Active Captain and iPads

[ActiveCaptain]

Is Garmin a true navigation product? Yes it shows your location on a chart but can you activate a route (and get your VMG for example )?

Garmin BlueChart Mobile today does not do route following although it will allow you to create routes and display them. BlueChart Mobile is one of the newest apps - and like all successful ones, the developers continue to enhance them.

I think Garmin sees the iPad product as a backup which is how I use it.

 

[gettinthere]

Ignoring my question? Why can't you fix my being locked out of AC?

 

[Tim R.]

Something to remember with the Garmin Bluechart app. While the Active Captain integration is great - it a typical Garmin product that will continually ask for $40 map upgrades. Navionics (which runs faster and has better weather/tide integration) is a one time purchase. So for the same I initial price as the Garmin app you never pay for upgrades. I have absolutely no idea how Garmin stays in business.... Chris

But I cannot upload data to my Garmin chartplotter with Navionics. $40 twice a year to upgrade my charts, do route planning and upload capabilities and also have complete CP control is worth the money for me.

 

[Tim R.]

Ignoring my question? Why can't you fix my being locked out of AC?

Exactly who here do you expect to fix this for you? You need to contact AC directly.

Or you can also try resetting your PW here: https://activecaptain.com/login.php

 

[gettinthere]

I have contacted act capt several times over the years with no result.

 

[ActiveCaptain]

But the gist of it is Active Captain will barely work on the pad.

Chris, I'm the author of "ActiveCaptain" on the iPad. Actually, I wrote the free ActiveCaptain Companion. It's not a chartplotter. It's a new type of companion device that speaks to you as you're approaching hazards. There will be some other different capabilities with it as well in the future. It's my test platform for trying new things in marine electronics. There aren't many other products that literally speak to you as you're heading toward shoaling. The ActiveCaptain Companion does that exceedingly well. I like to think that it's putting TowBoatUS out of business, one hazard at a time!

If you want to use the ActiveCaptain data on an iPad, purchase one of the chartplotter products. Already in this thread, people have talked about Garmin's BlueChart Mobile and how they like it. Charts & Tides, seaIQ, Skipper, SmartChart AIS, and probably a couple of others are all available with real nautical charts that would make you happier than the free product I released.

 

[gettinthere]

Still ignoring my question Mr Segul?
Why wont you lift the block on my account?

 

[Maine Sail]

Something to remember with the Garmin Bluechart app. While the Active Captain integration is great - it a typical Garmin product that will continually ask for $40 map upgrades.

Navionics charts last 365 days too then no more updates.. Heck I just paid $58.00+/- to update my Carribean & South America charts. They also ding you for functionality such as $4.99 for the nav plug in and $5.99 for shallow water detail. While my Garmin app does not do navigation it is no more costly and has been oodles more stable on my iPad Air than Navionics.. Garmin also did not leave me stranded with the IOS 7 update.

Navionics (which runs faster and has better weather/tide integration) is a one time purchase. So for the same I initial price as the Garmin app you never pay for upgrades. I have absolutely no idea how Garmin stays in business....

Chris

As one who uses both, plus iSailor, I don't see any speed differences between the three of them. The Navionics app is free but the charts and functionality is where they ding you. At last count I have $54.99 for USA & Canada every 365 days (if I want current charts), South America for $54.99 every 365 days, Nav Module $4.99, Auto Routing $4.99 & Advanced Map Options for $4.99...

I use Gamin BCM differently than Navionics and the Active a Captain data is a huge plus... Sadly there is not one charting app that does it all..

 

[Chris Patterson]

I think along the way I may have been miss quoted, but regardless......I happen to like Garmin. My chart plotter is a Garmin unit, and while slightly antiquated serves me quite well. The pad is what has basically eliminated my briefcase to some extent, and on the boat, (below in the cabin), it too does a great job. Earlier this year I was on a crossing and had sort of a wild card at the helm, and without sticking my head around the helm to check the plotter to make sure I was going to hit an approach can, could easily see where we were on the pad while below.......without him feeling like I was back seat piloting him.

I thought about one of my usual maniacal responses here, but in the long run I'm not going to worry this much at all. I still keep a blistering fast hot rod laptop below with a gps puck that will do anything. I would like the idea of voice commands directing me to stay off the bricks, and by spring will probably do just that. At least now I know which 'direction' I need to go with this, and it's not the pads fault, but again as usual, it's the loose nut behind the wheel. I'm ok with that..

