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I was on a trip yesterday and I noticed that when I turned on flight mode, it also turned off Bluetooth. I have a bluetooth GPS receiver that I use with my Alpline but wasn't able to in the plane because when I turned off my phone it also killed my Bluetooth.
:?: Is there a simple way to turn of JUST the phone radio, but leave the bluetooth up? My XDA II allowed me to turn off the phone's radio and leave bluetooth up. It just looks like bluetooth, WiFi and Phone have all just been lumped into Flight mode. Is there a system tweak or even a utility? I would be ok with either. Just found this annnoying. Thanks in advance for answering my question.
genghis said:
I was on a trip yesterday and I noticed that when I turned on flight mode, it also turned off Bluetooth. I have a bluetooth GPS receiver that I use with my Alpline but wasn't able to in the plane because when I turned off my phone it also killed my Bluetooth.
:?: Is there a simple way to turn of JUST the phone radio, but leave the bluetooth up? My XDA II allowed me to turn off the phone's radio and leave bluetooth up. It just looks like bluetooth, WiFi and Phone have all just been lumped into Flight mode. Is there a system tweak or even a utility? I would be ok with either. Just found this annnoying. Thanks in advance for answering my question.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There's no way that I know to have flight mode on and still be able to use bluetooth, wifi or gprs on the XDAIIi.
I also know that you can on the XDAIIs.
Actually there is.
Check this thread : http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=36788&highlight=flight+mode
The interesting part is :
Code:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\HTC\FlightMode]
"IsFMCheckEnable"=dword:00000000
"WarningMsg"="Please turn Flight Mode off first"
Change "IsFMCheckEnable"=dword:00000001 to "IsFMCheckEnable"=dword:00000000
It allows you to use WiFi and Bluetooth while in flight mode. I found about this only minutes ago, and I'm sure glad I did
Cheerio !
I'm pretty sure that on flights it is illegal to use any form of wireless transmission hence BT & WiFi turning off at the same time as GSM. This is because they are all in the microwave band and can allegedly interfere with aircraft instruments.
If all else fails, turn flight mode on, turn BT on, the phone part will ask for a PIN which you must enabled this, select cancel and the phone part will turn off again leaving the BT active.
Thank you Mr_Smoke!
That App Radio Off works GREAT! I knew there had to be a simple fix.
:arrow: Bluetooth interference with instruments debunked:
http://www.bluetooth.com/NR/rdonlyr...7E/0/Aircraft_Safety_Report_for_Bluetooth.pdf
:!: Good article where they tested a 727 and 747 with bluetooth devices. They state that both UHF and VHF had a VERY remote chance of interference, but that the threshold would drop off before the device could emit enough power to actually interfere. Communications devices on aircraft have all been shielded and tested to higher energy levels than a simple BT signal from a PDA could push out. The only cavet is that use is prohibited during critical phase of flight (take off and landing) which is when the airlines currently make you turn off your devices.
I love using a BT GPS receiver (I put it up to the window and close the window shade to hold it in place) with Pocket Earth.
http://www.bluepointstudios.com/www/?fuseaction=product.poe
Its a VERY sweet program to show you where you are, direction you are headed, speed, and estimated time to your arrival. The only thing I wish that program had was altitude information which I emailed them as a suggestion for their next revision to their software.
pug said:
If all else fails, turn flight mode on, turn BT on, the phone part will ask for a PIN which you must enabled this, select cancel and the phone part will turn off again leaving the BT active.
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Click to collapse
You sure about this Pug? The message says that only emergency calls can be made until the pin is entered, that would suggest that the phone is still functional.
Or is this different to the message/routine at start up?
On a far more important note, I hear your looking at jumping ship to an Universal - what are we going to do without you? :wink:
Tom
No need to worry, the missus is having the Alpine for Tomtom etc. A bit of a waste know but it' too big for her for everyday use. I'll still be looking about here in the Alpine section, don't want to let my fans down now.
