Thanks for putting into perspective Rick, I mostly agree with you. What I don't agree with is that the consumer is buying software. We are, of course, because we don't have a choice. I think that high prices for marine grade equipment are justified minus the software. iPad and Nexus tablets are one thing, marine grade outdoor hardware is another.
I guess what I want is the E7, running android. And yes, when I look at the promotional videos and see ten displays and interfaces in a cockpit I think ... that can all be done with one computer. All that stuff sure looks cool but only new boat buyers can afford that stuff. People my age and younger are buying old boats. We're buying old boats because we can't afford new ones. There is a market for low cost, reliable alternatives. Someone's just got to make a marine grade android helm computer that looks as good as an E7. Binnacle wants $1500 for the E7, I think the above described thing could sell for the same provided that it's a good design. Steve Suhana, C&C 32 Toronto On Wed, Feb 19, 2014 at 10:42 PM, Rick Brass <rickbr...@earthlink.net>wrote: > Steve, > > > > I don't necessarily agree with you about the advantages to the consumer of > what you propose, but stop for a minute and ask yourself: > > > > Why does an Android tablet sell for $250 (I actually saw an Lenovo 10" 32 > meg android tablet at Office Depot today for $129. The 7" was only $99), > while an iPAD costs $700? > > > > The answer is the software. Assuming the Apple product is the best quality > available anywhere, the production cost might be... say $50 more than your > Nexus tablet. But it has a proprietary chip and software that some consider > fabulous. And an image as being unique and superior. So many folks will pay > a premium price for the device. And I've read that Apple's margin on the > iPad and iPhone are over 50%. > > > > All the android tablets use basically the same chip and the same > componentry. There are differences of appearance and displays, some minor > differences in functionality, and differences in support and the > manufacturer's reputation, but the big selling feature is the price. And > when the competition is based on price, margin goes out the window and only > volume can make profits. > > > > And, frankly, the marine marketplace just isn't that big to generate a lot > of profit at small margins. > > > > Think about the different instrument systems available for your boat. > Isn't it almost universally true that the individual components aren't real > friendly with each other - despite the existence of NMEA2000? Oh, you can > connect your Raytalk to your Tactick to your Garmin Nexus to your Simnet > evo2 to NMEA2000 if you want them to play nicely... provided you buy the > proper interface boxes. But each manufacturer has a proprietary network to > make sure you don't wander off and buy a less expensive/less profitable > instrument than the one they sell. > > > > The proprietary software is how they get you to pay $1500 for the GPS > display. If the software wasn't proprietary, you could buy less expensive > components and only the guy licensing the software (think of it, the > boating equivalent of Bill Gates) and the guys making the chips would be > making any money. > > > > Sorry to rain on your parade. Wish the world was different. It really > would be nice to buy flexible, capable, reliable instruments for a couple > hundred dollars. > > > > Rick Brass > > > > *From:* CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] *On Behalf Of *Stevan > Plavsa > *Sent:* Wednesday, February 19, 2014 9:10 PM > *To:* cnc-list@cnc-list.com > *Subject:* Re: Stus-List Navigation Software > > > > The Hyundai will get you there, but the BMW will offer a nicer experience. > > > > A nexus 7 costs what, $250? I can drop six of them in the lake for what a > Raymarine E series costs. It fails to compete with the plotter for "marine > readyness" but otherwise it does so, so much more. A plotter is better at > the helm, no doubt. The market is changing though and the big guys need to > keep up. Maintaining a proprietary code base, IMO, is not the way. > > > > Steve > > Suhana, C&C 32 > > Toronto > > > > > > > > > > On Wed, Feb 19, 2014 at 8:44 PM, Rich Knowles <r...@sailpower.ca> wrote: > > Basically ditto Robert. Elegance and reliability wins. > > Rich > > > On Feb 19, 2014, at 21:35, Robert Boyer <dainyr...@icloud.com> wrote: > > I hesitate to get into a debate about Apple vs. all other devices but I > will. > > > > During most of my engineering career I used Windows machines and looked > down on Apple--until I got one! And then another, and another... > > > > I will never go back! > > > > To see the difference, all you have to do is start both machines (laptops) > at the same time--there's a world of difference, the Apple being much > faster. > > > > I have never had a memory device failure in any of my iDevices while I > regularly had hard drive crashes in Toshibas, HPs, etc. iDevices simply > have much higher quality than other devices--that's why you are paying > more--it's not just for the name. They also hold their value better when > you sell them after you buy a new one--try that with another similar device > of any brand (they are usually worthless when it's time to upgrade). > > > > I am clearly an Apple fan--they won me over! And I didn't even bring up > iCloud and it's advantages... > > > > All this being said, I wouldn't use my iPad in the cockpit of my boat as > my primary navigation device--I have a chart plotter at the helm for that > purpose. > > > > And to those that complain about not buying a state-of-the-art chart > plotter because in 3 years it will be outdated--the same obsolescence will > apply to tablets and laptops and while it's true tablets cost less--they > may not after you drop one or two in the sea or lake. > > > > Bob > > > Bob Boyer > > S/V Rainy Days (1983 C&C Landfall 38 - Hull #230) > > Annapolis, Maryland > > email: dainyr...@icloud.com > > blog: dainyrays.blogspot.com > > "There's nothing--absolutely nothing--half so much worth doing as messing > about in boats." -Kenneth Grahame > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album > http://www.cncphotoalbum.com > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album > http://www.cncphotoalbum.com > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album > http://www.cncphotoalbum.com > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > >
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