text editor and map app for android os

[rodekyll]

I just gots me this 7" tablet-thingie.  It's got the google android pretty bad, so I think I need to work with it.  There's wifi and something called 'data' and 'bluetooth' in there.  I feel an affinity already, on account of my tooth is also blue.  So with the G4 or 4G I should be able to check email and do other stuff that needs a connection.  It's some off-brand that cost $100 with a month of service.  It comes with some stuff like FM music and singles hookup software, but nothing useful except the phone part unless your goal with a tablet is to hook up with a giggling pair of 20something . . .well.  . .nevermind. 

They tell me it's easier to use than the pre-flipfone I couldn't make work (in my defense, my daughter couldn't figure out how to retrieve a message either).  I figures that what with all that apps out there I should get me some.  Weather would be nice.  Something that makes it a gps (mapping?) and something to show the stars would be cool, and abosolutely issentale is a text processor so's I can make some notes.  Who's got a clue?  Not me!

[ITSec]

A good note-taking app (simple text editor) is Note Everything. A more complete set of tools (like a light version of Office) is Polaris Office 5.

The built-in Maps application is a version of Google Maps, and is OK; other more GPS-like apps that can work when you're not connected to the Internet are available, though they aren't as good as most of the true GPS software. In order to get offline maps (i.e., always available) you'll have to pay for the app - map data is all licensed intellectual property of Garmin, TomTom, Thales and others. Many of these are offered as free online versions (like Sygic) with the maps being an optional purchase if you want to work offline.

[rodekyll]

Is it required to purchase/download from the google play store, or can I get this stuff anywhere?  So far it's acting like it wants to load stuff through the store. and while I'm reluctantly owning this thing, I don't want to drop my pants for google in order to use it.

 . . . and what's it calling the built-in weather and map programs?  I can't tell if they're there or not.

[Wayne Orwig]

I like OSMand+ for maps. The maps are loaded onto the device. I have a display render file that I did for AMOLED (Samsung) screens that saves a lot of power and is more readable in sunlight.

For note I like Onenote. It is compatible with most platforms. And it is easy to share section like trip reports if you want.


https://1drv.ms/o/s!AgTqBTinl2Tqge5kqda HvOSGO-b0Tw

[rodekyll]

That looks like it's cloud based?

[Moto]

I think you would enjoy Stellarium for astronomical observation. (I do.)

[rodekyll]

That's exactly what I'm looking for (except I'd like it to know where I am rather than me tell it), but it's not available for the android.

[rodekyll]

nevermind -- I just found it.   

[screamday]

There's plenty of free apps on the app store. I use Fast NotePad by Igor for notes, Weather Underground has a weather app that is pretty good and Google maps works pretty good for mapping.

[Chuck in Indiana]

For Wx, I like One Weather. Good precip images with the radar, and text explanation of what is and will be happening. Even has an aviation section. It's like talking to a chatty FAA wx briefer. 

[rodekyll]

So far I've found Wordpad, Polaris office (with PDF), Stellerium, and some mapping software.  I'm currently frustrated because the damn thing thinks I'm on the east coast and despite telling it I'm elsewhere, it keeps synching to Donald Trump time.  The other thing is that it won't use the 32Gb SD card I got it.  It sees it and lets me copy stuff there, but it won't load a program to it.  It wants to overflow the 1.2Gb primary card and then stop me from adding maps to the mapping program.  I've been to the manual, which refers to settings in the control panel that aren't there.

[jkguzzi]

I second the choice of OSMand+ from the Play Store. It's free and you can store the offline maps on the SD card instead of the device memory. Some of the European maps are 500MB and would fill up my phone memory fast.

[Wayne Orwig]

That looks like it's cloud based?

You work offline. But it does sync to the cloud when you go online. Which is good, and bad.

[charlie b]

Yep.

And, yes, you do have to deal with the Google app store.

Some programs allow you to load them to a card, others do not.  Some also allow data to be loaded to the card.  You have to select all that in the setups.  Before I learned how I had one device that I had to do a reset to factory default and start over.

OSMand is the one to go to these days.  Most of the rest all charge a bit for their services.  I got Copilot when it first came out so paid $29.95 for it.  Have used it on 6 different devices now.

I liked Intellicast for my phone/tablets, but, they have been merged with Weather Underground which I do not like as much.  May have to find a better weather radar app.

My phone always thinks I am somewhere else.  Never figured that out.  Good thing is apps that use the GPS figure it out promptly.

Have fun with the toy.  :)

[Moto]

So far I've found Wordpad, Polaris office (with PDF), Stellerium, and some mapping software.  I'm currently frustrated because the damn thing thinks I'm on the east coast and despite telling it I'm elsewhere, it keeps synching to Donald Trump time.

I'm not sure everything I have is at the same version number as yours, but here's how Stellarium handles finding your location, as I understand it.

Open Stellarium, then click the nine-box logo at the lower left. You will see a three-horizontal-line logo appear; click it. Then click the "Location" option, and click "Use GPS," if necessary, to set its check mark on. (This all assumes your device has a GPS receiver.)

