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Im planning on buying a HTC Hero but only if there is a gps tunr buy turn app with europe maps. So can anyone answer me?
I'm guessing you haven't tried Google Navigation yet ? There is a thread about using it in EU.
There are ALK CoPilot, Sygic Mobile Maps, NDrive and others. Of course they all cost money. They all work without internet connection since they store all map-data on the SD-card. There are also Navigation systems which depend on a data-connection, I don't know their names because I never cared about them.
Google Navigation, which ohgood mentioned, is free but not officially supported for Europe. It also has some flaws if used in this area. Of course it is one of those that depend on an internet connection.
O man i just saw google nav and i'm very sad to hear that you need internet con to useit coz trafic on gsm is expensive outside my country so its kind of useless 4 me.
It wouldn't matter anyway, Google Nav REQUIRES firmware 1.6+
http://www.andnav.org/
Dont know how good it is though, you will have to google some reviews.
I use Sygic in France, it works well for me. Trip calculation is a bit slow but otherwise it runs well.
I've used AndNav2 and Nav4All, both of them are free and very good turn by turn navigation, good interface and very accurate. Both needs internet connection because there's no (or little) map "buffering". I think you can use like a pre-route that download's some map information, but it still needs to connect to the internet to get more info.
I was wondering, are maps in Navigate and Google maps stored in the phone or does it need an internet connection to work? Let us say you went on a road trip to some off-beaten place, where you do not have any signal from AT&T. So at that point, will the GPS still work? I mean i know the phone can still communicate with the GPS, but can you phone display the maps without the connection to AT&T?
I know GPS's like Garmin etc, have the maps of the entire US stored in it memory, so no matter where you go you get to see the map of where you are. TIA.
angryphoton said:
I was wondering, are maps in Navigate and Google maps stored in the phone or does it need an internet connection to work? Let us say you went on a road trip to some off-beaten place, where you do not have any signal from AT&T. So at that point, will the GPS still work? I mean i know the phone can still communicate with the GPS, but can you phone display the maps without the connection to AT&T?
I know GPS's like Garmin etc, have the maps of the entire US stored in it memory, so no matter where you go you get to see the map of where you are. TIA.
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Click to collapse
Google navigation needs a GPS signal to work but if you dont have one, what will happen is the directions will still be there, but your location wont update to your position.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
angryphoton said:
I was wondering, are maps in Navigate and Google maps stored in the phone or does it need an internet connection to work? Let us say you went on a road trip to some off-beaten place, where you do not have any signal from AT&T. So at that point, will the GPS still work? I mean i know the phone can still communicate with the GPS, but can you phone display the maps without the connection to AT&T?
I know GPS's like Garmin etc, have the maps of the entire US stored in it memory, so no matter where you go you get to see the map of where you are. TIA.
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Click to collapse
you do need a data connection to use google maps and such.
i use copilot live and really enjoy it.
Thanks for the replies, so if I am getting this correctly you do need a data connection to fully use your phone GPS, otherwise it can probably still give you some text/voice directions like turn left in 200 feet, etc. but with no visible current maps (if you do not have a data connection).
The simple reason I was asking this was to see how much a phone GPS can substitute for a true GPS, like when maybe need to use it in some far-off place like Yosemite park, etc. Looks like from the answers so far the phone GPS is quite limited.
In my experience, Google Navigation cannot calculate your route without a data connection. The program will stay at "generating driving directions" until it times out and throws a network error. You can't really do much with Maps or Navigation without the data connection.
As far as map storage, Google Maps will cache certain map tiles that you recently (or habitually?) loaded, but Navigation will not. I'm not sure if Maps will even continue past startup with no data connection at all, though, for example with the phone in airplane mode. It seems like it would tell you that you need a connection. I can't remember what it actually does.
If you try to use Maps with no GPS, it will tell you to enable it and calculate your position based on wifi networks and cell towers. If you don't have any RF enabled, it can't tell where you are. Navigation, if it has a tower location with no GPS fix, will give you a top-down map view and tell you to follow the indicated route, and won't give you voice directions.
