Ipad Readability in the cockpit

[Wilfred]

I am awaiting the release of Ipad 3 to see if there is an improvement over what many are criticizing as poor readability when the Ipad is in a bright light situation, such as an RV canopy, not just in full sunlight. I would appreciate comments from Ipad users who fly with it as to difficulty, if any, in reading the screen while in flight in a fairly light atmosphere such as my RV will have. (I plan, if I go ahead with the Ipad 3, to marry it to a SkyRadar ADS-B unit with WingX software...this looks good as a combination, but only IF I will be able to see it in daylight.)
Thanks for any input.

[KDoersom]

I gave an iPad 2. The best thing I ever did was get an anti glare screen protector for it. It makes the screen readable in all bit the worst conditions I imagine that the 3 will be the same.

[Dekef4]

I have been flying with the IPad2 in my RV6 for about 6 months. It is easy enought to read 90-95% of the time. it works well in all but direct sunlight at low sun angles, even then, it can be read with a slight adjustment to the angle. If you consider this along with the fact that when you really need to look at it you will likely be in the soup, ie no or reduced sun. the screen may be improved with the IPad 3 but, I think you will be pleased with either. You cannot beat the product utility that you get for a very low price!

[Wilfred]

Thanks for the input folks. Wilfred

[Anymouse]

I have the original iPad. Although the sun does affect the screen readability, it's good enough that it doesn't bother me in the least. I have an open view to the sky in my cockpit, so lot's of sunlight.

[Mike M]

when folks answer, it would help some of us (ok, me) if y'all would say which model iPad and what type aircraft. more than "mine works good for me the way i use it."

thanks

[KDoersom]

With the anti glare protector I have on my iPad 2 I have no trouble viewing it in the sun in the aircraft a fly: Cessna 172 182, Piper Navajo, Kingair 350. Also works equally as well in the car as a moving map gps. Best 10 bucks that I ever spent for it is a Griffen Anti Glare screen protector. Made a world of readability difference.

[Eric Marsh]

My experience is that when using polarized sunglasses the iPad is very difficult to view in portrait mode but easy in landscape. As a result I wrote my app to be viewed in landscape. Not sure about the others.

[Bill]

My experience is that when using polarized sunglasses the iPad is very difficult to view in portrait mode but easy in landscape. As a result I wrote my app to be viewed in landscape. Not sure about the others.

LCD displays consist of a (typically nematic) liquid that has properties of both a liquid and a crystal sandwiched between two 90-degree crossed polarizers. So the light from LCD displays will always be polarized in the orientation of the top layer's polarization axis. With OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diodes), polarization is random so the effect you're seeing with the LCD display won't happen.

As I recall, Apple had the same problem with early iPhones, but fixed the problem by rotating both polarizers' E-field axis by 45 degrees so that both landscape and display modes were affected equally. I imagine that no one from the iPhone group passed this tidbit of information to the iPad group (happens in large organizations).

[EDGEFLY]

I recently became aware of alleged poor performance of the internal GPS receivers in iPads to the extent that external devices are recommended to solve the problem. Although the interface of these devices to an iPad is simple (a USB or memory chip route), the devices themselves are not inexpensive, one being ~$100 or approximately the cost of major apps which have made the iPad solution so popular. Does anyone have personal
experience with this usage problem ? I am very interested inasmuch as I am on the verge of purchasing an iPad and either Wing ProX or Foreflight.

Edgefly