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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
Sorry for another GPS question. I know that the GPS is meant to be inaccurate, but I can't get it to work at all with Google Maps. I always get the "Your Location is currently unavailable" message when I try to find my location with it. I upgraded to the latest firmware over KIES but that didn't fix it. It sometimes works with other apps, and the tests seem to show it connecting (if slowly and inaccurately). Does anyone know how to fix this?
"Your Location is currently unavailable" doesn't come from the GPS, but it comes from the Tower Network Location Service that is the other check box above the GPS settings screen
Just fixed his very issue
I had no blue dot in Google Maps.
I needed to disable wifi. Enable data through 3G.
The blue my location returned with my towers position.
I disabled 3g, enabled wifi.
All fixed now, very relieved
thanks but neither of these methods work.
Maybe your telco does not provide tower info
it actually started working again randomly. this might be a stupid question but why does google maps not use the Gps?
TNStrangelove said:
it actually started working again randomly. this might be a stupid question but why does google maps not use the Gps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it can use both
Towers and/or GPS
i too have some issues with google maps and my location:
ignoring how long it takes to get my location (sometimes really fast, sometimes too long) ... it seems that it get the position using just wifi (gps ans gsm disabled), with gps, or just with the gsm on ... cool
but: sometimes i don't get my location in google maps (location unavailable!), even though i can get it in other applications that use google maps : like a tracking app ... or in google earth ... or in antennas ... etc
how can i fix this?
thank u!
My new Vivid used to show the city where I am located in the home page, along with weather.
As of today, the city is no longer named; and it just says "Current Location" with a current weather that does not seem to be relevant to where I am or no weather at all. See attached.
I have both Use Wireless networks and Use GPS checked in the Settings>Location.
When I try to Sync Weather, it says that it is "unable to contact location services" to determine my location.
Has the Google Location Services database gone upside down?
I have not been able to get any websites to find my location. I realized this the other day when NextBus gave an error "Sorry, but we could not determine your location. Error: Failed to start Geolocation service." I've tried other websites as well and none of them can access the phones GPS location. "Enable location" is selected on the settings (I tried turning it on and off). Has anyone else had this problem? The maps application does find my location correctly.
I think there's an issue with Goggle Location Services. Everything worked fine for a while today, but now we're back into the "unable to contact the location service" error message when starting the weather app; and Goggle Maps puts me in the right place just fine.
I think my home WiFi is preventing the Vivid from contacting the Loaction Service. When I turned WiFi access off in the Vivid, the Location and Weather seemed to work A-OK. When I turned WiFi access back on, it no longer gave me my location or weather.
Could Be AT&T
I have not had this problem with the Vivid, but I had the problem a time or two with my HD2 on T-Mobile and AT&T. Sometimes, the phone cannot locate enough towers to get a good triangulation fix for your location. A tower may be out of service. I had the problem last for a day or so on T-Mobile before it started working again.
As to WiFi, I wonder if turning on the WiFi causes the data connection to shut down or switch connection from the "3G/4G" radio to the WiFi. I have not tested it.
I recall seeing in another thread where someone questioned the accuracy and completenes of the Google Location Serrvices data, but I think it is a tower porblem. If you can, try it from a different location later in the day.
brucegil said:
As to WiFi, I wonder if turning on the WiFi causes the data connection to shut down or switch connection from the "3G/4G" radio to the WiFi. I have not tested it.
If you can, try it from a different location later in the day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any locations where I do not have a WiFi connection, even though it's turned on and not connected, work fine for location and weather. If I log on to a WiFi network - no matter where, the location and weather stop syncing and properly displaying.
DUTCH Van Atlanta said:
Any locations where I do not have a WiFi connection, even though it's turned on and not connected, work fine for location and weather. If I log on to a WiFi network - no matter where, the location and weather stop syncing and properly displaying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds like a question that needs to be sent to HTC. IF the WiFi connection is shutting down the data connection, that could be a problem. Of course, it could be something else. I installed the HTC weather widget with WiFi running and the weather widget immediately displayed the current temp for my location.
brucegil said:
That sounds like a question that needs to be sent to HTC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Done. No response.
this could be a tower issue with your cell provider. When i had the HTC Aria location worked great then all of a sudden i only got Current city or a location about 20 miles away which was near my work. location worked at work but not at home.
I called att support and they did a engineering ticket or something and it was resolved within the week.
That is a common problem with att android phones.
Sent from my Inspire 4g using xda premium
DUTCH Van Atlanta said:
My new Vivid used to show the city where I am located in the home page, along with weather.
