Skysafari 5 for Android is out now

[Mokusatsu]

Skysafari 5 is now out on Android. Introductory pricing is now in effect.

Get into it. :)

[glend]

If your upgrading from Sky Safari Pro 4 to Pro 5, its only $19.95 USD, or $25 Aud. File is big as you would expect. Your existing Settings will be copied across during install if you wish. Even the wifi port setup copied across just fine.

[ChrisV]

Thanks Glen. I might splurge and upgrade from plus to pro !!

[Shano592]

Hi Chris,

Definitely worth the upgrade.

Pro is a big step up, for minimal price increase (at the moment).

The download size said 1.19GB, but when it got there last night, it was only 79% done! I have a feeling it may be a little loser to 1.4GB.

[ChrisV]

Downloaded.
Wow, SS Pro really is a step up from Plus.

Just tried it through the haze tonight.
It all seems to work OK with my adv-GT via bluetooth on the handcontroller.
One nice thing is that it also works with the SkyQ. So, if I want to, can use that instead of the handset and align and then control via SS5.

[Mokusatsu]

There is no special upgrade price. $25 is just the introductory pricing for Pro.

In a few weeks it will cost $50 again.

I have Plus on my iPad, so I'm going Pro on my Android.

[Shano592]

Yeah, I have the v4 Pro under a different Google Play login, but it was still $25 for me on the second login.

Chris, I fully agree. It works really well with my Nexus-S wifi controller on the LX200 as well. I do the alignment through the scope's hand controller, then use the tablet for the rest of the night.

I started with Plus on v3.xx. When v4 came out, it was only a matter of getting a wifi controller. Fortunately, that's when Astro Devices started producing the Nexus-S.

BTW, Thanks, @glend for pointing me to them... I can't recall if I thanked you back then, but that little wifi box has been simply superb!

[astroron]

I have just downloaded Skysafari5 plus for $9.90.
I had version 4 which was more expensive but as this is on discount I bought it.
Cheers:thumbsup:

[multiweb]

Downloaded it last night on my TAB3. I have used version 4 pro for a while. Very good app. Always use it on the field to frame DSOs as you can set up your scopes and FL. Looking forward to 5. Got it at $25 from the Google store. Do you need a separate license for an Android phone or can you tranfer seamlessly?

[glend]

Thanks Shane, Serge (Astro Devices) has a great product in the Nexus line. With my mount on a pier in the observatory, and pretty precisely aligned, i just start up the Syncscan and go to a star to align Sky Safari Pro and then it works flawlessly from there.

[luka]

Thanks Glen.

It looks like the difference between Plus and Pro versions is the same as in v4, i.e. Pro has bigger object database and high resolution images of moon and objects.

[Mokusatsu]

If you use the same Play account on multiple Android devices you can install it on them all with one purchase.

I've got SS5Pro on my phone and my tablet now.

[luka]

Even better, google lets you add apps to your family library and share it with multiple family members...

[multiweb]

Thanks for that. :thumbsup:

[julianh72]

The best mobile planetarium app just got even better!

If you want just one reason to move up to SkySafari 5, it's the ability to have all of your observing lists, equipment list, etc stored in "The Cloud" (Google Drive, in the case of Android). I generally prefer to use SkySafari on my Android tablet, but I also have it installed on my phone, which is always with me, even if I forget to pack my tablet. At long last, any changes I make on either device can be seamlessly picked up on the other.) As others have pointed out - you can have multiple installations with a single purchase - and if you activate the Google Play "Family" feature, you can share it with your immediate family members as well.

With the current "Introductory" pricing, I took the opportunity to upgrade from SkySafari 4 Plus to SkySafari 5 Pro - very impressed, and very happy!

[Steffen]

The cloud sharing (iCloud in my case) is the one feature that would make me upgrade from 4 Pro to 5 Pro. Unfortunately I'd have to upgrade Sky Safari on both the Mac ($89.99) and my iOS devices ($62.99), and that's too big a pill to swallow. I think I'll continue syncing my observation lists via iTunes...

[MortonH]

SS5 looks good!

[julianh72]

I'll probably come across as a paid salesman for SkySafari (I'm not - honest!), but it's worth knowing that ALL mobile versions of SkySafari 5 are currently on discount, presumably because of the recent SkySafari 5 for Android launch.

SkySafari 5 Pro for Android or iOS is US$19.99, and for MacOS it's US$59.99.

[Steffen]

The prices shown on their website are in USD. If you click through to the respective App Store you'll see the AUD prices I mentioned.

[julianh72]

Looks like they're winding back the discount offer, and it only applies to the Android version now - the iOS version was showing the same 50% discount on the product home page yesterday http://skysafariastronomy.com/skysafari-5-professional-astronomy-telescope-control-software-for-ios.html , but today it seems to be back to full price.

[ninja2]

Does anyone know how to hide the menu/control bar in SkySafari 5+ on Android (Galaxy Edge 7). This User Guide (https://skysafariastronomy.com/support/manual/manual.shtml) says "Android users can toggle the menu bar by tapping the hardware Menu button on their device" ... but what is the hardware Menu button ? I've tried every thing but no go ...

I just upgraded to 5+ (for US$6.50) and I'd really like to take screenshots without half the useful data obscured !

TIA

[ChrisV]

On my old Samsung phone it's the menu key. Lower left button below screen

[ninja2]

Can I ask - when you push that menu key what actually happens? I can't test this because later model Galaxy's use the lower left button for swapping between active apps, so there's no menu button anymore :(

But it would help to know what happens on earlier galaxies. If it hides the toolbar so the whole screen is available for stars / galaxies etc, then great as Sim Corporation only need to add minor functionality. Hopefully in their next minor release to fix this oversight.

[ChrisV]

Or keep pushing the time or scope buttons. It alteranates between that menu or none.
When there's no menu it just shows the zoom in/out buttons and the menu items .