Garmin App

[walldog]

I am extremely disappointed in the charge for updates to the Garmin app. There is a good article on these upgrades at
http://i-marineapps.blogspot.com/ Mark, the author asked for comments. I posted mine: "Herb Stark March 29, 2013 at 11:11 AM
Yes, I was surprised and extremely disappointed. While the app is OK, it is not the best Navigation app I use. I find the Navionics easier to operate more informative. We were promised compatibility with our Garmin Chartplotters and to date do not have a functional wifi interface. I have had so many crashes, that I consider the app unusable. No I am not updating at this time, and I am not sure when or if I will."

You may like to do so also. Initially I was really happy to have Active Captain interfaced with a Navigation app on our iPad. After a few weeks of using I am not so sure this app was ready for prime time. It crashes too often for me to consider it reliable. And now Garmin wants between 15-20 bucks to keep it current. No Thanks

 

[baz]

Boo hiss. I also responded to Mark's blog.

Barry SharpMarch 29, 2013 at 12:18 PM
I too am surprised by this update charge. I do appreciate updates incur cost to Garmin and also their content providers. I also understand that the content providers can at anytime no longer provide their content to Garmin for distribution. I've already come across this lack of long term expectation that some will continue for ever using the Apple iTunes method for keeping my purchases such as movies. Only the other day I found out from Apple that a movie can at any time be rescinded by the content provider thus making the movie unavailable for downloading. Because of this I've downloaded ALL my purchased items from the iTunes Cloud and have archived them on my local disks.

Having said all the above, it must be understood that we all are subject to this sort of thing from other Vendors, and GARMIN is no exception if you read the License and Terms you have to agree with for using the BlueChart Mobile and its Charts.

What I think GARMIN should have done is to allow purchasers of their BlueChart Mobile to have free updates for several years (maybe up to 3 years) before charging. Other companies do this such as NavTech for automobile navigation systems who provide DVDs for this purpose.

My advice to BlueChart Mobile users is to ensure they backup their purchase Charts to avoid them going poof. The License & Terms say that these Charts are being licensed to you for a limited time, and you are NOT purchasing them outright... carefully read the Terms you all had to agree to before using the Application.

I've used the BlueChart Mobile and quite honestly I've yet to have it crash on me. However, that's not to say it will never crash. I wonder if it crashes more easily on the iPhone vs. say the iPad... dunno. I've used it on both and so far I've seen no crashes. No matter, this is a distraction from what Mark has asked for.

Coming back to updates costing a fee such as $14.99....

First, I would want to know what the update includes. If the changes are inconsequential to me then I would not want to update. There's no telling about this as far as I can see using the App. GARMIN needs to state what the update changes are so that people know what they are 'licensing'.

The other thing I see involved with this Chart update policy is that if the decision to update is made then all previous Chart tiles associated with the Chart update are DELETED. This then causes one to have to re-download the Chart tiles that previously were downloaded from the earlier update. This is not good at all.

GARMIN should at least indicate as best they can how frequent updates will be offered. They of course are subject to their content provider's whims as well less we forget that.

So, yes Mark, I was/am very disappointed by the way GARMIN has acted in this regard. It's almost as if they've been deceitful if they knew about applying this update fee policy when they first launched BlueChart Mobile.

...and as Herb Stark has indicated.... when will we see the 'Functional WiFi interface' from GARMIN.

Boo hiss.

 

[HRowland]

I use Navimatics Charts and Tides to get Active Captain data on my iPad. There are no recurring fees for updates although I can understand Garmin doing this, updates for our chartplotters are far from free. Is this a per update fee or an annual subscription?

I have a first generation iPad which is not compatible with the Garmin app. I am waiting for a beter WiFi solution before considering a new iPad. I am currently using a simple WiFi router as my tugs Hotspot. My WiFi iPad, laptop, and wifes Kindle connect to this. I have a Rogue Wave long range WiFi antenna to connect the router to marina (or other) sources. When public WiFi is not available I use a Verizon 4G hotspot.

I want a solution that will work with Garmin that uses a general purpose router so it can be integrated into my current setup. I am willing to replace my current WiFi router with a high performance model as long as it can be configured to work with the Garmin network, i.e. blocking high bandwidth RADAR and sounder data without crashing.

Since my iPad is WiFi I use an external Bluetooth connected GPS to provide position data for Navimatics, iNavX, and the DragQueen apps. This works very well and has extended the lifetime of my old iPad. The GPS is the Dual Electronics XGPS150 Universal Bluetooth GPS Receiver.

Howard

 

[knotflying]

Come on Garmin, give me a break! I buy your charts in late December and now you want $22.00 for an update in March? Sounds like a bait and switch to me. I like the Garmin with the Active Captain overlay, but can get that elsewhere from an outfit that does not charge for updates. I also think that Garmin may have used Active Captain to sucker us in. I hope Active Captain saw the value of their product to firms like Garmin and was compensated accordingly. I think Garmin offers a great product, but they need to be less aggressive and in their assumption that their product is proprietary. I am glad I sold their stock at $85.00

 

[Adagio]

I just purchased the Bluechart Mobile App for my iPad last week. The charts downloaded, but do not appear now. Is there a users guide for this App? If so, how do I locate it?

Adagio

 

[baz]

Select Settings under "GARMIN BLUECHART MOBILE" --> User Manual which takes you to "Table of Contents".

 

[knotflying]

You may have to re-download the purchased charts. That has happened to me a couple of times.

 

[Matamanoa]

I bought the Bluechart App for IPAD 2 yesterday, and I am VERY DISAPPOINTED as it crashes when you try to insert a waypoint or even if you try to rename a waypoint !!! Since I have not wi-fi connectivity with Garmin chartplotter, the APP as it is is totally USELESS !!!
Did any of you had the same problem ?

 

[knotflying]

I have not had the issue of crashing. I have decided not to tie the app to my chartplotter though. I feel I would rather keep them separated and independent of one another. I'll enter routes the old fashioned way since, to me, this seems to be the only advantage of tying them together.

 

[Hydraulicjump]

No crashes for me, but this may be because i have not upgraded my app or my system software. The cost of upgrades (and will we get hit with this cost every year?) and the frankly ugly, very un-Apple like interface (awful color choices, poor quality zoom) now makes me less than enthusiastic about the app. I really like the look of Navionics. If only they had the easy route planning that the Garmin and iSailor apps have, I would use it instead. My two cents not worth a plug nickel.

Jeff

 

[baz]

I have not had the issue of crashing. I have decided not to tie the app to my chartplotter though. I feel I would rather keep them separated and independent of one another. I'll enter routes the old fashioned way since, to me, this seems to be the only advantage of tying them together.

I also have not seen crashes except for one the other week. My use of this App will be like yours Jim. I'll use the iPad BlueChart Mobile as a backup and an interesting alternative for 1st Mate seeing where our boat is and for reviewing the ActiveCaptain info.

It will also be useful when boat is docked and idle for scanning/exploring around while sitting at the dinette table.

 

[baz]

It should be made clear that Garmin is charging for Chart updates and not updates to the BlueChart Mobile application itself -- as these are free (so far).

 

[Bruce Moore]

It should be made clear that Garmin is charging for Chart updates and not updates to the BlueChart Mobile application itself -- as these are free (so far).

Classic razor and blades marketing strategy. I hope they realize their real opportunity is selling 5 figure installations, made more valuable and desirable by the value-add digital products for which there is little variable overhead.