Would You Consider An iPad Mini With Garmin StreetPilot Onboard Instead Of A Traditional GPS?

What about photo radar and red light cameras?

What about photo radar and red light cameras?

I love my Nuvi, and I love my iPad. But I want them separate.

all the way for me!

I'll stick with my Dash Mounted GPS.

Here is an article basically talking about this very concept.

http://ipad.blorge.com/2012/09/20/will-ipad-mini-be-your-car...

Now that iOS 6 is out, we can begin wondering how it will impact Apple’s next rumored product: the iPad Mini.

When Apple announces the smaller tablet next month, don’t be surprised to see it be marketed as a great GPS to use in the car. Apple might even go as far as sell its own car mount (asking price? $29.99 of course!).

iOS 6 released to the masses yesterday, with its most noticeable changes coming in the Maps app (which has been disappointing) and Siri’s new ability to give turn-by-turn directions. Does this new feature eliminate the need for your standalone GPS?

It might, but even the new iPhone 5 doesn’t offer the largest screen for a GPS. A 7.85-inch iPad Mini does, however.

The rumored iPad Mini is expected to be announced at a music-related Keynote address next month. The newer and smaller iPad not only features a smaller screen, but also a slimmer body. It will truly test the competitiveness of Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD and Google’s Nexus 7.

But it will also challenge Apple, who would be selling a 10-inch iPad, 7.85-inch iPad and a 4-inch iPod Touch, which essentially does all of the things an iPad can do. Throw in the iPhone 5, and consumers potentially have too many choices.

The iPad Mini, however, will succeed as a in-car GPS. Of course you will have to pay for a data plan, but if you’re a road warrior that depends on turn-by-directions, having it in a beautiful layout on a large screen is certainly welcomed.

Add in the ability to play music from your library, Pandora or Spotify, and your new GPS has become quite the media center.

There is the possibility of having more distractions, however.

With a data connection, the iPad Mini could also receive iMessages, Emails and other notifications. Maybe Apple will implement a “distraction free” driving feature to shut those off while receiving directions.

Can the iPad Mini create a new use for itself? Will we see it cars starting next year? We will find out soon.

NO..

Nuvi1300WTGPS

According to news reports, the iPad Mini (or whatever they finally call it) will be announced today. Should make for a lot of sales between now and Christmas!

If you had the right kind of mount for it, you could probably use it as a super-screen GPS unit in your car. But it's definitely too large to mount on the windshield. That would get you a ticket pretty fast in most states, I bet!

Sit back, watch the fun, buy one if all goes well. Only drawback (I think ) is that it won't have the Retina display.

Personally, I will not buy anything Apple. I don't like their closed systems. Would you buy a car only to be told maintenance and repairs could only be done by the manufacturer?

I too prefer a standalone device, as it is more convenient for travel and rental cars - as stated earlier by k6rtm, "I like a gadget that does one job and does it well!" Sure one can argue the benefits either way, but I like the compactness. If forced into it , I would prefer a to use a nav app on a smart phone over the tablet for convenience.

When you buy a car, warranty repairs are done by manufacturers - just like Apple products. Out of warranty, there are numerous 3rd parties across the US & around the globe that can repair & maintain Apple products.

You need a new meme.

My StreetPilot c340 is still working fine with the latest maps no need to replace.

No, I think I prefer a stand alone gps. Then again, Ive never used an Ipad.

If you tried it, you might like it.

Navigon on my iPad is really nice.

My Nuvi765t is my last stand-alone GPSr.

I think I will stick with my Garmin.

--

it's the dog's fault

There's no way. I have a Kindle, and I can't imagine having that up on my windshield trying to give me directions. It's HUGE.
I'm just glad that you were asking about the Garmin software and not wanting us to use the new Apple maps.