As of today, the city is no longer named; and it just says "Current Location" with a current weather that does not seem to be relevant to where I am or no weather at all. See attached.
I have both Use Wireless networks and Use GPS checked in the Settings>Location.
When I try to Sync Weather, it says that it is "unable to contact location services" to determine my location.
Has the Google Location Services database gone upside down?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you using a different APN? My location service got all jacked up when I changed my APN after I got throttled.
Dawakat said:
Are you using a different APN? My location service got all jacked up when I changed my APN after I got throttled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No. Stock out of the ATT box. No changes.
If you are near wi-fi turn on your wi-fi and try refreshing the location you are at and make sure your phone is actually connecting to the internet by trying to go to a webpage if it isn't try restarting the phone and or doing a factory reset. Sometimes the UI will completely glitch out so I would try those and if still nothing return it because at that point I would say it's an actual hardware issue if you go all the way to the point of restoring the phone.
malickie said:
If you are near wi-fi turn on your wi-fi and try refreshing the location you are at and make sure your phone is actually connecting to the internet by trying to go to a webpage if it isn't try restarting the phone and or doing a factory reset. Sometimes the UI will completely glitch out so I would try those and if still nothing return it because at that point I would say it's an actual hardware issue if you go all the way to the point of restoring the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HTC Support wanted me to put the device into the Safe Mode (prevents 3rd party apps and drivers from loading) and observe it for 24-48 hrs to see if the problem persists. I have not done that yet, as a battery pull is hard work with the phone in an Otterbox Defender case.
Hello everyone.
I just wanted to get your attention on a major Android OS (Kitkat) bug in the interaction between Wifi -> Advanced -> Wifi Always Scan and the Location Service. Clearly the bug doesn't happen every time, but sometimes it does, and obviously I'm talking about stock rom / kernel / no root / locked bootloader.
Althought I can't prove it, this might also be the cause of the current GPS / Navigation issues, currently being reported here.
What makes me link this to that issue? Because when Wifi Always Scan bugs out, it prevents my phone to acquire a location even from the 3g network.
That would explain why in that thread many people report that they could navigate with Device Only, which doesn't use 3g or wifi for location, but they had major issues with High Accuracy, which uses all three sources.
Please take a minute to star the issue so that Google will hopefully fix it faster.
https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=64597
Thank you,
TD
Just turn it off, all it does is waste battery anyway
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Ben36 said:
Just turn it off, all it does is waste battery anyway
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your useful contribution.
It doesn't waste battery, it saves it. It enables to use the wifi location using a lower power state of the wifi chip compared to actually turned on wifi (which is also more accurate by miles than 3g location, works indoors in clubs where there is no 3g or gps signal, and not as battery expensive as gps location).
Also, people use that option for many things, I for one use it in MANY Tasker tasks flawlessly, whether the alternative (wifi periodic toggle and polling) would rape my battery.
Wifi automatically Turned off. Built in feature?
I kept my wifi on, and the had not used it basically just left the device in the room and had run off.
When I retured, the wifi was on in the power control widget but the wifi signal indicator icon in the notifications bar was absent.
is this normal/intended?
My wifi / internet connection is weak but continuous and my device is about ten to twelve feet away from the modem / router.
Can anybody help?
Although I have not a Nexus 5, my problem seems to be the same. I'll tell you if perhaps serve as any indication.
In my HTC EVO 3D, I've been running since the summer with CM10.2 (Android v4.3.1) with location mode set to "Network & WiFi" and "WiFi Always Scan ON". During this time the location was very accurate, location history left a fairly detailed trace. In Google Maps, was located immediately, as in Google+. If activated the GPS, even better. Summarizing, 0 issues with the location.
On January 1, I decided to upgrade to CM11 (Android v4.4.2), I set my location mode to "Battery Saving" & "Wifi Scan Always ON". During the first 10 days everything was perfect, the location history trail was so detailed as CM10.2 and battery consumption a little better. Google Maps and Google+ also positioned themselves almost immediately. Suddenly, on January 11 the location seems to stop of using WiFi networks and began guided only by the Network Cells (being rather more vague). Also when for some reason failed to position (being out of range of Network Cell), the phone started to not enter Deep Sleep Mode and the battery started to discharge at high speed. Google Maps, Google+, 1Weather ... were unable to obtain the current location or showed the last known location of hours before. Rebooting the phone sometimes temporarily solved the problem, but sometimes not.
