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HD7 GPS issue???

I notice my Bing Maps doesn't show the right coordinates of my location. What could be wrong?

You could be standing indoors or somewhere where there's not a good enough GPS signal, or you may have location services switched off.

jtphl said:
I notice my Bing Maps doesn't show the right coordinates of my location. What could be wrong?
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You are not alone. I started a thread where I called it =garbage. I don't want to generalize just in case it's a hardware issue on my part but it always shows my location in a different city and when using the GPS on maps it seems to always be trying to catchup.

GPS settings
How can we tell if the GPS has locked on to any satellites...or for that matter, if it's even on??? There doesn't seem to be any direct mention of GPS in the settings menu...just a general option to turn location services on or off. Am I missing something here...or does ms not think that giving users direct control over GPS is important?

JoePR31 said:
How can we tell if the GPS has locked on to any satellites...or for that matter, if it's even on??? There doesn't seem to be any direct mention of GPS in the settings menu...just a general option to turn location services on or off. Am I missing something here...or does ms not think that giving users direct control over GPS is important?
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Totally agree with you. My guess though is that when the circles radius is just a couple pixels from the central point then its GPS; since GPS is accurate to a couple feet and A-GPS when the radius is about half the screen. Again just guessing but I really do wish there was an option.

alabij said:
Totally agree with you. My guess though is that when the circles radius is just a couple pixels from the central point then its GPS; since GPS is accurate to a couple feet and A-GPS when the radius is about half the screen. Again just guessing but I really do wish there was an option.
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I believe you're right about the meaning of the radius of the circle in the stock map app. But, it probably isn't as obvious in other kinds of apps that use GPS.
I'm gonna shoot ms an email regarding this...and I suggest that anyone else that agrees that this is less than ideal do the same. Its too late to have them do anything about it in the upcoming January update, but if they hear enough complaints about it, maybe they'll do something about it in the update after that one.

Personally I'd rather Ms did NOT add in any such options. I have the option to use or not use location services, that's enough. Apps that can utilize GPS will switch the circuit on and use it while they're the active app. As soon as you switch away, the app tombstones and GPS switches off, to save battery life. That's just the way I like it, nice and simple. No need for an option of any kind there. It just works.

Jim Coleman said:
Personally I'd rather Ms did NOT add in any such options. I have the option to use or not use location services, that's enough. Apps that can utilize GPS will switch the circuit on and use it while they're the active app. As soon as you switch away, the app tombstones and GPS switches off, to save battery life. That's just the way I like it, nice and simple. No need for an option of any kind there. It just works.
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Jim, if the battery on my HD7 were more robust, I would agree with you. But it's not...so I don't. I would like the option to utilize only tower/WiFi triangulation...and to be able to enable my GPS only when I need my location to be precisely determined.
You are right...it does just work...which was more than I could say for my Vibrant's GPS for quite a while. But, access to any setting that could help me milk some more life out of my battery is access that I want.

GPS ?!?
I have both the HD2 and the HD7. The HD7 with services ON show my location over half a mile away from my office. This is consistent and constant. It shows me in the middle of a hwy norht east of my office. My HD2 not have this issue. It pinpoints my location, tells me in meters how accurate it is and tells me how many satellites it is in contact with. It will actually follow me accurately around the building inside and out. What's the problem with the HD7?? Seems like it is a step backward to me in this regard!

HD7Sol said:
I have both the HD2 and the HD7. The HD7 with services ON show my location over half a mile away from my office. This is consistent and constant. It shows me in the middle of a hwy norht east of my office. My HD2 not have this issue. It pinpoints my location, tells me in meters how accurate it is and tells me how many satellites it is in contact with. It will actually follow me accurately around the building inside and out. What's the problem with the HD7?? Seems like it is a step backward to me in this regard!
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How wide is the circle around the dot? It may be using the Cell tower / WiFi to determine your position and therefore be very inaccurate.
What country are you in?
I guess it's possible that the actual maps are wrong and are showing the incorrect map overlay for your country?

after reading this thread i tested my HD7 with the bing map and its accurate, showed me where i am i changed to aerial map to confirm it...
i believe the data (3G) have to be connected, i am on unlimited data plan so its on all the time, wifi do not work as i tested with the wifi after that and it showed my location far away from my home...

this should fix everyones issue Go to setting and select find my phone check box both opitions and now try bing maps again. you will also notice well driving bing maps will keep a better track well your moving

did that and it now works perfectly, previously it was over a mile off my actual location

Me living in Thailand, whenever my HD7 connected to WIFI (no matter where), the current location always changes to San Jose. I have no idea why this happens ?

pongpatara said:
Me living in Thailand, whenever my HD7 connected to WIFI (no matter where), the current location always changes to San Jose. I have no idea why this happens ?
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Mate, this issue was happen to me in Bangkok too,
I try many apps to fix this, but the result was same..
I see my location was stand in somewhere on the sea at Europe.
That's suck...
Make them REAL MS !!

hd7 no gps please help
gps dosent work on google maps when i flash back to old rom gps works

As far as I know location services do not use GPS exclusively. It uses GSM cell and tower info as well to speed up approximation and let enough time for GPS satellite locking. GSM cell data is stored in internet databases (do not know where and how) but if there is a mislocated tower (e.g.i Thailand) your location might be determined in a wrong way.
To keep it simple M$ hidden this mixed mode location service. I don't know what happens if you switch off location service in settings and use a GPS application for locating yourself. Is there a difference? Might be.