The Android device also has a Location service, that may also need to be set for Stellarium to use the GPS. (I'm not sure this is necessary.) To get to it, swipe down from the top of the screen, while outside any program, using two fingers together. This will show a bunch of icons, one of which is "Location." Click it if necessary to highlight it, removing the diagonal bar on the icon.

But wait, there's more. Now click the gear wheel at the upper right edge of the same screen opened in the last paragraph. You will see a page headed "Settings." Click on the "Location" heading. A new page appears; click the "Mode" setting at its top. Make sure you choose a Mode option that includes GPS as a location service. On mine, the options are "High accuracy," "Battery saving," and "Device only." Both the first and third options include GPS. I use "High accuracy."

If you've lately been feeling like you might need a tinfoil hat, or that the government is too interested in you because of your particular characteristics, "Device only" should be your choice; GPS receivers don't report your location to anyone. 

It is true that Google will try to track every single thing you do, so "High accuracy" may not be your best choice. Me, I'm flattered by the attention.

[rodekyll]

I bought a Bluetooth gps and headset for the tablet, so there will be high accuracy.  I'll explore that location thing when I get a break in the boat wiring today.  I gotta get used to where they hide menus and information on this darn thing.  I don't expect them to be lurking off the screen stage left/right or whatever, and I sure don't expect them under the "9" logo.

Stellerium so far thinks it's a few degrees off the equator somewhere near the Azores.  I type in my gps coordinates, it accepts them, and does nothing with the information.  Same with the time.  I can tell it what time and time zone I'm in, and although it's 1AM here, the program says it's daylight, advances to night time, and gives me constellations at unlikely azimuths.  It's a learning curve.  When the Bluetooth gps gets here it might improve.

The mapping software won't work at all without the gps operational.  It says I'm in Alaska, but it refuses to let me even use the Alaska map as a view image unless I can confirm my position to within a meter.  So I can't work with that yet.  Then there's still the problem of how to load things to the 32Gb SD card instead of the 1Gb internal memory.  You'd think the tablet would be smart enough to know you can't pour 5Gb of maps into a 1Gb container and try using the bigger chip.  I guess that's so I can somehow feel smarter than the phone.

[Wayne Orwig]

The tablet didn't already have GPS hardware?
Pretty rare.


What OS version is on the table. One of the versions, 4.4 I think, they increased the security to the point where the external card could only be accessed by internal or root software. There were a few workaround, but it was an issue. They fixed that in later versions, while maintaining security.

[rodekyll]

The tablet with a month of 'minutes' was $100.  The Bluetooth items I bought will work with anything, so I'm not counting them as an expense.  They'll move forward as my other equipment improves.

I don't expect a lot of options on a $60 tablet.  I thought a 7" screen (it operates like a smart phone) would be easier to learn than a 2" smart phone where I can't even see the pictures and when I break it I won't feel as much pain. 

Also, being that basic, it would get me thinking about what to look for when I get ready to spend some real money on the buck rogers stuff, what it takes to really run the stuff I'm trying to use, and I can look at OS choices better.  For example, this silly thing is a one-trick-at-a-time pony.  While the application is downloading you do not get to check your email.  A real OS in the 21st century should be able to multitask more than simultaneous advertising feeds.  Also, what's up with a single input port that can't be multiplexed?  I can either charge the battery or use the usb keyboard -- not both.  Using the keyboard is exactly when I don't care about battery life.   

[Wayne Orwig]

The tablet with a month of 'minutes' was $100.  The Bluetooth items I bought will work with anything, so I'm not counting them as an expense.  They'll move forward as my other equipment improves.

No, you don't understand.

They almost ALL have REAL GPS hardware in them already. No need to buy minutes or anything. No cell towers needed.
FREE, Guzzista priced.

Some iPads need you to buy the 4G version, to get the GPS hardware. But even then, you did not need to pay for monthly minutes.

I guess it is possible that it has no actual GPS hardware, but it would be rare. 

[ITSec]

No, you don't understand.

They almost ALL have REAL GPS hardware in them already. No need to buy minutes or anything. No cell towers needed.
FREE, Guzzista priced.

Some iPads need you to buy the 4G version, to get the GPS hardware. But even then, you did not need to pay for monthly minutes.

I guess it is possible that it has no actual GPS hardware, but it would be rare.

The need for monthly minutes comes when you don't have access to WiFi and are using a mapping tool that relies on online maps.

As for packages, well, they are just that - the vendor puts together something to get you to buy and hopes to make it up in subscription costs later.

[rodekyll]

It seems the tablet is defective.  Yes, the gps was supposed to be internal.  The SD card should have automagically taken downloads, and the date and time should have been settable to the local network.  Also, it was not storing contact data.  So I returned it.  I'm off to find something else.

[rodekyll]

 .  .  . and it seems that the tablets available don't have actual gps the way I think of it.  They call it gps but it's using cell phone and wifi to approximate a location.  Cheezy. 

I've replace the defective tablet with some ipad clone running android.  I'm not liking android, but I had to start somewhere.  So the gps I ordered is still worthwhile.  Bummer.  But I found a workaround for the google app store.  Amazon already has as much of my sperm count and voter history as they need to do business with me, so I'm buying through them.  I've got the Stellarium and Outlook installed, and the Sygic maps are downloading.  I'll get to that word processor later.