I drive tour buses for a living. I use everything available for touring the country. I had a tour director who used his ipad in LA to get to roads with less traffic. That was with google maps. I don't have an ipad as I have bought my wife the 1st release and the 3rd release. So I haven't used Apple Maps in that fashion as of yet.

I just realize today Apple announced a new iPad (4th generation) in addition to iPad Mini. I thought they only announced iPad Mini. That's only 7 months after releasing 3rd generation iPads (in March 2012).

iPad 3rd gen is the quickest model that goes out of date. What's next? iPad 6th gen released in 1st quarter of 2013? At some point, my iDevice ordered online will become obsolete before it gets to my door step.

Not true. WIth an app that includes full map sets stored on the iPad, it will function just as a stand-alone GPSr does.

And if you have a wifi-only iPad, you can add a GPS receiver that wifi-only iPads do not have - one that can plug into the iPad 3rd gen. 30 pin port, or - a bluetooth GPS receiver.

It looks like I have some home work to do to see if it is more economical to get a wifi only iPad mini and add an optional GPS receiver or simply spring for the cellular version that has GPS and GLONASS built into the iPad mini. It is $130 more for that version. So far, all of the external GPS receivers have the 30 pin connector, not the newer lightning connector.

Wi-Fi

16GB
$329
32GB
$429
64GB
$529

Wi-Fi + Cellular

16GB
$459
32GB
$559
64GB
$659

With a gps mounted in a dash vent holder and wired to a switched outlet, it's just easier to start the car and go. Within a few seconds the device is connected and I'm soon getting traffic updates without subscribing to any extra services.

I have a WiFi only Android tablet. I can add memory by inserting a micro SD into the slot built-in to the tablet and it has GPS also. I don't need to purchase an external dongle, it's already inside the device. I do have the same issue as an iPad with mapping, it needs an app that will store maps, but then the Google app is free and it will store the tiles necessary to do a route. I can also buy an app such as Co-Pilot or Navigon the same as an iPad user. The complaint isn't that the iPad doesn't do those things, it's that in order to accomplish the same tasks an Android device accomplishes from the factory extra hardware needs to be purchased for the iPad. Even my wife's Kindle e-reader can run a mapping app and it has the GPS built-in as well. Apple made choices as to what functionality would be in their various levels of devices, and for a number of potential users the choices Apple made for their products doesn't suit the way they want to use them.

I wonder if the TomTom Navigation App For Android will work with Android tablets now or in the future.

http://www.tomtom.com/en_us/android-app/

+me, not going to waste any more money on tech toys.

Not a chance ,you still have to pay to make it work,monthly.At this point dedicated still works better.jmo.

What I need is not to be told what I can do and not do with the things I buy.

Heck no, my Google Nexus 7" is a better tablet and despite the comparison done today at the "Mini" presentation it can run circles around the "mini" plus you can get the 32g Nexus for $249 while the "mini" 32g is $429

The one feature they pointed out today at the presentation is that the "mini" has a larger screen, big deal, the beauty of the Nexus 7 is that it fits in my jeans back pocket, try that with the "mini"

Wrong. Do your research.

Tablet built-in GPS receivers don't work as well as the GPS receivers in standalone PNDs. I've tested several tablets (but not the 3G/4G iPads), and all of them required several times as long for first fix, and were more prone to losing the signal too, compared to 4+ year-old low-end PNDs. GPS lag was a problem that cropped up from time to time during navigation testing.

I'm sure the Apple faithful will chime in that Apple's products are better than all the rest, but I'd advise testing the GPS receiver functionality carefully. The problem with any multi-function device is that compromises have to be made to fit everything into the small, slim package, and evidently the GPS receiver is something that suffers somewhat as a result. Using an external GPS receiver with a tablet should help, but if it's a bluetooth device, keep in mind that this means another device with another battery that will need frequent charging.

FWIW, the best GPS receiver is still an externally-mounted BU-353 SIRF4

I would prefer a stand alone GPS and my Galaxy Note for google map and up to date traffic.

