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3GS Compass = Useless

M

MBX

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 14, 2006
2,030
817
How is that compass supposed to be useful? The N-"Needle" is changing it's position all the time and it should be pretty much still pointing always in same direction when you move the phone.

I did calibrate it the way it explained (8-motion) but still doesn't work.

Any idea?
 
Spin your phone around a couple times and see that it tells you North is in all different directions. lol

It's almost useful for the google maps, but it will constantly turn the compass feature on and off when your trying to zoom in and out. :mad:


I think the compass is for developers to figure out awesome things to do with it. :)

I always wondered if you woke up in the middle nowhere how would knowing where north is, help you find your way home? I guess I need to take a class on how to use a compass. :p
 
Well its not exactly meant to be a precise navigation tool. It even shows you a fairly wide margin of error for the compass in map view. I think it should only be used to give you basic cardinal direction, and not for an exact bearing. I myself was a little confused as to why Apple chose to display the bearing when the compass clearly has a decent amount of variation when compared to a normal compass. I dunno... perhaps it works much better faaar away from other electronics.
 
I don't understand, how are you getting any compass functionality in maps?

Here i don't see anything. Even when launching maps from Compass app it does nothing in terms of interactive direction change. Only the blue dot as in previous one.
 
MBX said:
I don't understand, how are you getting any compass functionality in maps?

Here i don't see anything. Even when launching maps from Compass app it does nothing in terms of interactive direction change. Only the blue dot as in previous one.
Click to expand...

Press the locate button two times.
 
MBX said:
I don't understand, how are you getting any compass functionality in maps?

Here i don't see anything. Even when launching maps from Compass app it does nothing in terms of interactive direction change. Only the blue dot as in previous one.
Click to expand...

You gotta hit the current location button like twice.
 
MBX said:
I don't understand, how are you getting any compass functionality in maps?

Here i don't see anything. Even when launching maps from Compass app it does nothing in terms of interactive direction change. Only the blue dot as in previous one.
Click to expand...

You need to hit the 'locate me' twice to activate the compass (first time to locate you, second time to activate compass.)
 
Oh ok thanks.

Seems the compass works better and is more useful in maps.
 
How do you keep the compass on while your using google maps?

It keeps turning off when I move the screen or anything.


Also btw, how do you prevent the iphone from going to sleep while your using google maps?
 
Chaos123x said:
How do you keep the compass on while your using google maps?

It keeps turning off when I move the screen or anything.


Also btw, how do you prevent the iphone from going to sleep while your using google maps?
Click to expand...

Yeah that's annoying. When you move the map, it stops the compass functionality. Hope they can give an option later to stop that...

Your second question, you have to set the iPhone Auto Lock to NEVER in the Settings page. Also should be an option for that in the Maps app if you ask me...
 
WilliamG said:
Yeah that's annoying. When you move the map, it stops the compass functionality. Hope they can give an option later to stop that...

Your second question, you have to set the iPhone Auto Lock to NEVER in the Settings page. Also should be an option for that in the Maps app if you ask me...
Click to expand...

Yeah then when you hit the button twice to use the compass it zooms in.


Please take off your hat, put your left hand here.
 
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