iPad as GPS?

[Chrisgti6]

I have an iPad 2 wifi + 3g.

Does anyone use an iPad as GPS in the car? If so does it work well? Would it be better with an external GPS receiver?

What's the best Navigation App to use?

Thanks

Chris

 

[msremmert]

I think your biggest issue here is the logistics of mounting it.
I was actually debating using my note 10.1 as a satnav/entertainment type thing but I was looking for ways to mount it.
You could either mount it using a windscreen mount but that may obscure your vision or one of those air vent mounts but I was unsure how much weight the vent blade things can actually take and I'd quite like not to snap mine off

 

[Matt26]

I have an iPad 2 wifi + 3g.

Does anyone use an iPad as GPS in the car? If so does it work well? Would it be better with an external GPS receiver?

What's the best Navigation App to use?

Thanks

Chris

I've used an iPad and iPhone for navigation with the standard GPS receiver - Co-Pilot Live is very good and quite a lot cheaper than the official Tom-Tom app.

However, the iPad would be too big and heavy for mounting, as msremmert has already said. The iPad Mini would be perfect, but I just use my iPhone these days.

 

[Chrisgti6]

Thanks guys, yes I understand the mounting of it may be an issue, but i've found a holder that has windscreen and vent attachements, so I can try both. Failing that I will just get the mrs to hold it! It will be connected to the aux in anyway so will be able to hear it!

 

[Matt26]

In that case it's fine.

 

[DrR]

Search navfree in App Store, it's free and I think it's good.

 

[Matt26]

Search navfree in App Store, it's free and I think it's good.

It's ok, but it's nowhere near as good as Co-Pilot or Tom-Tom in my opinion. You get what you pay for, I guess.

You may as well just use the Apple Maps turn-by-turn if you don't want to pay anything for it. It's been reasonably serviceable on the odd time I've tested it out.

 

[Sym0n]

Google maps. Turn by turn voice navigation, accurate, free and will go 2x scale. But no chance would I mount an iPad in a car.

 

[Gray]

Google maps. Turn by turn voice navigation, accurate, free and will go 2x scale. But no chance would I mount an iPad in a car.

Exactly what I was going to say.

 

[DrR]

Google maps needs signal though?

agree tomtom is awesome but it's expensive.

 

[Chrisgti6]

Quick update guys. I managed a pikey fix with this. I have a smart cover on our iPad, and with it rolled back the iPad fits PERFECTLY in the wifes car just over the center air vents, it kinf of hooks into place witht he cover. A little bit of none slip matting and a rubber band and it stays in place nicely.

We did 500 miles last weekend with it mounted this way and it was great. I have a picture of it in place which I will upload shortly.

We used TomTom (jb ftw) and it worked flawlessly.

 

[cava83]

Quick update guys. I managed a pikey fix with this. I have a smart cover on our iPad, and with it rolled back the iPad fits PERFECTLY in the wifes car just over the center air vents, it kinf of hooks into place witht he cover. A little bit of none slip matting and a rubber band and it stays in place nicely.

We did 500 miles last weekend with it mounted this way and it was great. I have a picture of it in place which I will upload shortly.

We used TomTom (jb ftw) and it worked flawlessly.

Thanks for this. Always use TomTom, google maps is brilliant but if you are abroad........

Are you using a hookey compy of TomTom then?

 

[Chrisgti6]

Are you using a hookey compy of TomTom then?

I can't possibly comment on that i'm afraid.

 

[cava83]

I can't possibly comment on that i'm afraid.

Perfect. Good lad !!

​Excellent, TomTom on the iPad mini looks ok, seems to be working well.

 

[Chrisgti6]

Perfect. Good lad !!

​Excellent, TomTom on the iPad mini looks ok, seems to be working well.

It's awesome on the iPad with such a huge screen! With it plugged into the aux port on the car running music, it fades the music down to give directions. Nice and easy to change songs etc.

 

[Chrisgti6]

Here it is

 

[George182]

It's a great idea - but it looks like more of a distraction than anything to be honest.

 

[cava83]

It's a great idea - but it looks like more of a distraction than anything to be honest.

No more of a distraction than the radio/dash.

​As long as it's just GPS and not movies of course.

 

[Chrisgti6]

It's a great idea - but it looks like more of a distraction than anything to be honest.

Dont hundreds of executive cars mercs etc have screens like this? How is it any more distracting than one of them or a normal windscreen mounted sat nav?

 

[Reev]

How is it any more distracting than one of them or a normal windscreen mounted sat nav?

Because it's bloody gigantic!

 

[STICKER TWONK]

Dont hundreds of executive cars mercs etc have screens like this? How is it any more distracting than one of them or a normal windscreen mounted sat nav?

And not a single one of them allow the driver to watch p**n while driving unlike an Ipad...

 

[Matt26]

Here it is

I can't wait for the inevitable 'my iPad smashed when it fell off the dash' thread in a few weeks...

 

[Alex5]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-ALYArl5S4


​mighty car mods ftw

 

[Chrisgti6]

I can't wait for the inevitable 'my iPad smashed when it fell off the dash' thread in a few weeks...

Excuse for an upgrade then isn't it! lol

It's only going to be used on rare occasions, we did 500 miles with it stuck there a few weekends back and it was fine. Yes, there is always the possibility that it could fall, but the likely hood of it damaging the ipad is slim. Thanks for your concerns though