Hudl 2 - Impressed! (1 Viewer)

DBK

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I bought my wife a Hudl 2 this week as a belated birthday present. It came with Android 4.4 but after firing it up it soon downloaded and installed Android 5.1

I have an original Nexus 7 with only 1 GB of RAM and it is pretty slow on 5.1 but the Hudl has 2 GB and runs 5.1 perfectly. It has a larger screen of just over 8" and for just £99 it seems a bargain.

I am very impressed with it and am tempted to buy one myself although you can get the current Nexus 7 for about £120 at the moment. Google are discontinuing it so that probably explain the price drop! Apparently the Nexus 9 is the replacement but it is about twice the price and doesn't offer much more than the Hudl. The only reason for going for a Nexus is it will be the first to get Android 6 which is rolling out now but whether this justifies the cost I am not sure.

Anyway, after that ramble, the Hudl 2 is a good bit of kit. It's no iPad but then it doesn't have an iPad price either.
 

YukonJac

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Bought one a couple of months ago and plan on taking it on a 3 month unsupported cycle tour next year. Should keep me connected and mapped up without any overkill. Coupled with a portable solar panel, I'll feel like a champagne cave-woman on the road - off the grid but not out of loop!
 
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DBK

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Bought one a couple of months ago and plan on taking it on a 3 month unsupported cycle tour next year. Should keep me connected and mapped up without any overkill. Coupled with a portable solar panel, I'll feel like a champagne cave-woman on the road - off the grid but not out of loop!
I kept my Nexus 7 (plus phone) fully charged for a shade over two weeks on a cycle tour. I used an eWerk connected to a hub dynamo but there are other options available, such as front lights with a USB socket but the eWerk worked well and could be put in a handlebar bag with the Nexus. I also bought a charging lead which had a right angled end. This helped it fit in the handlebar bag without pressure being applied to the charging socket.

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YukonJac

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Love the idea of a quality hub dynamo/eWerk but can't quite face more expense at the 'mo. I already have a little Anker 15w portable panel and a decent power bank - I strap the lot to the dog carrier and hope for a little ray of sunshine or two! Should be ok.
 
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DBK

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Love the idea of a quality hub dynamo/eWerk but can't quite face more expense at the 'mo. I already have a little Anker 15w portable panel and a decent power bank - I strap the lot to the dog carrier and hope for a little ray of sunshine or two! Should be ok.
The good thing about solar is you will have to seek the sun!
 

YukonJac

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By the by, DBK, do you use a GPS for your cycling? Phone apps? I've always gone old-school and used maps, but starting to think of a multi-purpose hand-held GPS - Garmin etrex or the like. Thoughts?
 
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DBK

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By the by, DBK, do you use a GPS for your cycling? Phone apps? I've always gone old-school and used maps, but starting to think of a multi-purpose hand-held GPS - Garmin etrex or the like. Thoughts?
If I was starting again I think I would get a Garmin eTrex 30 as it gets very good reviews and as I understand it you can load it with OSM mapping for free or at least low cost.

I have a SatMap GPS which has a great large screen, which is what i bought it for but the maps are very expensive, as is the unit itself. I think the Garmin is better value. My GPS has also just died and i suspect it will cost as much to repair as an eTrex!

The eTrex 20 model is virtually the same as the 30 but it is less accurate calculating altitude climbed as it doesn't have a barometer, but if that isn't an issue, save money and get that one instead.
 

YukonJac

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Yup, been looking at the 20 and 30. Think you helped me make up my mind - thanks very much! Another gadget to get to grips with, but very worth it, especially with OSM!!

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DBK

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Yup, been looking at the 20 and 30. Think you helped me make up my mind - thanks very much! Another gadget to get to grips with, but very worth it, especially with OSM!!
One of the things you can do with a GPS is record your track as a GPX file which you can upload to www.crazyguyonabike.com and it will automatically display it on Google maps. You can use this to make a good record of your trip. Here is a page from one of my blogs which shows this. https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=tS&page_id=367929&v=4vv

It does mean a bit more fiddling at the end of each day to take the file off the GPS, but it can be done. Happy to describe how I did it if you want later.
 

Forestboy

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I bought my wife a Hudl 2 this week as a belated birthday present. It came with Android 4.4 but after firing it up it soon downloaded and installed Android 5.1

I have an original Nexus 7 with only 1 GB of RAM and it is pretty slow on 5.1 but the Hudl has 2 GB and runs 5.1 perfectly. It has a larger screen of just over 8" and for just £99 it seems a bargain.

