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(Next Generation) Amazon Kindle DX: The perfect EFB

rmcgann said:
My flight bag will soon be boasting one of these:
http://www.myviliv.com/ces/main_s5.html

The device includes a GPS and I have an XP application that can prepare the flight plan and overlay position directly on the charts (sectionals). Awesome additional situation awareness for us in the deeeep south. (Our GPS databases are not generally well populated).

The display is not particularly cockpit friendly (unfortunately), but it is a full XP computer with SSD and internet connectivity. The S5 should fit easily in the cockpit - the X70 is a 7" version that may be more useful in the long run.

cheers,
Ron
RV-10 VH-XRM, flying in Oz
Click to expand...

Let us know when you fly a real approach with it and used it for other cockpit functions-day and night. The appeal of XP and application in a cockpit environment is not something I would look forward to. Nor is a screen that gets washed out by sunlight.

I view the Kindle DX as an ideal PAPER replacement--nothing more. For this function it is more than adequate. On a typical IFR flight, I have the flight plan on the Kindle. Enroute, I'm usually reading, then on let down, I load the appropriate charts for the approach.
 
rainsux said:
Meanwhile; it seems that Sony may be next in-line to deliver a cockpit-friendly eBook
reader.
Click to expand...

The ONLY good things about the Sony eBook reader (top of the line PRS-700) PDF viewer and touch screen. Everything else compared to the Kindle DX is lacking. Smaller screen, high price, no cellular wireless-has Wi-Fi, not as easy to get ebooks, etc. OK technical product but a weak overall solution for either book reading or cockpit paper reduction.
 
Rick6a said:
You guys are talking an unfamiliar language that is way beyond my understanding. Answer me this. Can the user load a series of current sectional charts into such a device? What I (and I suspect many other VFR pilots) would be interested in is a large color display that would allow the pilot to manipulate the displayed information by touch alone to scroll from one geographical area to the next. Its functions would have to include an in-out zoom feature. Does this exist?
Click to expand...

NO! Not in an eBook type product. If you are looking for something like this, the Kindle (or any other book reader) is not the product for you. If you are a VFR pilot looking for electronic sectional chart display, do NOT look at the eBook devices. If however, you are an IFR pilot looking to reduce the paper carried in your aircraft (approach charts, AFD, flight plans, manuals, Airport Directories, ets) then the eBook products will suit your needs.
 
> mail it to your Kindle account. I tried transferring it from my computer and got
> the "Can not display all images" message

Neither the Kindle 1 or Kindle 2 natively support PDFs. When you 'mail' the document to
Amazon, they *attempt* to convert the PDF to native Kindle format. Sadly; their
PDF --> Kindle (v1 or v2) translator does not support vector graphics.

The Kindle DX is the first Kindle-family device to include a PDFviewer. Sadly; their
PDFviewer is crippled. Perhapss they'll fix it, perhaps not.
 
rainsux said:
clear.gif
> mail it to your Kindle account. I tried transferring it from my computer and got
> the "Can not display all images" message

Neither the Kindle 1 or Kindle 2 natively support PDFs. When you 'mail' the document to
Amazon, they *attempt* to convert the PDF to native Kindle format. Sadly; their
PDF --> Kindle (v1 or v2) translator does not support vector graphics.

The Kindle DX is the first Kindle-family device to include a PDFviewer. Sadly; their
PDFviewer is crippled. Perhapss they'll fix it, perhaps not.
Click to expand...

good to know thanks. i'll just use my iphone for pdfs
 
> Meanwhile; it seems that Sony may be next in-line to deliver a cockpit-friendly eBook
> reader.

>> The ONLY good things about the Sony eBook reader ... Everything else compared to
>> the Kindle DX is lacking ... smaller screen ...

You missed my point entirely.

According to the folks that make the screen for the Kindle DX; Sony will have a large
format ebook reader using the same screen. I'm hoping/guessing that they'd probably
want to have it for the Xmas season.

As you point out, the current Sony's lack WiFi or cellular. Neither are on my list of
must-have features.

The Kindles lack:

- Screen light
- Memory slot (expandable memory)
- Full-function PDFviewer
- Touch screen

Sony already includes all these items ... and I hope a large-format Sony ebook reader will
include these same features. Of course; they could screw it up. <g>
 
Readerplates.com has the most elegant solution for the Kindle DX that I have seen. Easy to navigate and at 10 bucks per month very reasonable as well. YMMV
 
The best plates for the KindleDX.

After using the KindleDX for IFR quite a few times now, I have found that www.pdfplates.com have done it best.

You download your plates to the device every cycle as usual, you open the file in the DX, read the page no. your airport of choice is on, click goto page, enter the page no. and you are there. You next or previous through the pages to find the exact approach, departure or arrival procedue that you need.

