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Ok guys, since I have stopped building I guess my new hobby is reviewing products...so on the tails of my Fuel flow instrument review here is a Google Nexus 7 Android tabet review:
Background:
So 8 months ago I decided that I wanted an iPad after flying with a friend that had one, they are so cool and work really well. So my wife suprised me with a New iPad 3 for my birthday back in May. I love the damn thing for more reasons then I thought, but the problem is it really doesn't fit in the Pitts S-1 cockpit very well. I don't like flying with it on my leg because I want to beable to fly aerobatics with it too. So the only logical solution is for the tablet to fit on the panel with a Ram mount but it covers over 1/4 of most of the vital instruments like Tach, Airspeed and Altitude (this is before the iPad Mini came out). So along comes the iPad Mini. I really like it too and It will fit on the panel, but I couldn't bring myself to pay $350 for something without a built in GPS and I also couldn't bring myself to paying another $100 for an external Bluetooth GPS antenna either or the extra $150 for the 3G/4G version either. The only soulution to all my problems was the Google Nexus 7, which is $250 with a great built in GPS reciever and 32 gigs of memory and a better screen than the the iPad Mini it also fits perfectly between the instrument velco'd to sequence card holder.
Google Nexus 7 with Garmin Pilot App:
I initially haven't been ready to jump to the Android tablet for aviation because I didn't like the apps yet. Avilution is alright but not quite the app that I wanted. Garmin Pilot for Android is the best so far but it should be classified alright when compared to the iPad verion as it lacks a few really nice features of the Garmin iPad app.
The Nexus 7 is a great size and the screen resolution is fantastic and very clear. The touch screen is also great. It seems to be very fast and smooth when operating the Garmin App. The GPS locks really fast and seems to be very accurate. I was able to get a lock inside my house within about 20 secs. While flying I occasionally loose lock but it comes right back. I suspect if you had the 3G/4G GPS version of the iPad it would do the same. The Pitts Cockpit is kind of a Faraday cage with all the aluminum skins. The battery life seems to petty good, google says 10 hours but constantly running it is a bit less. Also the batter seems to drain if put in sleep with the Apps running where as the iPad stops this. So bottom line is kill the apps when not using the tablet and you should get 5 maybe 6+ hours while navigating. Bottom line is this tablet is a absolute steal for $250.
Garmin Android App:
The Garmin Android App is not quite as good as the iPad app like I said but has almost all the feature you would need. It is capable of getting ADS-B weather through Garmin's ADS-B reciever GDL-39 reciever ($799) I haven't used that feature yet. It is very resonably priced at $50 per year with all the approach procedures and sectionals for the USA (this includes fuel prices as well). If you want Geo-referencing it is an Additional $50. This is the most inexpensive out of both Wing X pro 7 and Foreflight for the iPad. The App is fairly intuative and has some good weather features as far as Metars, TAF's and winds aloft along your route of flight. It also has a split screen mode to show you that but I wish you could split screen the Approach plate like on the Garmin iOS app. Right now you can only split screen the weather. It also doesn't have scratch pad feature either. But for the basic VFR pilot in a Pitts or Skybolt this is a real economical solution for a GPS. If you want to add a bit more reliable GPS signal you can use a blue tooth GPS reciever like the Dual GPS 150 not sure if the Bad Elf blue tooth GPS reciever works for it yet. But for my needs the built in GPS seems to work alright.
CONS
Three things I really dislike about this app is the portrait view of the flight planner page needs to allow the DUATS filing details to minimize so you can see your NAV log. If you rotate the tablet to landscape it shows better but still not as good as iOS version. The second thing is there is no provision in either the iOS version or Android version to switch to MPH units like most of us fly in. And the Third is no track up feature (although Wing X pro 7 is only one that allows that)
I wish the there were runway centerline extensions. I also wish you can point on the map to see how far you are away from something (great for calling 10 miles out to unfamilier airport).
In Summary:
The Google Nexus 7 is a great tablet for $250 it is as good or better than iPad Mini (I have an iPad 3 I love it just doesn't fit in my cockpit). The Garmin App for Android is alright compared to Foreflight and Wing X Pro 7 (only avail for iOS) but Garmin seems to be updating the Android app all the time and features come available almost weekly so maybe it will improve. That all being said it is still the best Android App on the market place. Avilution is a close second (and has track up but it is glitchy) but it is missing quite few options I really like to even be considered right now.