Perception 10.2 | SpeedMod K13C | I9000ZSJPG
I loved the Garmin GPS products. Having maps offline with no need for data was fast and reliable. I wish they would make an Android product.
Oruxmaps supports offline maps but has no navigation capability unless I'm missing something.
Sent using XDA App
I use MapDroyd for GPS without a data/cell signal. You install the APP, then you can download maps and store them on your SD card. You'll have maps/GPS anywhere. No need to worry about having a cell signal.
Just download the maps prior to heading out of town. You can download maps by state. I keep Oregon and Washington maps on my phone and never worry about GPS out in the midde of nowhere.
Sent from Samsung Captivate using Tapatalk
google nav needs to download the map at the time you start the trip, once it has a route the map is there but if you miss a turn it may have trouble recalculating without a cell signal. if there is public wifi it might work.
there are a number of apps in the market that are one time pay (unlike i phone where many are subscriptions) that store that maps on your phone but they take up massive amounts of space and take forever to download the maps. i have succcess with navdroyd, the gps quirks of this phone may prevent some apps from working well depending on the base rom so test it imediately in case you need to get a refund.
I'm getting sick of ignorant people saying stuff like "oh yeah your GPS works as long as you have a data or wifi signal."
NO. THAT IS NOT GPS. That is the cheap triangulation signal method via cell towers that just about ANY phone can do. If you don't know the difference between GPS and cell tower triangulation then do not bother contributing to this discussion.
Real GPS uses satellites. You know, the ones in space. Nothing else.
Tomtoms don't use a cellular signal, they use GPS.
If you have real GPS, you can pinpoint almost perfectly where you are in realtime, and even accurately track your velocity, so long as there is a clear line of sight to the satellites. If your location is "bouncing back and forth", then you do not have GPS enabled. Period.
I would like to know, once and for all, was HTC lying on their phone specifications in saying that the HD7 has GPS or not?
My old HTC Touch HD had it. Why on earth does this HD7 not seem to have it?
Has anyone here ever actually managed to verify that a true GPS receiver even exists in this phone?
There is a GPS reciever in the phone or it wont be able to pinpoint your exact location in Bing Maps.
fazkaz said:
There is a GPS reciever in the phone or it wont be able to pinpoint your exact location in Bing Maps.
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Click to collapse
I have never had bing maps pinpoint my "exact" location though, only maybe to the nearest 20 metres. And the pointer doesn't seem to move as I move, which suggests to me it isn't using satellites at all...
You seem to be confused. To clear up your misunderstanding, read this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS
FWIW, I use the GPS radio on my daily 6km runs. My old Holux devices (CF-Card, USB external), used to take 30-60 seconds to grab a 3D fix. My HD7 does it in just 15-seconds. If a data connection is available, AGPS will acquire a 'quick fix' first, then based on that position determine which satellites it should look for, elminating the old trial and error method. Hence, a 'true' gps connection is acheived immediately after the AGPS system does it's job.
Bing Maps is just simply a built-in GPS client for the hardware radio and firmware.
To those concerned about data roaming charges, a data connection is not required to use the GPS radio, but is necessary to use downloaded maps, etc. As the newly released Navigon system stores maps on your device (1.6-2.5gb!) it will run independent of a data connection.
Cheers
I understand perfectly what A-GPS is. However I have yet to see my HTC HD7 actually acquire a satellite signal.
Is there anything in the phone that actually indicates when it has acquired a signal from GPS satellites?
What I believe to be the case is that this phone never actually uses GPS signals, at any stage. I believe it simply uses the cellular towers to triangulate your position, and you never get anything more accurate than that.
I would happily be proven wrong. Or if you could show me somewhere on the phone which says "now receiving from (6) satellites" like my old HTC used to do, I will happily stand corrected.
Bing maps has never ever been "GPS accurate" in my experience, and I have had the phone for just under a year now.
