droid razor max vs iphone for kayaking related apps

[Sue H.]

Hi All,

It's time for me to upgrade my phone (droid razor max, really like it) and computers (lenovo think pad & a dell...love the lenovo...hate the dell). I'm wondering if folks have opinions about the droids vs the iphones for kayaking apps and usage. I'm thinking about the new Surface as a tablet/computer option and ditch the dell...I'm also thinking about going to the dark side and switching all... to iphone, ipad and mac (possibly air). Thoughts?

Thanks and Cheers, Sue

[gyork]

Sue-ironically, you will see the light if you come over to the dark side! Love my macAir.

Don't know much about the kayak apps 'cept to say the new MITA app is gonna be sweeeeet!

Edited July 7, 2014 by gyork

[EEL]

Don't know much about the kayak apps 'cept to say the new MITA app is sweeeeet!

Gary:

It is indeed. The pictures of the islands have made me want to visit a few I had never thought that much about before.

Ed Lawson

[eburgess]

Love the new MITA app!!

[Doug]

iMac, ipad & iPhone is the way I go. If you can wait for the iPhone 6 with a bigger screen, I would wait. iPhones don't get viruses, all others do. Just sayin. I do see the attraction to Samsung S5 but scared to switch.

It's all fun stuff....

Doug

[Katherine]

I have the Samsung S 3 & Lenovo & surface - love them all & no virus at all

[John Martinsen]

The Samsung Galaxy s5 is water resistant right out of the box. Not sure how it holds up against salt. Also has a ridiculous amount of run time with the battery, of which you can carry a spare, and a power saver mode which can run just the basics for days of off a 10% charge.

[Doug]

What kayak related aps are you thinking of using? Do you plan to mount your phone on your kayak?

Doug

[EEL]

The Samsung Galaxy s5 is water resistant right out of the box. Not sure how it holds up against salt.

IP testing is done with fresh water, not salt water which is inherently more corrosive if nothing else. A phone typically has may jacks and even if they are covered the odds are against them for corrosion in a salt water environment. Also, IPX7 rating can be exceeded in terms of water pressure if the device is hit by waves resulting in excessive water ingress. Finally, the IPX7 standard allows for water ingress, it does not require that device be totally protected from water. Even minor salt water ingress has the potential to raise havoc with electronics.

Just to complicate life, an IPX7 rating does not mean the product would pass the IPX5 or 6 test since they relate to being subjected to jets of water under pressure.

Ed Lawson

Edited July 8, 2014 by EEL

[JohnHuth]

I have a recent experience, maybe worth sharing. This is one of those "oh, you dumb …." for me. I assume full culpability for being an idiot, but I did learn something.

Thursday evening, crowded house, I'm looking out at the rock groin in front of my porch - slightly awash at high tide. A woman walks by with three boys in tow. The boys want to go out on the rocks, but the woman forbids them. I think to myself "heck, they're kids, let them explore.". I thought to myself "hey, I'll go out on the jetty myself".

Did I mention I'd had a couple of glasses of wine at that point? Might have some bearing on the matter.

Anyway, I made it out to the end of the rock groin and took a selfie. I felt quite self-satisfied, and walked back. Now, there's one little spot that has some slick junk growing, and in my hubris, I forgot about that spot, stepped in it, and went ass over teakettle onto the rocks. I got up and walked to the beach, but then discovered my iPhone was missing out of my pockets.

I wandered back to the rocks, and miraculously, I found it. BUT, when I tried to get it going - nothing.

My wife put it in a tupperware container filled with rice, because she heard of the 'rice in a bag trick.'

The next morning, with a bad bruise on my thigh and a bunch of scrapes, I got up and investigated the 'rice in a bag trick". You're supposed to put the cell phone in a ziplock bag full of rice (not enriched) and keep it there for at least 36 hours. I did this, but nada, still didn't work.

I found out that it's kind of a long stretch, but for future reference, if you dunk you cell phone in salt water, and want to *try* to maximize your chances of a good outcome, do the following:

1.) Don't try to turn it on - don't push any buttons

2.) Wash it out with fresh water

3.) Clean out any garbage with Q-tips and needles if necessary

4.) Dry as thoroughly as possible

5.) Put in a ziplock baggie with a bit of air left, filled with non-enriched rice, and leave it there for at least 36 hours

6.) After 36 hours, pray, take it out and hope for the best.

As it was, I had to go get a replacement. The contacts had corroded.

Lesson learned, testosterone+wine+rock groin+ cell phone = bad experience.

[rfolster]

Response: Lifeproof phone cases. They do have some minor drawbacks, but better than having to by a new phone.

