FYI... Garmin's ActiveCaptain and text messages

[baz]

Subject: Garmin's ActiveCaptain and text messages

I installed the Garmin's ActiveCaptain and all went well once I realized I had to have a blank/unused SD card inserted into one of my boat's Chart plotters. There was little info concerning what size SD card to use but later found out it should not be more than 32 GB in size. I used a spare blank 8 GB card that I believe must be left in the Chart plotter.

After all was configured I was able to view the Chart plotter displays on my Apple iPhone X (I have three on my R29 CB). I also understand a notebook (such as an iPad) can also be used, but so far there's no ActiveCaptain application for the Apple Mac computers (macOS). Only Apple's iOS is supported at this time. 🙁

No matter, after a while after having ActiveCaptain setup I was mightily surprised to see a text message sent to me by my daughter #1 suddenly pop up on one of my Chart plotters along the lower portion of its display with a green background. Hmmm, now that was interesting and not expected! Could I reply to this text message on my Chart plotter....???? I did not see how that was possible so used my iPhone to reply.

I mention this aspect of receiving text messages with ActiveCaptain being installed as I was unaware of it until my daughter #1 sent a text message to me while I was standing in front of the Chart plotter.

Do others see this and if so, do you find it distracting ?
Can it be disabled so that messages are not automagically displayed on the Chart plotter ?
Can the Chart plotter be used to reply to an incoming message I wonder ?
I've not explored or seen if text messages appear on all three of my Chart plotters... should they be ?
If multiple messages arrive does each one overwrite the previous one such that the previous one is obliterated ?
Are the messages archived within the Chart plotter's memory, and if so, how are they retrieved ?

How do you like Garmin's ActiveCaptain ?

Thanks... 🙂

 

[baz]

Today while out on the boat in some very nice weather to gather some performance data while the boat is so new, I also discovered new phone calls pop up on the Chart plotter's screen with option to answer/decline and if voice mail is left another option is to listen to it or not. 😱

 

[Kaptajnen]

Yes,I also discovered this “feature” when a series of emails, messages and even Facetime requests popped up on my chartplotter while I was in the midst of navigating in a busy harbor.

Evidently,if you have an iPad or iPhone with Bluetooth turned ON, anything these devices receive can be transmitted to the chartplotter, if you have “Active Captain” installed and if you have the “Smart Notifications” feature enabled.

Here is the relevant Garmin info from the GPSMAP 7400/7600 Series Owners Manual:

Before your GPSMAP device can receive notifications, you must connect it to your mobile device and enable the Smart Notifications feature (Enabling Smart Notifications, page 4).
When the Smart Notifications feature is enabled and your mobile device receives a notification, a pop-up notification appears on the GPSMAP screen briefly.
NOTE: The available actions depend on the type of notification and your phone operating system.

Managing Notifications
WARNING
Do not read or reply to notifications while operating the vessel. Failure to pay attention to the conditions on the water can result in vessel damage, personal injury, or death.
Before you can manage the notifications, you must enable the Smart Notifications feature (Enabling Smart Notifications, page 4).
When the Smart Notifications feature is enabled and your mobile device receives a notification, a pop-up notification appears on the GPSMAP screen briefly. You can access and manage the notifications from the ActiveCaptain screen.
1 Select ActiveCaptain > Smart Notifications > Messages. A list of notifications appear.
2 Select a notification.
3 Select an option:
NOTE: The available options vary based on your mobile device and the notification type.
• To dismiss and remove the notification from the chartplotter and your mobile device, select Clear or Delete.
NOTE: This does not delete the message from the mobile device. This only dismisses and removes the notification.
• To call the phone number back, select Call Back or Dial.

 

[baz]

Yes.... the messages are far too invasive and distracting..... I’ve turned them off.

The worst happening for me yesterday that lead me to turning the notification messages OFF was after making an ActiveCaptain software update on the Chart plotters I was presented with an alarming close to never ending stream of scores of beeping notification messages from my iPhone as the update completed and the Chart plotters having been Restarted. I had to laboriously select OK for each one to clear up the mess. There needs to be an option for selecting "Clear All" and be done with it. I'll be sending an Enhancement Request (ER) to Garmin about this issue... unless someone here can say if this feature is already implemented somewhere in the Garmin's ActiveCaptain application on the iPhone beyond having to navigate to the Settings->iOS Settings->Notifications->Allow Notifications - ON/OFF toggle.

 

[baz]

I have iOS Notifications set to OFF, yet I still have incoming phone calls show up on the Chart plotter. Is there another switch for inhibiting phone calls from being displayed on the Chart plotter(s) ? Thanks. 🙂