Infinite Skyz Skyzmatic W/no Cell Internet

[Rob Croson]

My Elio will have a cheap, dedicated Android tablet that I only remove when I need to copy files onto it from my home computer, or when I'm in a "bad neighborhood" and need to stow it out of sight.

Sounds like something I might do. Know of any cheap tablets that have GPS functionality? I don't think that's really standard for tablets, is it?

 

[BiloxiGeek]

Don't like the idea of ever leaving the tablet in the car. At least in south Mississippi during summer the interior is gonna get hot enough that a tablet will almost certainly not power up because it's internals need to cool off first.

 

[Sethodine]

Sounds like you have my question the wrong way round. I'm not wanting to connect my phone to Skyz, I'm wanting to connect Skyz to my phone. But I'm a little confused by your reply, so correct me if I'm wrong...

Also, we're all half guessing...

You are saying that Skyz most likely will require its own service connection (4G?) in order to work even as GPS, and cannot connect to other devices for this connection??

If Skyz could piggy its service connection off my phone (Bluetooth or Hotspot) I would be interested. Till then...

Looks like my E just got $1999 Cheaper!

-sterling

Skyz is a combination of hardware and software. It has it's own 4G service connection, which it can allow other devices to connect to via Wi-Fi, thus giving you a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot. This Wi-Fi is how the required tablet device will connect to Skyz (although presumably it will also have a USB or Apple plug for keeping the tablet powered). The tablet will run a Skyz App that allows it to connect to the rest of the Skyz hardware (360-degree cameras, backup camera, sound system interface, etc). I presume they will also have their own GPS app, but since the tablet will be connected online you could use any GPS app you like.

We don't know for sure that the GPS service will rely on the tablet, as it wouldn't be hard for the Skyz "box" to contain a GPS chip. I'm actually hoping for the latter, since tablets without GPS are much cheaper than ones with.

We just don't have enough information on Skyz to really understand how it's service model will be. Can I get it without a subscription? Can I tether it to my phone's data connection? We don't know. $1999+monthly bill does not appeal to me, no matter how many gadgets it offers.

 

[Sethodine]

Sounds like something I might do. Know of any cheap tablets that have GPS functionality? I don't think that's really standard for tablets, is it?

Amazon came up with this $80 tablet pretty quickly. Decent reviews for a budget Android tablet from China.

 

[DailyLunatic]

[QUOTE="Sethodine, post: 147055] .... It has it's own 4G service connection...[/QUOTE]

Forget all the rest of it. THIS is the nut of it.

I'm out.

-sterling

 

[Ty]

I really dislike multi-function devices that you gotta mess with all the time. My phone is a perfect example: it's great at being a multimedia device that can also take calls, but I hate using it for listening to music (either at home or in the car) and I hate using it for GPS. I'd rather have a Tom-Tom on the dash and a decent MP3 player plugged into the Aux jack of the head unit, or perhaps a tablet that will do both, than add another function to my smart phone.

I like devices that stay where they are, and are there when I need them, rather than lugging around a device that does everything. I resisted the switch to a smart phone for a long time, and only moved over because I could get cell service cheaper than with my existing dumb-phone. And to this day, I mostly think of the smart phone as a texting device that has some Swiss Army-like functionality in an emergency.

My Elio will have a cheap, dedicated Android tablet that I only remove when I need to copy files onto it from my home computer, or when I'm in a "bad neighborhood" and need to stow it out of sight.

I'm the opposite with phone and GPS. I hate Tom Toms... static GPS information isn't very helpful when it comes to road closures. Give me Google Maps or Waze to see what is really going on. Besides, it's great to see what is around when you are traveling.

Skyz Active WILL be a subscription based service. They are going to be using Cell Service to connect to your phone for those "Check your car before leaving work" type of things. Plus, if someone bumps it, it'll turn on all the cameras and start sending you the video feed AND recording what is around as well. THAT will require cell phone service.

For me, I have a Qi charging cradle in my truck. I get in, slip the phone in the charger as I start it up and from there, I can just use voice commands to control it... I can control the music, GPS, phone, and even have it read texts and reply all without even glancing at it. I don't have to worry about lugging around a GPS device plus a cell phone plus a teletype or whatever else you must carry around. All I have to do is carry around one slim device. That Tom Tom isn't very slim... I suppose you COULD just leave it in the vehicle but that's just asking for trouble. I mean, IF there are thieves that still take stuff like that.

 

[Ty]

http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Tablet-Display-Wi-Fi-GB/dp/B00TSUGXKE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463171486&sr=8-1&keywords=Kindle+fire

 

[Coss]

Sounds like something I might do. Know of any cheap tablets that have GPS functionality? I don't think that's really standard for tablets, is it?

Here's another with GPS

Using the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 as a dedicated car GPS | ZDNet

 

[Rob Croson]

I guess GPS on tablets is more common than I thought. It turns out the tablet I bought my wife for Christmas 2014 has it. Sounds like that's going to be the path for me, assuming I don't just let my phone do it all.

 

[Sethodine]

Most phones can operate as WiFi hotspots, too, so you could always just use your phone's data to connect to a tablet, thus giving you a nice large GPS/Multimedia screen without the Skyz expense. This has basically been my plan all along.