New Simrad/Lowrance GoFree WIFI.........

[T.C.]

Some of you may already know of this technology coming out but for those of you who dont I thought i would share it. This technology will allow you to view all your information from your HDS units on a IPad, Iphone or Android app via the GoFree WIFI module that is coming out soon. I think this is going to be very popular. I recently bought a HGD 9 Touch and will be purchasing a Elite7 HDI soon. You all know that the new HDS units come with Insight Mapping but if you want 3D you have to buy a Navionics chip. If you want the 3D mapping upfront and at the console you have to buy 2 chips..........with this new technology you can use your Ipad as a chartplotter with the 3D map that is being displayed on the console unit. You can also use the Ipad to control your unit.......mark waypoints, change screens, whatever you want. I plan on getting a Lifeproof case on my Ipad with a RAM mount and have my Ipad and Elite7 side by side upfront. I cant wait for it to come out, I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas. It is supposed to be available for the touch units first, then Gen 2 units next. I think the Gen1 units are not going to be able to use this technology..................cost is going to be around $300 from what I have read. Here are some links of the information. I am going to buy it just so I can use my Elite7 for sonar and down imaging only while at the front fishing and have the Ipad as a chartplotter.

GoFree WIFI-1 module - Simrad Yachting
GoFree

[Rip a Lip]

I've been looking at this for weeks now. I, like you, am very stoked about this product. I think eventually we will have a transducer, one unit like a touch 9 and dumb terminals that just use shared data over wifi or no head units at all, meaning we would just use devices such as ipad or phones in conjunction with a transducer and wifi in place of head units.

The go free unit is already out since navico made it work with simrad products first, they are $199. Here are some issues I've discovered thus far; ipad can control your unit where iPhone cannot, not sure about android devices. Sunlight viewability stinks on all the aforementioned products...just take your ipad out in the sun and see, its like a mirror in the sun. There are sun shields available for ipad though. Also, looks like Gen 2 will be view only and Gen 2 touch will be able to be controlled from ipad.

It will be an open source software allowing developers to develop all kinds of apps for apple and android devices to do different things with these units, essentially opening up Pandoras box regarding where this technology can go. There are already some apps out there such as regatta that help with racing and such.

The apps, under simrad go free, are available in the app store and market for ipad, iPhone and android devices. The apps are already on all my devices but do not do anything except search for the network.

I have a Gen 1 unit and wanna upgrade, but I want to wait to see where go free ends up first. If I were going to set this up, to me, the only way to go is with touch and the ability to control the different units from my ipad.

[T.C.]

If I understand correctly athe only thing holding this stuff up is the update from Lowrance for the HDS units. I have the touch so I should be able to control my HDS like you said. I also agree that I will need a visor for my iPad.........it's still worth it IMO though.