COFSTA

I've been trying out OsmAnd+ GPS app on my smartphone for several months and like it better than my Garmin stuff. I decided that it would be even better to put the phone back in my pocket and get a device dedicated to GPS so I purchased a Nexus 7 tablet for the job. It works great and the large high definition screen is outstanding for detail.

Osmand+ app link - http://osmand.net/
Nexus 7 link - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... -_-Product
Ram Mount link - http://www.rammount.com/part/RAM-HOL-TAB2U

Here it is on my bike before I took off this morning



With the amount of detail the GPS can double as a map for exploring. Here is a 20 mile wide section showing every road there is.

Dang, thats a lot of map detail! I guess its time to try it on my Samsung tablet. I have heard the main shortcoming with tablets is visibility in bright sunlight--does yours do ok?

Is that Ram mount metal or plastic? Secure on bumps?

You have to have a tablet with enough screen brightness. The Nexus 7 is 570 NITS - more than bright enough to show up in the sun.

OK--i'll get out my nit-meter and check my Samsung lol.

The Ram cradle is the same molded plastic as all of their cradles. I think they even have a locking version.

beemerbob wrote:OK--i'll get out my nit-meter and check my Samsung lol.

That should be listed in the specs. I didn't buy the Nexus 7 without 1st knowing it would be bright enough to work.

Jeez Lee, it sure has a bunch of negative reviews, like in the last week or so. Is that price $129 a real deal because of the issues? Don't update the firmware they are saying.... I am curious because I am in the market for a 7" smaller Android tablet.

When I got mine and connected to my home WiFi it immediately went out the the mother ship and updated itself to the newest version Android 6.0. Zero problems. I don't know what you're reading - it's got 4 out of 5 eggs on that site which is about as good as it gets there. People who write aren't typically the ones that everything's working fine for.

LeeDavis wrote:When I got mine and connected to my home WiFi it immediately went out the the mother ship and updated itself to the newest version Android 6.0. Zero problems.

OK. Maybe those are all from earlier iterations then. But a lot of the complainers gave it 4 or 5 eggs because they still liked it, so it must be good.

Lee you told me that you removed all the software that came with this Nexus 7. Right? But you still have Google Chrome... right? This is a dedicated GPS tablet, right?

If I said I removed all the software I misspoke. A number of apps, including Chrome, are baked in to the system and can't be removed.

The tablet could still be used for anything but I'll only use it as a GPS.

beemerbob wrote:OK--i'll get out my nit-meter and check my Samsung lol.

Brings new meaning to the term "nit-picker"

Just did a quick scan of your links, Lee- thanks for the info, and a question: if it's WiFi only, how is the tablet able to receive GPS data when you're out in the boondocks- are you using your phone as a hotspot?

The map database is downloaded to the tablet at first so no ongoing data connection is needed, and the tablet has its own GPS chip.

Thankya! ...saw the d/l-able map aspects of the software, but only skimmed the tablet specs.

One thing I forgot to mention is that the Nexus 7 has a shiny screen which I thought might reflect and glare in the sun. I covered it with an anti-glare screen protector from the get-go.

Screen protector link - http://www.amazon.com/Tech-Armor-GENERA ... B3-PACK%5D

LeeDavis wrote:If I said I removed all the software I misspoke. A number of apps, including Chrome, are baked in to the system and can't be removed.

The tablet could still be used for anything but I'll only use it as a GPS.

Yea we were on the Sena's... but what I think you actually said was that you, "Removed all the crap that came on the Nexus".

Brick wrote:

LeeDavis wrote:If I said I removed all the software I misspoke. A number of apps, including Chrome, are baked in to the system and can't be removed.

The tablet could still be used for anything but I'll only use it as a GPS.

Yea we were on the Sena's... but what I think you actually said was that you, "Removed all the crap that came on the Nexus".

Even at that I over-simplified. There's some crap bloatware that can't actually be removed but I disabled it so at least it's not using resources or looking for updates.

Well, I played around with it on my tablet and so far it doesn't seem very user friendly. Or maybe its just me. I do like CoPilot GPS though--I wonder if it can use Osmand maps? Be nice to have a back-up for when my Nav5 goes kaflooey.

I've been using OSMAND+ on my old waterproof phone for a while now and love it (and stream bluetooth music). I was only missing a larger screen but didn't want to use my 10" Sony tablet because it seems too big at least on the VFR. It would look sweet plastered on the screen of the CB500X but would impede my field of vision. The 7" Nexus sounds like a good choice but would be careful with waterproofing. I looked at the Amazon Fire tablets but they don't have GPS.

Of note, I can't say enough about keeping your main phone in your jacket pocket. You don't want to have to find it after an accident far away from civilization.

007 wrote:Of note, I can't say enough about keeping your main phone in your jacket pocket. You don't want to have to find it after an accident far away from civilization.

Huh?? What happened? Or were you referring to the fate of the K bike...?

beemerbob wrote:

007 wrote:Of note, I can't say enough about keeping your main phone in your jacket pocket. You don't want to have to find it after an accident far away from civilization.

Huh?? What happened? Or were you referring to the fate of the K bike...?

Yes, I'm saying that I was glad the phone was in my pocket at the time.