GPS (sorta) on iPhone

MacRumors · Sep 19, 2007, 02:03 PM

Gizmodo points out a new 3rd party application that has appeared on Installer.app.

Navizon uses cell phone towers to pinpoint your location (within a few hundred yards) and is able to push those coordinates to the Google Maps application.

The result? Free GPS(ish) functionality on the iPhone.

Article Link

aerospace · Sep 19, 2007, 02:04 PM

i hope they get it working well, that would be awesome

JC4 · Sep 19, 2007, 02:05 PM

I like it! Beats the hell out of typing in the current location.

JohnC

raggedjimmi · Sep 19, 2007, 02:10 PM

I don't have an iPhone, but whoa

lampcov · Sep 19, 2007, 02:12 PM

Sitting in my house, looks like the massive cell tower outside my window isn't "Known" yet since it can't locate me....bummer.

chr1s60 · Sep 19, 2007, 02:13 PM

This is awesome. It is apps like this that are going to make me end up hacking my phone. I hope Apple sees that this is a possibility and creates something like this.

dr_lha · Sep 19, 2007, 02:13 PM

I just installed this, but all I get when running it is the message: "Your location could not be identified. No known Cells or WiFi nodes in range".

I'm in a fairly highly populated suburb of LA right now, so nowhere obscure. I guess their coverage isn't 100%

mikeinternet · Sep 19, 2007, 02:14 PM

I installed Navizon this morning. I registered (quick and easy).

But, haven't been able to get it to work. I keep getting "Unable to Locate - Your location could not be identified. No known Cells or WiFi nodes in range."

I was on WiFi and had good service. I get lost a lot, I could really use this.

Edit : (Guess I'm not the only one.)

poppe · Sep 19, 2007, 02:19 PM

Can't locate me... damn it... I am using WiFi and Cell...

JRBTempe · Sep 19, 2007, 02:26 PM

I got this thing working as soon as I read the post on Gizmodo a few hours ago, but when I hit "Locate" it thinks I'm in North Hollywood, California! Strangely, it would have been accurate a year and a half ago when I actually lived there... no idea how it found that location instead of Uniontown, Ohio where I actually am right now!

squirrellydw · Sep 19, 2007, 02:26 PM

Just release a dam GPS app already. Team up with Garmin or TOMTOM, this is the only thing stopping me from getting an iPhone

Subiklim · Sep 19, 2007, 02:26 PM

It won't get my location from my office (full signal) but when I step outside, it gets it right away, right down to the cross street.

Flowbee · Sep 19, 2007, 02:30 PM

Works great for me. The little push-pin landed right outside my front door.

Clive At Five · Sep 19, 2007, 02:40 PM

Wow, whoever did this beat even Geohot to the punch. Granted he did say he was going to spend less time on the iPhone and more time on college.

His GSM project Blog. Not much progress yet.

-Clive

Spanky Deluxe · Sep 19, 2007, 02:42 PM

It would need to have signal to more than one tower for it to be able to triangulate. Maybe its not working for some of you folk because you're not connected to enough towers. Just a theory mind you!! Or maybe the tower's locations have to be manually programmed into the software. ??

neven · Sep 19, 2007, 02:45 PM

After about two minutes of searching, it found nothing.

I live minutes from downtown Portland, OR.

MacsRgr8 · 03:47 PM

Quote:

UPDATED: Doesn't work in Europe[navizon via installer.app]

Bummer

Would LOVE to see real GPS on this cutie.

EDIT:
IT DOES WORK IN THE NETHERLANDS!!

Speedracer04 · Sep 19, 2007, 02:51 PM

lol people, there are obviously bugs...its a first release. Give it an update or two and Im sure they will have it working good.

Sheesh

PS. I get the same "unable to locate" error too.

Keep in mind that the user name/pw are case sensitive.

g.c. · Sep 19, 2007, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speedracer04

lol people, there are obviously bugs...its a first release. Give it an update or two and Im sure they will have it working good.

Sheesh

PS. I get the same "unable to locate" error too.

Keep in mind that the user name/pw are case sensitive.

Exactly what I thought. I just found it while being bored and looking through installer.app. It's a great app (if and when it works).

charlestrippy · Sep 19, 2007, 03:06 PM

this may be a dumb question - but does the installer.app and this gps thing work for the ipod touch or are they still working on hacks for that since it's still new. just curious..

theskunk · Sep 19, 2007, 03:06 PM

Appears to not work in Raleigh, NC...

