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Im getting some rather odd performance from the GPS..
I just got this thing out of the box, and know next to nothing about it.. so forgive me if this is a known issue or an easy fix..
I decided to mess with it a bit and went to "maps" and then "location" it puts me nowhere even near where I am..
so I tried "direction" and did "from my current location" to my office (4 miles away)
it cam up with sound direction, but when I started moving, it had my dot jumping all over the place. Showing me on one side of town, then 30 sec later 5 miles away..
I download an app that shows GPS status, and it shows good signal (7 satellites)
So, why is it behaving so wierd?
also, what are some other GOOD free navigation apps? I see many listed in the market, but I dont want to download them all, anyone have an opinion?
Do you have the GPS enabled in your settings?
G1 uses 2 ways to pin point your location:
1. Wireless networks (which I find never to be accurate)
2. Gps
Go to your Settings>> Security & Location
Try disabling your wireless and ONLY use GPS
Sorry but no good FREE Nav on the market yet, AndNav is still on the works for US
Wingnutt said:
also, what are some other GOOD free navigation apps? I see many listed in the market, but I dont want to download them all, anyone have an opinion?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
don't know how good it is but Nav4All i think it's called....i downloaded it this morning and i think it's a talkin nav cause you have to download the voice language you want to use. i haven't tried it yet but might be a good option
I saw TeleNav nominated as the best GPS navigation app by the Android Network. (this is their blog page where it is posted: http://blog.telenav.com/blog/2009/0...ne-vote-for-us-in-the-android-network-awards/). Should I get this service or is some other service like Google Maps available? Thanks for the help.
dmm0816 said:
don't know how good it is but Nav4All i think it's called....i downloaded it this morning and i think it's a talkin nav cause you have to download the voice language you want to use. i haven't tried it yet but might be a good option
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i use this... confusing at first but ya you can have the voice different ways. i gotta guys voice bc i have a feeling a girls voice will point me in the wrong directions...
The ONLY good nav program is copilot. All the others offload navigation to the provider's servers so require network connection and use up your data allocation - i.e. cost $$ to use.
If your location is jumping around by miles, then you are using cell tower location. It sets your position to the same position as the tower itself. GPS lock can sometimes take a long time. If the gps icon in the status bar is BLINKING or OFF, then you are definitely NOT getting a GPS position.
lbcoder said:
The ONLY good nav program is copilot. All the others offload navigation to the provider's servers so require network connection and use up your data allocation - i.e. cost $$ to use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you have unlimited data, you're ok with the others. I used nav4all before i bought copilot. copilot is MUCH better, but nav4all does the job well enough.
abchiptop said:
if you have unlimited data, you're ok with the others. I used nav4all before i bought copilot. copilot is MUCH better, but nav4all does the job well enough.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely not because you're tied in to network coverage.
Are there any apps that load full maps onto my gtab so I don't need to have a data connection to use my bt gps for navigation? As it is now, I believe Google navigation requires either wifi or tethering to work...
Co-pilot in market.
or you can find a version of motonav (basically igo 8.x) and maps from mobilism.org -- best 3d nav software out there that only requires gps, no data. map sets are ~1-2gb and you can get every single state and pretty much any country in the world now (teleatlas/navteq, mixed or whatever).
sort of tough for newbies to get really into customization, but i was huge into this on my past 2 mio devices, so if you need a hand drop me a line on here, no prob.
Thanks. I just dl'd co-pilot, but it says my trial is over, even though I entered my market order id.
I'll try motonav on my other machine and compare.
nonissan said:
Are there any apps that load full maps onto my gtab so I don't need to have a data connection to use my bt gps for navigation? As it is now, I believe Google navigation requires either wifi or tethering to work...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use Co-Pilot. It is in the market, and if you want it for here in the good old USA it only costs $4.99..
Not as refined as a Garmin but it works. There is also NDrive. More expensive, more refined, I have never used it though..
nonissan said:
Thanks. I just dl'd co-pilot, but it says my trial is over, even though I entered my market order id.
I'll try motonav on my other machine and compare.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I went round and round with Co-Pilot about that. I had it on my phone and had de-activated it but it would not activate on my G tablet. They sent me a link to download directly from them. It worked with my registration info after that.
How hard would it be to get Google navigation setup with an external GPS unit? I'll probably be picking up a GTablet soon, and am wondering how hard it would be to setup it as a navigator. Could it be done (if so, how easily) by hooking it up with a GPS unit? (Yea, it already does what I want the tablet to do, but its 3+ years old and slooooow to run haha). That or I could use the GPS on my phone once I get it running (HTC Vogue).
