May 15, 2010 05:17
My initial writing about Time Zero was before there was anything going on with MaxSea. I think that Coastal Explorer is an incredible product - I've been using it myself for about 5 years. I used GPSNavX and MacENC and thought they were meager products. I then bought iNavX hoping to use it on my boat and found it to be the worst navigation product I have ever used. Of all the products I've bought for the iPhone, that's the one I'd like my money back on.
I've written numerous times about Navionics in a positive way although I don't like the way they implemented rotation. I think it's the product that people expected to get in functionality when they purchased iNavX. Did anyone notice that the Navionics product was lowered to $4.99 for a day the other day?
I'm currently talking to Fugawi/X-Traverse. If all I were doing was sucking up, don't you think I would be a lot more forgiving of the products that they endorse?
I've written positively about PolarNavy/PolarView. I'm hoping that it can become the Mac product I'd like to use. I like the track he's on and I love the performance of the software. If you have a Mac and use nautical charts, you should purchase this product now - worst case, you'll have a backup product using standard nautical charts for a few dollars. They need the support to continue their development because I'll bet in 5 years, they're the standard Mac solution.
I generally talk positively about ActiveCaptain. I make sure that my postings have my signature so there's no question about my affiliation. I'm biased but I think I have great reason to be biased. No one has the data that we have - marinas, anchorages, boat ramps, bridges, hazards, etc - in size or quality. When Furuno decided to pick a point-of-interest product for their devices, they selected us. Obviously other software companies have done the same thing and there are other hardware companies looking and deciding right now.
I was just interviewed for an upcoming article from a major boating magazine titled something like "The End of Paper Guidebooks". It talks about why it makes no sense to have an out-of-date-the-moment-it's-printed paper guidebook any longer. The reason is ActiveCaptain. They also like Wikipedia for getting general information about an area and town web sites for getting local event information.
For the iPhone/iPad I've said numerous times that each product has something to offer - although again, given the desire to have a raster product, I'd select Memory-Map over iNavX any day of the week. For these mobile markets it makes sense to have multiple products serving different uses because there's no one comprehensive product yet. Recently I wrote in Panbo that Navionics has the best tide and current handling. Every boater should have it just for that function alone. It should be noted that Navionics has no ActiveCaptain support and in fact competes against AC with their marina icons. [Come on Navionics - you know you want our data!]
For some reason, there are a few people on this forum who attempt to pick apart every sentence I write. I'm sure they'll have a field day with this posting. The truth is that I write what I believe. Having someone with an alternative view is usually a good thing. Otherwise you only need one person posting here. Dare I say that I'm probably responsible for an increase in postings here just because of the discussions I enter.
I have likes and dislikes just as much as everyone else. My opinions are no more important than anyone else's. I have a fair amount of experience after being involved with this industry as an insider for a while and I also live on my boat for most of the year (9 months over the last 12). I speak at a wide variety of rendezvous, conferences, and shows. I'm often quoted or written about in the major blogs and magazines (Passagemaker/November '09 and Yachting/April '10 both did articles about me including my picture if you'd like to see me!) I received the first BWI (Boat Writer's International) award for a web-based article series on using mobile phones on boats. All of these things help to bring a different perspective to the discussions. You might not agree with my point of view. If so, absolutely debate it with facts. Instead of accusing me of having "ulterior" motives, challenge the facts of what I'm saying. Stop attacking me personally. Start attacking the discussion.
Debate is a good thing. It helps people learn and uncover all of the truth. Isn't that the value of having a forum like this?
I've written numerous times about Navionics in a positive way although I don't like the way they implemented rotation. I think it's the product that people expected to get in functionality when they purchased iNavX. Did anyone notice that the Navionics product was lowered to $4.99 for a day the other day?
I'm currently talking to Fugawi/X-Traverse. If all I were doing was sucking up, don't you think I would be a lot more forgiving of the products that they endorse?
I've written positively about PolarNavy/PolarView. I'm hoping that it can become the Mac product I'd like to use. I like the track he's on and I love the performance of the software. If you have a Mac and use nautical charts, you should purchase this product now - worst case, you'll have a backup product using standard nautical charts for a few dollars. They need the support to continue their development because I'll bet in 5 years, they're the standard Mac solution.
I generally talk positively about ActiveCaptain. I make sure that my postings have my signature so there's no question about my affiliation. I'm biased but I think I have great reason to be biased. No one has the data that we have - marinas, anchorages, boat ramps, bridges, hazards, etc - in size or quality. When Furuno decided to pick a point-of-interest product for their devices, they selected us. Obviously other software companies have done the same thing and there are other hardware companies looking and deciding right now.
I was just interviewed for an upcoming article from a major boating magazine titled something like "The End of Paper Guidebooks". It talks about why it makes no sense to have an out-of-date-the-moment-it's-printed paper guidebook any longer. The reason is ActiveCaptain. They also like Wikipedia for getting general information about an area and town web sites for getting local event information.
For the iPhone/iPad I've said numerous times that each product has something to offer - although again, given the desire to have a raster product, I'd select Memory-Map over iNavX any day of the week. For these mobile markets it makes sense to have multiple products serving different uses because there's no one comprehensive product yet. Recently I wrote in Panbo that Navionics has the best tide and current handling. Every boater should have it just for that function alone. It should be noted that Navionics has no ActiveCaptain support and in fact competes against AC with their marina icons. [Come on Navionics - you know you want our data!]
For some reason, there are a few people on this forum who attempt to pick apart every sentence I write. I'm sure they'll have a field day with this posting. The truth is that I write what I believe. Having someone with an alternative view is usually a good thing. Otherwise you only need one person posting here. Dare I say that I'm probably responsible for an increase in postings here just because of the discussions I enter.
I have likes and dislikes just as much as everyone else. My opinions are no more important than anyone else's. I have a fair amount of experience after being involved with this industry as an insider for a while and I also live on my boat for most of the year (9 months over the last 12). I speak at a wide variety of rendezvous, conferences, and shows. I'm often quoted or written about in the major blogs and magazines (Passagemaker/November '09 and Yachting/April '10 both did articles about me including my picture if you'd like to see me!) I received the first BWI (Boat Writer's International) award for a web-based article series on using mobile phones on boats. All of these things help to bring a different perspective to the discussions. You might not agree with my point of view. If so, absolutely debate it with facts. Instead of accusing me of having "ulterior" motives, challenge the facts of what I'm saying. Stop attacking me personally. Start attacking the discussion.
Debate is a good thing. It helps people learn and uncover all of the truth. Isn't that the value of having a forum like this?