IPAD GPS

Anchor Management

Anchor Management

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Just bought the Air without cellular and now don't have GPS capabilities as Apple bundles cellular with GPS. I use Navionics to plot courses as backup. Any recommendations on a Bluetooth GPS that I can pair with my iPad? I can still swap out the iPad until tomorrow. I was ok with buying the cellular version and not activating the cell service but according to salesperson, that won't work unless she was assuming I was using for traffic updates.
 
I use the Dual Electronics XGPS150 (150 is the older version) on my non cellar iPad pro. It works perfect with navionics
 
quote:
Originally posted by gotfw

Swap it.

Click to expand...

Just made another trip to Apple and spoke to someone else and they told me even the Air that is cellular capable and has gps won’t work without a cell plan because it pulls coordinates through the cell service. I’m not that savvy on this stuff to understand.
 
Unless it has changed recently in newer model which I doubt, the GPS works fine without installing a SIM card and activating service

That’s what I have... I wouldn’t buy a WiFi only iPad
 
I have an older cell-enabled iPad with the gps and I don't have it activated for cell service either. It works with motionX gps and a variety of other apps.
 
Get the cellular capable iPad. You may want to add a data plan to it at some point and it will be nice to have that option.
I’ve got one with an unlimited cellular plan and to name some of the things I use it for when on the boat:
internet, email, downloading the daily newspaper, streaming music from XM then to stereo via Bluetooth, and as a hot spot for streaming Prime Video and Netflix to the smart TV’s on the boat.
 
Update: I went back to The Apple Store for the third time to swap for the cellular capable version because what they were telling me just didn’t make sense and got the same response for the third time until another employee overheard the conversation and said that it would definitely work. I swapped it out and put on Navionics in the car on the way home and it followed me with no issue without cellular being activated. Apparently they need to upgrade their Genius interview process.
 
FWIW, if you have an iPhone also, you can use it's cell service on your iPad by turning on 'Personal Hotspot' in the phone's settings.
 
quote:
Originally posted by gcolton

Ever thought of just buying a GPS unit?

George

Click to expand...

That was my back up if I couldn’t get the iPad to work but wanted less “stuff”. Hot spot would also work but the problem appears to be solved. Thanks to all for your suggestions.
 
I don’t believe personal hot spot includes location service

Using an external GPS is a pita. It’s one more thing to carry, unpractical in the dinghy. Also being BT, you can’t use the iPad for music while using the GPS
 
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