Hi there ..
is the gps always on ?
how to power it off ?
if not how does it get power on, on first connect ?
thanks
when the port gets initalised it starts the hardware
cookie1977uk said:
when the port gets initalised it starts the hardware
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought that the GPS was always "sort of" on unless the phone was in complete flight mode.
timn2087 said:
I thought that the GPS was always "sort of" on unless the phone was in complete flight mode.
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Click to collapse
If that were true you would think it would be a fairly serious design flaw.. Battery life, etc.. And since it takes so long to get a sat lock anyway it would be kind of pointless..!!
Everything I've read so far says it is activated only when invoked by an application.
It's possible to always get an approximate fix on your location, but that isn't GPS. That's possible via triangulation from the cell towers. Google Maps does this unless you tell it to use the GPS.
The GPS is only ever turned on when it is used by an application.
salada2k said:
If that were true you would think it would be a fairly serious design flaw.. Battery life, etc.. And since it takes so long to get a sat lock anyway it would be kind of pointless..!!
Everything I've read so far says it is activated only when invoked by an application.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's possible to always get an approximate fix on your location, but that isn't GPS. That's possible via triangulation from the cell towers. Google Maps does this unless you tell it to use the GPS.
The GPS is only ever turned on when it is used by an application.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for clarifying that. You're both right, it would be silly to have the GPS constantly activated.
thank you ...
With Airflight Mode ON,it's still possible to use GPS...
Incredible...what a flaw!!!
HastaSSSS
how to set GPS on when flight mode on?
Hi,
Does anyone help me to set GPS on when flight mode on? If I set flight mode on, then tomtom cannot get GPS signal. Traveling with flight mode on will save lots of power.
Cheers
s1rl4ncel0t said:
With Airflight Mode ON,it's still possible to use GPS...
Incredible...what a flaw!!!
HastaSSSS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
isn't that irrelevant since the gps doesn't SEND anything?
really if you think about it, the gps hw on th phone only recieves data.
i usually carry with me a gps datalogger that does pretty funny lines when i connect it to google earth after arrriving home from my flights
s1rl4ncel0t said:
With Airflight Mode ON,it's still possible to use GPS...
Incredible...what a flaw!!!
HastaSSSS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As others have said - Absolutely not a flaw at all. Indeed a nice feature which was in the TyTnII as well. GPS by its very nature is a reciever only, so nothing is transmitted to interfere with AC avionics.
In answer to the oringinal thread starter .. as far as I can tell the GPS shuts down when no software is polling it. Not sure what the timeout is. Would guess a minute or so.
s1rl4ncel0t said:
With Airflight Mode ON,it's still possible to use GPS...
Incredible...what a flaw!!!
HastaSSSS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? TomTom 7 says 'GPS disabled because device is in flight mode.....'
Weird.
It shouldnt be disabled anyway as it's just a passive receiver - no transmit therefore no issue with airplanes.
thats my guess also (activated on request)
but i would rather prefer an option that allow-me to turn it off no matter what..
Thank you all for the answers
It shouldnt be disabled anyway as it's just a passive receiver - no transmit therefore no issue with airplanes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's not quite that straightforward as a GPS receiver, like any electrical piece of equipment, has the potential to transmit RF radiation. Of course, whether the level and form of radiated power is sufficient to cause any difficulties with avionics is a different question entirely.
Like all rules of what is, and isn't, allowed onboard aircraft the final decision is down to the airline (which in turn base their decisions on official rules and regulations).
There is a list of airlines which do/don't allow GPS usage onboard here (it also contains an discussion on the issue). Note the caveat that allowed GPS usage is for cruising, not landing/takeoff where the number of critical avionic systems in use (and relied on) is increased.
Mathew
salada2k said:
Really? TomTom 7 says 'GPS disabled because device is in flight mode.....'
Weird.
It shouldnt be disabled anyway as it's just a passive receiver - no transmit therefore no issue with airplanes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
"Flight Mode - all connections Disabled" is what Tom Tom actually says. It does not say that the GPS is disabled, just the connection.
