Develop Bugs

Who Uses GPS with GoogleMaps or Windows Live?

I have an HTC Mogul and am interested in a low-cost GPS solution. I am looking at the Holux M-1000, M-1200 and GPSlim 240, but want to know what my mapping/softeware options are without spending another $150 on a program like TomTom.
I understand Google and Windows Live have mapping software, and I currently have GoogleMaps on my PPC. Can anyone who uses these, or any other freeware share what the experience is like?
GoogleMaps' site says it has these features:
You Are Here (I know where I am, so this is no big deal) Where's the nearest... cup of coffee, late night pizza or last-minute bouquet? (OK - maybe this is useful)
Is there traffic up ahead? See it so you can avoid it. (I live in Vermont - there is NO traffic!)
How do I get there from where I am? Type your destination and away you go. (Not very detailed here, is it? So let's say your GPS/GMaps automatically tells you where you are. You type in where you want to go and get directions.
On a system like TomTom, I am assuming you are looking at a map that shows where you are, and says "Turn right in 100 ft. on Main Street" and shows a right-hand arrow. Once you have done this, the screen would say "Drive 6 miles" or something like that.
So, my question is, does Google do this? Does it in any way tell you what you need to do next based on you location and the directions to where you are going? Or does it just display your location as a point on a map, and it is up to you to figure out what and when to do? If so, is anyone using this and finding it useful, or a half-assed navigation solution?
Thanks,
BB

try google navigator 2.4 at pdafun.net it is not free though which is the same with google maps, you pay for network traffic.
hh

Looks Interesting
Have you used this? $60 is way cheaper than $150 for TomTom and I like the satellite view.

GPS...
I use a Holux 1000 and it works great with my Wizard with Live and Gmaps. Havn't tried a "turn-by-turn voice app" yet such as Tom-Tom.
Also, you need to give Beeline gps a try. Its a pretty cool app if you are into navigation.
Tried Google navigator (pdafun.net). IMO, seems a little buggy but I only tried it for about 10 minutes.
They will probably get the same love letter from Google that MGMaps did for content violations. ;-)
http://www.mgmaps.com/news.php?item=136

Try the Navibe GB735, it works great for me...
http://shop.treonauts.com/content/accessories/10-95--2230.htm
I have the Navibe GB735 Bluetooth GPS reciever that I got for my Treo 700wx during a trip to St. Louis, Chicago and Tulsa last September. I wrote a review of it here (http://forum.treonauts.com/palm-smartphones/treo-700w-wx/5919-gps-basics-help.html) under my other name (NavyStore). I still use it for work and just running around town with the Google Mobile Maps software.
Since I was upgraded to the xv6800 (Titan/Mogul) last week, I've used it twice and saw no changes. I have unlimited data w/ Verizon (but would love detailed instructions on how to get TomTom software I got to work on my phone) so it works fine as long as it holds a signal. Although, it does crash when VZW drops the data connection...
Hope these help some.

google maps does not do vocal turn by turn or a 3d view
it does do directions and what i use it for........ you can copy addresses from IE and paste them into google maps...
I use destinator 7 as my turn by turn GPS software and it is very good, but does not allow you to paste addresses into the fields... which mean i have to memorize or write the address down when i enter it...
i use both and can say, you can get by with only using google maps but it is not a turn by turn GPS software

I use my GPSlim 236 with Windows Live Search on a regular basis. Directions are a snap as long as you have unlimited data as well as a little patience in setting it up. I like the traffic feature as well here in Atlanta. You do get a little beep before a turn, but no voice. The view is not all that specatcular with the small screen of my Wizard but sufficient nevertheless. The best part is the SMS/email of directions and phone integration if you need to call a location.
As for Google Maps, I like it a little less, but it's not a bad program either. Personal preference.

