iPhone bluetooth GPS ?

[ChandlerXJ]

I was wondering... I have a laptop - zero GPS capabilities, however, I bought this USB thing that lets my laptop have GPS. I know on the Nokia n800, you can buy a bluetooth GPS. Would this be possible for apple to release a bluetooth GPS and a software update? Just because the phone doesn't have GPS built in doesn't mean they can't release some bluetooth hardware - specifically released by apple - I could see them making this GPS only available on the specific bluetooth unit - so apple could bank again.

What do you guys think?

 

[DoFoT9]

i think its highly possible. but if apple would actually do it, now that is the question. that would really be cool tho, what cant this iphone doovie do!

 

[ChandlerXJ]

I would think, and hope, that apple would do this. I mean - this is a revolutionary phone, and the software capabilities are endless - and it's so locked up that they've got to be keeping us in the dark for this stuff. I don't think that apple would release a huge product like this and then just release another version and call it a day - the system is flexible - IF you're on apples side of the fence. I think the constant updates, the constant adding of features, will keep people buying. Think about it, if X amount of people think won't buy it because of GPS, and X amount of people is a large amount - you're going to get the GPS. We're going to get the MMS, we're going to get the IM client, and I'm sure we'll get more SMS added to the plan eventually too. I mean, we all know they can keep adding ****, I think that's where apple wants to go - they can get this going if they keep the updates fresh.

 

[DoFoT9]

yup, apple has really entirely thought this one out. like even adding MMS could bring alot of customers onboard. what would be really funny, is if they somehow made a cutdown version of xp/vista and would let it run on that...
i can see it now.......
"not only does your intel mac run windows via bootcamp, your iphone can now run windows via shoecamp!" (fonecamp?? wtf.. i couldnt think of nething better)

that would be.....interesting the iphone does have a 700mhz processor its a power machine!!!

 

[ChandlerXJ]

I can see the cheesy commerical...

"This is your iPhone, here is your contacts, there's a party across town, an iPhone party, so, send them a picture, and use our iPhone to get there, this is GPS on your iPhone"

i hate those god damn commericals! how do they get their hand to be so steady!

 

[DoFoT9]

aliens..... havent u read the other forum?????? steve is an alien in disguise!! its a scary, but comforting thought. id rather be controlle by an alien rathter than gates!!

 

[ChandlerXJ]

It's funny, I work with a software engineer, and he just asked me how i felt about the Iphone and I told him that people are saying it needs all this stuff and he told me that it's engineered to give Apple the full grip on what it can do - the beauty of the iphone is that it will keep evolving through updates - absolutely

 

[DoFoT9]

whats also funny is that no1 else is commenting on this thread. lol. nah apple is a champion company, the iphone is gonna take the world by storm.. about 500,000 sold already. thats a record in itself!!! gotta love apple

rock on!

 

[woodbutcher]

I also have a treo 755p, You can buy a special version of TOMTOM software that gives you real time display of where your at, as well as door to door driving directions. This set up is a dvd with the maps of US and Canada, and a GPS receiver. I also have google maps on the Treo, with the same GPS unit paired, it does not work at all with google maps. There is a 3rd party program called "Where am I" that will work with google maps to show you where you are, but you have to manually restart the program to get google map to update to your current location. My guess is that google maps is not capable of real time mapping.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

It's funny, I work with a software engineer, and he just asked me how i felt about the Iphone and I told him that people are saying it needs all this stuff and he told me that it's engineered to give Apple the full grip on what it can do - the beauty of the iphone is that it will keep evolving through updates - absolutely

That is the beauty of the iPhone using OS X. We are only limited by the hardware in the iPhone. So us early adopters will have to live with EDGE, and the lack of built in GPS. Hopefully TeleNav will have a solution soon....

 

[jwa276]

I also have a treo 755p, You can buy a special version of TOMTOM software that gives you real time display of where your at, as well as door to door driving directions. This set up is a dvd with the maps of US and Canada, and a GPS receiver. I also have google maps on the Treo, with the same GPS unit paired, it does not work at all with google maps. There is a 3rd party program called "Where am I" that will work with google maps to show you where you are, but you have to manually restart the program to get google map to update to your current location. My guess is that google maps is not capable of real time mapping.

I have the same TomTom package for my iPaq. I do not understand why you would think google maps is not capable of real time mapping... All they have to do is implement it.

And my #1 gripe about the TomTom setup is having to have ~1GB of storage data dedicated to storing the maps. Sure, you can pick and choose which states you want to save some space, but loading maps onto the device takes FOREVER. Google maps + gps would be sick because it is constantly updated over EDGE only for the data that you need.... You never have to buy new TomTom maps, and you have the power of google local search built right in.

The iPhone's maps app could easily incorporate a continuous data feed from a bluetooth device. All Apple has to do is get some drivers working, update the location twice every second, and BAM... There's the best handheld navigator on the market.

 

[damado]

I would think it would be better with an external puck GPS. My blackberry 8800's battery would drain incredibly fast with the built in GPS. Only way to use it for a decent amount of time really was tethered to the car for power. Although I dunno how much power the bluetooth tethering will drain.

 

[Tonyanza]

Tom Tom "bluetooth" GPS receiver, is on sale $39.00 ......
but will it work with 1st gen Iphone?
and other gps apps??

Anyone?
Tony