You can even see this in this screen shot I took a few hours ago. Note the co-ordinates and information displayed. Now if you were to take a look at s34.88499e150.24473 in Google Earth to see where those co ordinates are, you will see that I could not have driven my car there. But I can assure you I was there. Also note the correct UTC time which will only display with the GPS running. There is no way TomTom could have known I was in that location unless it was using the GPS. So TomTom is sort of disabling all connections between itself and the phones GPS. But the GPS is still running.
Further - If you have your Diamond in flight mode - Just fire up the GPSTest application and you will see it has no problem getting a fix. Although it takes the whole screen so I cannot take a screen showing showing flight mode and the fix concurrently.
MJNewton said:
It's not quite that straightforward as a GPS receiver, like any electrical piece of equipment, has the potential to transmit RF radiation. Of course, whether the level and form of radiated power is sufficient to cause any difficulties with avionics is a different question entirely.
Like all rules of what is, and isn't, allowed onboard aircraft the final decision is down to the airline (which in turn base their decisions on official rules and regulations).
There is a list of airlines which do/don't allow GPS usage onboard here (it also contains an discussion on the issue). Note the caveat that allowed GPS usage is for cruising, not landing/takeoff where the number of critical avionic systems in use (and relied on) is increased.
Mathew
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Click to collapse
Yeah I am aware of all of that. But I can tell you the final decision can have a lot more to do with where in the aircraft you happen to be sitting
logger said:
Yeah I am aware of all of that. But I can tell you the final decision can have a lot more to do with where in the aircraft you happen to be sitting
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Click to collapse
I wouldn't know; I'm always way towards the back of the aircraft... usually wedged between two fat people.
Mathew
logger said:
"Flight Mode - all connections Disabled" is what Tom Tom actually says. It does not say that the GPS is disabled, just the connection.
You can even see this in this screen shot I took a few hours ago. Note the co-ordinates and information displayed. Now if you were to take a look at s34.88499e150.24473 in Google Earth to see where those co ordinates are, you will see that I could not have driven my car there. But I can assure you I was there. Also note the correct UTC time which will only display with the GPS running. There is no way TomTom could have known I was in that location unless it was using the GPS. So TomTom is sort of disabling all connections between itself and the phones GPS. But the GPS is still running.
Further - If you have your Diamond in flight mode - Just fire up the GPSTest application and you will see it has no problem getting a fix. Although it takes the whole screen so I cannot take a screen showing showing flight mode and the fix concurrently.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fair call - I had never actually got a fix in that situation so I thought the GPS was disabled. Thanks for pointing that out.
The two fat people would sure as hell attenuate the signal. (But perhaps protect the avionics). Fotunately for me I get to sit at the other end.
I was travelling last week by plane when I received instruction not to use my mobile in flight mode. I was hoping to watch a few movies on my phone and to listen to some quality music. So what good is flight mode if airlines don't allow it?
They're idiots. It's happened to me too. Tell them it's not receiving or transmitting - it's a PDA.
Do exactly like Guilf said. Most flight attendants just think its another dumbass who thinks they are an exception to the rule. Just politely explain that you are not transmitting or receiving. I personally tell them its a PDA to begin with. Saves me the trouble of having to get into a technical discussion with someone who make $27,000 and is nothing more than a glorified air waiter/waitress. Now don't get me wrong I've met some cool flight attendents, but the majority are not going to understand something more technical than putting music on their iPod.
I do, however, have some choice words for the "exceptions" who do use their phones without turning flight mode on...
the funny thing is that mythbusters basically said that phones don't do anything in planes. lol
This is true, while I wouldn't run around saying that a Mythbuster show is equivalent to scientific fact, today's air plane technology makes it pretty much impossible for interference from cell phones to occur. At the same time, I would hate to be the jackass who caused the plane to crash that one time interference did occur. Just do the responsible thing and put it in Flight Mode.
brynwall said:
the funny thing is that mythbusters basically said that phones don't do anything in planes. lol
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Click to collapse
Unfortuantly phones CAN affect aircraft systems - and i know because i'm an avionic engineer. Although the chances of your phone having a detectable effect is pretty slim.
