Truckers Tablet Computer With GPS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrSPtLx7VG0

Hi Folks,

I just stumbled on this handy gadget. It looks like it's only been out on the market for a few months. As you can see, it offers a truck driver's GPS housed in an Android tablet computer. Based on what I've seen, it goes for $269.00. If it works well, that's a good price for what it does. Of course, an Android tablet is no substitute for a laptop computer, but you can't beat the tablet form factor for reading ebooks in bed. (Of course, you can also browse the internet, watch videos, and listen to music/audio books as well).

If you have an Android smartphone, there is an app called ScreenShare, which must be installed on both your phone and the tablet. (It's on the Google Play store web site). With these apps running on both your phone and this (or any other) Android tablet, the tablet displays exactly what the phone displays, on the bigger tablet scareen.

Here's a suction cup mount for the unit that I saw:

http://www.opip.com/product/Car-Holder-for-iPad-GPS-Tablet-PC-with-Multi-Function-_p16862.html

The suction cup on this mount can attach to a weighted base, which I have seen for as little as $10.00

My thanks to Brett and everyone else for all the helpful articles!!!

Nice idea. As soon as they come out with an updated one, I will absolutely look into it. The one "advertised" would not even come close to fitting my needs.

It does have WiFi, but it only has 3G support. 3G is slowing phasing out. Most cities are now using 4G. Much much faster. Plus a longer range with 4G.

Now, in saying that, most times with 3 or 4 G, there will be a service contract. So, WiFi might be good enough for most people. But if I were planning on signing a service contract anyway, I wouldn't settle for only having 3G.

Onboard the tablet has only 512 MB of RAM. Decent I guess for a tablet. But with what this would be used for, it might be way to slow. I doubt it would do a very good job with GPS routing. I might be wrong, but it seems to me, that it would be pretty slow. And if it needed to re-route for some reason, who knows how long it would take. Unless it is not using WiFi with routing. If it is using internal maps like a regular GPS unit, then it might be OK.

Even my Droid 4 from Verizon has 4G, and it has 1GB of RAM. Loosely speaking, RAM is how well or fast graphics work on a PC. The less RAM, the slower a page will load if it is very graphic.

Great idea, but I think I will wait till they make it up to market standards.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S

Thanks, Joe S. You're right, 512 MB of RAM is skimpy.

This might be a different solution: Here's a trucking GPS app for Android tablets:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.teletype.smarttruckroute&hl=en

It says that the cost is from 7 cents per day, which isn't bad. The average review was 4.2 out of 5, which is pretty good. This app can be installed on one of the better tablets (like the Google Nexus 7), which should deliver good results.

Just be careful with having a tablet on or near your dash. Depending on the officer and their attitude that day they can get you on having it up front with you and since it can be used for other things than just a GPS you might have a hard time proving that is all you use it for while driving.

Its great to have multiple devices built into one thing but its hard to be an item that does one thing really well.....like a straightforward GPS.

Most GPS apps are meant for cars or small vehicles. Have not found one that is just for trucks. If you are planning on spending $265 for this table then you might as well just buy a trucker GPS and know you will have a better device.

Very good point guyjax. Never even looked at it that way. The way they have cracked down on cell phone use, this would fit right into that category.

Think I will stick to my Trucking GPS. I will get a better one when I start going solo. Right now I am using a Garmin 465T. Not really that fond of it. It makes a lot of mistakes. But it was the only thing less than 300 dollars that I could afford at the moment.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S

Very good point guyjax. Never even looked at it that way. The way they have cracked down on cell phone use, this would fit right into that category.

Think I will stick to my Trucking GPS. I will get a better one when I start going solo. Right now I am using a Garmin 465T. Not really that fond of it. It makes a lot of mistakes. But it was the only thing less than 300 dollars that I could afford at the moment.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S

Everyone has their preferred brand I think and pros and cons of each but for my money and the options it provides I like the Rand McNally. To me it more reliable by far. I have 2,yes 2, Rand McNally 720's on my truck. One I use all the time and then I have an older 720 (my first one that the speaker is going out in) as a backup.

Very good point guyjax. Never even looked at it that way. The way they have cracked down on cell phone use, this would fit right into that category.

Think I will stick to my Trucking GPS. I will get a better one when I start going solo. Right now I am using a Garmin 465T. Not really that fond of it. It makes a lot of mistakes. But it was the only thing less than 300 dollars that I could afford at the moment.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S

Everyone has their preferred brand I think and pros and cons of each but for my money and the options it provides I like the Rand McNally. To me it more reliable by far. I have 2,yes 2, Rand McNally 720's on my truck. One I use all the time and then I have an older 720 (my first one that the speaker is going out in) as a backup.

I also agree with guyjax. The Rand McNally is the most reliable for me. And I don't even have the newer model like guyjax does, I have the TND 510. But it's still very good. It can locate truck stops/cat scales/weigh stations/walmarts/rest areas on your route or near your truck. Very very nice gps. Since mine is the older model I have seen it for as low as 200$ it was on a sale. But the average price is about 300$ if I recall correctly. It's definitely in your budget just look around for a good deal.

I have used Garmin for years and until this model, I was totally pleased.

I started off years ago, when I first started driving a bus, with a 550. Had two of those. Then went to a 650. Had two of those. I couldn't have wanted a better GPS.

When my last 650 bit the dust, I couldn't find another one, so I went to the original Garmin trucking GPS. The 465T.

It makes so many mistakes I can't keep count. I have upgraded it at least three times. I have sent emails to Garmin complaining. No avail. I would not recommend the 465T to anyone.

One of the daily mistakes it makes. I will exit the interstate for a truck stop. I leave the truck stop to get back on the interstate and my GPS wants me to go down the road, PAST THE ON RAMP, sometimes a mile or more, make a U-turn and come back and get on the interstate.

On rural roads, when I have turn off onto another route, it does the same thing. It wants me to go past the turn off, find a place to do a U-turn and come back.

There have been a couple of times, if I had not known the area I was in, or I had not preplanned, I would have been in a big mess.

Maybe it is just a freak thing. Maybe all 465T's are not the same. But with mine, I would yell for everyone to stay away from it.

Keep it safe out there. Joe S

Everyone has their preferred brand I think and pros and cons of each but for my money and the options it provides I like the Rand McNally. To me it more reliable by far. I have 2,yes 2, Rand McNally 720's on my truck. One I use all the time and then I have an older 720 (my first one that the speaker is going out in) as a backup.

guyjax. I have a couple of questions about the Rand McNally GPS if you could answer them.

1. Does it have turn by turn voice directions. Meaning: Does it actually say, "In (xx distance) turn right on Elm Street" or "In (xx distance) take exit xx on right to (xx route)"?

2. What different types of tracking does it use? 3D, 2D. North UP. Direction UP?

I have looked at them on the Rand McNally site. I like the look of them, and what information the site has. But that is two questions I can't find the answer for.

Thanks,

Keep it safe out there. Joe S

Guy is correct, a standalone GPS device is more reliable, and less squirelly than an app-based Android device (especially the ones that eat data!).

I saw this page on dieselboss.com, which compares three dedicated truck GPS devices:

http://www.dieselboss.com/truck_gps_review_features.htm