M 5hizzle said:
How hard would it be to get Google navigation setup with an external GPS unit? I'll probably be picking up a GTablet soon, and am wondering how hard it would be to setup it as a navigator. Could it be done (if so, how easily) by hooking it up with a GPS unit? (Yea, it already does what I want the tablet to do, but its 3+ years old and slooooow to run haha). That or I could use the GPS on my phone once I get it running (HTC Vogue).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is not hard to make GPS work with an external unit. Using Google Navigation though requires an internet connection since Google does not store the maps on your device. So you can use an external GPS receiver, and tether your phone for data. Or, there are ways to use the GPS in your phone and tether too. I have not tried it but hear it can be done.
BTW, I still have an ancient HTC Vogue that I run Android on too...
Sprdtyf350 said:
It is not hard to make GPS work with an external unit. Using Google Navigation though requires an internet connection since Google does not store the maps on your device. So you can use an external GPS receiver, and tether your phone for data. Or, there are ways to use the GPS in your phone and tether too. I have not tried it but hear it can be done.
BTW, I still have an ancient HTC Vogue that I run Android on too...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, my vogue has a slow data connection so I haven't bothered with any data-intense apps obviously like Google Nav. Guess I would need to get a different program on the Tab to hook up with the GPS unit itself. Any suggestions (preferable free ones haha?)
And w00t for another VogueDroider on here haha!
M 5hizzle said:
Yeah, my vogue has a slow data connection so I haven't bothered with any data-intense apps obviously like Google Nav. Guess I would need to get a different program on the Tab to hook up with the GPS unit itself. Any suggestions (preferable free ones haha?)
And w00t for another VogueDroider on here haha!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would prefer to use Google nav because it works really well. The Vogue does not have wifi though and I have not found a way to tether it using bluetooth. So I use a program called Co-Pilot. It is only $4.99 in the market for the US version but it can be a pain to get activated on the G tablet. ALK who makes the program sent me a link to a non market version that did install with my registration info. It works ok, but not as well as Google nav. Seems to be missing plenty of addresses that are not new and should be there. They do have a way to let them know what is missing but I don't know how often they update.
CoPilot
nonissan said:
Are there any apps that load full maps onto my gtab so I don't need to have a data connection to use my bt gps for navigation? As it is now, I believe Google navigation requires either wifi or tethering to work...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. I use CoPilot USA,$4.99 from the Market. You can download any or all US State maps for offline use. I use my DroidX as my BT receiver and it works like a charm. . . . I, too had trouble with activation. Had to send an email & call support Toni get it resolved.
Sprdtyf350 said:
I would prefer to use Google nav because it works really well. The Vogue does not have wifi though and I have not found a way to tether it using bluetooth. So I use a program called Co-Pilot. It is only $4.99 in the market for the US version but it can be a pain to get activated on the G tablet. ALK who makes the program sent me a link to a non market version that did install with my registration info. It works ok, but not as well as Google nav. Seems to be missing plenty of addresses that are not new and should be there. They do have a way to let them know what is missing but I don't know how often they update.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you still have the link by any chance? I've tried 3 times on 2 gtabs, and each time it gives me error 703, my trial is over (even though I never took a trial).
nonissan said:
Do you still have the link by any chance? I've tried 3 times on 2 gtabs, and each time it gives me error 703, my trial is over (even though I never took a trial).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent you a PM
Sprdtyf350, I am having the same problem could you please share the link with me too.
Mod57 said:
Sprdtyf350, I am having the same problem could you please share the link with me too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PM sent.
I don't know if it is supposed to be a link for everyone or not or I would just post it.
No Joy with CoPilot
I purchased CoPilot through the Google Market place ($4.99 for USA) but no joy in installing it. Same 703 errors. Finally got through to someone in tech support (emails went unanswered) but their advice (basically wipe program and start again while downloading the maps separately onto my PC and then into the g-tablet) still resulted in errors. Since the holiday is coming up, this will probably not get solved in time for next weeks vacation/test run.
Oh well. For five bucks I wasn't expecting a lot and my MIO unit is still operational. Just hoping for some text to speech voice turns from my g-tablet. I will poke again after the holidays. Seems like a combination of the date not resetting or hard coded in the downloaded apk or authentification not getting out (since it is a wifi only machine; the program is expecting the telephone).
Unless anyone has any other suggestions?
success install after rom uprade
I installed latest ROM upgrade (3.1.1) and was able to get co-pilot installed and working. Combination of wiping user data and alk receiving gapps sales information.
No luck with John or Lisa. Anyone with hints for getting the voice portion working.
