iPad mini 2

[mikesideup]

Any thoughts on the iPad mini 3? I am thinking of buying one to install Forflight on. I already have the iPad 2 air.

[DonMuncy]

I have a Mini and think it is ideal. Big enough to see easily, but not so big as to block too much panel area. I don't have any opinion as to the differences between the 2, 3 etc.

[rocketman]

I have the ipad mini 3 retina and love it. If I were in the market for a new ipad and can wait a little, I believe Apple might come out with something new before the holidays. IMHO!

[carusoam]

The retina screen gives really nice detail.

I don't have the mini though.

What's your preference...

1) full size iPad

2) iPad mini

3) iPhone 6+

4) iPhone 6, 5,

5) iwatch

Which do you use for 'primary' support, (not primary navigation)?

Which do you use for back up to your back up?

CB in me: I like when the new models come out, the price on last year's good hardware becomes much smaller....

Wish Garmin would do that annually.

Best regards,

-a-

[Seth]

I may be wrong, but I got a mini 2 instead of a mini 3 when it was time to upgrade last fall when my two year old iPad broke because the only difference between the mini 2 and mini 3 was the fingerprint scanner for unlocking. I don't need that and it saved me the price difference.

Make sure you get one they is ATT/Verizon/data plan ready. They have the GPS chip that shows location even without a stratus or external GPS setup.

Also, get one with a large enough capacity for ForeFlight or whatever programs you will use. Bigger is better as over time programs will keep getting bigger. 64 is the minimum in my mind right now - 128 is probably better, if not bigger (I don't know the largest capacity).

Unless they upgraded the processor, you are getting the same specs of the 3 in the 2 without the fingerprint unlocking mechanism.

-Seth

[Amelia]

I replaced my iPad2, a hoary ancient three-year-old, which I could never decide where to put so it wasn't in the way, with an iPad mini2 (retina) last year. It works just fine, even with my presbyopia. This summer's splurge was the Ram yoke mount with the X-shaped holder, which keeps it cool enough, and easy to position so I can see what's behind it. I got all the memory Apple would sell me at the time, which allows several full-fledged EFBs, photos, and other goodies, with memory to spare. I have the one with the built-in gps, didn't activate the phone feature, and usually use my DualXGPS170 for real GPS. As for phones, I have a Samsung Galaxy Note4, which suits me fine. Wasn't willing to pay Apple's premium for its phone. I run (free) Avare on it for navigational backup. I can't convince myself I need a smart watch, as my 20-year-old ladies' Seiko is still humming, and a darn sight less clunky looking.

[peevee]

I replaced my iPad2, a hoary ancient three-year-old, which I could never decide where to put so it wasn't in the way, with an iPad mini2 (retina) last year. It works just fine, even with my presbyopia. This summer's splurge was the Ram yoke mount with the X-shaped holder, which keeps it cool enough, and easy to position so I can see what's behind it. I got all the memory Apple would sell me at the time, which allows several full-fledged EFBs, photos, and other goodies, with memory to spare. I have the one with the built-in gps, didn't activate the phone feature, and usually use my DualXGPS170 for real GPS. As for phones, I have a Samsung Galaxy Note4, which suits me fine. Wasn't willing to pay Apple's premium for its phone. I run (free) Avare on it for navigational backup. I can't convince myself I need a smart watch, as my 20-year-old ladies' Seiko is still humming, and a darn sight less clunky looking.

I may have to do the same, my 2 is getting a little slow but I'm worried the mini may be too small, I already feel like the 2 could use a little bigger screen

[Seth]

My iPad2 was purchased in 2011 and injured in late 2014 (I felt like an idiot). The smaller size of the iPad2 mini I replaced it with is useful size wise in the cockpit and perfect for approach plates.

However I miss the larger iPad screen at home.

-Seth

[aviatoreb]

Aha - I get the CB prize here - I am still using my mini-1.  It still works...main problem is it doesn't have enough memory to hold the whole country - so usually I have just the east coast and some midwest which is 95% of my flying but if I want to go somewhere else, I have to carefully plan what to load. 

 

It doesn't behave as if its too slow though.

 

I am guessing the screens have gotten better?  How is the glare on the retina displays?

 

I'm waiting for ipad mini 4 if this one doesn't break first.

[peevee]

Aha - I get the CB prize here - I am still using my mini-1.  It still works...main problem is it doesn't have enough memory to hold the whole country - so usually I have just the east coast and some midwest which is 95% of my flying but if I want to go somewhere else, I have to carefully plan what to load. 

 

It doesn't behave as if its too slow though.

 

I am guessing the screens have gotten better?  How is the glare on the retina displays?

 

I'm waiting for ipad mini 4 if this one doesn't break first.

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/76833/20150817/apple-will-not-release-ipad-air-3-this-year-ipad-mini-4-upgrade-will-not-be-significant-report.htm

[aviatoreb]

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/76833/20150817/apple-will-not-release-ipad-air-3-this-year-ipad-mini-4-upgrade-will-not-be-significant-report.htm

 

Ah - then I will wait for the ipad mini 5.  :-)

 

Seriously, I am not a get-the-latest sorta guy just to have the newest.  My mini-1 is working great.  I wish I had more memory but I don't need it.  The screen glare is the only issue but an upgrade won't help apparently.  Speed is fine, really.  No issue whatsoever with speed.

 

I had my ipad 1 (not mini) for a long time (but it was too big and I was wishing for a mini - even before the mini existed), until one day - I lost it.  I know exactly how I lost it.  I put it on top of my car, while I was also carrying a bunch of boxes.  Put the boxes in the car, got distracted....and you know the rest of the story.  So then I had a great excuse to get the mini.  Maybe I need to do the same thing with my mini-1?