GPS? What's the point?

So I was just thinking it seems really strange that our device would have gps without a network connection. I don't have a problem with being wifi only but if I'm using wifi I'm usually at home or at work or somewhere that i won't really be going anywhere. As in, I feel like the most useful part of the gps is always for navigation but the only use of gps I can think of with only wifi is for location based search results. I so I was just wondering everyone's thoughts, cuz to me it seems sort of unnecessary
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app

offline maps. GPS works without a connection.
and, way better location based services.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using xda premium

I have not loaded it yet on the Nexus 7 but I have used Navagon from the play store. It turns the tab into a 7 inch GPS unit.

GPS features (Offline Google Maps, fully downloaded GPS software), being able to "Check In" at different locations, whatever they opt for. As a "Dev" unit of sorts, I find GPS to be critical.

GPS to test GPS based applications, since this is a Nexus device
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium

The only trouble I have with offline maps is that it still obviously doesn't work with navigation. But one question though with offline maps, can you save a map with a navigation route on it?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app

I tether my Nexus 7 to my Sprint phone (rooted CM9). It is nice to not have to tether GPS through Bluetooth. In my car the Nexus 7 gets mounted and serves up the torque app, connects my BT obd2 sensor, and uses its own GPS.

What's the point of a GPS? Easy, it's a sensor so the device knows where you are at. I use my Nexus all over the place and it's always online tethered to my phone. It's way smarter since it knows where it's at.
Better question would be, what's that Barometer doing in my Galaxy Nexus....

currentsupply said:
Better question would be, what's that Barometer doing in my Galaxy Nexus....
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The Galaxy Note has one too.

The Kindle Fire didn't have one... and it was very limiting for what I wanted to use it for. My hotspot didn't provide GPS data.
In a mobile setting when you have a 3G/4G hotspot, having a device with a GPS allows a lot of detail data collection which requires location info (like weather data). The hotspot allows transmission of the data to a server for processing and receipt of critical data (like Doppler radar data) to know where you are and where its at.
One of the reasons why I was waiting for the Nexus 7 as soon as I heard it has both GPS and the other location tools.
No aGPS... but once you are tracking that doesn't matter.

Sygic works great offline everywhere I go.

androidobsessed said:
The only trouble I have with offline maps is that it still obviously doesn't work with navigation. But one question though with offline maps, can you save a map with a navigation route on it?
Sent from my Nexus 7 using XDA Premium HD app
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Navigation apps like Copilot store all of the maps and poi's on the device. No network connection necessary and it will automatically route you to any destination that your map set covers.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app

It's also nice to have the GPS so when you show it to your friends with Iphones and Ipads, you can demonstrate the Navigation function that they still don't have.
"Google, Navigate to Staples in Woodland Hills California so my friend can pick up a Nexus 7"

The point is that the kindle fire doesn't have it. That really is the point i think.

currentsupply said:
Better question would be, what's that Barometer doing in my Galaxy Nexus....
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Xoom had one too, it's something that a bit ahead of it's time. Think 'crowd sourced' weather apps.

This thread is akin to the whole "why does the Galaxy Nexus have a barometer in it" threads that popped up after it came out.
Though, as many have said before, it primarily is for use in offline maps. If you start navigation and leave, it should keep those directions (though it won't recalculate any new ones) in memory and running even without an internet connection.

GPS is COMPLETELY SEPARATE from Navigation. Navigation requires a GPS. Using a GPS does not require Navigation.
So stop saying "GPS" when you mean "Navigation", for the love of god.
So what's a GPS in a wifi-only device useful for?
Using in any one of dozens of apps that can cache map data
Recording paths or traces for recreation, hiking, biking, whatever
Geocaching or any other game/activity needing precise location data
Using one of several OFFLINE Navigation apps (CoPilot Live, Sygic, Navigon, etc)
There are more, I'm bored with this...

All that being said, it's awesome that it has it, but yeah most people can turn off that radio most of the time to save battery.

ivwonka said:
All that being said, it's awesome that it has it, but yeah most people can turn off that radio most of the time to save battery.
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GPS is not running and uses no battery unless actively in use.

What about those that tether? It might not be big in the US because of carrier blocking bit plenty of people tether to mobiles - why pay for an additional contract when your phone has unlimited data?
Once coupled together the 7 becomes its own device, looks great with Google navigation and obviously Google Notes works as it should!

GPS?

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 ????????

Location issues when network location is disabled?