Apple really upset many of their fanboys today when announce the 4th gen iPad. I can tell they wish to release a new version of their product every quarter just like Garmin release the new maps update.

I am unaware of any device with cellular capability that doesn't have a monthly data cost. WiFi only devices don't have the monthlies but they would not be practical as a GPSr in a moving vehicle.

MAD TV did a cute "commercial" about that several years ago:

http://youtu.be/p6vbd-iGofg

Is there a offline Garmin maps for the iPad mini which would make it similar to a Nuvi but bigger? I sure wish Garmin would come out with larger devices like 6 and 7". With all the features - photo view, lane changes, traffic, POI layers, etc. a 4.3 or 5" screen is getting more and more cluttered.

no plan to buy ipad mini, whatever it is called, so no issue for me.

Navigon is now owned by Garmin and the app is available for the iPad.

I look at it this way: I have a dedicated GPS (2595LMT) that receives the data it needs FOR FREE to do its job and provide the service. (getting me from point A to point B) No fancy expensive phone, no expensive connection or data plan necessary. Just a one-time charge for the Nuvi and I get free data from the Sat's and unlimited lifetime map updates. This is a pretty sweet deal when you think about it. I don't have to pay a carrier ANYTHING to navigate. No one to cut off my connection or raise the price. Carriers keep absorbing the competition and raising the price of our data plans. (Where have all the unlimited data plans gone?... that's really a price increase folks.) We're at the mercy of the carriers who can do whatever they want now. Your GPSr isn't obsolete in 24 months as evidenced by the many folks in here that are still using theirs from 2-3 generations ago and are perfectly happy with them.

By the way, I do own a Smart Phone: from 2 generations ago, grand fathered unlimited data, yada yada yada. BUT: I'm off contract now and enjoying it. My carrier doesn't have me locked in with a subsidized phone and it drives them crazy.

It already does.

I have been using the Android TomTom app on my Nexus 7 since I got the Nexus 7 in August, and it works quite well. As far as I am concerned, the only negative is that the Nexus 7 does not have a cell phone, so I cannot get LIVE Traffic with it, as I do with my Droid Incredible 2 phone.

(I am working on getting a tether of the Nexus 7 to my phone to add LIVE Traffic to the Nexus 7, but it's not reliable yet. I hope to correct that situation when an update to Android 4.0 is released for my phone, which was *supposed* to have happened in July.)

The reason that the tablets are not officially supported by TomTom at this time is that the Version 1.0 release is designed only for smaller screens (fewer pixels), and the image and fonts can be slightly distorted on the larger screens.

Personally, I find the image acceptable on the Nexus 7, but TomTom apparently decided that they might get customer complaints about it, and have restricted the applicability of the Version 1.0 release. They have announced that they are working on supporting other screens, and they have had a lot of complaints from Galaxy SIII owners about lack of availability, so I expect that this has a high priority, given the popularity of that phone.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

I love my Garmin and I love my Ipad. DL the garmin app and paying monthly fees to use on my ipad has never been an option I'm interested in, financially speaking.

I would prefer a stand alone GPS over an iPad for navigation. For me, it's much more practical. The maps aren't any better on an iPad than a Garmin GPS and there's no data costs to use a GPS.

That does not agree with my experience with the Nexus 7. I find that the GPS in it works as well as the GPS in both of my PNDs and the GPS in my Android phone.

I cannot speak for any other tablets, so this may be unique.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

Wifi only iPads function fully in moving vehicles just as good as any stand-alone GPSr. I do it regularly. My iPad3 running Navigon with a BadElf device is every bit as practical as a Nuvi765t in my real life, real use experience.

My 60CSx and Montana 600 have features that are not available with iOS apps. I have a hard time giving them up.

I use Garmin N. America and Navigon on the iPhone and Navigon on the iPad, occasionally. Both are fine, work great, get me to places. But the 60CSx and Montana are just more pleasant to use. There is something about a dedicated tool for a specific application.