Background:
So 8 months ago I decided that I wanted an iPad after flying with a friend that had one, they are so cool and work really well. So my wife suprised me with a New iPad 3 for my birthday back in May. I love the damn thing for more reasons then I thought, but the problem is it really doesn't fit in the Pitts S-1 cockpit very well. I don't like flying with it on my leg because I want to beable to fly aerobatics with it too. So the only logical solution is for the tablet to fit on the panel with a Ram mount but it covers over 1/4 of most of the vital instruments like Tach, Airspeed and Altitude (this is before the iPad Mini came out). So along comes the iPad Mini. I really like it too and It will fit on the panel, but I couldn't bring myself to pay $350 for something without a built in GPS and I also couldn't bring myself to paying another $100 for an external Bluetooth GPS antenna either or the extra $150 for the 3G/4G version either. The only soulution to all my problems was the Google Nexus 7, which is $250 with a great built in GPS reciever and 32 gigs of memory and a better screen than the the iPad Mini it also fits perfectly between the instrument velco'd to sequence card holder.
Google Nexus 7 with Garmin Pilot App:
I initially haven't been ready to jump to the Android tablet for aviation because I didn't like the apps yet. Avilution is alright but not quite the app that I wanted. Garmin Pilot for Android is the best so far but it should be classified alright when compared to the iPad verion as it lacks a few really nice features of the Garmin iPad app.
The Nexus 7 is a great size and the screen resolution is fantastic and very clear. The touch screen is also great. It seems to be very fast and smooth when operating the Garmin App. The GPS locks really fast and seems to be very accurate. I was able to get a lock inside my house within about 20 secs. While flying I occasionally loose lock but it comes right back. I suspect if you had the 3G/4G GPS version of the iPad it would do the same. The Pitts Cockpit is kind of a Faraday cage with all the aluminum skins. The battery life seems to petty good, google says 10 hours but constantly running it is a bit less. Also the batter seems to drain if put in sleep with the Apps running where as the iPad stops this. So bottom line is kill the apps when not using the tablet and you should get 5 maybe 6+ hours while navigating. Bottom line is this tablet is a absolute steal for $250.
Garmin Android App:
The Garmin Android App is not quite as good as the iPad app like I said but has almost all the feature you would need. It is capable of getting ADS-B weather through Garmin's ADS-B reciever GDL-39 reciever ($799) I haven't used that feature yet. It is very resonably priced at $50 per year with all the approach procedures and sectionals for the USA (this includes fuel prices as well). If you want Geo-referencing it is an Additional $50. This is the most inexpensive out of both Wing X pro 7 and Foreflight for the iPad. The App is fairly intuative and has some good weather features as far as Metars, TAF's and winds aloft along your route of flight. It also has a split screen mode to show you that but I wish you could split screen the Approach plate like on the Garmin iOS app. Right now you can only split screen the weather. It also doesn't have scratch pad feature either. But for the basic VFR pilot in a Pitts or Skybolt this is a real economical solution for a GPS. If you want to add a bit more reliable GPS signal you can use a blue tooth GPS reciever like the Dual GPS 150 not sure if the Bad Elf blue tooth GPS reciever works for it yet. But for my needs the built in GPS seems to work alright.
CONS
Three things I really dislike about this app is the portrait view of the flight planner page needs to allow the DUATS filing details to minimize so you can see your NAV log. If you rotate the tablet to landscape it shows better but still not as good as iOS version. The second thing is there is no provision in either the iOS version or Android version to switch to MPH units like most of us fly in. And the Third is no track up feature (although Wing X pro 7 is only one that allows that)
I wish the there were runway centerline extensions. I also wish you can point on the map to see how far you are away from something (great for calling 10 miles out to unfamilier airport).
In Summary:
The Google Nexus 7 is a great tablet for $250 it is as good or better than iPad Mini (I have an iPad 3 I love it just doesn't fit in my cockpit). The Garmin App for Android is alright compared to Foreflight and Wing X Pro 7 (only avail for iOS) but Garmin seems to be updating the Android app all the time and features come available almost weekly so maybe it will improve. That all being said it is still the best Android App on the market place. Avilution is a close second (and has track up but it is glitchy) but it is missing quite few options I really like to even be considered right now.
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