iThing boating, Rose Point's in, Maretron too
I've been using an iPad for a week now and -- sorry, Steve -- I'm not yet feeling "the magic". But just the fact that I can envision so many improvements to something already so cool speaks to how amazingly fast this wireless, touch screen, app device phenomenon is moving. My iPhone and iPod Touch have been almost magically transformed by iOS 4 (coming soon to the pad) and my Android phone is such a hotbed of fertile app chaos that it sometimes gets hot quite literally. And almost everything that's useful and fun about these devices is doubly so on my boat, with loads of room to grow. Which is why I suggested to the NMEA Conference crowd on Saturday night -- I got to make a little spiel again when the Technology Award was presented -- that integrating marine electronics with these things is an important challenge to them (along with addressing some of your diverse grumblings, like fixing some issues with NMEA 2000). It's also why I asked many manufacturers in the exhibition hall what their iThing plans are, if any, and, by golly, there are some good things coming...
I was particularly interested in where Rose Point Navigation is on this subject, as it's always been a Windows shop and, in fact, founder Brad Christian already had a career as a Microsoft programmer as did much of his staff. Well, not to worry, they're into iPads and among the many, many new products and features Rose Point is rolling out over the next few weeks is the ability to turn an iPad into an elegant second, third, or fourth (or more!) display for Coastal Explorer 2011. It's not an app per se, but instead a neat way to use an app called Air Display. Brad showed me how easy it was to set up a choice of iPad navigation and instrument screens, and that's Rose Point developer Garth Hitchens using one on the flying bridge of his handsome Fleming 50 as we cruised around Lake Union and Lake Washington Friday night. (A significant number of Rose Point staff own and use significant vessels, and that's got to be a good thing.)
I also saw Rose Point's brand new black box fishfinder in action, along with its new NMEA gateway, and its new analog-engine-to-N2K translator, and more that I'm looking forward to writing about soon. In the meantime, just today Maretron announced (PDF here) the availability of its N2KView app, free {demo} at the iTunes store, and an Android version coming. And wait til you hear what Navionics is up to!
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at October 4, 2010 6:15 PM
Ben, this is exciting news and it doesn't surprise me that Rose Point is in the forefront (again).
Separately, it's worth mentioning an important point about the iOs version of Maretron N2KView. N2KView licensing is based on the server connection, so while the app itself is free (as is their desktop client software), it won't connect to your boat's N2K network unless you purchase a license.
If you want to extend your Maretron monitoring system onto another screen -- whether that is an iPad or a laptop screen -- you need to buy a "second station" client license. Those have a street price of around $400.
/afb