Simple. Sure it could have TOC support, but this works just fine and if you can't remember a single page number for the page you want, then how in the world do you remember an approach clearance?

I think this approach is simple and clean and in fact I beleive that have a TOC might mean more clicking and selecting that I have time for in the cockpit.

Just my 6 cents after using this for a while.
 
Hugh,

My NACOmatic bundles also include a list/index of page numbers for Kindle DX
users. It begins on page 3 of every bundle.

I've also cropped the white page margins and duplicate info from viewing, so
what is displayed, should be bigger. Especially important for those using
Sony ebook readers. If you want to see the entire page ... let's chat.
(The full page still prints, for those that prefer hardcopy.)

I can see how your methodology works for airports with a only a few pages
of stuff. My sleepy class-D has 41 pages of approaches, minimimums, STARs
& DPs. Too much page-forward/backwarding for my taste.
 
rainsux said:
You missed my point entirely.

According to the folks that make the screen for the Kindle DX; Sony will have a large
format ebook reader using the same screen. I'm hoping/guessing that they'd probably
want to have it for the Xmas season.

As you point out, the current Sony's lack WiFi or cellular. Neither are on my list of
must-have features.

The Kindles lack:

- Screen light
- Memory slot (expandable memory)
- Full-function PDFviewer
- Touch screen

Sony already includes all these items ... and I hope a large-format Sony ebook reader will
include these same features. Of course; they could screw it up. <g>
Click to expand...

To each his own then. If I had to choose, I prefer having wireless and a long battery life over a memory slot and screen lighting. Do you really need to carry ALL of the US charts on a unit? I have all the East/Central charts on the Kindle with room to spare for other documents. The PDF viewer works just fine for most things I've needed it for.

The only thing that leaves is the Sony price. The small screen PRS-700 is already more expensive than the Kindle DX. I can only imagine what they will charge for a large screen version.
 
rainsux said:
I can see how your methodology works for airports with a only a few pages
of stuff. My sleepy class-D has 41 pages of approaches, minimimums, STARs
& DPs. Too much page-forward/backwarding for my taste.
Click to expand...

This is the way it is done with paper charts that most now use. An eBook reader gives you better access to those 41 pages; but in reality, how many of those 41 pages will you actually need to reference during a typical flight?
 
I have made my own Kindle approach plates, they have:

  • hyperlinks embedded in them so you can just click the airport that you want to go to.
  • Broken up into volumes
  • the entire country will fit on a DX.
  • are FREE

let me know what you guys think.

http://www.nacosync.com
 
> in reality, how many of those 41 pages will you actually need to reference during a
> typical flight?

Only several; but FINDING the few among the 41 takes 1-2 secs everytime the
page-forward button is pushed.

NACOs paper books are waaay faster than navigating PDFs on a Kindle DX.

I like Jason's use Mobi-formatted docs for the Kindle DX as Amazon did not
cripple their Mobi viewer (like they crippled their PDF viewer).
 
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Barnes and Noble Nook

As most of you probably already know, Barnes and Noble Nook has come out with their ebook reader called the Nook. It's suppose to have a better PDF viewer in it. plus some other goodies.. Like micro sd card support, color touchscreen on the bottom of screen, 3G support.

It will be interesting seeing how good/bad approach plates look on this.

They are taking pre-orders.

nook_front_view.jpg


Chris.
 
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frankh said:
anywhere that you could plug in additional memory sticks.

Is 3.3GB enough to get the whole nation's worth of plates in this thing?

I assume one could just select the states we need from Rainsux excellent website to down load?

has anyone tried one of these yet?

Frank
Click to expand...

I download all of the US plates to a zip drive for my GRT HX EFIS. It takes about 4 GB of memory.
 
Anyone using the Color Nook for plates/charts?

I rode w/ a friend in his -10 yesterday who was using an IPad for charts/plates. Looked pretty good - except in full sunlight. When I got home I surfed and found this NookColor from Barnes & Nobel. Looks like it has plenty of memory (32G on a microSD card), can display PDFs (from the free FAA site http://aeronav.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=aeronav/applications ) - in color, browse the web via wifi, play audio/video, do email and handle MS Office files. It appears to use a "IPS" (vs "e-ink") display so I'm a bit worried about how it'll handle full-sun glare in my -7A.

While the size looked good (compared to carrying/handling/finding all the paper charts/plates), I'm not sure how readable a chart/plate will be on the screen - and how difficult it will be to navigate to the right screen during high workoads. Price seems manageable - when comparing free downloads to buying paper charts/plates a few times. Battery life looks good (tho they are non-replaceable). It'd also be nice to be able to do email, surf & get wx radar at the destination too w/out lugging a laptop along.

Was wondering if anyone has any experience w/ one of these.
 
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