What about the Navigon select app that some German carriers implement on their HD7s, isn't that satellite GPS signal ?
i'm using navigon navigator,that show me speed,exat position,and many other info:hd7 HAS A GPS RICEVITOR!!!
I used Bing maps navigation the other day to find a junk yard about 2 hours from where I live and it was pretty accurate. Even merging onto another highway showed the cursor right where I was. After the initial routing pretty sure I was out of signal since I had no service way out in the sticks yet Bing maps never lost the route. I wa pretty satisfied.
But your right real gps shouldn't need a data signal at all like navigon select. Maps are stored locally.
Sent from my HD7 T9292 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App
Heofz said:
I understand perfectly what A-GPS is. However I have yet to see my HTC HD7 actually acquire a satellite signal.
Is there anything in the phone that actually indicates when it has acquired a signal from GPS satellites?
What I believe to be the case is that this phone never actually uses GPS signals, at any stage. I believe it simply uses the cellular towers to triangulate your position, and you never get anything more accurate than that.
I would happily be proven wrong. Or if you could show me somewhere on the phone which says "now receiving from (6) satellites" like my old HTC used to do, I will happily stand corrected.
Bing maps has never ever been "GPS accurate" in my experience, and I have had the phone for just under a year now.
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Click to collapse
I'm going to back this post up 100% on my end. I stand outside of my building and have NEVER had my bing map... and it shows me 3 or 4 blocks away from my actual location. I've actually had this question sitting on my end for quite some time now.
I, personally, don't believe that the HTC can be used as a true GPS. It just uses the cell towers like mentioned above.
If somebody could actually prove this, other than saying... IT HAS GPS BECAUSE IT SHOWED ME DIRECTIONS AND ACCURATE DIRECTIONS TOO.... Turn by turn directions though Bing is fine.. but it's still not a true GPS location being used.
Would downloading a GPS program like the 35$ garmin one actually give me a different reading on my map? Would it actually work if I have no cellular signal like a true GPS, and work off of a GPS signal?
@NachoNut and @Heofz: Do the apps in the marketplace that provide system information tell you if the phone is using triangulation or actual GPS? You could also try tweeting @windowsphone, @winphonesupport, @attcustomercare, or @htc asking about it. They're generally pretty responsive
I can't verify the exact GPS hardware, but the "system view" app from the WP7 marketplace shows "GPS location" on my HD7 and reads out to the 100th's place in latitude and longitude and ALTITUDE. You would not be able to read altitude via cell tower triangulation.
I think the issue gets confused because many of the location aware programs will use the triangulation method first while waiting for the GPS to get a reading. For instance, in Bing maps, your location is shown in a wide circle but as GPS locks in the circle shrinks down to a much more accurate location.
Even AGPS cannot get down to +/- a few meters without other outside assistance or references though.
download tools for wp7 app from the marketplace. This has a gps reciever app. Put your phone in airplane mode, and then check if you get a location... I'd do it, but my phone is currently updating to mango.
Not entirely sure what this rant is about to be honest. Just because bing maps is sh!t (which surprise surprise we all know...) doesn't mean that the inbuilt GPS receiver in the phone is useless?! Have you tried Gmaps yet?
As an alternative, why not download WinPhone Info for Mango and it will give you your exact location.
I use the GPS functionality quite often for work, because I have to see lots of different customers in London, on foot. Anyone who knows London, knows how narrow the streets are and how tall the buildings are. Worst case scenario for GPS, yet it works every time and it's very quick to find my location. Even though I think the rest of the phone is underwhelming, this is actually one of the features that works fine. If only Bing was up to Google Maps standards!
I'd like to know the best positioning for the handset it's set for 'line of sight view'.
I go cycling round the park often and I must admit it does not seem as accurate as it did with my old HD2. Could it just be down to construction.
It's the rom. I switch to Telstra rom and my gps is working fine now. The gps on tmobile rom never be able to track my location
Mine used GPS as it came from T-Mobile... in Airplane mode it received the location etc,. but maps can't update because they need a data signal to load their data. It does indeed have a TRUE GPS satellite receiver in it.
