Favorite Smartphone Soaring Apps

Or.... iPhone vs Android.
I am in need of replacing my blackberry and am trying to decide
between iPhone or Android. Since I have been using an old blackberry,
I know little of the App world and what might be available for use in
Soaring. Thought that if there is a difference in available useful
apps between the two operating systems, then that would help make the
decision.
In what ways are folks using their smart phones for soaring now and
how/where do you foresee using them in the near future?
Any other thoughts that may help differentiate between the two?

Thanks!

WD

On Nov 13, 10:08*pm, Whiskey Delta wrote:
Or.... iPhone vs Android.
I am in need of replacing my blackberry and am trying to decide
between iPhone or Android. Since I have been using an old blackberry,
I know little of the App world and what might be available for use in
Soaring. *Thought that if there is a difference in available useful
apps between the two operating systems, then that would help make the
decision.
In what ways are folks using their smart phones for soaring now and
how/where do you foresee using them in the near future?
Any other thoughts that may help differentiate between the two?

Thanks!

WD

For android there is a version of XC Soar.

JP

Paulo Coolwind says that this winter he'll be porting LK8000 to Android.

Whiskey Delta wrote:
Or.... iPhone vs Android.

I strongly recommend Android: it runs XCSoar, Cumulus and Gaggle.
LK8000 is being ported to Android currently, and is expected to be
available soon. These four programs are "free as in free speech" (not
just "free of charge"; you are allowed to redistribute and modify
them).

There's just iGlide on the iPhone. It's commercial, and it's decades
behind other programs.

The iPhone screen sucks in direct sunlight. Most Android phones also
do, but there are gems like the Dell Streak Mini which are perfectly
readable thanks to the transflective screen. With Android, you have a
choice, and on the iPhone, you already know 100% of the choices are
unusable on a sunny day.

(Disclosu I am a honorary XCSoar developer, and I may be biased)

Max

On Nov 13, 10:08*pm, Whiskey Delta wrote:
Or.... iPhone vs Android.
I am in need of replacing my blackberry and am trying to decide
between iPhone or Android. Since I have been using an old blackberry,
I know little of the App world and what might be available for use in
Soaring. *Thought that if there is a difference in available useful
apps between the two operating systems, then that would help make the
decision.
In what ways are folks using their smart phones for soaring now and
how/where do you foresee using them in the near future?
Any other thoughts that may help differentiate between the two?

Thanks!

WD

I can't speak with conficence for Android, but there I use several
nice iPhone apps, including GlidePath (a logger that produces a file
that can be uploaded to the OLC on the spot when you land), XC Skies,
and My Radar (real time doppler radar). I suspect, though, that there
are Android versions of these as well . . .
Jim Kellett

"Whiskey Delta" wrote in message
...
Any other thoughts that may help differentiate between the two?

Also don't entirely neglect non-soaring aviation apps. For example, several
apps will give you in-cockpit weather radar. (Yes, connectivity in flight is
questionable, but at least you get a last-minute picture before launch.)

Vaughn

On Nov 14, 9:45*am, "vaughn" wrote:
"Whiskey Delta" wrote in message

...

Any other thoughts that may help differentiate between the two?

Also don't entirely neglect non-soaring aviation apps. *For example, several
apps will give you in-cockpit weather radar. *(Yes, connectivity in flight is
questionable, but at least you get a last-minute picture before launch.)

Vaughn

Definitely prefer android. In addition to the ones already named,
Google My Tracks and GPS logbooks are interesting.

On Nov 14, 10:20*am, RS wrote:
On Nov 14, 9:45*am, "vaughn" wrote:

"Whiskey Delta" wrote in message

...

Any other thoughts that may help differentiate between the two?

Also don't entirely neglect non-soaring aviation apps. *For example, several
apps will give you in-cockpit weather radar. *(Yes, connectivity in flight is
questionable, but at least you get a last-minute picture before launch.)

Vaughn

Definitely prefer android. In addition to the ones already named,
Google My Tracks and GPS logbooks are interesting.

If you only want to use one device for phone and flight computer than
yes, Android is your best bet. However I rather have a dedicated
device for flight computer and not use it for day to day as a phone
(less chance of loosing, damaging, forgetting, having to use your
flight computer for an important phone call or text message in flight
etc). In this case iphone is my preferred choice for anything else
than flight computer. Also you want a bigger screen for flight
computer (5" like the Dell Streak seem to be ideal) but it is too big
and bulky for a phone.

Ramy

I have an iPhone (and have had previous models) and wholeheartedly
recommend it as a smartphone for convenience and reliability. That
said, be aware of the total cost of ownership (phone plus expensive
plan for two years, or GSM-only contract-free phone plus cheap plan.)
A number of aviation-related apps are available, many of them very
cheaply. In-flight use isn't so great - no matter what software (and
XCSoar doesn't run), the battery drain is substantial when GPS is
running and data transfer takes place.

I also picked up a lightly used Dell Streak 5 Android PDA/tablet/phone
for use as glide computer. It cost me only US$200 and offers the best
screen among the portable, open-platform systems. It can easily be
powered and installing/updating XCSoar is a snap. At that price, I
don't see why one needs to compromise functionality. What Max
Kellermann says in this thread is true. (The Streak is too big for a
phone unless you carry a (man-)purse.)

Many Android smart phones will make a poor in-flight glide computer
due to their displays alone; do your research before you buy one.

PS.: there's an article in the current Soaring Magazine about PDAs,
but I find it fairly biased.

"...having to use your flight computer for an important phone call or text
message in flight
etc...)

Pul-leeze, tell me that's a joke. Or to you text on tow? Or kill bikers
because you're to busy playing with the phone to look outside the car?


"Ramy" wrote in message
...
On Nov 14, 10:20 am, RS wrote:
On Nov 14, 9:45 am, "vaughn" wrote:

"Whiskey Delta" wrote in message

...

Any other thoughts that may help differentiate between the two?

Also don't entirely neglect non-soaring aviation apps. For example,
several
apps will give you in-cockpit weather radar. (Yes, connectivity in
flight is
questionable, but at least you get a last-minute picture before launch.)

Vaughn

Definitely prefer android. In addition to the ones already named,
Google My Tracks and GPS logbooks are interesting.

If you only want to use one device for phone and flight computer than
yes, Android is your best bet. However I rather have a dedicated
device for flight computer and not use it for day to day as a phone
(less chance of loosing, damaging, forgetting, having to use your
flight computer for an important phone call or text message in flight
etc). In this case iphone is my preferred choice for anything else
than flight computer. Also you want a bigger screen for flight
computer (5" like the Dell Streak seem to be ideal) but it is too big
and bulky for a phone.

Ramy