[Marauder]

Ah - then I will wait for the ipad mini 5. :-)

Seriously, I am not a get-the-latest sorta guy just to have the newest. My mini-1 is working great. I wish I had more memory but I don't need it. The screen glare is the only issue but an upgrade won't help apparently. Speed is fine, really. No issue whatsoever with speed.

I had my ipad 1 (not mini) for a long time (but it was too big and I was wishing for a mini - even before the mini existed), until one day - I lost it. I know exactly how I lost it. I put it on top of my car, while I was also carrying a bunch of boxes. Put the boxes in the car, got distracted....and you know the rest of the story. So then I had a great excuse to get the mini. Maybe I need to do the same thing with my mini-1?

Erik -- you may want to check out the Samsung, Nexus and other Droid based units. Garmin Pilot for Android is close to catching up with the iOS version. I ran Pilot on a Nexus 7 a couple of summers ago and really liked the unit in the sun. The on,y reason I dropped it was because the iOS pilot version was more advanced.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[aviatoreb]

Erik -- you may want to check out the Samsung, Nexus and other Droid based units. Garmin Pilot for Android is close to catching up with the iOS version. I ran Pilot on a Nexus 7 a couple of summers ago and really liked the unit in the sun. The on,y reason I dropped it was because the iOS pilot version was more advanced.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

I did check one out about 2 years ago - and I am running garmin pilot - in fact the mini on my yoke is dedicated to the airplane.  If garmin pilot has caught up to the ipad version - then I would be sold.

[peevee]

Ah - then I will wait for the ipad mini 5.  :-)

 

Seriously, I am not a get-the-latest sorta guy just to have the newest.  My mini-1 is working great.  I wish I had more memory but I don't need it.  The screen glare is the only issue but an upgrade won't help apparently.  Speed is fine, really.  No issue whatsoever with speed.

 

I had my ipad 1 (not mini) for a long time (but it was too big and I was wishing for a mini - even before the mini existed), until one day - I lost it.  I know exactly how I lost it.  I put it on top of my car, while I was also carrying a bunch of boxes.  Put the boxes in the car, got distracted....and you know the rest of the story.  So then I had a great excuse to get the mini.  Maybe I need to do the same thing with my mini-1?

it's kind of funny that article should come out just recently with this discussion going on.

The cost difference is so slight I think I'll just get a new LTE air, it'll be a little smaller than my ipad2 and have the same screen size.

 

my wife still uses her ipad 1, it does everything she needs and still works great. It's like, the only one I've seen in years.

[DXB]

If I'm not mistaken the mini 3 is the same as the mini 2 except addition of the fingerprint reader, which has no utility in the cockpit.  Could save a couple bucks and just get the mini 2.

[nels]

I bought my ipad a few years ago. It has 16 gigs of memory. I was able to download FlyQ and use it for navigation, but when an upgrade came available for the FlyQ program I didn't have enough memory to download the upgrade. At this point my subscription is running out and I can't even renew as the format I have is no longer supported. I'm not a computer geek so I may just have to buy a new pad with more memory. I don't feel to bad though as I would prefer a smaller tablet like the mini. I also heard that Apple advertises 16 gb memory which it does have but 3 of those 16 are used up just running the device.

[slowflyin]

+1 for the mini.  Wife has the full size and both are wonderful tools but with out a doubt the mini is my favorite for the AC.

[Danb]

Guys unfortunately I haven't joined the club yet, I just purchased the new IPad Air it comes with a much faster processor and a better retina screen, I use my IPad mini as a backup to the new air. All this is a matter of personal choice, my main reason for utilizing the bigger one first and the mini as my backup is its just easier for my old eyes to see.

I don't think there's a loser in either

Dan

[warrennn]

In my opinion, the best iPad "mini" is an iPhone 6 plus!  It also fits easily in one's pocket for use as a phone (who would have guessed?), calculator, reader, etc. It has pretty much replaced my iPad for most things.

 

I use mine with WingX and it is much friendlier in the cockpit than my iPad Air, which is a bit large and blocks instruments. The Air is also easy to accidentally touch, generating spurious inputs. This happened on an ILS approach, causing the plate to disappear in a way which was hard to fix in flight (I now use Jepps for my primary charts -- the tablets are too unreliable).

 

Warren Nagourney

[ryoder]

Anyone use a Kindle paper white for plates? They have a new one. It has an automatic backlight.

The kindle isn't afraid of the sun like the iPad and has a super long life battery. It's just designed to display static pages though.

[larryb]

One piece of advice. Don't be cheap and buy an iPad with minimal memory and no cellular. Buy the max memory and cellular. With cellular you get internal GPS. Cellular data adds immensely to the utility of the device.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[peevee]

One piece of advice. Don't be cheap and buy an iPad with minimal memory and no cellular. Buy the max memory and cellular. With cellular you get internal GPS. Cellular data adds immensely to the utility of the device.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Agreed. And you can get a briefing or file a plan about anywhere.

[Danb]

The new one has a whopping 128..

[Steve W]

Anyone use a Kindle paper white for plates? They have a new one. It has an automatic backlight.

The kindle isn't afraid of the sun like the iPad and has a super long life battery. It's just designed to display static pages though.

 

Here's a shootout I did late last year. Kindle, Nexus 7, either the Tab pro or the Tab S 8.x, iPad Mini 2, and Tab S 10.5

 

http://www.wormley.com/gallery3/index.php/Misc/Screen-Brightness-20141102/

 

I haven't been keeping my site up so I have no idea if my custom stuff will work on the newest Kindles, but anyone who has one could try that or the PDF versions, my website is just  chartbundle.com

[mikesideup]

Right now I have the IPad 2 air with foreflight and love it except for the size . The iPhone 6 might be the solution as a backup.

Thanks