Cell Phones

[Stripermann2]

I use a Verizon BlackBerry now but just ordered the new Droid X. I should have it on Friday and looking forward to loading some marine applications.

What's everyone else using out there. Not looking to get into a discussion between cell providers. Just some insight to the new smart phones and some neat apps you've discovered.

Thanks.

[jddens]

I have the iphone and love it....it does everything my computer did 6 or 7 years ago........had a good friend that had the iphonehone and won't shut up about it so I finally got one and have no regrets......John

[prowlersfish]

I have a water proof flip phone all I want or need . I am not that High tech ( just ignore the stuff on my fly brige )

[rossjo]

I use an aircard on my laptop on board - have a USB GPS and SeaClear - every Nav tool I could want is on there - plus get weather and ActiveCaptin on the Aircqrd internet.

Used Blackbverry for many years - dumped it 4 years ago. I hate those tiny screens and I can't type well on it - my eyes are too old.

I have a simple Sony-Ericosn phone for talking with a good camera (still and video) which I bluetooth to.

[dodgeem]

I've got an original Droid, great phone. Get the "advanced task killer" app (the OS tends to leave the apps open in the background and take up resources). The compass, light and level apps are also kind of cool especially the light for finding your keys on those early days without waking the Mrs.

[alexander38]

use the Navionics app $14.00 worth it if you want a back up or find info and marinas and stuff in the places you go, have HTC droid

[RedBelly]

I use a Samsung Reclaim. It does pretty much everything my laptop does, just smaller ans slower. Outside of that, I don't currently own a GPS nor do I plan to buy one (but the wife might surprise me for Christmas). I read chart pretty well and know most of coastline by sight from Chesapeake City to Herring Bay by sight. After 25 years I better...

[foofer b]

Drop one of those fancy phones on the concrete and you will wish you had my 6 year old LG flip phone. It is indestructable, and has the loudest speakers I have ever heard. I use it hands free for driving and it has large buttons for old eyes and big fingers.

[k9th]

I use a Blackberry Tour and love it. I have looked at and considered a Droid but not ready to change just yet. My BB does everything I need it to and it is very reliable for business use.

[crazyyankee]

I've got an original Droid, great phone. Get the "advanced task killer" app (the OS tends to leave the apps open in the background and take up resources). The compass, light and level apps are also kind of cool especially the light for finding your keys on those early days without waking the Mrs.

Do not get ANY task killer. A lot of the reps push this onto the consumers, and no one really knows why. if you read up on the Android OS you will find many articles talking about how task killers are useless and do more damage than good. Everyone is so used to Windows OS. With Windows the more you have running the slower your system is. With Android the OS learns the user. It CAN manage multiple programs running at once. For more on this head on over to AndroidCentral.com

OK, I am a Droid X user, and I love the phone. Two things you will miss from your BB will be push e-mail and BBM. I came from a Storm 2. The apps on the Android market kick BB App worlds butt.

-Weatherbug has a nice radar and a nice widget
-Marine weather by Bluefin is a great marine weather app
-Windfinder is an app you can set up to see wind coming down the lake by choosing different weather stations to view data from.

This phone does so much more than your BB ever did. Free navigation is great! I would rather look at my navionics detail on my boats GPS, but you can get that on your phone via an app.

If you have any questions about the phone feel free to give me a shout. I know it pretty good.

[dollarbill]

Pretty cool little play tool.

iPhone/iPad with Navionics Mapping - Charts and GPS . Weather...ShipFinder (cheap AIS) now if they could get a real AIS overlay with weather on the Navionics charts.

They probably have the Navionics maps for Droid also....

It was 9.99 for my area.

It will get to the point of why buy a MFD when you can have an iPad or other tablet running Charts, GPS, AIS and weather AND monitoring engine, electrical systems AND control your music and entertainment ALL wireless from one pad with an iPad docking station here and there.

[prowlersfish]

MFD ?


Is the I pad water prof ?

[dollarbill]

Multi Function Display - Instead of having one gauge or one display - the MFD incorporates multiple functions on one display - some may call it a CRT or LCD and there are some that may call it a lil' tellyvision.

Waterproof? probably not. Highly portable though. I do not recommend swimming, showering,hot tubbing or venturing into difficult conditions that may involve heavy rains, high seas and shifting winds with an iPhone or an iPad as your source of navigation and or weather information.

Common sense should prevail. As always.

[prowlersfish]

I am aware what a Multi Function Display is . Just never heared it called a MFD . I have 2 Multi Function Displays plus 3 independent systems . a I-pad maybe ok for a back up But at this time I would not sub it for the real thing. But some of the fuctions may add to what you have allready BTW CRT and LCD are 2 totally different type of displays both having pros and cons

[dollarbill]

Appropriate Use of an iPad or iPhone or Droid Phone:

My boating is usually limited to inland lakes - so I am pretty safe using these for every bit of navigation that I need. In researching some of the apps available I stumbled upon some of the apps available for the iPad:

I have been totally impressed with the offerings and I only think there will be more and more offerings available. Is it for everybody. Heck no.

Even NMEA wireless connection are available to display all the hardware you have already.

For Navigation:

• Navionics Marine U.S. West HD* — Great charts and tracking functions.

• Charts and Tide* — Interesting views, but less detail in the charts.

• -MotionX GPS HD* — Great for tracking, and you can pre-download the NOAA charts.

• FlyToMap — Good all-inclusive chart package for $20.
For Readings at Buoys and Tides

• Bombora — Great for polling buoys and forecasts.

• Buoy Data* — Less comprehensive than Bombora, but a great iPad interface.

• TideGraph HD* — Great interface for tide data.

• Tides — Tides and currents.
For Weather:

• MarineCast* — Sailflow.com info. Often more reliable than the website.

• WindAlert, Windfinder Pro, Surf Report — Varying utility to find current wind readings.

• WeatherBug*, TWC Max* — Full weather sites, mostly for land-based use

• RadarScope, CA Radars, Radar — Radar info.

• WunderMap — Weather info on a map.