I tried to change the placement options; abroad, with "high accuracy" mode, the location worked well, but indoors the GPS was not able to find satellites (logical) and still the same problems. I enabled and I disabled the location, nothing. Factory reset, no change.
To rule out a hardware failure, I returned CM10.2. Everything about the location worked smoothly... Return to CM11, again the same problems.
In short, my impression is that this is a software bug, as in versions prior to v4.4 Android location "Network & WiFi" + "Scan Always ON WiFi" works correctly. Moreover, not only occurs in the Nexus 5.
I have marked with a star your ticket.
I'll keept testing.
I get this problem when I use tether with WiFi always scan enabled.
When I disabled tethering, I have to manually enable WiFi to fix the location reporting issue.
With WiFi scanning not enabled, I do not get this problem
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I think I have similar problem and I really hope smbody can help me.
On my stock nexus 5(4.4.2) wifi location don't work in google maps and ingress, when I turn it on instead of gps location.
But in other apps wifi location works( yandex.maps, 4square)
Only reboot helps
Hello again.
I just updated Google Maps to version 7.6.0 and Google Play Services to version 4.2.39 and all the problems I had with the location are gone, everything is okay again, as it did in CM10.2. So it looks like it is confirmed that it was a software bug.
Sorry, I know this post is quite stale, but I came across it doing a search about this very same problem I've seen on my LG G4 (stock). I have a Tasker task that uses WiFi near state and I use the "Allow Wifi scanning..." option in my Advanced WiFi settings. Whenever I would use WiFi tethering and then later turn it off, I noticed my Tasker task would not detect the WiFi networks it was supposed to. If I turn the "Allow scanning" option of and back on, or just turn on WiFi altogether, it starts working again.
So, after more than a year and a half, and on a newer version of Android and it still doesn't work right. Who knows; maybe it's a Tasker problem.
-SR-
I'm running stock 5.1.1 on the LMY48M build and when I have high accuracy enabled in location settings, it shows that I'm in Houston, TX. I'm on the other end of the country in Michigan though. If I go to Google Maps, it shows my correct location. It also shows the correct location if I switch to Device Only in location settings. But in Google Now and Chronus, with high accuracy enabled it shows Texas. Has anyone experienced this before? I've searched all over and couldn't find any information.
E: Also, I'm on Verizon.
GreatDayChap said:
I'm running stock 5.1.1 on the LMY48M build and when I have high accuracy enabled in location settings, it shows that I'm in Houston, TX. I'm on the other end of the country in Michigan though. If I go to Google Maps, it shows my correct location. It also shows the correct location if I switch to Device Only in location settings. But in Google Now and Chronus, with high accuracy enabled it shows Texas. Has anyone experienced this before? I've searched all over and couldn't find any information.
E: Also, I'm on Verizon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have seen this before, but not nearly to this extreme. the wifi location is being preferred over the gps, and the wifi is wrong, so you get whats happening to you.
we never did actually fix it. you could try clearing cache's and see if that helps.
ist not a solution, but keeping device only on is really the best option if you dont need the wifi. gps is going to be far more accurate alone, the majority of the time, unless you are in a building or somewhere gps has trouble seeing the sat's.
bweN diorD said:
i have seen this before, but not nearly to this extreme. the wifi location is being preferred over the gps, and the wifi is wrong, so you get whats happening to you.
we never did actually fix it. you could try clearing cache's and see if that helps.
ist not a solution, but keeping device only on is really the best option if you dont need the wifi. gps is going to be far more accurate alone, the majority of the time, unless you are in a building or somewhere gps has trouble seeing the sat's.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That makes sense. I just tried with WiFi disabled and it still showed Texas, so I'd guess it's Verizon's network causing the issue. I like keeping High Accuracy on for navigation purposes, but if there's no real solution I'll just switch to Device Only. What apps should I try clearing cache for?
GreatDayChap said:
That makes sense. I just tried with WiFi disabled and it still showed Texas, so I'd guess it's Verizon's network causing the issue. I like keeping High Accuracy on for navigation purposes, but if there's no real solution I'll just switch to Device Only. What apps should I try clearing cache for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i would clear them all through recovery.
the inherent problem with wifi location, that is unfixable, is wifi has a range. usually between 100 and 500 feet in any direction, depending on the power of the router. so any time its relying on wifi, you will always have that range of possible error. where as gps is directly between your device and multiple sat's simultaneously.
also while wifi location is on, google is constantly causing a nlpcollector wakelock, as it records connected wifi to its servers in an effort to build its database, at the expense of your battery and data.