Shortly after the mango update, using the free GPSInfo app I managed to get it to tell me it had acquired a satellite signal rather than data only. It gave me altitude readings etc as well as accurate speed info.
Hurrah!
Now all I need is software equivalent/better than tomtom and I'll be a very happy bunny
I was using Navigon Select 2.0 / 3.0 on my HD7 on my holiday to Spain during the summer; for a whole two weeks I had the data connection disabled, and there was no phone reception in some of the mountaineous areas, yet the GPS functioned absolutely perfectly, getting the position quickly and accurately. So yeah there is definitely a proper GPS in the HD7.
My own recommendation for navigation on the HD7 (whether you have access to data or not) is Navigon Europe / USA (ie version 4 of Navigon Select). It's a bit pricey but is price-matched with proper navigation apps on iOS and Android. It does all the usual offline navigation that you would expect with proper POIs, rerouting, etc, but if you let it at your data connection it will also retrieve traffic data, Google Local business results, etc. You can also pin destinations to your Start screen (Home, for example). Absolutely brilliant.
pin point location works fine for me on bing... shows my house on arial view... and while on the move bingel and gmaps both work...
i dont understand why ppl are complaning..
Me too
This has a GPS, but it doesn't lock on very well (or sometimes ever) for me. I am using the T-Mobile version so that may be the problem. If you use the GPSInfo app, it will tell you if you are using AGPS or if you have actually acquired satellites. I have been able to acquire satellites a couple of times, but mostly it just sits there on AGPS mode. I was starting to really like this phone, but the GPS thing might just be a deal breaker for me.
The ifixit teardown indicated the possibility of a GPS capable chip in the 7" model.
Anyone load a GPS app and see if you get any results?
Thanks!
Google Maps location doesn't work, and I have been unsuccessful sideloading any of the GPS apps I have available. All fail on install.
What about one of the free GPS apps on the Amazon app store, like:
http://www.amazon.com/EclipSim-GPS-...ps&ie=UTF8&qid=1348158531&sr=1-1&keywords=gps
bleclair said:
What about one of the free GPS apps on the Amazon app store, like:
http://www.amazon.com/EclipSim-GPS-...ps&ie=UTF8&qid=1348158531&sr=1-1&keywords=gps
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Hmm well interestingly enough that one installed. It took a while, but it gave me a coordinate read out as well (see screenshot, I blanked out my location but you can see what I mean). I'm not familiar with that app, so I don't know if it uses Wifi at all for determining location. It does have an option for "do not launch if GPS is not enabled" though and that is set by default. Yet, it works. You have my wondering now, I'll keep playing with some of the other apps I'm a bit more familiar with and see if I can get them to install.
The OS build might not have adequate drivers to run the GPS. This might get fixed once we get a different ROM....someday.
I have google maps up and running, though I believe it is functioning off wifi location, the location is off a little. I installed GPS satellite app and it launches, gives me data but does not show that it is picking up any satellites.
alkemist80 said:
I have google maps up and running, though I believe it is functioning off wifi location, the location is off a little. I installed GPS satellite app and it launches, gives me data but does not show that it is picking up any satellites.
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I got GPS Test Plus installed and see the same. It doesn't find any satellites, but it is indeed finding my location based on Wifi. Acurracy of only about 200 feet. Think we are SOL for now.
UPDATE: I am playing with it more (it has a handy green light when it has GPS signal) that is yellow with WIFI off, and Green with it on. Seems to indicate it only uses Wifi for location.
even if gps is on the chip, maybe there's no antenna ?
So far no joy on getting any sort of GPS working. I bought a TomTom BlueTooth GPS module and it will not pair with the Fire HD. I get a message saying that the BlueTooth device is not compatible. None of the apps to make it work will even install.
Amazon apparently went all out in preventing people from using GPS. From what I understand the Nook will allow you to use a BlueTooth GPS.
