How many of you really feel like you currently benefit from the built in GPS? There are several apps that make use of it, but are they really that beneficial? One of the big selling points for me was the GPS as I was anticipating turn by turn software. I do think it is coming, but I'm not sure why it's taking so long. There are several other smartphones that have good GPS software. I am sure that Apple is capable of using a similar (or better) turn by turn solution.
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What Good is the GPS Chip?
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Except for location based services its fairly useless. I personally think its a waste of battery life and time having to tap through to shut it off.
yes, I think it's a waste of a chip and time as of now. the whole point of the GPS chip for a phone is for turn by turn directions (for most people at least). location services is ancillary. turn by turn directions should have been implemented first, with location services following as icing on the cake.
I feel it a pretty useless, my the time you switch it on and wait for it to come one, then find you, etc... I mean, do you really not know where you are? It's ten times easier just to ask someone 
Without turn by turn whats the point...
Without turn by turn whats the point...
My theory on this is that the apps exist and apple has it, but ATT wants to charge for it seperately and they have not come to an agreement on this yet. It is just like with the tethering. There was an app for that that apple passed and then ATT got wind of it and apple had to yank it. Now ATT is in negotiations to allow tethering, but you will pay extra for it.
Nice ATT, nice.
Nice ATT, nice.
My theory on this is that the apps exist and apple has it, but ATT wants to charge for it seperately and they have not come to an agreement on this yet. It is just like with the tethering. There was an app for that that apple passed and then ATT got wind of it and apple had to yank it. Now ATT is in negotiations to allow tethering, but you will pay extra for it.
Nice ATT, nice.
AT&T has no control over the GPS at all...it's only if it's their own software.
I use it often when driving in an unfamiliar area. I just turn on Google maps and track myself with the pin...if you can read a map, you can look ahead to see where you need to turn...it helps out a lot. I agree that a turn by turn application would be helpful and more practical, but to call the GPS chip "useless" right now just sounds like someone whining because it doesn't work the way they want it to.
The big problem for me is, I'm most likely to use the GPS when on holiday abroad; but the data-roaming fees are astronomical.
Hopefully we'll see the networks coming together on this over time, and reducing data roaming fees as they have done with call-roaming.
Hopefully we'll see the networks coming together on this over time, and reducing data roaming fees as they have done with call-roaming.
We've been using it a lot, for us its been very useful. If we're driving we use the one in the car, but for walking or if we're on the road someplace in a rental car, very useful. We used it in DC a couple of weeks ago, very handy, especially in finding restaurants and getting to them.
Exactly, and I think that ATT wants to use their own software and not let us use other third party software for this...Otherwise, why would the third part stuff not be out yet. TomTom said they had it ready to go. The capability is there. Somewhere, behind the scense something is going on that we are not privey to.
Personally....I think AT&T is already ripping us for enough cash. They make gobs of dough from the data plan, not to mention all the ancillary fees upon start up!
I am glad it's there and it's not because I was looking for turn-by-turn directions. To me, there are other uses for GPS. One example would be when I park in a large long-term parking lot I can drop a pin at my car's position and easily find it again when I return. Sure I can try to remember, but this works 100% of the time (unlike my memory).
I enjoy occasional geocaching, too. While I haven't done it in a while, I am sure I will just use my iPhone instead of my old Garmin (which also does not have maps nor can it do turn-by-turn).
I enjoy occasional geocaching, too. While I haven't done it in a while, I am sure I will just use my iPhone instead of my old Garmin (which also does not have maps nor can it do turn-by-turn).
it is useful for finding things around you. As a driving guide it's not very useful.
Without voice directions it's useless for driving IN a strange place.
Without voice directions it's useless for driving IN a strange place.
actually the whole point of a gps is to find out where the hell you are. not turn by turn.
I must admit, I like your idea of using it to find your car. I often forget where I park!
I actually find it useful quite often, but then I have to do a lot of traveling around so being able to use the location services programs like Where To? and the map application in general helps me out a lot- especially when I'm in areas where there's limited cell coverage so the non-GPS location capability is greatly decreased.
I'd be much happier with a program that already had all the maps stored on the phone like a turn-by-turn one would, but as it is I still get a lot of use out of it.
I'd be much happier with a program that already had all the maps stored on the phone like a turn-by-turn one would, but as it is I still get a lot of use out of it.
While in Kauai this summer we used our iPhones to find our way around... my wife's 1st gen had trouble in the wilder places, while mine pinpointed an exact location every time. Not useless, I'd say.
The gps is phenominal, it started me on geocaching and was always spot on... then I realized, after a couple of close calls, that it is far to expensive and delicate to use in the woods and swampy areas, so I bought a garmin that's waterproof and can take a beating.
In it's current state, it will never out do a dedicated garmin (with sirf III chipsets) GPS unit, but it's pretty damn good.
In complete tree cover, it suffers a lot, while the garmin is never more off than 5-7 meters in complete tree cover.
In it's current state, it will never out do a dedicated garmin (with sirf III chipsets) GPS unit, but it's pretty damn good.
In complete tree cover, it suffers a lot, while the garmin is never more off than 5-7 meters in complete tree cover.
Likewise,I've found it really usefull when I'm not sure where I need to get to
Turn by turn will be even better
I have a different theory. In using the Maps app while driving around, the current location seems to consistently lag behind where I am. I think Apple decided they were and were going to be under enough heat without releasing these types of apps (either their own or third party) knowing that there were going to be constant complaints about the apps not being "real time", "accurate" etc. From the comments Apple folks have made it sounds like they're trying to tighten up the GPS functionality before they release this stuff. Add to that the amount of time they are having to spend on fixing other big issues, and (hopefully) spending time developing things like cut/copy/paste...well, they only have so much programmer and QA capacity there.
Personally, the current functionality works pretty well for me, but I rarely drive in unfamiliar locations. I can see how people would really want this capability...hopefully it's coming soon.
Of course, I want them to get it all done NOW!
I've never used turn by turn on other smartphones, but the screenshots I've seen look good. Has anyone here had a chance to use GPS turn by turn on another phone? If so, what do you think of it?
I used a friends samsung intinct for this and it was great. Just as good as the Garmin Nuvi 200 i have used.