I was using google maps for a while but then notices it would lose the GPS signal connection quickly. I tried all the different baud's and nothing worked. I did some searching on here and found that the problem seemed to be with google maps time out conditions. They are to short. So, I started using Live Search. I like it just as mich as google maps. It's actually a but easier to get to and from directions entered in for routing since you can browse to contacts for directions. The only issue I have now is that whenever I do a to and from directions route, Live Search always puts me at a previously entered destination. Does anyone know of a cache delete or something like that in Live Search? Anyone ever have this issue? I am using these apps. on an AT&T Tilt.

the Holux MX 1000 is a good deal if you dont mind the size ( well, as big as a zippo but a lil thicker ) . It hooks up quick ( I would say 10-20 sec , cold start ) and very stable. You can stick it into your key chain and you are ready to go.
For map, I prefer live search over Google map .

I've been using Live Search and love it when it works. The turn by turn is great. I wish it spoke, but it does at least beep. It saved me this past weekend lost in a strange city. Awesome. However, it seems to make my device (Tilt) unstable. I need to soft reset regularly after using it and I seem to lose my GPS signal easily. I don't know if this is my tilt, or the software, but i will freeze up for 3 minutes or so before it get moving again (which it does, most of the time!). As I said, when it works, it's awesome, as good as a full featured GPS solution. But I'm not sure it's wholly stable?

Yea, Live Search is really the way to go. It has much tighter integration with Windows Mobile and the "Speak your destination/search" is absolutely the best. Plus it has turn-by-turn unlike Google Maps. I have Tom Tom also on my phone, but when I'm searching for a location, Live Search wins for ease of use.

Have you tried nav4all??
Hi,
Just wondered if anyone has tried Nav4all on their devices?
What do you guys think?
Works great with my Tytn and blue tooth gps key-ring! (Freedom 2000)
Frogger

LiveSearch has no coverage for me (Belgium)...
On my TyTN (with Holux GPSlim 236), I have used
Smart2go: offline maps, nice 3D view, but no active navigation (doesn't seem to update gps position).
Google mobile: can determine rough location based on gsm cell, no active navigation
AmazeGPS: only have been able to test the alpha release, so it wasn't very stable; screenshots look interesting
Nav4All: good vocal directions, very basic but quite functional system
I have been searching for the free Navigon Mobile Navigation 6: the java version was free, but is no longer available on their site for download... (dunno if it still works though)
As my dataplan is on a different sim card, I mostly use my old phone (Nokia 6260) for data stuff (have it set up as external modem on my TyTN !). The upside is that I can use it as a standalone navigation; however I only managed to use Nav4All, and it seemed to loose its GPRS connection every now and then...
Haven't tested it enough on the TyTn to see if I get the same behaviour there.
Jörg

Quick GPS needed to make Tom Tom work each time??

HTC Touch HD Seems to have a problem with the way this device is handling GPS.
I have Tom Tom 7 installed and when I try to use Tom Tom 7 it looks for a valid GPS signal and then shows "No GPS Device" It will then find a valid signal and then again shows "No GPS Device" this changes every 10 or 20 seconds.......
If I use quick GPS first before I start Tom Tom (even though Quick GPS hadn't expired) it works fine!!!
Confused!!!
Please help!
Thank you

bit odd, mines fine, the only thing that is probably different is i turned off A-GPS, try turning that off, im assuming you havent been playing with its settings?
try a different GPS enabled program and see if that has the same issues.

dazza9075 said:
bit odd, mines fine, the only thing that is probably different is i turned off A-GPS, try turning that off, im assuming you havent been playing with its settings?
try a different GPS enabled program and see if that has the same issues.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have turned A-GPS off and it has locked on almost immediately and seems to be keeping the signal so far - There's a first!
I'll give it a bit of a test drive tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed...
Can you give me a quick understanding of how A-GPS is supposed to work (or not)
Thank you for your help.

Andy-- said:
Can you give me a quick understanding of how A-GPS is supposed to work (or not)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's supposed to logon to a server provided by your ISP, then use celltower co-ordinates to help make GPS more accurate.
It's basically totally broken on the HD.

