IPad 64G, WiFi, 3G, 1st Gen, $499, Target

We have the 32gb wifi/3G model - no issue at all with all the apps and music we want and plenty of memory available. Another thumbs up for the Navionics app. It has been discussed here before, but the only downside of that app is the north up orientation. We have been running with two chartpotters in Wild Blue, and generally have the main one set for course up, the other set for north up, so it hasn't been an issue on our boat.

I take a lot of photos, but don't download or store them on the iPad. Every once in a while, I'll upload smaller images to the iPad just so we can enjoy them... to pass around or to use as a digital frame.

$449 for the 32 gb wifi/3G is a good deal.
 
other deals

The Apple Store offers the 1st-generation, factory-refurbished Apple iPad 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (pictured), model no. MB294LL/A, for $399. With free shipping, that's tied with our mention from last week and $136 below the lowest total price we could find for a new unit. (It's also the best deal we've seen for a refurb with a 1-year Apple warranty.) Sales tax is added where applicable. This 0.5"-thick tablet weighs 1.5 lbs. and features an Apple A4 1GHz processor, 9.7" 1024x768 LCD touchscreen display, 802.11a/n wireless, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, accelerometer, compass, up to 10 hours of battery life, and more.
The Apple Store also offers the 1st-generation factory-refurbished Apple iPad 32GB 3G Tablet, model no. MC496LL/A, for $399. With free shipping, that's also tied with our mention from last week as another all-time price low for this model with a 1-year Apple warranty. (It's $147 under the best we could find for a new unit.) Sales tax is added where applicable. It weighs 1.6 lbs. and features an Apple A4 1GHz processor, 9.7" 1024x768 LCD touchscreen display, 802.11a/n wireless, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, accelerometer, compass, up to 9 hours of battery life, and more.
 
The 64GB refurbished iPad from the Apple store for $399 is not a 3G model, so no GPS. Target still has the 32GB 3G (GPS) model, brand new, for $449, free shipping. Well, they did yesterday... I haven't checked today.
 
We have Navionics on a 16GB iPad 1 3G (no data plan, just use with our MiFi or PDANet on our iPhones) - honestly, the maps will live in 1/4 of the available storage of a 16GB iPad, you do not need a bigger one unless you also want to store a bunch of music, photos and other stuff. We paid a bit more than the current "good deals" but on the other hand, have enjoyed the heck out of it for a year, worth it to me! The iPad has replaced the handheld as the backup GPS chartplotter on Daydream...
 
Even if you already have a chartplotter on board the iPad gives you a nice backup. On our trip to AK last summer Lori used her iPad from the passenger seat as backup to my navigation. A bit annoying but useful at times when moving along a 25kts. to have someone else watching for rocks and shoals.
Added plus was we had a way of checking email, surfing the net, and listening to NPR podcasts which we could download when we passed thru population centers.
That's a good price
 
Hi, I have a question for the guys and gals who know about I Pads , Navionics or other navigation apps. After reading several posts talking about using an I Pad with a Navionics app for a GPS backup I finally bought an I Pad. After getting it up and running and checking with the I Tunes App store they inform me that the Navionics Marine and Lakes App is not available. What I am wondering is " has this happened before and will it be available again soon" or " are there other apps available thru I Tunes Store that will work as well" ?
Thanks Clint
 
Hi Clint,

I thought that maybe you weren't looking in the right place, so I did a quick search of the App Store for the Navionics app... GONE! :shock: Not sure what's up with that. I see iNavX is still available.

Checking the Navionics website, they are still showing the iPad and other mobile apps.

Personally, I am a big fan of the Navionics app. Anyone know what's up?

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
Pat of Daydream told me to look at Navimatics for the Ipad. I did and I downloaded it. It also uses Active Captain which gives you the equivalent of a Marine Atlas.

$19.99 for the entire west coast, or $19.99 for about 5 other major areas.
 
Thanks for looking into this guys. I was begining to wonder if I am a complete failure when it comes to this stuff. Its all pretty much greek to me but I can usually blunder my way through it. Anyway I e-mailed Navionics and asked them what is going on and I will post their response if I get one back.
Clint
 
Yes, I was surprised when David told me the Navionics apps were missing from the iPad / iPhone app store now. I have the iPhone version, $9.99, running on both my iPhone and my iPad. Maybe Navionics decided it was too good a value or something? I plan to get Navimatics anyway, I am a big ActiveCaptain fan, and Navionics for whatever reason never saw the light there.
 
