Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

GPS thread [split from Review sticky]

daveschroeder said:
To the person who said it (nav app) could be for jailbroken phones...I had to catch my breath a bit after laughing so hard. The hacking/jailbreaking community is FAR too small — no matter how vibrant it is, and no matter how big YOU think it is — to support a commercial-quality, reliable, supported, paid satnav product. Sorry.
Click to expand...

Oh I dunno. I think it'd be worth someone's while to sell a major app in both Apple's store and on their own for hacked phones.

At last report, over a quarter of iPhones were unlocked. That's at least 1.5 million users who often paid extra in the first place, for the privilege. In other words, people willing to spend money.

Who knows how many more are simply jailbroken and not unlocked.
 
the ilounge review seems to indicate that once the blue dot tracking your position moves off screen, the phone doesn't pan the map to keep up with it. Is that true? Seems unlikely otherwise it would be a total waste of time.

A second issue is that Apple has done nothing to automate Maps’ movement in ways that would make the GPS feature truly useful. When your blue dot moves on or off the Map, the screen doesn’t automatically move along with it, either via recentering or zooming.
Click to expand...
 
ne0star said:
the ilounge review seems to indicate that once the blue dot tracking your position moves off screen, the phone doesn't pan the map to keep up with it. Is that true? Seems unlikely otherwise it would be a total waste of time.
Click to expand...

click the crosshairs in google maps and it pans after you download maps (or using cached maps) as you go, it works just fine.
 
Satellite info

I wouldn't mind seeing an app that shows GPS satellite info, like the TomTom satellite display. That would allow comparison of the iPhone GPS chip sensitivity to other devices such as bluetooth GPS modules.
 
I've tried the GPS out while driving, and even though there were no tall buildings in the way, the GPS followed exactly where i was going at about 50MPH. Don't know if this was said or not, but some of the reviews seem like they stated it would only be best used for walking navigation and not in car.
 
What's the correct GPS setting?

For those of you cruising out with GPS feature turned on, what's the correct setting in the maps software to allow GPS to continue functioning without screen dimming or auto-lock? Is there a way to leave GPS on after route "start" all the time?
 
I just got back from my local :apple: Store and used the trip to test the GPS and Maps application since I had never been to the neighborhood where the store is. The route was pretty straight forward, only a few turns. I never really had a problem with it locking on. It was very cool to watch the blue dot move along. I started to think this method would work for the occasional times when I need directions.

The drive home was a different story. I'm following the directions but the ramp on to the highway was closed for construction. Now what? Unfortunately it won't reroute you if you deviate from the directions. At one point I stopped at a gas station so I could play around with it. (Didn't want to keep messing with it while driving). I tried to have it reroute the directions using my current location but it just kept wanting me to turn around and go to the same closed on-ramp. This is when I wish there was a true turn-by-turn navigation app. But it wasn't a total loss. I was able to pan the map around and discovered I was right by the road I take to work. So was able to use the map to figure out how to get to that road and find my way back. So for that I have to say having GPS and maps on the iPhone is awesome! Without it I would have had to go into the gas station and ask for directions as I had no clue where I was. But it definitely wasn't as nice as a true navigation app would have been.
 
It would be great if TomTom could bring out a car kit for the iPhone when they release their app. Including a windshield mount for the iPhone itself (maybe with a built in GPS booster if they iPhone's antenna really is underpowered), a power charger (to charge the iPhone using the cigarette lighter power point) and a audio cable to connect your iPhone to the cars audio system for music, turn by turn directions and hands-free calls.

The software should be pretty much the same as the one found on the actual TomTom devices, but with the maps for where you live (US, UK etc) included with the app, rather than Google Map's downloading of map tiles when you need them.
 
Can some one tell me why My 3G iphone says i am located at the left most part of the map and in the ocean. It is not the blue dot but the bog cross haired circle. The GPS pin points me after a while but some times not. Do i need to go by a window or what?
 
ok what the hell!! im not happy!!

first thing im using a new 16gb 3G iPhone using 2.0:

IT WON'T FIND ME!!

i've been to several different locations now and tried it out, just the little box bottom left on google maps just keeps spinning and thats it!!!

i've done the manual restore i.e holding home button and sleep etc...

nothing i do seems to work, has anyone else had this issue or is my phone just duff?

thanks for your help
 
dragonmaster said:
ok what the hell!! im not happy!!

first thing im using a new 16gb 3G iPhone using 2.0:

IT WON'T FIND ME!!

i've been to several different locations now and tried it out, just the little box bottom left on google maps just keeps spinning and thats it!!!

i've done the manual restore i.e holding home button and sleep etc...

nothing i do seems to work, has anyone else had this issue or is my phone just duff?

thanks for your help
Click to expand...