FWIW, I tried using Google Maps on the way to and from work the last few days, and it is starting to get pretty good at finding my location via WiFi. Most of the time it was showing me within a block of my actual location, and sometimes it was actually tracking me accurately, even showing me driving up to an intersection and stopping right at the intersection. It seems to get better every time I take the same route.
I did discover that the Fire HD has a magnetic compass and accelerometer. But the compass is not very reliable.
I have a sneaky suspicion that there were some lawyers involved in these decisions...
Amazon took it really out of their way to lock down their tablets. They don't want people to use anything that doesn't rely on their services. Such as maps, either it be google, Bing, tomtom, anything not made by them. Amazon never activated voice search, the potential is there (apk in system files) but until they make it used through their ecosystem, KFHD will probably never see it. They even make it annoying to change the keyboard. Supposedly according too their website, BT only works with headphones. That is a complete limitation and annoyance.
As for GPS, I can see it somewhat irrelevant on a device that is wifi only and was omitted, though I do enjoy it on my N7. Something, I believe it was hootsuite would constantly annoy me about location services when I had it turned off, as they claimed it was turned off via twitter and had no options and I had it off in my twitter. Location services on the KFHD killed my battery for some unknown reason.
alkemist80 said:
As for GPS, I can see it somewhat irrelevant on a device that is wifi only and was omitted, though I do enjoy it on my N7.
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How so? With Maps you can download your entire city to use offline. If you start Navigation while online, and give it a couple of minutes to cache the info, it will take you all the way to your destination offline. I tested this on a 5 hour trip, and the audible turn-by-turn took me all the way to the destination, even though in some places the map itself was blank, and it didn't know the name of the street or exit. "Take the exit on the right" instead of "Take exit 6" It was even able to do some limited rerouting offline (which is something fairly new)
Besides, now I have a MiFi and a phone with a portable HotSpot. .On long trips, however, I turn off the MiFi while underway unless I need a major reroute, or need to find something. On a long trip a few weeks ago, my wife called from our tax accountant's office and needed some info from an old bank statement. I was out in the middle of nowhere in Alabama, and I though I was going to have to drive to Birmingham to find a Wells Fargo. So I fired up the MiFi, and asked my N7 "Google...where is the nearest Wells Fargo?" and it found one in a small town less than 10 minutes away and led me straight there.
Driving in Atlanta drives me insane. Now with the MiFi and Google Maps, I can see where the stop-and-go traffic jams are and get around them.
Irrelevant??? Not hardly!
I REALLY wanted the GPS to work on the Fire HD because the pitiful speakers on the N7 aren't loud enough to hear turn-by-turn directions in heavy traffic or heavy rain, or while the radio is playing. And the washed out screen on the N7 makes it hard to make out the streets (white and yellow on off-white) They stand out much better on the Fire HD's screen.
Not everyone tethers data through their phone or device. Most cell phone plans still require additional payment services. I refuse to pay another $35-$40 a month just to tether data. If I want to use GPS, then I use my phone or my Garmin Nuvi, though I prefer google maps since they are mostly up to date.
Caching maps, ok, but you need to know exactly where you want to go. Without data, the GPS is useless unless you are using a strict GPS app to determine location only. Amazon took it out to reduce costs. While it's nice to have, it's irrelevant to their entertainment device, they don't want you to use maps anyways.
question
Would it be possible to make a hack to enable spp bluetooth profile on KFHD. Because the tomtom bluetooth gps receiver uses that profile.
I have to completely agree with drhanley i wish i could have at least bluetooth gps on the kindle fire hd.
Drhanley have you seen in the android market bluetooth spp app make an app from the market could enable the spp profile needed for tomtom gps receiver ????????
Ok, so having the amazing Blade for over a year and a half, i decided to go bigger and stronger, and got the p880 when prices droped acceptably. One of the reasons, was that Blade didn't have the memory or the cpu to give me a satisfactory use of gps navigation or gps tracking (for example, it had tremendous lag, and it forced closed apps very often).
