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Any way to force google maps/kaiser to use wireless traingulation instead of the GPS

So the internal GPS is one of the primary reasons I wanted the Kaiser, but when it comes down to it, it's the rare occasion that I actually use the GPS for much, especially stuff outside of basic "where am I" and "how do I get there" with gmaps...
Even when using quickgps, sometimes when I need to know where I am in relation to somewhere I'm going, quickly, it can still take way too long to pick up sat signals. I was in the car with a friend the other night (this is a guy that I constantly harass for having an iPhone (and he harasses me for the opposite)) and when we both pulled out our phones with gmaps, he knew right where we were, instantly, while all I could do was sit there and try my hardest to not make excuses about why I wasn't picking up a sat signal quickly.
Unless I'm using other GPS software, for my uses with gmaps, I'd really rather just be able to use the triangulation that non-GPS phones use. I tried turning off the GPS (GPS program port: None) in settings, but gmaps just searches anyway, not finding any hardware and/or sats.
Is what I want to do possible? I'm sure I'll get several responses on how I can speed up my sat signal pickup, which is NOT what I'm looking for. I just want to be able to use gmaps "My Location" without using the internal GPS, thus saving battery as well as getting a quicker pickup on where I am...
TIA
Geo

Yes, what your asking for is just using "My Location" without GPS. I use "My Location" all the time it does not activate my GPS. Here is an article that confirms "My Location" does not use GPS.
http://gigaom.com/2007/11/28/google-my-location/
-McMex

mcmexican said:
Yes, what your asking for is just using "My Location" without GPS. I use "My Location" all the time it does not activate my GPS. Here is an article that confirms "My Location" does not use GPS.
http://gigaom.com/2007/11/28/google-my-location/
-McMex
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know that My Location can be used without GPS, I'm just wondering if it's possible on a Kaiser. Assuming you have a Kaiser device, what and how do you have it set up so that gmaps doesn't activate/use GPS, but instead uses the cell towers?

On my device using GoogleMaps 2.0.0.11 the option for My Location works separately from Use GPS. The location (within 1.7KM) is picked up within seconds, GPS does take longer but is accurate to individual rooms within my home. The Cell based locator is obviously dependent on your Carriers Cell towers and I know in the past I have been unable to get a location over HSDPA or 3G but GPRS worked. Now though on TMobile UK at home I can get my cell based location using any non Wifi data connection.

Smack! Smack!

wizzzard said:
On my device using GoogleMaps 2.0.0.11 the option for My Location works separately from Use GPS. The location (within 1.7KM) is picked up within seconds, GPS does take longer but is accurate to individual rooms within my home. The Cell based locator is obviously dependent on your Carriers Cell towers and I know in the past I have been unable to get a location over HSDPA or 3G but GPRS worked. Now though on TMobile UK at home I can get my cell based location using any non Wifi data connection.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, my apologies. Turns out I was not using the latest version. I've installed v2 with separate GPS/My Location, and My Location without GPS works great!
Thanks to all.

bananachunks said:
I know that My Location can be used without GPS, I'm just wondering if it's possible on a Kaiser. Assuming you have a Kaiser device, what and how do you have it set up so that gmaps doesn't activate/use GPS, but instead uses the cell towers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By default My Location DOES NOT use GPS. You have to enable GPS from the menu.
Yes I have a Kaiser (actually 2at&t Tilts) and use Google Maps (v2.0.0.12)

kyphur said:
By default My Location DOES NOT use GPS. You have to enable GPS from the menu.
Yes I have a Kaiser (actually 2at&t Tilts) and use Google Maps (v2.0.0.12)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I found this out by installing the latest Google Maps (after my last ROM flash, I installed gmaps from a cab I already had on sd, which was apparently not a recent version).
Thank you - I love the fact that I can use gmaps without GPS now for the quick "where am I" without having to wait, but can still use GPS when I feel like it, and also still have it enabled in Settings for use in other GPS programs.
Thanks again

GPS Question, searched to no avail

I have read a lot of GPS Threads and not seen this answer. I do not have a data plan, have MediaNet disabled, and noticed with TomTom I still got turn by turn directions.
Is there any hidden data fees hiding on th horizon for me or does the GPS function free?