Mine does this too as well as my friend's. Haven't gotten a location from my iPhone since the first time I tried it Friday morning. No GPS, no cell triangulation, nothing at all. My 1st gen iPhone with 2.0 finds me perfectly with cell triangulation. :(
 
Fuchal said:
Mine does this too as well as my friend's. Haven't gotten a location from my iPhone since the first time I tried it Friday morning. No GPS, no cell triangulation, nothing at all. My 1st gen iPhone with 2.0 finds me perfectly with cell triangulation. :(
Click to expand...

Likewise here - nothing at all from my iphone - I've rebooted it, restored it, put the new firmware on it, turned off 3G etc etc - still nothing - its even a clear night here and nothing during 20 mins of being outside. Think i'll return it
 
same here. I click the crosshairs in the maps app and it just spins forever. I'm outside so there seems to be no good reason for this.
 
Sphyrna said:
... I never really had a problem with it locking on. It was very cool to watch the blue dot move along. ...
Click to expand...
Did you have auto-lock set to "Never" under Settings->General->Auto-Lock? I should have mentioned that I was hoping the Maps software should allow a setting (or pop up option) to allow temporary switching to "always on" so it won't use the master auto-lock setting. This will allow using GPS without dimming and auto-lock turn on while keeping the auto-lock setting for battery saving purpose.
 
HFU said:
Did you have auto-lock set to "Never" under Settings->General->Auto-Lock? I should have mentioned that I was hoping the Maps software should allow a setting (or pop up option) to allow temporary switching to "always on" so it won't use the master auto-lock setting. This will allow using GPS without dimming and auto-lock turn on while keeping the auto-lock setting for battery saving purpose.
Click to expand...

He's talking about the GPS signal locking on. The "Auto-Lock" setting you are referring to is when the phone locks after a period of time and you have to use a passcode to unlock it.
 
Well finally after 3 days of trying I got a GPS signal - seems that I got it working by using the "Where" app - that started the proper location setup and then it worked in every other app such as google etc.
 
slycrel posted:
I think a number of us are on pins and needles as to the state of GPS software on the iPhone.

I've hesitated announcing this anywhere, but I may as well take the plunge. I've had this app submitted since wednesday afternoon, it has been and is currently "In review".

http://geopherdemo.blogspot.com

I plan on doing something more full featured, but thought I'd get a free app that would be decently useful to play with sooner. The only question is will apple allow it?
Click to expand...

That looks cool - please let us know when it's available
 
slycrel said:
I think a number of us are on pins and needles as to the state of GPS software on the iPhone.

I've hesitated announcing this anywhere, but I may as well take the plunge. I've had this app submitted since wednesday afternoon, it has been and is currently "In review".

http://geopherdemo.blogspot.com

I plan on doing something more full featured, but thought I'd get a free app that would be decently useful to play with sooner. The only question is will apple allow it?
Click to expand...

Is it possible to pull the satellite data from the receiver and add it to your app? Things like PRN (satellite number), elevation, azimuth, etc.? Or perhaps make a stand alone app that does that?

I'm not sure at what level the receiver lets us interface with it. It might just kick LLA/XYZ info out so this wouldn't even be possible.
 
GPS does not work

Well I have first genny iPhone, and my brother has the 3G iPhone, and putzing with it I found out the GPS does not work when there is no service! On many occasions, we were in an area that loses service often, and when ever there was no service GPS did not work. Can anyone explain the reason a phone that has GPS only works when "in service"
 
martyrk said:
Well I have first genny iPhone, and my brother has the 3G iPhone, and putzing with it I found out the GPS does not work when there is no service! On many occasions, we were in an area that loses service often, and when ever there was no service GPS did not work. Can anyone explain the reason a phone that has GPS only works when "in service"
Click to expand...

"Some A-GPS solutions require an active connection to a cell phone (or other data) network to function"

It all depends on the particular device's implementation.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back