Navionics App

[RobMcClain]

As a backup to my primary chartplotter I often use a second generation Nexus 7 Android tablet with the Navionics app titled US & Canada HD. The internal GPS in the tablet works wonderfully and I have been very happy with the Navionics app.

Recently Google released a new operating system, Lollipop 5.0, which is slowly being disseminated to many of the newer Android devices. I recently installed it on my tablet, after which I found that the one app which now would not open was the Navionics app. I quickly wrote Navionics and learned they were already aware of the problem and working on a fix.

Today I received an e-mail from their technical support folks advising that an update has just been released to fix the problem, and asking that I give it a try and report back to them the result. I installed the update and now the app opens fine and works great!

To those of you who use Android tablets along with a Navionics app, if you install the new Lollipop operating system be sure to also install the latest Navionics update to your app.

I would like to offer a public "thanks" to Navionics for their quick work on this matter. This is great customer service!

Rob

[Gilbertsons]

Hi Rob,

Glad they are responsive and keeping the app current with the new Android OS.

My wife has a Nexus 7. Do you have the Nexus 7 WiFi only? My reading indicates it does an internal GPS. I would guess you have to download the maps before a trip. Is it fair to say that you are happy with the accuracy?

Thanks,
Scott

[ddenver]

Thanks for the heads-up on this stuff Scott! Its appreciated.

I also use the Navionics app on my Nexus 7 as a GPS backup even though it seems to die fairly often but works well when it is functioning.

I really enjoyed the previously available NOAA issued "MyNOAACharts (Beta)" free app and thought it was actually better then the Navionics Android app considering it was free (well, paid for by our tax "$'s") and never just quit working ala the Navionics s/w.

Regrettably, however; NOAA has apparently decided they will go in a different direction and not offer platform specific apps so no longer support this Beta labeled application. It will be interesting to see what NOAA does in the mobile market (if anything) down the road. Hopefully, whatever direction they do go in will be as good a product as the MyNOAACharts app was.

Thanks again,
Dan, Tanya, and Hannah on C-Renity

[RobMcClain]

Hi Scott... Yes, I have the 2nd generation Wi-Fi version of the Nexus 7, which has an internal GPS. I like to putter with the Navionics app, so often in the evening I will look at various areas we might consider cruising someday, both coastal and lakes. As a result, when we finally get to an area I have the detailed maps already downloaded (which literally only takes a few seconds on the app). I have used the GPS in a variety of areas including Lake Powell (AZ), Lake Martin (AL), ICW, Chesapeake Bay, Hudson River, and several other bodies of water both East and West. I have always found the Nexus GPS and chartplotter function of the app to work quite accurately together, including on the two remote lakes where I had wondered about receiving the GPS signal and charting accuracy. Our primary onboard GPS is a Raymarine C80, which is old but works just fine. It also runs a Navionics charting program. I have never (at least not yet...) experienced a divergence of data between the 2 systems. In tighter bodies of water, such as cruising north on the ICW, or when in a completely unknown area like our first cruise on Lake Powell, I will often use one unit zoomed in close while the other one is set for distance. This way I have a better ability to anticipate what to expect on the route ahead while still having an aide for the immediate body of water. And almost of equal importance, they are fun cruising toys (but don't tell my wife I said that...).

Rob

[ssobol]

[Gilbertsons]

Thanks Rob for the details!

Would a 32G model be sufficient for memory. It seems like the maps would be very graphic intensive.

Scott

[RobMcClain]

Scott, ours is a 32G version and it has more than sufficient storage capacity. I also have another navigation program that include a ton of Active Captain data, plus many other non boating apps. Storage capacity has not been a problem.

Rob

[ddenver]

SSOBOL,

Thanks for the background on the the MyNOAACharts app. I did not realize it was essentially the same as the MX Mariner product.

Take care,
Dan, Tanya, and Hannah on C-Renity

[ssobol]

IMO MX Mariner is a better product.

No matter what happened with MyNOAACharts, it was only ever going to be just the NOAA charts (and books) period. The government will not link in or import non-US governmental information (i.e. Active Captain markers) into a government product.

MX Mariner can freely import stuff from other places/vendors if they choose. MX Mariner is still in active development.

Here's what they have planned:

http://mxmariner.com/schedule.html

[Two Bears]

I don't see Canada charts listed, or did I miss something? Does the screen go blank when we go north of the San Juans on the upper left coast?

[ddenver]

Thanks again for the MX Mariner info.

However; the use of "merely" the US NOAA charts and books was more then enough for me w/ the MyNOOACharts product since I have the Active Captain data available on my Nexus via their Active Captain Companion app. I was very happy w/ what the MyNOOACharts app offered and its high stability and low abend rate (especially compared to Navionics relatively frequent # of times the app dies) and the fact that it was free was the kicker.

Perhaps I will download the MX Mariner product though to have yet another alternative product.

Have a good day!

Thanks,
Dan, Tanya, and Hannah on C-Renity

[ssobol]

I also have both apps. Having the Active Captain info right on the charts is very handy. The maps in the Active Captain app are not very good IMO, and are not charts. I usually access the Active Captain info using MX Mariner.