I am very impressed with it and am tempted to buy one myself although you can get the current Nexus 7 for about £120 at the moment. Google are discontinuing it so that probably explain the price drop! Apparently the Nexus 9 is the replacement but it is about twice the price and doesn't offer much more than the Hudl. The only reason for going for a Nexus is it will be the first to get Android 6 which is rolling out now but whether this justifies the cost I am not sure.

Anyway, after that ramble, the Hudl 2 is a good bit of kit. It's no iPad but then it doesn't have an iPad price either.


Keep thinking about a Hudl to use as a satnav with Copilot and all the campsites and Aires and all our music loaded as well.
What dyou reckon?
 
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DBK

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Keep thinking about a Hudl to use as a satnav with Copilot and all the campsites and Aires and all our music loaded as well.
What dyou reckon?
It has a good screen, perhaps not up to iPad standards, but bright and clear enough. For music it has speakers on the back which I suspect isn't great. The Nexus 9 has forward facing speakers but you would probably be better off getting separate speakers for either if you want to listen to music. It also has a micro SD card slot which would give additional storage space. The instructions say 32 GB but I have read it will cope with 64 GB.

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YukonJac

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One of the things you can do with a GPS is record your track as a GPX file which you can upload to www.crazyguyonabike.com and it will automatically display it on Google maps. You can use this to make a good record of your trip. Here is a page from one of my blogs which shows this. https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?o=tS&page_id=367929&v=4vv

It does mean a bit more fiddling at the end of each day to take the file off the GPS, but it can be done. Happy to describe how I did it if you want later.

Love crazyguyonabike! Will look up your blog there. I'm planning on doing either eurovelo 6 or 7 and it's been a good resource.
I hope I can be of help to others too, so will probably upload a blog to them as well.
Also a big fan of http://travellingtwo.com

I'll pick up an eTrex 20 this week and have a go with it - if I get into trouble dealing with the GPX, I'll bend your ear.

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DBK

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We have Hudl 1s and are tight with our cash so we are holding out for the inevitable Hudl 3!:)
We already had the Hudl Mk 1 and the 2 is a replacement for it and it is a significant upgrade.
Love crazyguyonabike! Will look up your blog there. I'm planning on doing either eurovelo 6 or 7 and it's been a good resource.
I hope I can be of help to others too, so will probably upload a blog to them as well.
Also a big fan of http://travellingtwo.com

I'll pick up an eTrex 20 this week and have a go with it - if I get into trouble dealing with the GPX, I'll bend your ear.
I'm most envious! Eurovelo 7 probably has the most variety but I guess you need to start in summer in the north - and of course get to the start point! It also means cycling down Italy of which I have heard bad reports on Italian drivers!

Euro 6 is perhaps more popular and route finding easier maybe.
 

YukonJac

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I'm most envious! Eurovelo 7 probably has the most variety but I guess you need to start in summer in the north - and of course get to the start point! It also means cycling down Italy of which I have heard bad reports on Italian drivers!

Euro 6 is perhaps more popular and route finding easier maybe


I think it'll be a tough decision. E6 is flatter but very scenic, E7 will take me through a lot of wilderness - easier to wild camp and find peace (until Italy!!). Much depends on my knees, and on my little dog - dog-friendly countries imperative!! E6 includes Serbia and Croatia which still have issues and I just don't want any faff while stranded on a bike with a dog in a strange country! Anyhoo, you know I'm off to Sicily in the Murv in December and will have the entire winter to dream and plan the route. Oh boy oh boy!!!!
 
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Langtoftlad

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We have Hudl 1s and are tight with our cash so we are holding out for the inevitable Hudl 3!:)
Doubt there will be a Hudl3
Tesco has divested itself of non core businesses including much of the technology arenas - since it discovered its accounting black hole.
Given the timetable for 1&2, announcement should be about now - but there's no rumours.
Also the Hudl2 has just got Android 5 update - I doubt they'd do that if a new machine was in the offing.

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Minxy

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Hubby nearly got a Hudl 2 recently to replace the Samsung tablet he has (7") which we tried using as a sat nav in France/Italy with the TomTom app but it was a bit slow however he's since done some tweaks to the Samsung so we're going to give it another try before replacing it as it meets all our other tablet needs.

We have a couple of TomTom sat nav units and they do work quicker and have a few more settings than the TomTom app but it was nice to have the larger screen of a tablet although keeping it on the dash was fun as it kept dropping off the 'sucker' mount for it!
 
