Anybody use a GPS unit on an IPAD?

Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Messages
453
Reaction score
10
Points
18
Location
The same as Sheldon Cooper - East Texas
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 2014 i5 5k 32gb 1tb fusion, second TB display, 2014 MBA
I am looking for opinions on which hardware and software solution to use as a traveling GPS for the Ipad. Currently I am using a MBP with a Street Atlas in bootcamp, but trying to set up a laptop to where it can be seen by the driver is a problem. An Ipad would be the perfect size.

Lots of solutions on Google, but I am looking for real world experience. Good or bad, don't buy this piece of junk, etc.

Thanks all.
 
Joined
Feb 8, 2007
Messages
140
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Location
Berkshire, England
well iPad uses the iPhone GPS.. so.. got an iPhone?
 

RavingMac

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
8,303
Reaction score
242
Points
63
Location
In Denial
Your Mac's Specs
16Gb Mac Mini 2018, 15" MacBook Pro 2012 1 TB SSD
Actually the iPad seems to be a better GPS than the iPhone (probably due to larger antenna).
Lots of different APPs available. I've been using the Tom Tom APP which seems to work well. Main advice I would offer is to be sure the APP downloads the maps to your iPad otherwise it won't work when you are in a no cell phone service area.
 
OP
cptkrf
Joined
Dec 8, 2009
Messages
453
Reaction score
10
Points
18
Location
The same as Sheldon Cooper - East Texas
Your Mac's Specs
iMac 2014 i5 5k 32gb 1tb fusion, second TB display, 2014 MBA
No good. My IPad is a wifi only and useless when driving. I want a good standalone, hardware connected external GPS unit with good maps. I have found several that connect to the big connector at the bottom of the IPAD, just not a lot of info on them besides the sales blah-blah.
 

RavingMac

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jan 7, 2008
Messages
8,303
Reaction score
242
Points
63
Location
In Denial
Your Mac's Specs
16Gb Mac Mini 2018, 15" MacBook Pro 2012 1 TB SSD
Honestly your most elegant and I think best soloution would be to sell or swap your wifi iPad and get a 3G model. You don't have to pay for a data plan but then you would have built in GPS that works fairly well and the price difference between the wifi and 3G models isn't that much more than the hardware module you would have to buy to make the wifi model GPS enabled.
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2007
Messages
1,792
Reaction score
67
Points
48
Location
Redwood City, CA / Stanford, CA
Your Mac's Specs
MacBook, Black, 2.0GHz C2D, 2GB RAMs, 160GB HD
I agree with Razormac. I have the 3G model and downloaded the Navigon navigation app. It's great. Works like a charm and very well featured, even more than my standalone gps from garmin.
 
Joined
Apr 6, 2011
Messages
1,291
Reaction score
43
Points
48
Location
Louisville, KY - USA
Your Mac's Specs
MBP 17" 2011, 2.3GHz Intel Quad-Core i7, 8GB RAM, MacMini 2011, 2.7GHz Intel Dual-Core i7, 8GB RAM
I have the 3G model and use something called MotionX GPS Drive. It works great and it will let you download your maps ahead of time so you don't have to download on the fly (requiring 3G to stay on and data to be sucked down.) I have run this side-by-side with my dedicated Magellan Maestro Car GPS and it was spot on.

However, since you don't have the 3G model, you will find the BT GPS pucks that are known to work with the iPad BT (non-jailbroken) to be only a few dollars LESS than upgrading to the 3G model. And no, there are no GPS units that I know of that will plug into the iPad, only a couple BT Pucks.

http://www.gns-gmbh.com/index.php?id=194&L=1 is the only one I know of that is Apple Approved.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top