I just received an answer from Navionics and they said that the marine apps were only temporarily removed from I Tunes store to undergo some updating and should be available again soon. In the meantime I just downloaded Navimatics, we`ll see how I like it.
 
Will the IPad 64G, WiFi, 3G, 1st Gen work just like a GPS with the above discussed aps? Does it depend on the 3G network to work as a GPS? My boating is done in Prince William Sound where cell coverage is almost non-existant. The IPad screen looks much better than my 12 year old Furuno GP-1650F. Any problem using the IPad in very high humidity environments? Any other Alaskan Prince William Sound boaters with experience with it in PWS?

Richard in Fairbanks, AK
 
The GPS chip set in the I pad 3 gs does not require a connection or the presence of a signal. The chip set stands alone, and will work visually anywhere (we did experience some loss of signal recently near an airforce base--maybe LightSquared at work?....But it works in remote locations.

We have no problem using the i pad in Florida--and hard to find higher humidity than here...but I would not get water on the unit. There are some cases available which seem to be very water resistant....
 
As long as your iPad is 3G, it has a GPS chip in it. You do NOT have to be connected to anything. However, depending on the nav app you are using, you may have to be connected to the internet to download or cache charts. With the Navionics app, the charting is contained on the iPad, so no need to be connected. I have used the automotive NavX app, and you have to cache the maps to be able to utilize all the features in that app.

We have used the iPad in deep south Texas, and have had no issue with humidity. If we have the center window open in our boat, I do put a one gallon plastic bag (open on the bottom) over the iPad. Not fancy, but it protects the unit from any stray spray.
 
Jim, like your plastic bag over the IPad when the center window is open idea. There was time back in 2004 at Fords Terror I wished I'd had some type bag or other protection over the notebook computer, cameras ect.

Jay
 
Yeah, Jay, I though of you when we first took the iPad out on the boat.

On our wandering way home from the Tetons, Joan found an iPad stand the was pretty inexpensive (about $15) in a Brookstone store. It's made of wood, but has a spring type mechanism that holds the iPad in either vertical or horizontal position. We haven't tried it in the boat, yet (hope to get the boat back from bottom painting tomorrow); figure we'll use velcro straps to hold it to the dash. We'll try that a few times to see if the iPad is better used as a an aux nav unit in one place or hand held (by the navigator/co-pilot).

Best wishes,
Jim
 
I see the Navionics app is back on the App Store for the iPad... at a higher price, $49.99.

$14.99 for the iPhone. Guess they could see where the market is. I know a lot of folks are using the iPhone, but the iPad is about the same size as the most popular 8" dedicated chartplotters. Still, not a bad deal for what you get, but as near as I can tell, what you get for your additional $15 (from the previous price of $34.99 for the iPad app) is a "bug fix" for iOS5.0.
 
JamesTXSD":2wi3vey2 said:
I see the Navionics app is back on the App Store for the iPad... at a higher price, $49.99.

$14.99 for the iPhone. Guess they could see where the market is. I know a lot of folks are using the iPhone, but the iPad is about the same size as the most popular 8" dedicated chartplotters. Still, not a bad deal for what you get, but as near as I can tell, what you get for your additional $15 (from the previous price of $34.99 for the iPad app) is a "bug fix" for iOS5.0.
Click to expand...

My upgrade to iOS5.0 went smooth. Looks like my 34.99 app upgraded also. So new stuff, with tides and currents for favorite locations. Doesn't seem to get tide info for gps position easily though.
 
Walldog":2b8ttr3h said:
JamesTXSD":2b8ttr3h said:
I see the Navionics app is back on the App Store for the iPad... at a higher price, $49.99.

$14.99 for the iPhone. Guess they could see where the market is. I know a lot of folks are using the iPhone, but the iPad is about the same size as the most popular 8" dedicated chartplotters. Still, not a bad deal for what you get, but as near as I can tell, what you get for your additional $15 (from the previous price of $34.99 for the iPad app) is a "bug fix" for iOS5.0.
Click to expand...

My upgrade to iOS5.0 went smooth. Looks like my 34.99 app upgraded also. So new stuff, with tides and currents for favorite locations. Doesn't seem to get tide info for gps position easily though.
Click to expand...

Hi Herb,

We have found the local tide info easy to pull up. Either go to Search and pull up the Tides folder; you should get all the tide reporting stations in the near area. If you want to know the tide info on another location, scroll to that area on the chart, press and hold near any "T" (tide reporting) on the chart until the magnifier comes up, center that on the "T" and it pulls up that tide info.

Hope that helps.

Best wishes,
Jim
 
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