paddlenbike
Adventurer
I ended up with the 7" Samsung Galaxy Tab 2. They are $209 and feature an SD card slot that allows me to offline cache 64GB of maps for use with Backcountry Navigator.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 2
- Thread starter paddlenbike
- Start date
X-plorenow
Adventurer
paddlenbike
Adventurer
I can't say enough good things about it and two of my friends have purchased them after borrowing mine. I pretty much leave it on the coffee table and use it often for looking up random facts, checking forums, grabbing an online recipe, etc. The fact that there is no boot-up time unlike my Windows PC, it is just so much more convenient to use.
Aside from wifi/internet use, it's other main task is to act as my GPS unit. I use Backcountry Navigator for offroad stuff and I am just starting to use CoPilot Live for onroad stuff. Both do offline map caching. Needless to say I am selling my old GPS equipment, including a PDA with bluetooth GPS and I have no interest in using the Garmin either. The physical size of this thing is perfect for mapping--it's large enough to have a good view of the screen and not so large to make it cumbersome or out of place mounted on the dash of my 4Runner.
I was using a bluetooth GPS receiver but it does so well with the internal GPS that now I just use that. I can leave the tablet on the passenger's seat with the leather cover closed and the breadcrumb tracks are still perfect even on forested roads. I used it for 30 days to track every movement of the boat on an extended trip up the Inside Passage of Canada and it worked flawlessly. I really think the ability to use these 32GB+ SD cards with maps loaded is a key feature, something I couldn't do with an iPad.
I can't think of anything bad to say about it. I simply can't believe they're priced at only $209...what a steal!
Price for the Galaxy Tab 2 (7.0) is even lower today. Using Google shopping search, I see several sites offering new 8GB units for less than $200. Refurbished, $184.
Another choice is the Nexus 7 tablet, built by ASUS for Google. Both Nexus and Galaxy Tab have built in GPS. The Galaxy Tab offers a microSD card slot for memory expansion using inexpensive microSDHC cards. The Nexus does not have a card slot.
On Oct 29, Google is expected to lower the price of the Nexus 7 with 16 GB and GPS to $199. They may cancel the 8 GB Model, or they may reduce its price to $149. Will Samsung respond with lower prices for the Tab 2 with 8 and 16 GB? We'll know more next week.
A third choice is the new Acer Iconia Tab A110. This Android tablet has a 7 inch screen, micro SD expansion slot and GPS. Price is $220 for the 8GB model, making it a bit less competitive.
Another choice is the Nexus 7 tablet, built by ASUS for Google. Both Nexus and Galaxy Tab have built in GPS. The Galaxy Tab offers a microSD card slot for memory expansion using inexpensive microSDHC cards. The Nexus does not have a card slot.
On Oct 29, Google is expected to lower the price of the Nexus 7 with 16 GB and GPS to $199. They may cancel the 8 GB Model, or they may reduce its price to $149. Will Samsung respond with lower prices for the Tab 2 with 8 and 16 GB? We'll know more next week.
A third choice is the new Acer Iconia Tab A110. This Android tablet has a 7 inch screen, micro SD expansion slot and GPS. Price is $220 for the 8GB model, making it a bit less competitive.
Here's the Samsung web page about the $200 Galaxy Tab 2 with 7 inch screen and 8 GB of RAM
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab/GT-P3113TSYXAR?from_mobile=true
And here's a comparison of specs between some popular $200 Android tablets with 7 inch screens.
http://www.theverge.com/products/compare/6164/6097/5834/5831/5147
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/galaxy-tab/GT-P3113TSYXAR?from_mobile=true
And here's a comparison of specs between some popular $200 Android tablets with 7 inch screens.
http://www.theverge.com/products/compare/6164/6097/5834/5831/5147
paddlenbike
Adventurer
I stored highly detailed topo maps for the Inside Passage of Canada, an area about 200 miles by 150 miles and it took 6 GB. Here is a screenshot as we were passing the Canadian border.