To get a fix the GPS receiver needs Ephemeris data. This can be acquired in several ways.
1. Direct from the satellites to the GPS receiver.
2. From a data file (QuickGPS).
3. Transmitted from a cell tower (AGPS).
1. The receiver will get a fix without any assistance but will take a while to acquire sufficient data from at least three satellites to do so.
2. The receiver has much of the positioning data stored in a file so will resolve a fix quickly.
3. The data transmitted from the cell tower will take time to be received so will take slightly longer than 2.
If both (2) and (3) are supplying Ephemeris data, then that data may be similar but not identical. At this point the receiver will have a WTF moment while trying to resolve the fix from differing data, and so will rely more on (1).
Throw into the mix a weak cell signal and possibly a weak GPS signal / reflections and the problem is compounded.
Clearly there is no need for all three, and in many cases it is problematic. Keep the QuickGPS data up to date and switch off the AGPS.

Fully understood,, thanks for making it so understandable.

I dont believe A-GPS has anything to do with it, and I have mine always disabled to avoid any potential network charges for using it.
I did have some initial teething problems with getting GPs working but once I got up-to-date s/w and configured everything correctly, things improved dramatically.
Now GPS synchronisation is usually very quick indeed, with lots of satellites visible. Occasionally it wont synchronise but I find a soft reset of the device always puts this right.

gotta love that WTF moment wen it spazzs out.

[Q] Will theG2 A-GPS function without access to cell or wifi?

I'm shopping for a phone but have a specifice requirement: Does the GPS in the G2 work without having access to cell or wifi ephemeris download ie can the GPS as fitted to this phone download ephemeris data from the GPS constellation and then be used as a GPS? I realise, of course, that maps would have to be stored locally, as well has having navigation software installed.
I've searched but have been unable to find an answer around the web. Lot's of comments similar to "Why would you want to?" or "...but Google maps/VZ navigitor won't work." but that's not the point. I hope to be able to use the phone as a stand alone GPS device when I'm out of wifi/cell coverage.
I compared setup options in the G2 to those in the Droid 2 Global (my other phone candidate due to its international bands). The D2G has a specific option to disable AGPS while leaving the GPS active - something I've not found in the G2, hence my question. The D2G specs. also refer to S-GPS as well as A-GPS. I presume that the 'S' is for 'Standalone'?
Ideally I'd like a hybrid of the two phones. Something like the D2G bands with the keyboard & thumbpad of the G2. Until manufacturers & telcos stop screwing around with crippled hardware I'll just have to make do.

Tinstaafl said:
I'm shopping for a phone but have a specifice requirement: Does the GPS in the G2 work without having access to cell or wifi ephemeris download ie can the GPS as fitted to this phone download ephemeris data from the GPS constellation and then be used as a GPS? I realise, of course, that maps would have to be stored locally, as well has having navigation software installed.
I've searched but have been unable to find an answer around the web. Lot's of comments similar to "Why would you want to?" or "...but Google maps/VZ navigitor won't work." but that's not the point. I hope to be able to use the phone as a stand alone GPS device when I'm out of wifi/cell coverage.
I compared setup options in the G2 to those in the Droid 2 Global (my other phone candidate due to its international bands). The D2G has a specific option to disable AGPS while leaving the GPS active - something I've not found in the G2, hence my question. The D2G specs. also refer to S-GPS as well as A-GPS. I presume that the 'S' is for 'Standalone'?
Ideally I'd like a hybrid of the two phones. Something like the D2G with the keyboard's keys & thumbpad of the G2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I use a program called Aura, it stores the maps on my sdcard, I can use them with my data off and no cell reception, works fine. The gps unit in the phone is stand alone from the cell/data system.
Sent from my HTC Vision using XDA App

Well, that was a fast reply! Thank you.
Is there a work around of any sort required? For example, will the GPS lock on even in aeroplane mode or must it lock on before selecting that mode?

using gps lock on without service

I am thinking of purchasing a Motorola droid with a car mount/media station for cheap (probably around 100$) and i was wondering if i could use it as a gps without cell phone service?

i wouldn't see why not... gps is simply a signal just like wifi(if its free of course) it would be just like buying a tomtom i would imagine... try putting ur phone into airplane mode and testing the gps

Of course, do keep in mind that both Google Maps and Sprint Nav need a data connection at least initially to download the route information. The new GMaps is supposed to be able to work offline once it does the initial route, though you may need a connection if you veer off course.
There is at least one app that works off maps on the SD card, but I can't recall its name right now.