Anybody know how to get on the team with navizon to contribute locations of towers?....

furthermore, how do you determine where a tower is for your company?!

sportlouis · Sep 19, 2007, 03:08 PM

im at the university of colorado-boulder and it doesnt work

OCOTILLO · Sep 19, 2007, 03:11 PM

This is helpful and there is no reason that Apple couldn't update the iPhone to add this feature (if they wanted to). I would prefer they open up the bluetooth function to permit the use of the small bluetooth receivers that are available. With an accurate "you are here" locater in Google Maps you would have a really useful simple GPS. Turn by turn voice directions are nice, but not really necessary.

appleguru1 · Sep 19, 2007, 03:13 PM

Seems to work very well here... (Colorado Springs, CO)

FWIW, this will get better as time goes on.. the Navizon software uses a database of cellphone towers and WiFi bases that have been submitted via users with GPS units... So if no one has 'logged' your area yet, you're not going to get any results

If you have a GPS and navizon capable device (See navizon.com for details...) you can help out and get paid for it too!

MacMan33 · Sep 19, 2007, 03:18 PM

same error message here. I have just updated my area for coverage on there site, so i will see if this makes a difference. hope they fix this soon.

Sep 19, 2007, 02:03 PM	#1
MacRumors macrumors bot Join Date: Apr 2001	GPS (sorta) on iPhone Gizmodo points out a new 3rd party application that has appeared on Installer.app. Navizon uses cell phone towers to pinpoint your location (within a few hundred yards) and is able to push those coordinates to the Google Maps application. The result? Free GPS(ish) functionality on the iPhone. Article Link

Sep 19, 2007, 02:10 PM	#4
raggedjimmi macrumors 604 Join Date: Jan 2005	I don't have an iPhone, but whoa __________________ www.bossbaddie.com

Sep 19, 2007, 02:13 PM	#6
chr1s60 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California	This is awesome. It is apps like this that are going to make me end up hacking my phone. I hope Apple sees that this is a possibility and creates something like this. __________________ 15" MacBook Pro 3.06GHz, iPod 4G 20GB, iPod Classic 120GB, iPod Shuffle 4G, White iPhone 3G S⃣ 16GB,tv 160GB

Sep 19, 2007, 02:13 PM	#7
dr_lha macrumors 68000 Join Date: Oct 2003	I just installed this, but all I get when running it is the message: "Your location could not be identified. No known Cells or WiFi nodes in range". I'm in a fairly highly populated suburb of LA right now, so nowhere obscure. I guess their coverage isn't 100% __________________ Me: 1Ghz 12" PB and Mac mini Intel Core Solo 1.5Ghz, The Wife: 1.86Ghz CD MacBook, Me@Work: 2.66Ghz Mac Pro and a 2.33Ghz C2D 15" Mac Book Pro

Sep 19, 2007, 02:19 PM	#9
poppe macrumors 68000 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Woodland Hills	Can't locate me... damn it... I am using WiFi and Cell... __________________ In Stereo where supported

Sep 19, 2007, 02:04 PM	#2
aerospace macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jun 2007	i hope they get it working well, that would be awesome

Sep 19, 2007, 02:05 PM	#3
JC4 macrumors member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Columbus, OH	I like it! Beats the hell out of typing in the current location. JohnC

Sep 19, 2007, 02:12 PM	#5
lampcov macrumors member Join Date: Jun 2007	Sitting in my house, looks like the massive cell tower outside my window isn't "Known" yet since it can't locate me....bummer.

Sep 19, 2007, 02:14 PM	#8
mikeinternet macrumors 6502a Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: jersey	I installed Navizon this morning. I registered (quick and easy). But, haven't been able to get it to work. I keep getting "Unable to Locate - Your location could not be identified. No known Cells or WiFi nodes in range." I was on WiFi and had good service. I get lost a lot, I could really use this. Edit : (Guess I'm not the only one.)

Sep 19, 2007, 02:26 PM	#10
JRBTempe macrumors newbie Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Scenic Akron, OH	I got this thing working as soon as I read the post on Gizmodo a few hours ago, but when I hit "Locate" it thinks I'm in North Hollywood, California! Strangely, it would have been accurate a year and a half ago when I actually lived there... no idea how it found that location instead of Uniontown, Ohio where I actually am right now!

