, a far larger percentage of my time is spent in content consumption. Since I live solar electric and I can see the Verizon tower out the window, 8 miles. I'm thinking I can significantly lower my power use and significantly up my bandwidth by connecting via a 3G/4G iPad. My terrestrial wireless internet gives me 45 KB/s on a good day, often half that. As to MapSource/Basecamp, they are the only map viewers that will read Garmin maps, is their an iPad app which will open a Garmin .img map? As to GPS reception, don't know that I care, an iPad won't be in my day or backpack. Have plenty of handhelds for that. Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) There is not (yet) any supported iPad/iPhone app that reads Garmin .img maps that I know of. I'm surprised there isn't one yet as there are certainly a lot of OTHER mapping programs available. As I said earlier, I expect Garmin will eventually move into this space as well. Once they see how to make money from it. It's neat that you're talking of an iPad as your HOME computer. As an urbanite with an office job, I have power and bandwidth almost everywhere and computers nearly as ubiquitous as pen and paper. My iDevices are only for when I'm off the mains. But for you I guess this makes sense -- a mountain hermit off the mains all of the time. Edited January 23, 2011 by Portland Cyclist Quote Link to comment
+dfx Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 I'm thinking I can significantly lower my power use and significantly up my bandwidth by connecting via a 3G/4G iPad. My terrestrial wireless internet gives me 45 KB/s on a good day, often half that. Can you explain that a bit more? Are you talking about a wifi router connected to a cable/DSL/modem line, or are you talking something that works off the cell network? Because there's nothing "non-terrestial" about how an ipad goes online. Quote Link to comment
MtnHermit Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) I'm thinking I can significantly lower my power use and significantly up my bandwidth by connecting via a 3G/4G iPad. My terrestrial wireless internet gives me 45 KB/s on a good day, often half that. Can you explain that a bit more? Are you talking about a wifi router connected to a cable/DSL/modem line, or are you talking something that works off the cell network? Because there's nothing "non-terrestial" about how an ipad goes online. The system is made by Motorola, and uses two-way radios at 900 MHz, same as your garage door opener, unlicensed. I'm "talking" to a tower ~7 miles away with a high gain antenna. That tower links to several other towers before seeing copper. Think of 802.11b on steroids. I had Starband satellite internet, but at $70/mo, more than twice what I'm paying now. I live in a county of 100 square miles with 17,000 residents, so the last mile is the problem. A fiber-optic cable runs down the center of the valley, but I know of no one connected to it. When I moved here, Ma Bell wanted ~$5K for a wire and the power company wanted $135K. Hence solar electric and a cell phone. My closest neighbor is 3-miles away, sweet. BTW, I'm talking iPad 2 which I assume will have a CDMA or LTE radio inside. Edited January 23, 2011 by MtnHermit Quote Link to comment
strv122 Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 Garmin's first iPad app: http://www.digitalcyclone.com/products/pilot-my-cast/iPad/ Hopefully, more to come. Will Quote Link to comment
gcerullo Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) @MtnHermit It sounds like you want a device with the low power consumption of the iPad coupled with the ability to use Garmin software and maps and ability to connect to your Garmin GPS receiver. Have you looked at the Apple MacBook Airs? Add a Verizon MiFi for Internet connectivity and I think you have the perfect device to meet your requirements. The MacBook Air runs the full Mac OS X operating system so it can run the full suite of Garmin apps and maps. It has all the connectivity you require, a USB port to connect your Garmin GPSr, Wifi to connect to the MiFi for Internet connectivity, solid state memory and a large battery similar to an iPad. Edited January 23, 2011 by gcerullo Quote Link to comment
+dfx Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 (edited) I live in a county of 100 square miles with 17,000 residents, so the last mile is the problem. A fiber-optic cable runs down the center of the valley, but I know of no one connected to it. When I moved here, Ma Bell wanted ~$5K for a wire and the power company wanted $135K. Hence solar electric and a cell phone. My closest neighbor is 3-miles away, sweet. I see. If you think you can get better connectivity off the cell network, but want to use a "real" PC (which can also be a netbook), you may want to look into those USB sticks with a data-only contract, unless the netbook already has a SIM slot, in which case you can skip the USB stick. Of course, just because you see a cell tower out the window doesn't necessarily mean you actually have 3G/4G coverage. Edited January 23, 2011 by dfx Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 (edited) I'm mostly on the same page with DFX here, for a few reasons... - I'd want to be sure the cellular data coverage was really available before I bought any gear to use it. If the coverage IS there, you can get a connection to one of your existing computers w/o buying a new one. If you have legacy software you feel you can't live without, you really can't move to a new hardware platform. Doesn't mean an iPad wouldn't be a good choice or lots of fun for OTHER reasons -- just that the original rationalizations won't completely justify it Edited January 24, 2011 by Portland Cyclist Quote Link to comment
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