The (recent / impending) introduction of inflight mobile service is based on putting a picocell onboard so you phone can only talk to the aircraft's cell - even when you would normally be able to receive a different one - and as the phone is close the the cell, it transmits at very low power.
Currently (in the UK atleast) mobiles are still not allowed to be used on the flight deck (in flight) as close proximity to the instruments does cause interference.
There is no reason why you cant use your device in "flight mode" when any other electrical/electronic devices are allowed - but regardless of that, if you p*ss the crew off enough they'll simply divert and/or have you arrested! Best to speak nicely to the hostie!
YMMV - I use BA a lot, and they always tell you to put your cell phone into flight mode or turn it off. Aer Lingus doesn't know about this mode - at least the FAs I had didn't know about it. State-side; some crews on Alaska know about it, SWA crews don't.
Some people don't understand flight mode too, and after turning on flight mode they whip out their bluetooth headsets and they think its OK. Just few weeks ago I was seated with some dumb asshole who got pissed when I told him using BT headset with his PDA is *not* using it in a flightmode, and he made such a scene when attendant told him to just turn it off.
Flightmode supposed to turn off ANY radio signals in/out, but its not the case with many phones and PDAs because users can still manually turn on wifi or bluetooth radio while in the flightmode (which is the case with our Kaisers).
And those short range but strong signal radios (wifi and bt) are IMHO most dangerous for the plane's electronics than the typical GSM radio at all.
Do not think all attendants are idiots. Certainly some of them are indeed, but so are many of passengers too
I rather fly with a pissed off idiot beside me and arrive safely - than take any chances of having something on the plane disrupted or not functioning just to please some idiot passenger.
-888- said:
And those short range but strong signal radios (wifi and bt) are IMHO most dangerous for the plane's electronics than the typical GSM radio at all.
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Click to collapse
Strong signal? Come on, BT only uses 10mW, 100mW for Wifi. GSM will blast 2/4W, so 200-400 times more power than BT.
Have you ever heard your speakers buzzing with BT/WiFi? That's common with GSM though...
There are airplanes equipped with WiFi access points...
kilrah said:
Strong signal? Come on, BT only uses 10mW, 100mW for Wifi. GSM will blast 2/4W, so 200-400 times more power than BT.
Have you ever heard your speakers buzzing with BT/WiFi? That's common with GSM though...
There are airplanes equipped with WiFi access points...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about GPS?
Does it work inside aircrafts? I tried to turn on GPS in trains to China but it doesn't seem to receive any signal.
If we could use GPS and Wifi in airplanes, that would be fun
GPS sometimes works if you are at the window, and it depends on the plane. But you have a nice faraday cage around you, so reception isn't usually that good.
My phone always gets a good GPS signal on planes sitting by the window.
Its funny to watch TOMTOM tell me im doing 489 miles per hour as i pass though villages!
I travel every week.
Usually, all it takes is showing the person the little "x" symbol next to the phone icon to prove that it is off.
I know that it takes SEVERAL phones to all be on to trigger any negative effects to the aircraft.
The funny part for me is when flight attendants get on the PA and state "our instruments still show several phones in the on position and we cannot take off until they are shut off"... like they have some sort of sniffer hookup next to the coffee maker and rubber chicken entree dispenser.
Of course, it is always just easier to find the butt on his BB that thinks that his conversation is so important that the rest of the plane should wait. Last Tuesday, some yahoo next to me on the flight to LA wouldn't turn his phone off until the FA finally told him that if he didn't shut off his phone NOW they were going to remove him from the plane.
My take.
In that West Wing episode, when interrupted from using his cell phone by a flight attendant, Communications Director Toby Ziegler argues, "We're flying in a Lockheed Eagle Series L-1011. Came off the line twenty months ago. Carries a Sim-5 transponder tracking system, and you're telling me I can still flummox this thing with something I bought at Radio Shack?"