The 24k topo maps for a 50 mile square area in the Sierras for 4wheeling was about 1.5 GB. It is completely dependent upon the size area you choose and the maximum resolution of the maps you download. In BCN, you click an icon and it lets you select an area or areas for download. You basically drag a box around the geographical area you need, then you select the maximum zoom level you see yourself needing. I just choose the maximum zoom level of 15 because I have plenty of storage space on the SD card for it. I am coming from Memory Map, where I had to download each 24k quad map separately...BCN makes this process so much easier.
outsidecurtisp
Observer
I stored highly detailed topo maps for the Inside Passage of Canada, an area about 200 miles by 150 miles and it took 6 GB. Here is a screenshot as we were passing the Canadian border.
The 24k topo maps for a 50 mile square area in the Sierras for 4wheeling was about 1.5 GB. It is completely dependent upon the size area you choose and the maximum resolution of the maps you download. In BCN, you click an icon and it lets you select an area or areas for download. You basically drag a box around the geographical area you need, then you select the maximum zoom level you see yourself needing. I just choose the maximum zoom level of 15 because I have plenty of storage space on the SD card for it. I am coming from Memory Map, where I had to download each 24k quad map separately...BCN makes this process so much easier.
How do you like the internal GPS. I contemplated getting one but was turned off by the FRY's salesman. He said it really wasn't that good. Have you run into any issues with accuracy? What happens if you leave your preloaded map area? Will it self update? Thanks
reece146
Automotive Artist
Looks neat... not a lot of map coverage for North America though.
paddlenbike
Adventurer
The internal gps seems really strong. It ran for almost 30 days on an 800-mile boat trip up the Inside Passage and never had one misplotted point. I pretty much kept it in the boat's salon, which has another "story" above it, and it did great. I was using an external bluetooth gps with it but found there is no need, the internal one works well even with the lid closed and it riding on my passenger seat under heavy tree cover.
It so happens, I just won a Tab 2 7.0 in a chili cookoff!
I am totally unfamiliar with GPS navigation and this is my first Android device as well, so these may be dumb questions:
The Backcountry Navigator seems interesting. Are the maps included with the $9.99 app price? I find some mention of additional map content for purchase. Just a bit unfamiliar with the concept.
Thanks in advance.
I am totally unfamiliar with GPS navigation and this is my first Android device as well, so these may be dumb questions:
The Backcountry Navigator seems interesting. Are the maps included with the $9.99 app price? I find some mention of additional map content for purchase. Just a bit unfamiliar with the concept.
Thanks in advance.
RangeBrover
Explorer
Thanks for the tip, I've been looking at the Galaxy Tab because of the smaller form factory than my iPad. I'm defiantly picking one up now. Whats the cost for downloading maps for BCN?
The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 tablet is being discounted for Thanksgiving holiday shopping. Newegg.com and Jr.com are offering the tablet for $179. Newegg is throwing in a free 16 GB SD card and free shipping. Walmart.com is offering a factory refurbished Tab 2 7.0 for $149, with free shipping. All these Samsung tablets have 8 GB of RAM.
Maybe the reason the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is on sale is because Samsung is about to replace it with an upgraded model. The Nexus 7 has a faster processor, a higher resolution screen, and 16 GB of RAM for $199. (No sd card slot, however.)
Maybe the reason the Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 is on sale is because Samsung is about to replace it with an upgraded model. The Nexus 7 has a faster processor, a higher resolution screen, and 16 GB of RAM for $199. (No sd card slot, however.)
Finlay
Triarius
Maps are included, from a couple of different sources (NOAA, arcGIS, etc). There are sources that require a payment, Accuterra being the one that I bought. I've been pretty happy with BCN, overall. Buy an SDcard, though. In order to use the maps when offline, you need to download them. That can be sizeable - the SW corner of South Dakota ran about 20 gigs.
I also have been using CoPilot Pro for my turn by turn gps. I like it as an app, however, the main limitation of it is that you cannot trivially save maps to the external SD card. Since they tend to be sizeable, it can eat up all the space on the tablet. There is a workaround - manually copy the application folder to the external SD card and edit the user.cfg to use the new location.