My On and Off Road, Online and Offline GPS Solution. (The ongoing saga)

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BigJ

BigJ

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Rev, I have no direct experience, however I was able to pull this from another forum:

"Thanks for all the input folks. JUst to close this thread out, I figured I'd post an update on what I ended up buying and how it's working.

Got a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, 10.1" version. The geniuses at Best Buy insisted it didn't have true GPS . They said it MUST have WiFi enabled and picking up signals in order to get position fix. They proved this by shutting off WiFi, leaving GPS only on, and sure enough, Google Maps puked.

But ... I wasn't convinced so I bought one anyway (despite the efforts of their crack team of salesmen to talk me out of it). Then, being the cheap sumbitch I am, I downloaded a free marine navigation app (Marine Navigator Lite) along with a bunch of free charts from NOAA. I've been out on a weekend trip with the boat and tried it all out, and ... drum role please ... it works spectacularly, even with WiFi shut off. I'm so thrilled with how well it works I'm even considering actually PAYING for an app that gives me more capabilities than my freebie app. "

Link: Real GPS in tablets? - Gear Anarchy - Sailing Anarchy Forums

That based on my own quick googling tells me that yes, there is a dedicated GPS (not assisted) in the Galaxy Tab 2. It would be suitable in the sense that you can use it with no WiFi or cell signal.

I phrase it like that though to again remind ya that we're talking about off road use here and that the hardware itself might have other non GPS related issues. Like the overheating issue I encountered.

With all that said, I would not hesitate to use the Tab in a motorhome especially. Seems ideal for that.
 

RevlimitrSVT

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Rev, I have no direct experience, however I was able to pull this from another forum:

"Thanks for all the input folks. JUst to close this thread out, I figured I'd post an update on what I ended up buying and how it's working.

Got a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, 10.1" version. The geniuses at Best Buy insisted it didn't have true GPS . They said it MUST have WiFi enabled and picking up signals in order to get position fix. They proved this by shutting off WiFi, leaving GPS only on, and sure enough, Google Maps puked.

But ... I wasn't convinced so I bought one anyway (despite the efforts of their crack team of salesmen to talk me out of it). Then, being the cheap sumbitch I am, I downloaded a free marine navigation app (Marine Navigator Lite) along with a bunch of free charts from NOAA. I've been out on a weekend trip with the boat and tried it all out, and ... drum role please ... it works spectacularly, even with WiFi shut off. I'm so thrilled with how well it works I'm even considering actually PAYING for an app that gives me more capabilities than my freebie app. "

Link: Real GPS in tablets? - Gear Anarchy - Sailing Anarchy Forums

That based on my own quick googling tells me that yes, there is a dedicated GPS (not assisted) in the Galaxy Tab 2. It would be suitable in the sense that you can use it with no WiFi or cell signal.

I phrase it like that though to again remind ya that we're talking about off road use here and that the hardware itself might have other non GPS related issues. Like the overheating issue I encountered.

With all that said, I would not hesitate to use the Tab in a motorhome especially. Seems ideal for that.

Thank you BigJ! I will have to go pick one up! I will be using it here on the east coast a majority of the time so I don't think it will be exposed to the temperature extremes you were dealing with other than the occasional trip to see my friend in NM.

Speaking of heat issues, have you tried improvising some sort of heat sink on the mount to draw and dissipate the heat away from the tablet? Or maybe some heat reflective material? I'm sure it wouldn't solve the problem completely but it might be enough to keep it from shutting down on you

Sent from my DROID X2 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2
 
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BigJ

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Ok now it seems we're getting somewhere.

Check out this device coming to Sprint:

Kyocera Torque hitting Sprint March 8th, carrying $100 price tag and Bear Grylls' seal of approval

If this thing is truly MilSpec 810G (and all independent sources say it is and has survived their tests. Yes, even Big Bad Bear ;)) IMHO for my purposes this might be the first real affordable device I might feel comfortable counting on in the wild (backed up a compass and maps, of course).

I'll have to check it out when it's released.
 

RevlimitrSVT

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So I managed to pick up a galaxy tab 2 7.0 for $170 the other day.I haven't had the opportunity to play with it much but the gps does work and if I set the route before I leave the range of my home network it will retain most of the map data along the route.

Now I just have to look into some of the map software you posted earlier in this thread

Sent from my DROID X2 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
 

RevlimitrSVT

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Sorry for not responding to this sooner. So far I have not found a mounting system for the sg2 that I like and most that I've fou.d so far have been "universal" tablet mounts.

BUT what I have found is an otterbox case for the galaxy tab 2 and when I get it I'm thinking I might be able to improvise a mount that I like using the otterbox case, some kydex and a RAM mount.

Once I get everything I will let you know if it worked

Sent from my DROID X2 using Xparent BlueTapatalk 2
 
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