TomTom does not use any data from your carrier. It gets all its data from the saved map files on your phone. I believe only Telenav uses your data connection. I am positive TomTom does not use it. It can, to download new voices or maps if you request it to, but if you disabled medianet then don't it can't.
Jeff

robseargeant said:
I have read a lot of GPS Threads and not seen this answer. I do not have a data plan, have MediaNet disabled, and noticed with TomTom I still got turn by turn directions.
Is there any hidden data fees hiding on th horizon for me or does the GPS function free?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For a basic GPS-101 question like this, don't search this forum, search Google....for example...searching for "Is GPS free?" tells you the answer in the very first hit. The answer is... of course GPS is free. GPS is nothing more than the hardware in your Kaiser picking up the signals from the array of Global Positioning Satelites and triangulating your position from them.
You have a map in TomTom. Your Kaiser GPS picks up the signals from the Global Positioning System satelites and calculates your position and passes this information to TomTom. With TomTom knowing where you are (from GPS), where you want to go (from your selected destination), and how to get there (from the map file you downloaded for TomTom)...it has everything it needs to calculate your route and provide you turn by turn directions. There is no additional information TomTom needs so there is no internet access and therefore no data useage charges. The only time TomTom will access the internet (and therefore incur data charges) is if you use TomTom Plus services such as Traffic, Weather, Buddies, etc. But this has absolutely nothing to do with GPS.

robseargeant said:
I have read a lot of GPS Threads and not seen this answer. I do not have a data plan, have MediaNet disabled, and noticed with TomTom I still got turn by turn directions.
Is there any hidden data fees hiding on th horizon for me or does the GPS function free?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to add detail: Tom Tom (version 6 at least) has 3 functions that might start a data connection but each can either be disabled or avoided:
1. There are a few Tom Tom extras that require a data connection - Tom Tom Plus.
2. There is Tom Tom Weather too and that will also begin a data connection IF you ask for weather.
3. The last feature may also be available to you. Tom Tom Traffic is another premium service BUT your software may have a demo version available - and you've guessed it - it requires a data connection.
Make sure none of these are requested (or enabled in the case if Tom Tom Traffic) and Tom Tom should NOT initiate any data calls (and unwanted charges) .
Regards

Disable Data and Keep GPS? How do you do it?

I have two questions really..
I live in the Netherlands and have an always-on internet subscription... but when I travel abroad I want to do the following:
1) Turn off all data transfer so I don't get charged for things that want to update or whatever
2) Keep the GPS functioning
Using the connections manager, I turned the data connection off, but this didn't work at all. It would just connect through the phone line anyway. I resorted to deleting all the internet settings from the phone which was a difficult, lengthy and frustrating process, and I ahd to put them all back in when I got home.
Also, after I did that, GPS did not work anymore. I could not find a setting anywhere to turn on or off the GPS by itself... is it linked to the data connection? I couldn't actually turn the data connection on in the connection manager when I deleted the settings... I couldn't access the GPS at all from any program unless I had the data connection on, and working. Is that right, and... isn't that weird?

Yes, it's weird. I faced same problem. Solutions?
To totally prevent data connections, you have 2 choices:
1- remove GPRS/3G configuration from provider
or
2- nodata! That's what I use
About the GPS not working while in fligh mode, I turn on bluetooth and then GPs works

or alternatively rename the access point name...
e.g. mine is "orangeinternet" I stick a character in front "xorangeinternet" and thus it fails to connect if you do accidently start up an app that tries to connect.
I know it works for Orange - cant confirm it with other providers but I suspect it will be the same.
Can anyone else on other provider networks confirm?

nodata is quite handy

Nice, I'll try nodata!
The GPS eludes me though.