Last week I was on a Catalina, (or an Oday, I'm on a lot of boats), and we may have seen the author of A.C. In the Cape Fear River making a port turn way out into Tina's Pocket. My buddy was big time taken aback, that is some stinky water 'out there', and when I told him of Active Captain and that was an anchoring hole listed on A.C., he was impressed. Went home that night and downloaded A.C. when I described how cool it was. The sad part was I had my iPad and couldn't show him right then and there.

No harm, no foul. Thanks all who replied, and as usual, the SBO site is always invaluable.

 

[Bob 04 H260]

I use an iPad with a Lifeproof case (submersible) as an Active Captain reader with Garmin Bluechart. I also like this app for route planning, a backup to our 3 other GPS units, the Companion is great on the ICW and Drag Queen lets us sleep easy at night. I am very appreciative of all the work that was put into the Active Captain products and almost instant support when I had a question.

I added the optional weather radar to the Garmin app even though we have Sirius weather on our Raymarine MFD. I can use the Garmin App down below in a rainstorm without having to go out to the cockpit. I think the Garmin charts in the Bahamas are a bit better than the Raymarine product, I compare them both to the paper Explorer charts.

The ipad also has all my manuals for everything on the boat, all the SOP's for our boat from Hunter Marine. Copies of all our boat documentation.

Bob

 

[njlarry]

I developed 3 apps in the Google Play store for Android too (including the ActiveCaptain one). I have multiple Android tablets and I keep one at my helm for use while underway whenever we're moving. I honestly have nothing for or against either "camp". In fact, I prefer to develop for Android because it's easier.

That said, there's just significantly more quality apps for the iOS world for boating today than Android. It's not really debatable - it's just not even close in terms of numbers. I scratch my head about it to understand why and have come to the conclusion that in general, Android users don't download/buy apps like iOS users do. So what happens is that developers who are doing development for income choose iOS first, and often, only.

Taking my own DragQueen anchor alarm as an example (free for both iOS and Android), the downloads of iOS to Android were 10:1 for the first year. It's currently about 6:1 so there has been Android improvement but it's still not even close. The apps are identical. And to make it worse, there are more Android devices deployed today and iOS ones. 6:1 is a huge difference.

I'm the person who interfaces with all the companies that license ActiveCaptain for their own products today - there are 40 of them with about 25 involved with iOS or Android. For those companies with both iOS and Android products, their sales ratios are identical - between 5:1 and 10:1. I don't understand why it happens but I've been shocked by the number of our users who write to me and can't figure out how to download my Android apps. That absolutely never happens in iOS and as a result, there are many more users and many more apps available.

I also think that Android users, in general, aren't willing to pay for apps. That ends up slitting their own throats when the really good developers end up ignoring the platform because it isn't worth it.

With allrespect (Iam typing this on a samsung tablet,so please u derstand the poor spellingand grammer, thisis not my fathers laptop or even his pda) A part ofthe problem is that techi types have no idea of how user unfreindly much oftheir productsare. I haveseveral advanced degrees but i can,t get this to type properlyandhave no idea what an overlay is. I just loaded AC the other day and the maps are all grainy. I have no idea why and no fancy apple store to visit for support.
I Am happy tobuy apps if i knowthey will work properly after i finally figure themout.
Maybe its just me.....anyoneknow how toget the space bar towork?

 

[Brian D]

njlarry, might I recommend a Bluetooth keyboard for you Samsung. Might help with your typing instead of trying to use the GUI keyboard.

 

[ActiveCaptain]

I Am happy tobuy apps if i knowthey will work properly after i finally figure themout.

Since you quoted back my entire posting, I'm guessing this had something to do with my Android analysis about their user's app buying habits.

It might very well be that the Companion is a terrible product. You might get awful support for it. It might be impossible to use and a complete waste of time. I'll grant all of those things.

But why would it be downloaded (before being run, tried, hated, or needing support) 5:1, 7:1, or even 10:1 more for the iPad/iOS? Wouldn't those owners have the same experiences? Are you saying that iOS users are quicker/smarter with products and know how to use them better? (I know that's not true).

