I'd love to do this but have found the iPad screen completely washes out in bright sunlight. Anyone else?

The new Ipad wont wash out in sunlight like my old one. But I don't have GPS in my ipad, so I think I'm getting the ELF GPS that plugs into it. In a lot of the midwest lakes, we don't have 3G access on the water. Sometimes no cell signal at all. But with the ELF GPS attachment, it would use the satellites. It will also get you XM live weather and XM music so you don't have to have a cellphone signal and burn through your data plan. Unfortunately with the ELF plugged in, none of the cases will be waterproof but not a dealbreaker.

You sure about GPS? My understanding was that they all have GPS in them now. I'll try my new one in direct sun next summer.

If you have a newer iPad it will have built in GPS. Like I said, I have used my iPad 3 50-60 miles off-shore in the gulf, and 15-20 offshore in Lake Michigan with no issues. Just make sure you have the maps downlaoded to the device before you go.

So if i don`t like apple and wanna save some $$ I could go

http://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/B...anvasWidth=500

+ a mount and navionics .. I`m in!

The Ipad 3 that does NOT have 3g service does not have a built-in GPS. It uses the 3g and/or wifi "as" the GPS using known wifi points and towers for triangulation.

So without internet connection and no 3g signal, you still have to have a standalone GPS unit plugged in.

At least thats what I'm being told by ELF, the wifi-only Ipod has what is called "Assisted GPS" which, like I said, only uses wifi or 3g to help find its location.

I have the iNavX app for my iPad. The charts are great and it tracks very accurately.

The drawbacks: In the bright Texas sunlight, it was all but useless because I could not see the washed-out screen. Also, the device, after sitting in the sun, overheated and shut off.

As a route planning tool, or a back-up Chartplotter the iPad is great, but IMO, it does not perform as well as a dedicated chartplotter.

That's completely false unless the iPad spec page is wrong or I have some super secret special unit :lolhit:

The 3 does have cell assisted GPS which helps it acquire signal and location faster when 3g is available, but you do not need service to use the GPS functionality. I have tested this off shore and in the air where there is absolutely ZERO cell service. It performs flawlessly as long as you have the appropriate maps downloaded.

I know this is wikipedia but here is a link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad_%2...on%29#Hardware

I think ELF is trying to sell product.

Here is A-GPS... it's basically like a WAAS system using cell towers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS

Yes, in 3g enabled Ipads, the GPS will work when you dont have a signal because it HAS gps.. in the wifi ipad, it does not have gps or 3g capabilities.
Everything you posted is discussing the 3G and A-GPS, which is not included int the "Wi-Fi Ipad" like I have.
From Ipad FAQ site.


If you scroll down to the "comparisons" area and look at the Ipad Wifi, you'll see the word "GPS" left off in the comparisons between the 3g and the wifi.

http://www.apple.com/ipad/compare/