Phones

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** THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED **

Smartphones have come a long way since I first started writing this. There should be very little problem nowadays connecting an iPhone or Android phone to a laptop or to the internet or creating an onboard PAN.

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This is a section dedicated to mobile phone use on boats. Just to make one point absolutely clear I am referring to the latest crop of smartphones “not the common or garden phones” – and I dont care if you have 3G, MP3, or any other acronym.

I mean a phone that is running a real mini operating system such as Apple OS, Android or Windows Mobile I also mean a phone that supports UMTS (Europe) or at least CDMA (USA)…read this post for an explanation.

This whole topic is only of interest to me for two reasons..

a) GPS – In other words seeing how the built in GPS can be used as a handy backup plotter on board. Also, watching how these devices develop their capability as personal navigators with the likes of Google, and hopefully one day the marine electronics industry!

b) Broadband – or should I say “narrow”band 🙂

In other words using the mobile phone to get on the internet in its own right or by connecting it to a laptop which then is used to browse the web. If you havn’t bought a smartphone or are thinking of upgrading then see my post here.

Questions I will be examining include:

• Can I use my smartphone to connect my laptop to the internet?
• Should I buy a phone or a dongle to connect to the Internet?
• Can I use my phone as a chart plotter?
• Which software and maps can I use on my phone?
• How can I improve the interface on my phone?
• I cant get to the Bluetooth and other settings easily because they buried under so many menu options…
• Can I get the Met Office weather forecast and barometric charts on my phone?

Ok, here are the first few entries..more to follow…
1. Connecting a smartphone/pocket PC – Windows Mobile6 flavour – to your laptop
2. Connecting the laptop to the Internet using a dongle
3. Which phone for your boat? ..

I started this section in July 2008. To see all posts so far just click here