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.
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
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.
ppl said that the built-in gps for the 8.9 is great...is not true.
currently i don't have any data plan with att on my 8.9. just using the 8.9 via wifi. well google maps recently allowed the download of maps for offline use. well i download offline map for nyc and was testing outside today. it was bright sunny day. i tested outside in midtown of manhattan for about 10 minutes and then downtown for another 20 minutes.
here is the result i got:
1. i loaded google maps and it wasn't able to find me when i was in midtown. the device was turn on for about 10 minutes. as soon i was near bryant park which have free wifi and connected to it, google map was able to find me right away.
2. then i travel downtown and was outside for about 20 minutes and it was searching for satellites and can't find me where i'm located. i was not near any free wifi. so i gave up.
so i think either google map either require data to work properly or the built in gps for the 8.9 is not that great or doesn't work at all.
i heard another offline gps map program called locust. i will do testing with that app later this week and will let you guys know the result.
any1 here also have the same result as me, please post your opinions here also. thx.
Nope.
However, I am using the P7300 non-LTE, non-US flavor.
Tablets have room for big-ass antennae, especially for GPS and they will usually get a steady lock without aid. It still is A-GPS, though (as in Assisted-GPS, meaning it uses all available data to get a lock - network cell towers, wi-fi networks in range, sensors and satellite data).
Mine gets a lock even inside an apartment building. Maybe you should have it looked at, if your warranty applies.
de3pkeeper said:
Nope.
However, I am using the P7300 non-LTE, non-US flavor.
Tablets have room for big-ass antennae, especially for GPS and they will usually get a steady lock without aid. It still is A-GPS, though (as in Assisted-GPS, meaning it uses all available data to get a lock - network cell towers, wi-fi networks in range, sensors and satellite data).
Mine gets a lock even inside an apartment building. Maybe you should have it looked at, if your warranty applies.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which offline mapping apps are you using?
I'm not sure it's only the wifi availability that's the differentiator here. You went from within a city that has extremely high buildings (where you got no gps sats) to an open park with open sky (where you suddenly locked on to sats) and then back into the city with the high buildings again..... See where I'm going with this.
Maybe I'm off on my assumption but you can't blame me for thinking it.
Jiggity Janx said:
I'm not sure it's only the wifi availability that's the differentiator here. You went from within a city that has extremely high buildings (where you got no gps sats) to an open park with open sky (where you suddenly locked on to sats) and then back into the city with the high buildings again..... See where I'm going with this.
Maybe I'm off on my assumption but you can't blame me for thinking it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The park has high buildings around it too. When I was walking to the park and was near the park, it still couldn't find any satellites until I use the park free wifi.
For the ppl that got the gps working w/o wifi or any data plan? Can you confirm what map apps are u using? Can you elaborate how u got ur 8.9 gps working w/o wifi or any data plan?
Maybe let's all here do an experiment, go outside, turn off ur wifi and 4g and see if ur google map are able to find where u r with ur gps on only w/ offline map for google map? Please report back ur result. Thx.
vincentnyc said:
The park has high buildings around it too. When I was walking to the park and was near the park, it still couldn't find any satellites until I use the park free wifi.
For the ppl that got the gps working w/o wifi or any data plan? Can you confirm what map apps are u using? Can you elaborate how u got ur 8.9 gps working w/o wifi or any data plan? Maybe let's all here do an experiment, go outside, turn off ur wifi and 4g and see if ur google map are able to find where u r?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can use only the internal gps without wifi and find my location indoors using Maps app.
Sats aren't always directly overhead in the sky so it could have everything to do with time of day and where they are located in the sky. Hence my buildings and open park comment.
*Haven't had to do this on this tab but maybe your location files are messed up from something you installed or maybe you have a tab with foreign location information here in the states. Maybe try the info at the link:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=17081413&postcount=1
Jiggity Janx said:
I can use only the internal gps without wifi and find my location indoors using Maps app.
Sats aren't always directly overhead in the sky so it could have everything to do with time of day and where they are located in the sky. Hence my buildings and open park comment.
*Haven't had to do this on this tab but maybe your location files are messed up from something you installed or maybe you have a tab with foreign location information here in the states. Maybe try the info at the link:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=17081413&postcount=1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you said you can use your internal gps w/o wifi using maps app...is that google maps? were you on wifi and then you turn off your wifi? if you did, i think maps aka google map will remember your last location even w/o wifi. can you try again when you are outside w/o any wifi and report back your result? thx.