There is also the Garmin StreetPilot Onboard... in the iOS AppStore, it's listed as "Garmin USA" - or "Garmin N America" - neither require anything beyond the initial app purchase to function - and store full maps on the device. Navigon is a universal app, and runs on either the iPad or iPhone - one app purchase will cover every compatible iOS device you have associated with your iTunes account.

What is the time to first fix (from a "cold" start - start up in a different location than previous fix) on a Nexus 7, under two conditions: 1. outside with no obstructions of the sky; and 2. inside a sliding glass door, with the unit looking out through the sliding glass door.

You can use software such as GPS Essentials to "see" the satellites and determine exactly when the GPS fix is acquired.

I agree. That's why I have installed the TomTom Android app on my Nexus 7 tablet. This gives me both offline maps and much more legible images on the screen. As an extra plus, the processing hardware in the Nexus 7 is at least two generations later than in the PNDs, so if I get off route the replanning is MUCH faster on the Nexus 7 than on my PNDs. Similarly, the initial route planning is almost instantaneous.

Until you experience it, you cannot believe how much faster the route planning is on the Nexus 7. It has spoiled me enough that my PNDs seem really, really slow.

(I have no desire to create a knee-jerk reaction from the Apple fanboys, but I think that it is appropriate to comment that when I look at the *relative* lack of processing power in the Mini iPad I would hesitate to get one for use as a GPS. It would feel like taking a big step backwards compared to the Nexus 7.)

With best wishes,
- Tom -

I have never timed the Nexus 7 itself. My comments are based upon a subjective comparison with my TomTom PNDs. Those I have only checked in my car itself, as I have had no need to check your case (2) scenario.

FWIW, my TomTom PNDs have never needed more than one minute to achieve lock inside my car, and most of the time they do so in well under 30 seconds. I have never tested the start-up fix time when I was more than about 35 miles away from the location where I turned off the GPS, so I do not have any personal experience with how well they would cope with a really large difference in location.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

You have GOT to be kidding. The answer is a resounding NO.

[muttering] iPad mini... [grumbling] damn fanbois... shaking head] bah...

A major concern for me w.r.t. using a smartphone or tablet as an automotive GPS would be the wear and tear on the battery. I gather that the GPS receiver, the always-on display, and the processing all contribute to a significant drain on the battery. Therefore it is likely that I'd want to have the phone connected to external power while using it as a GPS. Doing so with the unit on the dash in direct sunlight could get the unit pretty hot, and my understanding is that excessive heat over long periods significantly shortens the usable life of today's rechargeable batteries.

Now all of that is true for a stand-alone GPS device too, but I don't worry about that so much because I only really use the device when it has external power. Over time the battery may deteriorate to the point where it can only run the GPS for a few minutes, but that's all really I need. On the other hand I'd find it quite inconvenient if the battery life on my smartphone or tablet deteriorated to that extent.

Mi Nexus 7 (WiFi only) can work as well as any PND with a GPS app loaded. In a pinch it can navigate from here to there using Google cached map.

I will probably get an Android 7" pad soon, probably a Samsung. My daughter really likes her apple stuff but my son and I stay away due mainly to price but also the more limited applications.

In a car, the thing I most want to try is not GPS but an application that reads OBDII data that is streamed via bluetooth and then displayed on the pad. I think it is called "torque". You can choose what data you display.

I've used a GPS function on my son's droid and I was disappointed in the size of the characters and the general way the information was displayed. I would be more confident a Garmin ap would work better but I still wonder if it would work as well. I have 3 Garmins so it is not much of an advantage to have a pad do this.

The other thing I would want to know about the pad software is how it prioritices between phone, music, and GPS. I think Garmin has this right with the audible information going away so you can have a call but the visible continuing to be available. I would not want the visible to go away or the GPS not to interrupt the music.

Jim