Now i have it, everything ok, except that in Osmand, in using offline maps, it says at some points, there is not enough memory to load a portion of the map. There is about 250-300mb available ram at that point. I wonder if this is a bug or a limitation indeed of the phone's ram.
So, the things is i am testing the device in the city, before i go for the mountain hike using gps to record my hike. It locks ok outdoors, fast. The problem is, the minute i insert it in my pocket its gone. The lock is gone and the signal too. So, where exactly on the phone is the gps receiver located? Does it matter which pocket it is in? What kind of clothes i am wearing. How would i carry it during my hiking, in order to have a continuous signal? Should a particular spot, the top for example be completely naked to receive the signal, or something like that?
I use 4X for tracking my mountain bike rides.
Just today I had almost 3 hours of tracking without any problem.
But I use endomondo as a program.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
Yesterday I put it in upper pocket of my backpack and recorded my first spring mtb ride. It last more than 4 hours and did not lost any moment.
I use Orux maps for years - it works excellent, even with my old HTC legend, but 4X has better reception and faster fix. I dont't see any memory problem - it is same with Orux and loaded offline map, tracking on, and when system only is running.
Two questions (for pierg75 and Marko_Sp) that might help the OP:
- those programs you mentioned are using offline maps, like the OP's?
- are you using AGPS, i.e. is your 3G data on or off?
- no offline maps
- yes agps is enabled (not sure how much this is used in a wood)
BTW I used in the past Locus with offline maps and I didn't have too many problems on the zte blade as well
If they put the software back on play, I'll give it a go next time I'm out.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
I had problems when using MyTracks with the 4X HD... at high speeds (like in a car) it would miss many portions of the track. See my post here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=38963980&postcount=14
I have NOT yet tested extensively enough, but doing the same drive twice since upgrading to Jelly Bean... I did not have the track drop out at all. So if you're not yet on 20a official, perhaps you should try it?
skryptus said:
Two questions (for pierg75 and Marko_Sp) that might help the OP:
- those programs you mentioned are using offline maps, like the OP's?
- are you using AGPS, i.e. is your 3G data on or off?
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Click to collapse
Orux is able to download offline maps from many online map servers (Google, Hike&Bike, TopoOSM USA etc.) with 500mb limit what is more than enough for planned rides - battery of mob is limit, not the size of map, but I have spent only 20% on my 4 hour ride!. That offline maps can be stored and used on SD card. I use offline topo maps for my country from Croatian State Geodetic Administration - only have to create WMS URL, layers and minimum and maximum zoom, make selection of region and downoload over WiFi. It is very simple in fact.
Yes, I use AGPS, and 3G, as usual, but Orux does not require any, just GPS.
picture of Orux track with offline map and some analitics:
Thanks everyone for the info, the problem is i think that i never use data, in fact not only i have it disabled in the phone, i have called the company and asked them to turn off the switches on mobile data for my number. That way, even if it is enabled, by them, i can tell them that it was THEIR mistake and not pay. The reason i do these is that data is very expensive in my country, in fact i would almost pay the equivalent of 6 months of phone number contract, if data was enabled accidentally in my phone.
So, the question is concerning ONLY the use of GPS, with offline maps. So i guess this must be the problem. Perhaps i would have a clear gps signal continuously if i had the phone in my hand and my hand extended for the whole hike, but that is obviously not an option. So i still can not figure out what to do. Any ideas about a belt fitted case for the phone that leaves it essentially "in the open", so that gps will have a clear connection?
As for the memory problem in Osmand, it is the only program that created a memory problem so i guess it must be a bug or something.
I ll check out this endomondo and orux, but still have not figured out what to do for a succesfull gpx track recording (continuous) outdoors, with just gps enabled.
I ll check out this endomondo and orux, but still have not figured out what to do for a succesfull gpx track recording (continuous) outdoors, with just gps enabled.[/QUOTE]
For a succesfull gpx track recording You don't need offline map, use blank map in Orux.