Is anyone else having issues with apps not being able to use GPS to find their location? Specifically, the weather extension from DashClock and Notification Weather Pro. Neither seems to be able to use just GPS to find my location. I must have network location turned in in order for them to work. That doesn't seem normal to me.
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

OK never mind, Notification Weather Pro seems to be working now. DashClock still can't find me though. Probably something wrong with DashClock.
edit: Yep, just DashClock. I installed it on my S4 Active and it's doing the same thing.
2nd edit: First post still stands. Upon Notification Weather's next sync, it lost my location.
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

_MetalHead_ said:
OK never mind, Notification Weather Pro seems to be working now. DashClock still can't find me though. Probably something wrong with DashClock.
edit: Yep, just DashClock. I installed it on my S4 Active and it's doing the same thing.
2nd edit: First post still stands. Upon Notification Weather's next sync, it lost my location.
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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Did this just happen yesterday? I had to turn airplane off and on in order for maps to find me and realize my tankcar was actually moving.

ShamanicEnzan said:
Did this just happen yesterday? I had to turn airplane off and on in order for maps to find me and realize my tankcar was actually moving.
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Well I installed notification weather yesterday, which prompted this post. I spoke with the developer of the app last night and he said it was designed to function that way. I'm going to assume the same is the case with DashClock. That said, I have zero issues with GPS or any other app that uses location, including Maps.
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

I've had this problem on my N4 and this phone so I don't think it's specific to this device. If I turn off network location and wifi so that it ONLY uses GPS, it takes so long to lock a location that I just saw forget it. I've had to leave the wifi/network location active basically to have any function of quick GPS polls for things like weather.
my first realization was when I did a factory reset for the hell of it the other day to see if it would help anything. By default network/wifi location was off. I opened up maps to let it load and adjust location settings and it gave me the old "enable network/wifi" jargon which I ignored and set to never remind me. I sat here for 5 mins and didn't get a lock. Turned those settings on and instant gps no problem.
If you figure it out, please update because i'd be really interested too.

rmead01 said:
I've had this problem on my N4 and this phone so I don't think it's specific to this device. If I turn off network location and wifi so that it ONLY uses GPS, it takes so long to lock a location that I just saw forget it. I've had to leave the wifi/network location active basically to have any function of quick GPS polls for things like weather.
my first realization was when I did a factory reset for the hell of it the other day to see if it would help anything. By default network/wifi location was off. I opened up maps to let it load and adjust location settings and it gave me the old "enable network/wifi" jargon which I ignored and set to never remind me. I sat here for 5 mins and didn't get a lock. Turned those settings on and instant gps no problem.
If you figure it out, please update because i'd be really interested too.
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The dev I spoke to last night said this is exactly why his app requires both GPS and network location to work. He said GPS takes forever to find your location whereas network location is near instant. That said, I don't think there is any solution because there isn't necessarily a problem. It's just the way it is. Now my question is does having network location enabled cause any more of a battery drain than just GPS?
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

_MetalHead_ said:
The dev I spoke to last night said this is exactly why his app requires both GPS and network location to work. He said GPS takes forever to find your location whereas network location is near instant. That said, I don't think there is any solution because there isn't necessarily a problem. It's just the way it is. Now my question is does having network location enabled cause any more of a battery drain than just GPS?
Sent from my XT1058 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
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That's the kicker. I feel like it's a double edged sword. Turning them off IMO would save battery since there is less polling and work being done. But at the same time, when something needs gps, it's going to take longer to get the gps lock which would be more battery. So i'm not exactly sure and haven't done any real world testing yet.

GS6 affected by GPS bug?

I'm starting to think that we are affected by the GPS battery drain bug. My cell standby is gone after a hard reset and disabling VoLTE, but GPS is just killing it.
Battery is great too. Already at 3 hrs sot with a lot of battery left.
GPS used more than my freaking screen!

I am in the same boat as you, never used to turn GPS off, and now I catch myself messing with all the settings...

dhaliwal925 said:
I am in the same boat as you, never used to turn GPS off, and now I catch myself messing with all the settings...
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Not the actually GPS but Google Play Services ?

Yep, I've noticed Google Play Services toggling on my GPS periodically at home on my S6. (I assume it has something to do with Google Now, or Location History). It's strange because on my Nexus 5, I had those features enabled too but the phone never fired up the GPS when I was at home. (I figured since it had a good Wi-Fi signal it was just using Wi-Fi location at home, so it didn't need to fire up the GPS)

andrewNY said:
Yep, I've noticed Google Play Services toggling on my GPS periodically at home on my S6. (I assume it has something to do with Google Now, or Location History). It's strange because on my Nexus 5, I had those features enabled too but the phone never fired up the GPS when I was at home. (I figured since it had a good Wi-Fi signal it was just using Wi-Fi location at home, so it didn't need to fire up the GPS)
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I had an N5 too... I think it did turn on GPS periodically (to check for trusted location unlock, for example) but it did it discretely without showing a giant notification. The GS6 GPS notification is really intrusive

incuvolta said:
I had an N5 too... I think it did turn on GPS periodically (to check for trusted location unlock, for example) but it did it discretely without showing a giant notification. The GS6 GPS notification is really intrusive
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Yup same thing with my n5 and a certain version of Google play services. Rediculous how much battery it's draining. Not sure if google play services is using GPS or not but whatever it's doing I want it to stop!