Suggested Android Tablets

Murphyau

Well-Known Member
#1
I am playing around with some ideas to replace my ageing "stand alone" GPS unit with an Android Tablet instead.

I've searched/read some previous discussion threads along this line, but they seem to lean towards Apple iPads but my preference is for Android.

The bike is used for touring, not rallying and will spend 99% of it's time on tarred roads, if that makes any difference.

I was wondering if anyone who has gone down this pathway already would have any recommendations / suggestions for an Android unit.

MTIA.
 
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mess533

Ron Messick, Independence, MO IBA#598
Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#2
Although it's not for everyone, I run a ToughPad FZ-A3 mounted to the top of my tank bag. It takes a little messing around in settings but it's heat/cool resistant, sun doesn't kill the screen, waterproof.
 

rneal55555

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#4
Been playing with the same idea myself, after playing with an old Samsung tablet I recently purchased one of these it works well so far, It replaced a Garmin Dezl which had a 7" screen I really liked but the routing was well "Truck Like" Been using Google maps more and more so having it on the 8" screen is nice. I'll still have a Garmin or two running alongside so I don't have to map download panic.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BQD77PKQ?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
 

Stephen!

Flivver Flyer
Premier Member
IBA Member
IBR Finisher
#5
Cannot help much with the newer generations of tablets. I am still running a Galaxy Tab A that I bought used for $100. No way in hell I would put my iPad mini up there. Not only does it not handle direct sunlight and the resulting heat well at all, it is so fragile that it would be a sure way of losing $600 in short order.

However, I can tell you that whatever you end up getting make sure you toss these into your Amazon cart before you checkout. You will thank me later. :D

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00PYAOYNK

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0796QQFLM
 
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#6
I second not using a iPad as it may look promising in the beginning but they suffer really fast. I ran a iPad mini 4 that was laying around the house on the HoT last year to keep my costs down and avoid the hurdle of basecamp for my first real rally. It made it through the event but ever since then it cannot handle even the kiddo watching something in the car and it crashes. I'm fairly certain the vibration has caused a battery/battery connectivity issue and I've switched over to the Samsung Active Tab2 and seems to be running great through test runs I've been on and its only $99 now
 

Murphyau

Well-Known Member
#7
Thanks everyone for the comments.
I did lean towards the Samsung tablets as I have always found their equipment to be good quality. Trouble was that an 8" screen is a touch too big for my bike lay-out.

In the end, I bought an inexpensive entry-level Lenovo Tab M7 Gen III tablet which is only 7" screen.

The on-line reviews for the M7 are not terrific, but so far I am more than happy with it. It runs Android 12, and there does not appear to be any significant lagging which was commented on in the on-line reviews.

It also seems to run DMD2, Google Maps, Waze and even iGo Navigator reliably. Time will tell if it will handle the vibration.
 
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Stephen!

Flivver Flyer
Premier Member
IBA Member
IBR Finisher
#8
I second not using a iPad as it may look promising in the beginning but they suffer really fast. I ran a iPad mini 4 that was laying around the house on the HoT last year to keep my costs down and avoid the hurdle of basecamp for my first real rally. It made it through the event but ever since then it cannot handle even the kiddo watching something in the car and it crashes. I'm fairly certain the vibration has caused a battery/battery connectivity issue and I've switched over to the Samsung Active Tab2 and seems to be running great through test runs I've been on and its only $99 now
I just came about >-< this close to hitting "Purchase Now" on that Tab2, but the reviews put a stop to that. As attractive as are the rugged design and the water "proof" features, the reported performance is about par with (if maybe a little less than) a Tab A. Seeing as how (at least with that vendor) the only model available is the 16 GB version, I think we will stick with the Tab A we have been using. It is a little slow, but it runs MyRADAR and FireFox (for monitoring our SpotWalla track) just fine. It has been through a bit of rain now and then. Only when we hit a real frog strangler do I pull it down and toss it in the tankbag. Meanwhile Waze, Google Maps, and SiriusXM or iHeart Radio will be plugging away on my Kyocera Duraforce 2 sitting on the left bar across from the Tab A.

I would like to find a 7-ish inch Android tablet for around a hundo running with a hotter CPU and a newer version of Android to make it even easier to run the few apps I still relegate to the tablet, but so far I have yet to find a suitable substitute for the Tab A we bought 2nd hand several years ago.
 
#11
Thanks everyone for the comments.
I did lean towards the Samsung tablets as I have always found their equipment to be good quality. Trouble was that an 8" screen is a touch too big for my bike lay-out.

In the end, I bought an inexpensive entry-level Lenovo Tab M7 Gen III tablet which is only 7" screen.

The on-line reviews for the M7 are not terrific, but so far I am more than happy with it. It runs Android 12, and there does not appear to be any significant lagging which was commented on in the on-line reviews.

It also seems to run DMD2, Google Maps, Waze and even iGo Navigator reliably on industrial Android tablet. Time will tell if it will handle the vibration.
Please recommend a tablet for up to R3,500. It will be used for browsing, reading, and viewing Google docs and spreadsheets. Preferably available locally, but an import would also be ok.
 

SteveAikens

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#13
It's the Tripltek Model T7121. It's been "parked" for the past four months because I can't ride currently [doctor crap]. That's actually good info on how well it holds a charge. Powered it on and the charge shows to be 95%.

So, yes, I'm still quite pleased with it.

ADDED: I just looked at the T7121 on Amazon. COL has increased. I paid right at $500 for mine - now almost $800.
 

RobG4

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#14
It's the Tripltek Model T7121. It's been "parked" for the past four months because I can't ride currently [doctor crap]. That's actually good info on how well it holds a charge. Powered it on and the charge shows to be 95%.

So, yes, I'm still quite pleased with it.

ADDED: I just looked at the T7121 on Amazon. COL has increased. I paid right at $500 for mine - now almost $800.
Good info, thank you sir. Yeah those prices are a little steep. The most reasonable seems to be the Mini, but it doesn't have much screen acreage. It'd be comparable to an older Gen iPhone Pro Max. The 9 Pro is on sale at Tripltek right now for $979.00. Gonna chew on it for a bit.

Hope the doc gives you a release to ride soon.
 

SteveAikens

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#15
As a side note - the T2121 came out in 2021 and mine has been connected to my drones, as well as been used on my bikes.

I'm not trying to promote the T2121 [couldn't care less if they sell or not], but I thought it might be a good idea to address how much it's been used. I have three drones and when I could some time back, flew a lot. The point is, they also take a beating from time to time and mine has been pretty solid. YMMV - but mine doesn't...;)