[gyork]

Not sure how it holds up against salt.

I have enough fear of the salt environment that I store my Iphone in a flexible vinyl waterproof protector, then inside a hard-shell waterproof box. Because I don't want to take ANY chances of compromising this redundant item, it's never used unless I am on dry land, and then always in its protective flexible cover. Of course others may choose to have them accesible on deck, but in some of the more remote areas of coastal Maine, recognize if you are paddling with an App open, it may be draining its battery searching for the nearest cell tower. I seem to recall a rescue report in the ?Sonington area recently, initiated when some paddler failed to connect with his contact because of a dead cellphone battery. Like Doug, I carry a portable battery pack on safari (mine is smaller/cuter) for fully re-charging my phone X3 or more. Others buddies have chatted about employing solar chargers.

[Michael_Crouse]

Response: Lifeproof phone cases. They do have some minor drawbacks, but better than having to by a new phone.

The charging port door on my life proof broke in less than a year and they have not responded to my warranty inquiry, so I'll be looking for a new case from someone else.

[Sue H.]

I didn't know my simple inquiry would elicit so many wonderful, detailed and humorous responses...I should have known better considering the NSPN gene pool ! I think this quote may apply here, "The life of the mind, the life of the genome and the gene pool are characterised alike in this way by change, and change which feeds on the random." Thanks all for the info and joy of reading your responses!

One of the reasons I asked my original question, is that I was envious of all the kayaking related apps Warren had on his iphone...my phone is less organized and I have bookmarked the actual web sites for weather, current, etc., appearing to be no where near has handy, to be as user friendly. Since I was positioned to be upgrading everything, I thought I would seek opinions, advice, counsel or whatever may come my way and ...voila, it did!

Cheers, Sue

[gyork]

Seems this thread got WAY hijacked-apologies! Does ANYONE have any kayaking Apps to share with Sue, aside from the MITA app???????? Warren?

[rfolster]

With regards to Warren, keep in mind that NOAA contacts HIM for the weather forecasts!! :-)

[PeterB]

I don't know about other brands, but IPhone marine apps do the job for me. Some worth noting are Aye Tides (tides and currents) , Windfinder Pro, Google Maps, Magic Seaweed, NOAA Buoy Data Reader, and Marine Weather Weather by Accuweather. Aye Tides was $9.99 , the rest were free or cheaper than that.

I'm pretty sure that all things Apple are more expensive than their non-Apple counterparts, but if you can deal with that, I would recommend Apple all the way.

Regarding waterproof and deck mounted Iphone-like devices : am I the only person who kayaks (partly) to get away from all of that? With Cell phone tucked away in a waterproof case for land use , as Gary describes, , and with VHF, charts, deck mounted compass, and the computer residing between your ears, is there really the need to even dream about Iphone- like devices while paddling?

[Phil Allen]

not so much on the iPhone, but I love iNavX on the larger screened iPad. It was ~50$ IIRC, but can download any NOAA chart and makes a good first approach to trip planning. Also, I like the launch site App available from paddling.net, and for weather Magic SeaWeed, and Accuweather's marine weather app.

best

Phil

[Katherine]

No, Peter, you are not the only one...

[Sue H.]

The info keeps rolling in, so thanks. I may be foolish at times, but I was not planning to mount the phone on the deck of my boat, I was not planning to use my phone in any form on-the-water...I can barely tolerate technology off the water...but I indulge out of necessity. Since I have not had a tablet to date, and my laptop is not that portable, I thought I should load up my only constant companion, aka smart phone, with kayak planning apps, in order to readily access that info during those in-between moments, and on-the-go...again, not while paddling... or driving for that matter!

Since our national symbol (bald eagle) often prefers to steal the food caught by others, rather than hunt for its own food exclusively, maybe (with national pride in mind and inspired by the bald eagle)...I should just steal Warren's phone...appetite satisfied!

Cheers, Sue

[Michael_Crouse]

Launch sites from paddling.net is a handy app

[NateHanson]

The charging port door on my life proof broke in less than a year and they have not responded to my warranty inquiry, so I'll be looking for a new case from someone else.

That's a bummer Michael. A couple years ago, my lifeproof developed a pinhole leak in the ear-speaker membrane, and they replaced it pronto. I hope they're not outgrowing good customer service.

[Michael_Crouse]

I resubmitted the claim, got a response that I needed to send them my signature, I did, and they just shipped me a new case.

I wish they did the claims the same way Lupine dog leashes does, send them back the damaged product with your shipping address and they replace it. I actually had to take a picture of both serial numbers on the phone so I could enlarge them to read them!