Above is Raymarine's new RayControl app running on my iPad1 and the screen is purposely busy because I was trying to stress it. While a NMEA 2000 data simulator tells the test e7 MFD it's going 40 knots up the Bay with one chart window Head Up in 3D and the other North Up, I could still sit in my office -- 40 feet and a "deck" away -- and select/display a tide station with my finger without a noticeable lag. I did manage to crash the app's WiFi connection to the e7 once, but Ray actually recommends an iPad2 or better for best performance and get this: RayControl will give you touchscreen control of the new value-priced c-Series MFDs that don't even have a touchscreen themselves! In short, Ray has done more than make good on its promise of a two-way app...
When I wrote about Icom's "New Look" VHF radios after Miami I also mentioned a new and "affordable" black box navigation system that impressed me for its rugged-looking build. Well, let's say hello to Icom MarineCommander. While I think that there are still many details to learn about -- online manuals and spec sheets will help -- a lot about MarineCommander is becoming clear, and, besides, I obtained some high res images that nicely complement what's on that Icom site...
A few weeks ago I added a comment to an entry about Chetco and DMK Ethernet/WiFi NMEA 2000 gateways that caused some anxiety in the developer community. I reported that "NMEA has essentially served Chetco with a Cease & Desist order regarding its various SeaSmart 'NMEA 2000 compatible' products" and added my opinion that NMEA had a valid case. I'm pleased to report that Chetco has already acted on some of NMEA's demands and it seems likely that their N2K gateways will be certified in due time. And I'm hoping that this entry will clear the air about what happened and why all manufacturers -- and consumers -- should respect the NMEA 2000 certification process...or at least frame the debate...
I'd already gotten some details on the several interesting new products Garmin is announcing today -- and was excited about sharing them -- but it wasn't until late last night that I had any inkling about Garmin's acquisition of Interphase Technologies, a pioneer in phase array forward looking sonar (FLS). Wow! The deal means that Garmin will soon have a new and unique arrow in its quiver of MFD network sensors and that FLS for fishing and navigation will get some of the attention I think it's always deserved. It's not just that Garmin will market the Interphase technology better, but that the technology will no doubt be easier to use and to afford when integrated with Garmin displays. It will probably work better too...
When I first met Don Hyde, founder of Vessel Vanguard, and his business development guy Gordon Ramseier at IBEX, I may have been a little hard on them. That's because a similar plan to put all of a boat's system information into the cloud had gotten me excited last summer, but then seemed to stall. I'd realized that doing this right meant arduously creating a huge yet flexible database of specs, manuals, parts lists, bulletins, maintenance recommendations etc. for thousands of different bilge pumps, AC units, marine toilets, etc. etc. So I came at Don and Gordon with something like "Show me your database!" and, by golly, they did...
I do enjoy the odd array of holiday cards, digital and otherwise, that I receive from the marine electronics industry each year. An image of animated snow (you may have to click on thumbnail above) seen on a beautiful KEP Marine monitor is joyful...
Today I {Kees Verruijt} did a one day tour of the 2011 Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam. I knew before I started that it would be a hopeless task to cover everything so this is just my own take on things... This year is the first year that Ben had introduced me as the official Panbo representative and I was surprised at how much 'clout' I was carrying. This turned out to be both positive (people take you seriously) and a negative -- some manufacturers clearly stated that some things were under embargo and they did not care for publication just yet...
Today I {Kees Verrujit} did a one day tour of the 2011 Marine Equipment Trade Show in Amsterdam. I knew before I started that it would be a hopeless task to cover everything so this is just my own take on things... This year is the first year that Ben had introduced me as the official Panbo representative and I was surprised at how much 'clout' I was carrying. This turned out to be both positive (people take you seriously) and a negative -- some manufacturers clearly stated that some things were under embargo and they did not care for publication just yet...
The Florida trip was a hell of lot more fun than the virus problems I came home to. For instance, just like last year's NMEA Technology Award, I got to accessorize my noggin with an interesting gadget (though I've worn weirder). In this case it's a David Clark Co. marine intercom system, which now has a wireless gateway that the company had nominated for the award. To test its claimed 300 foot range, my fellow judge Bill Bishop hiked down to the end of the Expo hall and eventually outside the huge building, all the while chatting with myself and third judge Tim Queeney, all of us in a beautifully noise-cancelled full duplex sonic cocoon. Though it's quite expensive, Clark really has this technology down. There's even a virtual lady in there somewhere who tells you when you've lost or regained contact with the base station...
A few weeks ago I tweeted about how I'd had a nice dinner meeting with Raymarine and that they had all sorts of interesting product news that I couldn't write about yet. But, dang, they didn't even mention that they were in acquisition mode, let alone that they were quite close to sealing the deal to buy Tacktick announced earlier today. This move has to feel good for the Ray folks who were around during the hard times before FLIR bought the company, and also for the innovators who created Tacktick's neat wireless instrument systems and struggled against much larger marine electronics manufacturers -- like Raymarine -- before joining Suunto, which didn't appear to make much sense in terms of product integration...
It's great that the NMEA's magazine Marine Electronics Journal is available online these days, but I screen captured that two page spread above for reasons that may not please the organization. The "NMEA 2000, Doing it right" cover story of that May/June issue is a series of interviews with several dealer/installers, and while it's pleasing to hear that the Standard is really happening -- it's part of most new installs, and seen as a good thing for all parties -- I found the interviewer's emphasis on avoiding non-certified N2K products a bit odd. And in the "Tech Update" seen above, my friend and NMEA Technical Director Steve Spitzer doubles down on this theme, which -- sorry, Steve -- deserves some debate, I think...
