So… I want to know what is the absolute cheapest ex-Ebay phone I can stick in there 
It will be used purely in the sleeve though I suppose it might also be used to run a locally purchased data SIM (full size SIM, not a micro SIM) and then be used as a WIFI AP.
So… I want to know what is the absolute cheapest ex-Ebay phone I can stick in there
Do you need to stick it in..? I thought you could run it stand alone..since now it’s android any android device with Bluetooth and WIFI could work…? (Maybe I am getting this wrong..just asking..
Well, for Apple it’s the iPhone 5/16GB
I had heard the rumors about the Android option, which is good. I don’t think you have to stick the Android phone on the Satsleeve. It just needs to support bluetooth and wifi and be able to accept the Thuraya app.
My Thuraya dealer says the Android SatSleeve is expected in February at a price of 689 €.
What I was after was the cheapest Android phone which would work in the Satsleeve. Does anyone have a list of likely compatible phones?
All phones with a modern Android OS should work. I installed the app on my Google Nexus 5.
Sure, but the phone actually clips into the Satsleeve, so it would be desirable to make use of that. Certainly the Iphone 5 sleeve which Aeroplus showed me was like that – the phone was held securely in the sleeve and plugged into the little apple-compatible connector.
The Android SatSleeve has an adaptor for the Samsung Galaxy S4 and there is an add-on adapter for the S3. There is going to be an S5 in a few weeks the rumors say so the S4 should get cheaper.
The S4 has a much bigger screen than the iPhone 5 and should be a lot more convenient for weather briefing if you want to use it like that. Connecting the SatSleeve to a rooftop antenna will be interesting to see, the pictures show an antenna connector on the backside. Without external antenna, the usefulness in flight is very limited.
While the Galaxy has a larger screen – there’s nothing like variety and quality of aviation apps for iOS. Theres simply many more and better apps for iOS than for Android. That’s why iOS is so successful in aviation.
Of course I do not know how well the Satsleeve would work with those apps …
