- #How to use a kindle fire for your gps Offline#
- #How to use a kindle fire for your gps series#
- #How to use a kindle fire for your gps tv#
- #How to use a kindle fire for your gps free#
It incorporates a stand-alone GPS receiver, providing out-of-the-box positional information, sometimes referred to as “unassisted GPS” and this feature can be further enhanced in assisted mode when used with cellular or WiFi data services. The Android-based Nexus 7 was put to work to test the concept of using a tablet at a motorcycle GPS.
To be fair however, some of the newer motorcycle GPS units feature brighter five-inch 800×480 pixel resolution screens but visibility can still be compromised. With its 17.8 cm (7 inch) screen and 800 x 1280 pixel resolution, the first generation Nexus 7 screen is a major improvement over the standard motorcycle GPS with its average resolution of 480×272 pixels. So in considering requirements and budgets, owners should be able to find suitable methods to adapt the Nexus 7 or similar tablets for use as a large-screen motorcycle navigation device. In reality there are now many GPS and mapping options available, although that wouldn’t have been the case just a couple of years ago, even with a burgeoning smartphone and tablet market.Īnd while we’re waiting for ruggedized tablets and smartphones, basic dry-bag protection can save the day, so to speak, by providing a timely economical protective solution.
#How to use a kindle fire for your gps Offline#
While the Google Nexus 7 tablet is the key component in this evaluation, the solution is indeed a “sum of the parts”, including downloaded maps for offline use. While the Otterbox for the Nexus 7 is not supposed to be totally compatible with the 32GB WiFi and 3G tablet provided by the Editor, this didn’t prove to be an issue at all.Īnd in being (very) familiar with the RAM line of products, it didn’t take long to put together a not-so-short list that could and would allow various secure mounting options for the Nexus 7 on the motorcycle, now securely wrapped in the Defender case.
#How to use a kindle fire for your gps series#
Thankfully, the Otterbox Defender series housing for the original Nexus 7 were available. Safely utilizing a tablet on a motorcycle and keeping it functioning despite the weather and other bumps along the way takes a certain amount of foresight.Įverything from cheap plastic bags to expensive protective cases are now available and the ever-improving choices we have to house and protect our devices is very much a good thing.īut even with the (somewhat) weatherproof housings that are available, many other smartphones, tablets and other devices are still lacking even the most basic weather protection.
In not (ever) forgetting that our electronic devices can and do distract us from critical situational awareness requirements, these same devices can now be used as dynamic tools that can and do assist us in many ways.
#How to use a kindle fire for your gps tv#
Present it all on a larger higher resolution display and have your GPS, directions, mapping, music and - why not? - email, texting, phone calls and even TV while you’re on the road (but not while piloting the bike, of course).
#How to use a kindle fire for your gps free#
Then leverage its built-in GPS and map directions system and/or free or low-cost navigation apps. Take a relatively inexpensive tablet, with its many capabilities that are far beyond any dedicated GPS. The logic behind using a tablet or smartphone rather than a dedicated GPS on a motorcycle is pretty simple. Others have done this also, using one of the many different tablets or touchscreen devices now available. We’ll blame this whole thing on the Editor, who purchased one of the original Google Nexus 7 tablets, a popular piece of technology that I had been wanting to adapt for motorcycle use.