Ipad & InReach - a 30 day field test of navigation and communications

[mhiscox]

Great report Jeff, very helpful, thanks for taking the time to post it for us!

I am very grateful that you're sharing all of your investigation and testing. THANKS!

[1leglance]

Great write up Jeff,
I am just back from Oz and there I was using the Spot and Inreach side by side so I am very grateful to be able to compare your thoughts to mine.
On the InReach we were using my wife's Iphone instead of an Ipad and using Mud-Map's Australia app http://www.mud-maps.com
I am still pulling all my thoughts together and will add them to your thread and maybe start a new one.

Oh and funny you should mention Ozi-Explorer as they have an Android version out and I am thinking of going tablet instead of Netbook which would give me InReach/Ozi-Explorer together But no Delorme Topo which is sad.

[Benchmark Maps]

Jeff, this review is so useful. If all of our customers wrote up such thorough and honest field tests, we'd be in heaven! Our cartogs thank you for your kind words about their artistry, and we have noted what works and what needs improving. After we roll out all 11 of our atlases in digi form, we have big plans on making it more integrated, social, and hands free. Love the NEXRAD overlay in-action shots. Seeing our product make a difference in a journey feels great.

Question for you - with all of the clash in depiction of place across platforms, how did you push through?

[fasteddy47]

Thanx for the review..... very helpful!!!

[agavelvr]

Jeff, this review is so useful. If all of our customers wrote up such thorough and honest field tests, we'd be in heaven! Our cartogs thank you for your kind words about their artistry, and we have noted what works and what needs improving. After we roll out all 11 of our atlases in digi form, we have big plans on making it more integrated, social, and hands free. Love the NEXRAD overlay in-action shots. Seeing our product make a difference in a journey feels great.

Question for you - with all of the clash in depiction of place across platforms, how did you push through?

Thanks for your comments. I learned about the paper benchmark atlases here on Expo I'm excited to see the digital versions of the atlases after using the New Mexico edition. About the differences in depiction...none of it was the kind that could ruin our trip. However, we ran into situations where the Benchmark and Delorme showed routes that did not exist, were privately held, had changes to how they were administered, or had been gated for a very long time and were not shown on the maps. Traveling by 4x4, we are prepared for such inconveniences, but someone auto touring without extra fuel could run into some problems in New Mexico Overall, I'm thankful of the level of information we have available in these modern times. The differences between depiction and reality add to the adventure most of the time.

I'm glad others found this review helpful, it was a PIA to writeup, so it's nice to know it found an audience

[WU7X]

Thanks for the incredible writeup! I have been planning changes to my nav setup and your information is spot on. I just dropped the Spot Connect contract that I had for one year. I have a Delorme PN60W and never found the Connect a useful product with it. I love Benchmark maps and am very happy to hear that they now have a digi series of them.

After your writeup, I think I will be researching a new IPad and an In-Reach. I didn't realize that Delorme had IOS versions of their software available. I have been running Topo 9 on my 13" MacBook Pro using Parallels. No complaints what so ever, but the computer takes up to much room in the front seat of my '97 4Runner mounted above the passenger seat. No room for a companion with it in place.

My one holdup on the IPads is their lack of a large hard drive. I wish I could install the 160 gig hd from my old IPod in one.

[Scott Brady]

Great work as always Jeff. Thanks for the detailed write-up

[agavelvr]

My one holdup on the IPads is their lack of a large hard drive. I wish I could install the 160 gig hd from my old IPod in one.

Glad you found the information useful. You know they sell wifi, external hard drives designed to work with the I(devices) right I don't have one, but I see them on the internet.

Great work as always Jeff. Thanks for the detailed write-up

thanks man.

[Beowulf]

Looks like California is up. Both California and New Mexico are currently free on iTunes.

[Tucson T4R]

Nice write up Jeff, Thanks.

I just deactivated my Spot unit yesterday and have an IOS Inreach on it's way. I'm looking forward to the two way communication capability. Now to save up for an iPad so my eyes don't fall out trying to just use my iPhone screen.