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Digital compass on WIFI ipad doesnt work in Star apps / Google Maps

C

cRuNcHiE

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jan 2, 2007
778
46
I have my iPad now :) i wasn't worried about not having gps as i can usually find where i am quicker than gps can but in The Maps app, if i click locate me, then it doesn't find where i am as im on home wifi.

I've read that if you click the locate me button twice it should go to compass mode but mine doesn't? It just either stops it trying to locate me or starts it trying to locate again!!??

I'm presuming it's because it can't locate me? But surely thats a bug, i can drop a pin as I know where i am but I'd like to know where north is still!

Anyone else without the same problem?
 
I just tried with the Star Walk app which should change which area of the sky you are looking at depending on which direction the iphone/ipad is facing.

Again it doesnt turn around, it just tilts up/down instead like an iphone 3G does.

Am i really the only person with this problem? A separate compass app i downloaded works fine with the digital compass but maps/star apps designed for ipad dont work with it?
 
This probably doesn't relate to your problem, but I've notice that the compass in my iPad 3G seems to be less responsive than the one in my iPhone 3GS. In fact, while indoors the compass on the iPad sometimes fails to work or becomes very sluggish. I even get messages from some applications that the compass may be experiencing interference and the app then recommends that I try the "figure eight" motion to try and reset the compass (and I don't seem to have those same problems with the iPhone in exactly the same place and time).

However, the GPS in the iPad seems much better than on the iPhone. I can actually get a good GPS lock while indoors with the iPad, something that my iPhone almost never does.
 
If i use the free app MagnetoMeter http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/compass-hd-vector-magnetometer/id364633354?mt=8

it shows north absolutely fine, it even shows the Magenetic flux north very accurately indoors or wherever so i dont see why the maps/star apps shouldn't work.

The common factor between the maps/star apps seems to be they can't use the locate me feature as i don't have a wifi signal suitable to locate me. But in both apps i can manually tell them where i am so maybe its a design flaw in the apps?
 
Yes, the compass seems a little random sometimes with StarWalk sometimes. But I doubt one app works better than another. You might try both, right at the same place and time. Probably has more to do with local magnetic interference.
 
We are getting the same things with our iPads.

The compass always complains about interference.

Seems to be a bug or a fault somewhere.

James.
 
I use an app called iPray (which I think is optimised for OS 3.1.2) on my iPhone, and when I use the compass, it works fine.

On the iPad, the same app tells me that "this device does not have a magnetometer"!
 
iPad compass Magnetometer Issues

I have seen all the problems mentioned above on both WIFI and only and 3G devices. I purchased a 64 GB 3G enabled ipad and returned it due to the issue.
I love everything about the device but I tried four separate apps: The old school compass, magnetmeter, star walk and google maps in compass mode (double tap on the cross hairs). All of them had trouble with finding north. I tried indoors outdoors and at several locations thinking there might be some local magnetic disturbance. But the results were always sub par. I tried display model ipads in stores in canada (Future Shop) and Germany (Media Markt) 9 devices total. All but one had huge problems with the digital compass.
Is there anyone that knows of a planned fix or statement from apple regarding this issue?
 
Same Problem as above

I just tested star walk last night on my iPad, and while the up and down movement works fine, the compass fails completely. I just downloaded the free app compass for ipad and that doesn't work either. No matter which way I face it always says north.
 
They fixed it as of Nov. 20. On sale today, too, both iPhone/iPod touch and iPad versions for 99 cents for Black Friday. I haven't tested it yet. I'll post back if it DOESN'T work. I don't post back, assume they fixed it in Nov. 20 update.
 
If I get the Star Walk for iPad and I only have a WiFi iPad and want to go camping where there is no WiFi, will this app still work, because it can't find my location? Is there someway I can just tell it where I am?
 
I emailed the developer and asked. I got a somewhat sketchy response, but mainly it said it would work.
 
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