Sep 19, 2007, 02:26 PM	#11
squirrellydw macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2003	GPS app Just release a dam GPS app already. Team up with Garmin or TOMTOM, this is the only thing stopping me from getting an iPhone __________________ 2G 8Gig iPod Touch 2G 8Gig iPod Nano 4G 60Gig iPod iMac G5 I bitch. People listen!!

Sep 19, 2007, 02:26 PM	#12
Subiklim macrumors 6502 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Manhattan, New York	It won't get my location from my office (full signal) but when I step outside, it gets it right away, right down to the cross street.

Sep 19, 2007, 02:30 PM	#13
Flowbee macrumors 68030 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Alameda, CA	Works great for me. The little push-pin landed right outside my front door. __________________ Podophile.com >> Home of Nike+iPod hacks and FAQs.

Sep 19, 2007, 02:40 PM	#14
Clive At Five macrumors 65816 Join Date: May 2004 Location: St. Paul, MN	Wow, whoever did this beat even Geohot to the punch. Granted he did say he was going to spend less time on the iPhone and more time on college. His GSM project Blog. Not much progress yet. -Clive __________________ My Mod: G4 Cube + Atom 330 CPU + Wiimote = Ultimate HTPC!

Sep 19, 2007, 02:42 PM	#15
Spanky Deluxe macrumors Demi-God Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London, UK	It would need to have signal to more than one tower for it to be able to triangulate. Maybe its not working for some of you folk because you're not connected to enough towers. Just a theory mind you!! Or maybe the tower's locations have to be manually programmed into the software. ?? __________________ "No, I'm from Iowa, I only work in outer space."

Sep 19, 2007, 02:45 PM	#16
neven macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Portland, OR	After about two minutes of searching, it found nothing. I live minutes from downtown Portland, OR.

Sep 19, 2007, 02:51 PM	#18
Speedracer04 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Michigan	lol people, there are obviously bugs...its a first release. Give it an update or two and Im sure they will have it working good. Sheesh PS. I get the same "unable to locate" error too. Keep in mind that the user name/pw are case sensitive. __________________ 8gb iPhone 3G Black 2GB Product(RED) Shuffle Macbook 2.0Ghz/Core Duo/1GB RAM/80GB

Sep 19, 2007, 03:06 PM	#20
charlestrippy macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Tampa, Florida	does it work for the ipod touch? this may be a dumb question - but does the installer.app and this gps thing work for the ipod touch or are they still working on hacks for that since it's still new. just curious.. __________________ MBP 2.33 Ghz Core 2 Duo 2GB RAM 160GB Hard drive MacPro 2.66 Ghz Duel core 6GB Ram 2TB Hard drive www.youtube.com/charlestrippy

Sep 19, 2007, 03:06 PM	#21
theskunk macrumors newbie Join Date: Sep 2007	Appears to not work in Raleigh, NC... Anybody know how to get on the team with navizon to contribute locations of towers?.... furthermore, how do you determine where a tower is for your company?!

Sep 19, 2007, 03:08 PM	#22
sportlouis macrumors newbie Join Date: Jul 2007	im at the university of colorado-boulder and it doesnt work

Sep 19, 2007, 03:11 PM	#23
OCOTILLO macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Houston, TX	Real GPS? This is helpful and there is no reason that Apple couldn't update the iPhone to add this feature (if they wanted to). I would prefer they open up the bluetooth function to permit the use of the small bluetooth receivers that are available. With an accurate "you are here" locater in Google Maps you would have a really useful simple GPS. Turn by turn voice directions are nice, but not really necessary. __________________

Sep 19, 2007, 03:13 PM	#24
appleguru1 macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2003	Seems to work very well here... (Colorado Springs, CO) FWIW, this will get better as time goes on.. the Navizon software uses a database of cellphone towers and WiFi bases that have been submitted via users with GPS units... So if no one has 'logged' your area yet, you're not going to get any results If you have a GPS and navizon capable device (See navizon.com for details...) you can help out and get paid for it too!

Sep 19, 2007, 03:18 PM	#25
MacMan33 macrumors regular Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chicago	same error message here. I have just updated my area for coverage on there site, so i will see if this makes a difference. hope they fix this soon.

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