USMC pilots now use the iPad for maps
United States Marine Corps pilots have now throw out the old stacks of maps they used to have in their cockpits and replaced them with iPads, according to The Shephard Group. Flying around Afghanistan can be a pain when you need a dozen assorted maps to find out where you are, and since November the iPad has taken on a role as onboard map storage device for many of the pilots.Yet another example of tablets being used for serious business, in other words.
I know what all of the Android fans out there are thinking- yet another story where the iPad gets credit for something any decent tablet can do. You could even argue that the higher resolution displays on newer Android tablets would be better suited for maps, and you’d be right. Unfortunately though, Android keeps having to take a back seat to the iPad in such usage scenarios, likely due to a combination of device fragmentation, lack of software, being late to the game and last but not least lower consumer awareness. You also don’t want the tablet to lock up when you’re in the process of bombing something, and let’s face it- there’s a higher chance of that happening on Android right now. One question still remains though; do the bombs these aircraft drop read “Sent from my iPad”?