Btw i dont physically have any 4g sim card in my device...dunno if that has anything to do with it?
hmmmm...found an interesting specs:
http://mobilesyrup.com/2011/12/15/bell-samsung-galaxy-tab-8-9-lte-review/
- WiFi (b/g/n), Bluetooth 3.0, A-GPS
noticed it said a-gps. a stands for assisted. that means the 8.9 doesn't really have a physical gps chip and will need data in order to get gps to work properly.
any1 has who has a 8.9. can you try this for me and report back the result? can you go into settings > locality> gps and check only gps and UNCHECK assisted gps for mobile network use by google etc.. so just check the middle for gps and uncheck all the rest, which i below is the first and third related to A-GPS or anything with google.
now go into google map and see if your gps still work and find where you are?
Quick search found this thread. Unfortunately he doesn't state how he found the tablet has internal GPS and there are no follow on comments to confirm/deny. But seems that someone would have caught and corrected.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1271350
Also I always have assisted gps turned off because I don't particularly like Google knowing everywhere I am, anonymous or not.
Could be my brief experiences with it are a fluke as I just have started playing with this tab and have been more concerned with other stuff working. But nonetheless that's what I've experienced.
Jiggity Janx said:
Quick search found this thread. Unfortunately he doesn't state how he found the tablet has internal GPS and there are no follow on comments to confirm/deny. But seems that someone would have caught and corrected.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1271350
Also I always have assisted gps turned off because I don't particularly like Google knowing everywhere I am, anonymous or not.
Could be my brief experiences with it are a fluke as I just have started playing with this tab and have been more concerned with other stuff working. But nonetheless that's what I've experienced.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmmmm...u have 8.9 and have assisted off? which version of 8.9 do you have, wifi only or lte version? can you state your os and can do a screen shot with your gps working with google map? how does it takes your 8.9 to lock to a satellites?
vincentnyc said:
hmmmm...u have 8.9 and have assisted off? which version of 8.9 do you have, wifi only or lte version? can you state your os and can do a screen shot with your gps working with google map? how does it takes your 8.9 to lock to a satellites?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i957 LTE version running... in between right now. About to install CM10 fresh again and reload all my data.
Hmmm... Not sure when this became about me showing my tab. Again, was just stating my experience. I'll look at it again when I load CM10 from scratch. I usually poke around on here when I'm not at home doing more worthwhile stuff. I may have time in the next couple of days.
Jiggity Janx said:
i957 LTE version running... in between right now. About to install CM10 fresh again and reload all my data.
Hmmm... Not sure when this became about me showing my tab. Again, was just stating my experience. I'll look at it again when I load CM10 from scratch. I usually poke around on here when I'm not at home doing more worthwhile stuff. I may have time in the next couple of days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hmmm...i maybe interested in loading cm10 and if i can get my gps to work properly. what os is cm10? is that still honeycomb version? what is the pros and cons of cm10? is the con cm10 that the camera and usb charging doesn't work?
Use app like "Gps status & toolbox". It tells you how many satellites are locked
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2&hl=en
I know my 7300 has real gps, but I can't speak for your LTE model
fred_be9300 said:
Use app like "Gps status & toolbox". It tells you how many satellites are locked
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2&hl=en
I know my 7300 has real gps, but I can't speak for your LTE model
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thx...installed this app....see attached screenshot.
Here are my settings:
Wifi turn on
Inside my apt
Use of wifi or mobile network aka agps are turn off
Gps turn on
Only able to lock to 1 satellite. But google map still not able to locate me.
vincentnyc said:
Only able to lock to 1 satellite. But google map still not able to locate me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It takes at least 3 sats to locate you (spherical intersections and all that). So I'm not surprised you are not located in this instance.
Dude... Inside you can't use gps... It needs a line of sight with satellites in the sky... Jeez, please lookup gps on Wikipedia...
fred_be9300 said:
Dude... Inside you can't use gps... It needs a line of sight with satellites in the sky... Jeez, please lookup gps on Wikipedia...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well one poster here were able to work inside his house. Go look up in previous post. Anyway I will test this out outside today, beautiful clear day today. But I don't expect any gps to work properly. Will report back result later.
Inside a building, gps might work near windows, or under a glass roof or so. Surrounded by concrete, it is impossible. But a device might position you based on cell towers or a database of locations for WiFi routers, as Google has built up.
was walking to work today. here are my settings and results:
wifi - turn off
agps - turn off
gps - turn on
clear sunny day, outside for about 5 minutes. got 3 satellite to locked from that app i installed last night.
google map and locus still UNABLE to locate me. see attachments for my results.
well at least i was right that gps won't work for me...lol
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
Click to expand...
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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 ????????