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Hubby nearly got a Hudl 2 recently to replace the Samsung tablet he has (7") which we tried using as a sat nav in France/Italy with the TomTom app but it was a bit slow however he's since done some tweaks to the Samsung so we're going to give it another try before replacing it as it meets all our other tablet needs.

We have a couple of TomTom sat nav units and they do work quicker and have a few more settings than the TomTom app but it was nice to have the larger screen of a tablet although keeping it on the dash was fun as it kept dropping off the 'sucker' mount for it!
duct tape
 
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jumar

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Martin bought a Hudl for me in the beginning of July to replace my frustrating Kindle Fire. Been very happy with it and thanks to this thread have just updated to Android 5.01.

Mapping Ap Maps with Me works well on Android, as does Wikiloc.

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I have the original hudl1 but GPS on that was pants..is the 2 any better for nav software ????
 
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DBK

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I have the original hudl1 but GPS on that was pants..is the 2 any better for nav software ????
Mixed reviews, @jumar seems to be happy with it but @MinxyGirl says it was slow with a TomTom app.

I suspect the app you choose is significant as I don't think it is short of processing power.

However, I've just bought a Nexus 9 and will post a review on it in a day or so. First impressions are very good.
 
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Mixed reviews, @jumar seems to be happy with it but @MinxyGirl says it was slow with a TomTom app.

I suspect the app you choose is significant as I don't think it is short of processing power.

However, I've just bought a Nexus 9 and will post a review on it in a day or so. First impressions are very good.
Ok will wait for that (y)
Anybody using mapfactor navigator with the hudle2 ???

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GeriatricWanderer

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Well I was impressed with mine (8 months old) until 30 minutes ago when I tried to charge it and it just doesn't want to take a charge - that's using 2 different mains chargers and a car one too.

Bugger - I was well pleased with it up to then.

Looks like I'll be doing a bit of tablet Googling tonight.
 
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Minxy

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Mixed reviews, @jumar seems to be happy with it but @MinxyGirl says it was slow with a TomTom app.

I suspect the app you choose is significant as I don't think it is short of processing power.

However, I've just bought a Nexus 9 and will post a review on it in a day or so. First impressions are very good.
Just to clarify the tablet we've got isn't a Hudl, it's a Samsung, and since hubby's tweaked the settings he thinks the Tom Tom software is running faster, also he's put a phone sim in it and that's improved it too as it uses the phone signal network which apparently helps with the GPS (don't ask me how) so makes it quicker - this is without internet/wifi connection. This was something he found out whilst researching on the internet so I'll try to remember to give it a test when we go to a car boot sale tomorrow about 30 mins away and will report back.
 
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DBK

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Just to clarify the tablet we've got isn't a Hudl, it's a Samsung, and since hubby's tweaked the settings he thinks the Tom Tom software is running faster, also he's put a phone sim in it and that's improved it too as it uses the phone signal network which apparently helps with the GPS (don't ask me how) so makes it quicker - this is without internet/wifi connection. This was something he found out whilst researching on the internet so I'll try to remember to give it a test when we go to a car boot sale tomorrow about 30 mins away and will report back.
Ah! Now I understand. :) It was the "nearly got a Hudl 2" which threw me. :):):)

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GeriatricWanderer

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Well I was impressed with mine (8 months old) until 30 minutes ago when I tried to charge it and it just doesn't want to take a charge - that's using 2 different mains chargers and a car one too.

Bugger - I was well pleased with it up to then.

Looks like I'll be doing a bit of tablet Googling tonight.


Well after 30 minutes Googling I found that my problem was a common one but with a cheap and relatively easy fix.
A new charging port from Ebay at £3.99 - the seller has sold 923 of them!

Not looking forward to prising off the back but we'll have a go - plenty of videos showing how to do it.
 
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DBK

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Well after 30 minutes Googling I found that my problem was a common one but with a cheap and relatively easy fix.
A new charging port from Ebay at £3.99 - the seller has sold 923 of them!

Not looking forward to prising off the back but we'll have a go - plenty of videos showing how to do it.
I replaced the charging port on the earlier Hudl 1 we had. Wasn't too difficult.:)
 
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I've never had a problem with the Hudl 1 when using the sat.nav. Admittedly I've only ever used it to back up the other one but it always gave identical info to the main one even though it was above me lying in the overcab bed or under the cushion behind the drivers seat.

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