Forum Discussion

northshore's avatar
northshore
Explorer
Sep 04, 2017

Tablet with GPS

Im looking for a Tablet, one that has GPS. I was in Walmart and asked their computer associate which of the tablets had GPS, they said no tablet had GPS.
I'm not sure we were communicating. What I am looking for is a table with wifi, bluetooth and GPS. I don't want to use "cellular" or "wifi" to access GPS satellites. I want the tablet to operate in a similar fashion as a garmin or tom-tom a stand alone as it were for GPS.
My plan is to use it in my vehicle, where wifi, would not be available, I also do not want to have data/cellular service.
So now my question is, does a tablet exist that meets my wants, and who makes it?

24 Replies

  • northshore wrote:
    Im looking for a Tablet, one that has GPS. I was in Walmart and asked their computer associate which of the tablets had GPS, they said no tablet had GPS.
    I'm not sure we were communicating. What I am looking for is a table with wifi, bluetooth and GPS. I don't want to use "cellular" or "wifi" to access GPS satellites. I want the tablet to operate in a similar fashion as a garmin or tom-tom a stand alone as it were for GPS.
    My plan is to use it in my vehicle, where wifi, would not be available, I also do not want to have data/cellular service.
    So now my question is, does a tablet exist that meets my wants, and who makes it?

    my only experience is with apple products and i confess to not being up on the newer products. that being said when i earned my sport pilot certificate i purchased an iPad to use in the cockpit. my research showed me that if i wanted to be able to use it while in flight i needed the cellular version otherwise i'd have no GPS functionality. on the ground i use the google maps app as my GPS. as far as i know nothing has changed.
  • Tomtom has a mobile app that does not require being online. It's sizable because you are storing all their maps on your device. Google requires you be connected to the web constantly, this does not.
    Its at
    www.tomtom.com
    then check mobile and offline.
  • Yah, the problem is you have to download the maps to the Tablet...

    GPS doesn't need WiFi/cell to work, but all you'll see is the little blue dot on the Tablet unless you download maps that will show you where you are.

    I have the Samsung Galaxy S2? I used to use for off roading, RZR, nav, but unless you have a connection that allows Google to keep downloading the maps, it'll be just a blue dot.

    There are many maps you can download and also, Google allows you to download just in case you loose cell/internet coverage. It's just you'll need to stay on top of it.

    I link the tab to my Verizon Jetpack.

    Garmin of course downloads all the maps, some 6gig or so, when it does updates so you don't need the internet connection...

    Hope that helps..
  • Howdy!

    I've have had three Samsung tablets, a Galaxy and a couple of Note tablets. All three where WiFi only and all had gps in them. I use them all to run Co-pilot gps app. Once I downloaded the Co-pilot app no data connection is needed. They also have a Bluetooth connection. So take a look a Samsung tablets.

    "Happy Trails"
    Chiefneon

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