Use "Advanced Config 3.2" Available on this site.
Menu->More Settings->Connections
You can disable each network connection. does not affect GPS

To use solely the GPS you need to install a specific GPS enabled stand alone software on your phone, such as TomTom or IGO.
Otherwise you will be using a AGPS data connexion which is expensive abroad.

flykthewiz said:
You can disable each network connection. does not affect GPS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
actually it does... tomtom7 doesn't work if you're in flight mode (no problem with igo8 thou).

GPS-A (Gps assist), hardware or software?

Hi,
I know (for example) the HTC Diamond, the internal GPS does an GPS Assist (send data packet to network to help GPS do triangulation, speeding GPS location. The obvious problem, is that I have to paid to my service provider that (one) data packet (in my case, 0.33€).
What I really dont know, if this is a software or hardware specification. I want to sincronyze my Niki with an Holux 236 (I'm searching for one), and I dont know I will have to paid anything to navigate around my country.
Anyone can help me?

Hi, I think we all need some clarification on the GPS vs. aGPS.
Here is a good article to read:
http://wmexperts.com/articles/gps_vs_agps_a_quick_tutorial.html
In conclusion you need a receiver in order to have any type of GPS on your phone. In most cases aGPS doesn’t require the maps to be present on your phone as they are been downloaded in real time.
If you have a GPS receiver on your phone you can use other software (like Garmin or TomTom) with maps loaded on you card. In this case there is no need for data communication and you can use it without paying aGPS fees. I confirm that as I use it on my Neon400.
The location identification through tower triangulation cannot be done with good accuracy and not in “real time”. It is not reliable for car navigation but it is used for police, etc to find your approx. location.

[Q] WiFi Only GPS Questions

I was curious as to why there is a button in the notifications menu to turn GPS on and off. I started to look in to it and discovered that there is indeed a GPS chip in the wife only version, or there seems to be anyway!
My question is, what does that chip exactly do? Does it only pick up your location? I can't seem to find any places around me with wifi off. I'm assuming that means all the map and location data is delivered over the internet through 3g or wifi. Is there anyway to use my device as I would a regular GPS device? I know it has all the features but can they work through the GPS chip like they do in a GPS device? Or is there anyway to get this to work?

spyderz said:
I was curious as to why there is a button in the notifications menu to turn GPS on and off. I started to look in to it and discovered that there is indeed a GPS chip in the wife only version, or there seems to be anyway!
My question is, what does that chip exactly do? Does it only pick up your location? I can't seem to find any places around me with wifi off. I'm assuming that means all the map and location data is delivered over the internet through 3g or wifi. Is there anyway to use my device as I would a regular GPS device? I know it has all the features but can they work through the GPS chip like they do in a GPS device? Or is there anyway to get this to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok the wifi is mainly just for accessing networks either open or via ssd and password. You can also connected with mobile AP if your mobile has this option.
The GPS on the other-hand is for mapping and location based services like navigation etc (you can use copilot and several other gps based apps with the P1010). Some of these apps will also piggy back any Bluetooth and or wifi connections that are available for further triangulation if needed. So if you have any apps like various weather and navigation then the GPS is required (but also your location can be shared via your wifi and opt in to give this info through google).
Hope this helps

spyderz said:
I was curious as to why there is a button in the notifications menu to turn GPS on and off. I started to look in to it and discovered that there is indeed a GPS chip in the wife only version, or there seems to be anyway!
My question is, what does that chip exactly do? Does it only pick up your location? I can't seem to find any places around me with wifi off. I'm assuming that means all the map and location data is delivered over the internet through 3g or wifi. Is there anyway to use my device as I would a regular GPS device? I know it has all the features but can they work through the GPS chip like they do in a GPS device? Or is there anyway to get this to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you can find your location via wifi, enable your wifi and turn gps on, you'll find your coordinates, but not that accurate compare to 3g