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.
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.Originally Posted by Eric Marsh
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).
Bill
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
My iPad 2 is just the wifi version which is 130 cheaper than the 3G version which has the internal GPS. Pretty much every where I go has wifi and if it doesn't I just use my iPhone. For the gps I went with the bad elf which has worked great. It always locks on fast and it never losestjw signal. Since it plugs into and gets its power from the iPad there is also no need to charge it. The less I have to remember to do the better. I made a little holder for it that I glued to my iPad case to keep it from getting knocked loose. Apple doesn't allow locking devices any more. At 100 bucks it was still cheaper than the 3G model and works better. GI'll try and post some
Pics later as I can't on my iPhone.
Been flying with an iPad 3G and Foreflight for 18 months with absolutely no GPS issues. Tracks the same as my 496. Don't see the advantage of an external GPS. I believe Foreflight had concerns with accuracy when they geo-referenced approach plates so you may want to take that into consideration. Wasn't an issue for me.
Edgefly, I use a 3G iPad 2 and the internal GPS has worked perfectly for me. I originally started out with a WiFi only iPad 1 with an external GNS-5870. Do yourself a favor and spend the extra for the 3G model. It has been so nice not having to deal with an extra piece of external GPS hardware and keeping it's battery charged. You do not have to activate the 3G service on your iPad for the GPS but it is nice to know that it is there if you ever decide you need or want it. I would suggest you go to YouTube and look at the WingX and Foreflight videos to help you decide between the programs. In addition both companies have a 30 day free trial where you can test them both head-to-head. I went with WingX because I thought if offered a lot more features for the money and it fit my flyng needs the best.
Last edited by MickYoumans; 01-24-2012 at 09:04 PM.
Sounds like KDoersom is trying to justify his purchase in his own mind. Have not had a single problem with the internal GPS in the 3G IPAD2. Not sure how he knows it works better when he doesn't own one! Definately more convenient.
Did a lot of research first. From what I read at higher altitudes and speeds the internal one can lose signal. I fly a Kingair 350 at work an we fly high at 20000 and above with ground speeds at 290 to 375 knots. Granted what I have read about the internal GPS was before the iPad 2 came out.
I'm happy with my decision and it works for me and you have made yours and are happy with yours.
6 of one half a dozen of the other.
Keith.
Hmmm... Interesting...
In my Tango, I typically fly in the mid teens for longer cross country trips at roughly 180 knots. No problems noted. I have noticed when flying in the back of big iron, that I will get a good signal while on the ramp, but lose it at altitude. The one time I DID get a good signal at altitude was when I was in a window seat.
Someday I'll come up with something profound to put here.
Thanks to all for your response. I will certainly consider your inputs as I move to this purchase. Since there was a good response to my initial question, I decided to expand it a little in hopes of more info from real pilots. Two other factors which I have not resolved on my own are the need for 16/32/64 capacity and your views of two apps; Wing X and Foreflight. There were some discussions of actual memory usage for aviation apps (vs other stuff such as ibooks etc.) in earlier forum traffic. As I recall three users said they were using 7, 9 or 12 G's for whatever they had on their machines. This was presumably for the principal apps plus the additional burden for navigation, storage of reference data etc. Online video presentations of the use and merit of iPads and their nominal apps of interest to G/A recommend the 32 configuration. This is a recommendation by the presenter and not necessarily a requirement. I would be interested in the actual use by this forum's users. Please indicate if you are basing your input on heavy IFR usage, VFR, lots of X-country or more causal local flying. Thanks for taking the time to respond.
EDGEFLY
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