Even more, in all cases, the user doesn't know how bad the product is until it is downloaded. Why isn't that the exact same for iOS? They don't get some special view into the app before they download it. And it can't even be a price thing assuming that iOS users are wealthier since they are overpaying for their device (what many Android owners have told me). At least for my apps, they're all free on all platforms.

There's something more to it.

 

[njlarry]

Perhaps ipad users are more techy or maybe android users still rely on their laptop. Do apps work on laptops? I am quessing they may not.
Brian, that would help but be bulky for me....hope to have my laptop repaired soon.

 

[Maine Sail]

Guys Garmin Blue Chart Mobile is free to download. Download it and check out the AC data. If you like it get the chart kit for your area for $40.00. Expecting a free app to do amazing things is something I don't really expect.

As for iPad vs. Android I used both until recently (last month my Android broke down and got an iPhone). The continual buggyness of the Android platform finally drove me to 100% iToys. I still miss the control I had with Android vs. iToys but the iToys in our house have proven much less buggy..

 

[Chris Patterson]

Maine, I think we both came to the same conclusion at about the same time. Between the iPhone 6, and the Galaxy Droid, there is no comparison. I did like C+, but the current Galaxy was no more than two weeks from getting deep sixed. With the itoy, all these bugs seemed to go away.
I like to stay on top of my tech game, and while Droid did A.C. better....the absence is not a deal breaker.

 

[Chris & Lenore]

Navionics has made everyone repurchase the basic app. Garmin stays in business because their charts are much better and, well, they have ActiveCaptain integration.

Ummm - nope. I can and have deleted my Navionics maps and downloaded the latest version. I can do this until the cows come in - no additional purchase or repurchase of the app. And I have confirmed the updates on the new downloads.

And what exactly is "better" about Garmin maps? Navioincs matches the paper - ESPECIALLY the Canadian charts where there are omissions on my Garmin charts??????

I know this because I use the Garmin app to access Active Captain data - and I look at my route before opening Navionics. Nothing like using the two side by side to see differences. Performance is also far better with Navionics - screen redraw is much slower with Garmin.

To each their own - but for me it's only Garmin that perpetually hounds me for money.

Chris

 

[ActiveCaptain]

And what exactly is "better" about Garmin maps? Navioincs matches the paper

They all match the paper. Except when they don't.

Garmin uses Explorer Charts for the Bahamas. There's a world of difference between that and what Navionics has. There was a catamaran lost because of Navionics charts about a year ago in the Bahamas. The sad thing is that there was an ActiveCaptain hazard right on the spot where there was such a bad charting error and they didn't look for it. I'm not familiar with Canadian differences. They could exist.

The Navionics app that I purchased originally stopped working one day and required repurchase to load charts. I don't think that has ever happened with Garmin.

 

[Chris & Lenore]

I do say "to each their own" and thanks for the tip about the Bahamas. I will be sure to investigate what's the most accurate when we sail there in a few years.

Another reason I have both apps on my iPad. I'm in the software business and know there is never one app for all situations.

For the North Channel of Lake Huron I will definitely use Navionics as the rocks match the paper - which on others don't.

Really curious about your comment about having to repurchase after a day's use. Sounds like you need to contact Navionics. I have often reinstalled on new devices and just click the button to re-validate my purchase and away it goes.

For me it was Garmin asking for a $30+ dollar map upgrade two weeks after I spent almost $50 purchasing the initial maps for it.

Anyway can we agree that Active Captain is good? Just wish it was available integrated with all nav apps.

And just to put things in perspective, I have had a ton of people laughing because they dislike both these apps.

To each their own.

FWIW I only use the iPad apps for planning and discussion (and Active Captain). In the cockpit the few times I have absolutely needed a chartplotter were the times it was either too wet or too bright. I have a marine unit for when I'm actually sailing.

Anyway, keep up the good work with Active Captain and nope you get it integrated with all nav products - that's the best for everyone.

Chris

 

[ActiveCaptain]

Anyway, keep up the good work with Active Captain and nope you get it integrated with all nav products - that's the best for everyone.

Chris

Thanks! I'm working every day on it. OpenCPN is coming soon. And the first chartplotter line with AC integration from a major manufacturer is coming at the Miami Boat Show (can't say more than that).