Everybody knows, including most flight attendants, that cell phones pose no danger whatsoever to planes or their navigation equipment. What they do pose, however, is a threat to the tranquility enjoyed by passengers that cell phone use would disrupt. We already have an FCC ban against phones based on outdated technological concerns, but we still need the ban to make flying less annoying; so rather than bothering to redraft the law, why not leave it intact and continue to enforce it?
If you want to fire up BeeLineGPS and see how fast and high you're going, do it subtly on the side of your leg. Stewardesses who don't understand that a GPS receiver simply receives signals and is no more dangerous than an iPod won't be convinced by your explanation and will instead identify you as a difficult pain in the ass and be pissed that you think you are above ze law.
So go with it. This won't change anytime soon.
BeeLineGPS rules, by the way.
As the title reads, can the GPS be used with the phone turned off?
I am hoping to use it on a flight so I can track my route (for pure curiosity) but if it doesn't work....
doubt it
butterdori said:
As the title reads, can the GPS be used with the phone turned off?
I am hoping to use it on a flight so I can track my route (for pure curiosity) but if it doesn't work....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i know the GPS does not work when phone in airplane mode. perhaps if someone wrote an application that would disable the radio on the phone but keep gps alive. not sure if anyone would do that as i doubt the demand for such product/service/application is fairly minimal at the moment as personally i cant see the point of wanting to track my route (unless i was on ocenic flight 815!) or unless i owned my own private plane, but if i did then i would probably rely on more trustworthy equipment than the gps module on my diamond!
butterdori said:
As the title reads, can the GPS be used with the phone turned off?
I am hoping to use it on a flight so I can track my route (for pure curiosity) but if it doesn't work....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the GPS component of your phone can work while your phone is off.
Here is the Trick
If you haven't already, create a pin code before enabling your phone.
Path...Settings>Phone>Pin
Once you have created a pin, exist and go to CommManger. Here shut down your phone. Once that is done, turn it back on again. This time your phone will require a pin to turn your phone on. Instead of putting in your pin, hit cancel. Now you are free to use any navigational system without the concern that your phone is on.
Try it!
my phone tells me that without entering the pin i can only dial emergency nrs like 911
so is the radio really off?? because that is wat you want
tried it once on the airplane - still waiting on the runway though - but i got no signal...
Turning the cell radio off should leave GPS on, http://www.modaco.com/content/windows-mobile-news/272846/vario-iii-gps-470-mph/
The point is, because I'm an airplane/flightsim geek, i'm curious about what route the flight takes..
Anyway... conflicting opinions..
And I do think that the radio is still on if you are able to call emergency numbers(i.e. before PIN)
I was thinking, because the gps is integrated into the chipset and not an independent one like SiRFstar, once the phone module is of, so is the gps
The airplane mode does not interfere with workings of the GPS BUT some aircrafts are equipped with a screen that stops the GPS signal from penetrating the plane body. My personal findings are- new Boeings 7 series are equipped with the screen, Airbus A32x is fine.
The new 7 series? All Boeings are 7x7... if you meant the 777
As far as I know, GPS is used from time to time in the cockpit
butterdori said:
The point is, because I'm an airplane/flightsim geek, i'm curious about what route the flight takes..
Anyway... conflicting opinions..
And I do think that the radio is still on if you are able to call emergency numbers(i.e. before PIN)
I was thinking, because the gps is integrated into the chipset and not an independent one like SiRFstar, once the phone module is of, so is the gps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used it once with my P3600 and that worked, the problem is that you can use it as long your above ground as soon you will fly over the sea there are no maps, at least not for TomTom.
And another problem is the speed the programm which I used (TomTom ) worked well but the update interval is that big that the nav engine got confused.
Willem
What if you use your phone without a SIM card? Never tried it, and it's too late to go outside and try it now lol.
I can confirm that GPS does work in airplane mode.. just checked it
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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 ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.