Looks like a Bluetooth keyboard is in order too.  The other tablet had a usb board included.  I assumed this one would too, but alas, at 4x the cost, no.

[charlie b]

My Samsung had a true GPS in it.  It did not have phone capability.

Android version/type has a lot to do with it.  Some makers had a hacked up version, most notably the Kindle and Nook types.  They disable some of the functions to suit their product.

Yep, one of the things I did not like about iPads was no real expansion.  No extra memory available, no USB.  Not sure about your version but I could not use a mouse either unless I rooted the code.

[Chuck in Indiana]

My Samsung has a true GPS and the ability to use cell towers. It was free (Guzzi content) with a new Galaxy phone that was half priced, as it was last year's model. (More Guzzi content) 
It is an amazing bit of kit. I have an aviation nav app on it that is more than the airlines had just a few years ago. It will overlay weather on it so you can see what is ahead as long as you can get cell reception. It would take a special antenna if you can't get cell reception, but it will do that, too. Another screen will give a virtual instrument panel.. airspeed, rate of climb, turn coordinator, gyro compass, etc. (!)
Like I said, an amazing device. Never crashes. You name it, there's an app for that.

[rodekyll]

Is the aviation app FOREFLIGHT?  I've chatted with pilots who use it alongside their official cockpit software -- and some official software IS Foreflight.

Maybe the gps will get there today.

The Sygic mapping software crashed already -- simply refuses to open on the screen, even through the settings area says its running.  This happened when I tried starting it after getting the maps downloaded.

A month into retirement and I guess I forgot everything I knew about computers.  I THOUGHT they had some way to look inside and see the files that were on the hard drive, and that I used to be able to do things like move, copy, and delete files.  Not so with Android.  If you want to see anything except you-toobe you need to get an app for it.  I thought you got some way to write -- a text processor, as it were.  Apparently I'm wrong about that, too.  When I went in to ask the six giggling girls about it, the one who fielded the question looked puzzled, examined the tablet, and said "write?" like I was asking it to perform a tonsillectomy. 

[Moto]

.  .  . and it seems that the tablets available don't have actual gps the way I think of it.  They call it gps but it's using cell phone and wifi to approximate a location.  Cheezy. 

To see if you have a true GPS, install Physics Toolbox Suite,  from the Play Store. One of the functions (available by swiping from the left edge of the screen) lets you see the GPS's count of satellite signals it has acquired.

[rodekyll]

Now I'm feeling like a rube.  According to the physics suite I have a gps -- 20 sats, shows my walking speed and a reasonable elevation.  lat/lon look right.  So why did the giggling girls tell me "not really"?  Why can't my apps and 'location finder' use it?

[Chuck in Indiana]

Now I'm feeling like a rube.  According to the physics suite I have a gps -- 20 sats, shows my walking speed and a reasonable elevation.  lat/lon look right.  So why did the giggling girls tell me "not really"?  Why can't my apps and 'location finder' use it?

Is the aviation app FOREFLIGHT?

I fly GPS. Foreflight doesn't support android.
There's probably a place to toggle location finder on. The giggling girls probably have never used a tablet except to watch videos. <shrug> The same ones over and over if my grand daughter is.. uh.. a normal giggling girl. 

Edit: On mine, from the home screen, do a 2 finger swipe down from the top. The second icon from the left on the top row is location. It toggles on and off. From this screen you can set many defaults.

[rodekyll]

Interesting.  After finding the gps with the physics suite I can now get lat/lon to show in stellarium (don't know if it's showing the right declensions and all, but we'll see after dark, if the stars show).  Also maybe getting it in the weather app, but there's so much uneditable bullcrap going on there I can't tell.  I'm in Sitka.  The app has canned reports for Mexico City, Paris, London, etc.  Sitka goes at the bottom of the list.  The list is uneditable.  So I have to scroll through pages of useless crap to check the temperature.  That app has got to go.

Still no joy with the mapping software -- simply refuses to run now.  Checkign with Amazon . . .

[Moto]

Interesting.  After finding the gps with the physics suite I can now get lat/lon to show in stellarium ...

Great! You'll like it.

I prefer the Maps, MyRadar, and Weather Underground apps for their respective functions. All are free on the Play Store.

Maps opens when I say, "Okay Google ... Find directions to a Moto Guzzi store near me," for example. It's part of the Google environment. The maps look great.

MyRadar's display of moving radar images is unsurpassed, I think, for clarity and, pardon the expression, graphical beauty.

Weather Underground is just the best weather app I've found, but not nearly so good as the phenomenal web site by the same name.

They all keep track of where I am, presumably with the GPS I've activated as described before.

Moto

P.S. If you're a programmer, it'll take a while for the impulse to use a terminal emulator and a tree structure file system to subside. In the meantime, install Terminal Emulator and type "pwd" and "ls -l" to begin exploring. I quickly found the typing on the phone to be too big a drawback. Another app called Computer lets you see a more Mac- or PC-like display of folders.

M.

P.P.S. QuickEdit is a good plain-text editor that I use.

M.