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Hey guys, first of all I love this forum and the people here. It's amazing the kind of apps and roms you guys come up with!
An easy question for most you is, what do I need to take advantage of GPS (if there is one) in XPERIA?
Hi angle180,
You don't have to use a dataconnection for using the GPS.
I use Sygic routeplanner in my car, without dataconnection.
And that worked fine, untill my X1 decided to stop working...
GPS is a simple antenna so the use of it is free.
Now some programs will require money to use.
but for example i use garmin xt for naivigation.
only thing to pay for is the software and any updates for said software.
With all the software making use of the GPS it makes phones with them built in super powerful.
I'm amazed that the use of GPS is free - i'm supprised they dont charge for it because its such a powerful tool!
check here for some more apps to use it (in case you missed the thread)
Thanks guys!
"I'm amazed that the use of GPS is free - i'm supprised they dont charge for it because its such a powerful tool!"
they can't
they can't detect you are using it
it's broadcast like radio your gps device don't send anything it get a "ping", signal with it's own location, from 3-more gps satellites which they keep broadcasting and thats all they do
it calculate where it is from those signals
Rudegar said:
"I'm amazed that the use of GPS is free - i'm supprised they dont charge for it because its such a powerful tool!"
they can't
they can't detect you are using it
it's broadcast like radio your gps device don't send anything it get a "ping", signal with it's own location, from 3-more gps satellites which they keep broadcasting and thats all they do
it calculate where it is from those signals
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Click to collapse
not entirely true.
example sirius and XM can charge you for the service. same as Dish network and other sat services.
but they charge you based on your box's serial number or smart card accessing the database.
but blah thats another story.
and in my opinion, when they discovered gps they had no clue what they were sitting on. so they made it free.
just like they guy who invinted the hanger. imagine if he / she put a patent on the design.
(clothes hanger)
nhvoltagenh said:
not entirely true.
example sirius and XM can charge you for the service. same as Dish network and other sat services.
but they charge you based on your box's serial number or smart card accessing the database.
but blah thats another story.
and in my opinion, when they discovered gps they had no clue what they were sitting on. so they made it free.
just like they guy who invinted the hanger. imagine if he / she put a patent on the design.
(clothes hanger)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and now a days companies patent all and everything they can try and patent!
comeradealexi said:
and now a days companies patent all and everything they can try and patent!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They even try and patent things they have no right to patent
Ok so I am starting to work on creating some apps with Android. Without giving away my idea I just want to describe basically what I need just to see if it even exists or I'd have to find a way to make one.
So what I need it a GPS unit that can be remote from my handset (I'll be using my Nook Color for dev in this case). Now normally you'd say, ok just use a bluetooth one, however I need its range to be far beyond what BT would provide. so I need something that would transmit signal over maybe RF to some sort of receiver that then I can hopefully connect to the USB port on the Nook or whatever other device. I need its range to be about a mile or so. Anyone know of something that exists like this?
If I were to build the device myself I would really only need it to transmit data every time the GPS unit crosses over a specific set of coordinates. This is why how it operates dictates how I will program this thing.
Any other suggestions of how to do this or ideas on if something like this even exists?
There are tons of apps to track another android phone, and you can find GPS tracking units to mount on vehicles as "spy" supplies, but I don't know if any of them have Android apps. That's about all I can tell you.
Taosaur said:
There are tons of apps to track another android phone, and you can find GPS tracking units to mount on vehicles as "spy" supplies, but I don't know if any of them have Android apps. That's about all I can tell you.
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Hmm you present 2 interesting ideas.
I could make an app that does what I want it to do by tracking another phone's GPS, and just have my app require 2 phones. Problem is I'm reliant on cell signal there most likely which won't work with a nook (and also won't work "everywhere").
The other maybe there is a way for me to make the Nook or other android device receive from that GPS tracker.
Thanks for that, gave me a couple ideas!
If you have access to an Android phone to serve as the GPS marker, just get something like Family Tracker. The tracking client should work on the NC.
Taosaur said:
If you have access to an Android phone to serve as the GPS marker, just get something like Family Tracker. The tracking client should work on the NC.
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I need it to work independent of cell service/internet service. basically the only connections need to be to a GPS satellite and direct between the transmitter and the receiver at the Android device.
Working on some spy stuff?
I Am Marino said:
Working on some spy stuff?
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Nope, its basically a remote lap timer.
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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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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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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Click to collapse
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 ????????
When I saw the Black Friday deal for $37, I couldn't resist grabbing one to use as a bigger navigation screen. Ooops. I didn't realize it did not have GPS functionality. Thankfully, there are options to tether your phone's GPS to the Fire. I've tried several apps, and have gotten them to connect up, but I'm having issues with both Google Maps and Waze. Has anyone tried this and gotten it to work correctly? The issue I'm having, both apps will detect the correct GPS location and place my vehicle accordingly, but both apps also will not correlate that with navigation function. It's like they are half working. Can anyone confirm or deny getting it work correctly, and if so, which apps? I've tried a couple and have the same results with both. GPS Tether and TetherGPS.
I got it to work! There are some issues with dropped GPS signals, but I finally got the correct app and settings to have tethering working. I will be putting together a post explaining it, in case anyone wants to use their Fire as a navigation system.
xm41907 said:
I got it to work! There are some issues with dropped GPS signals, but I finally got the correct app and settings to have tethering working. I will be putting together a post explaining it, in case anyone wants to use their Fire as a navigation system.
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Which apps did you use? Very interested in getting this to work.
xm41907 said:
I got it to work! There are some issues with dropped GPS signals, but I finally got the correct app and settings to have tethering working. I will be putting together a post explaining it, in case anyone wants to use their Fire as a navigation system.
Click to expand...
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Also interested
First, you need to make a wifi hotspot with your phone. I'm on Verizon and have that as part of my plan. If not, look into FoxFi. Once you've got the hotspot up and running well with the Fire, then you need a GPS tethering app. I tried a lot and kept having issues with Waze or Google Maps not working right. TetherGPShttps://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.comptonsoft.tgps&hl=en is what worked for me. You need to install it on both devices. Also, you need to go into developer options and turn on mock locations. Once you're set up, just connect via the hotspot, open TetherGPS on your phone and start the server, then open it on the fire and start the client. I do have some issues with it dropping signal every so often, but a quick toggle of the client and it's working again. I hope that helps!
Also, grab yourself a magnetic dash mount. The Fire works great with the Scosche mounts from Walmart.