Visionikz03 said:
i wouldn't see why not... gps is simply a signal just like wifi(if its free of course) it would be just like buying a tomtom i would imagine... try putting ur phone into airplane mode and testing the gps
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will tomorrow.
bkrodgers said:
Of course, do keep in mind that both Google Maps and Sprint Nav need a data connection at least initially to download the route information. The new GMaps is supposed to be able to work offline once it does the initial route, though you may need a connection if you veer off course.
There is at least one app that works off maps on the SD card, but I can't recall its name right now.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you think of it, please let me know!

CoPilot Live lets you store the maps on your SD, or so they claim. The reviews on the market aren't too great though.
http://www.alk.com/copilot/android/
There are others as well, a quick search yields:
http://www.mapdroyd.com/
http://www.ndriveweb.com/products/product/96/
http://www.sygic.com/index.php/en/how-to-buy.html
Perhaps others too. But I can't vouch for any of these. I'm fine using GMaps even with the data connection requirements. Especially now that you don't need a data connection all the time -- only when generating a new route. I'm not sure whether it can handle simple missed turns without a connection or if it doesn't cache anything outside the route. I haven't tested that yet.

I've never found a maps or navigation program that I like other than Google, and I've tried pretty much all of them. They're a hassle to get maps for. The new GMaps does cache tiles, though I haven't tested it extensively, and I don't know that it caches maps in the Navigation program (which I use all the time as well).
GPS will lock even with no cell service. But unless you find a good offline map app, you'll just have your nice little blue arrow showing you exactly where you are on a plain gray featureless map.

[Q] Failing to retain GPS lock - why?

The xperia play is a UK SIM free version running 2.3.4 - and is being used in Greece with a Greek SIM card (phone bought from the UK as is half the price).
My main interest is in achieving a GPS lock with no data (wi-fi nor mobile data). Although I have a data plan here I avoid using data whilst roaming due the preposterously high charge. I am using Copilot live premium for navigation.
GPS lock is quick, ranging from less than 10 seconds to 20 seconds or so and is accurate.
However, a short time after achieving the lock it loses it. It then regains a lock (taking 20 seconds or so), but after a short time loses this again. This process carries on and on, rendering the GPS useless as turns are missed.
I have installed GPS status - cleared AGPS data - set it to never download AGPS. But this makes no difference. GPS status also loses its lock (and then regains it etc) as Copilot does. I have tried clearing maps cache, weather cache - but to no avail.
Although to be 100% sure I need to test this more, but I have noticed that if I allow a mobile data connection the GPS then works reliably. But that is what I am trying to avoid - the enabling of data.
It also works reliably when I use an external bluetooth GPS receiver, as you would expect. This is the only way I use it now when I know that I will need to rely on it. But obviously it is a bind having to remember to carry the bt receiver with the phone.
I have researched this for hours and have read threads that mention editing the gps.conf file, but again the changes relate to using different servers which means data useage…..
I suspect that the GPS functions correctly, but then some other process –be it Android native or installed by me – starts to interfere with it.
My questions are:
1. Why can I not use the GPS reliably with data disabled – even with a stand alone app like Copilot?
2. Is it even possible to use Android GPS functionality without data? (like I have been for years with symbian Nokia handsets where you disable the network GPS assistance and then simply wait longer for a lock).

Having read through the Copilot forums it is clear that this problem is affecting a large number of users. It seems that the GPS function on Gingerbread 2.3.4 is not working properly with Copilot Live premium. Naturally users are fuming there, but I'm not convinced that the problem is Copilot related.
With my bluetooth GPS receiver the Copilot navigation works perfectly. But the same lock loss/regain/loss problem is exhibited by GPS status when using internal GPS receivers.
After further testing it seems that if I allow mobile data, Copilot then works perfectly using the internal GPS.
It would seem to me that GPS functionality on Gingerbread 2.3.4 (on the Xperia Play at least) has a problem if a mobile data connection is not allowed - which points to there being an issue with the GPS being able to function without AGPS data.
I have tried using GPS status to download AGPS data, but when you activate Copilot there is immediate data transfer - even if you have only just switched it off and then back on again.
I am completely new to Android, therefore would appreciate any information or experiences from other users attempting to use GPS without allowing mobile data.