GPS and you


ricohflex

Senior Member
Feb 24, 2005
3,912
73
48
sing
Do you use GPS? It is free. It cost dunno how many billions to create. Lots of smart scientists needed too. Well according to these:

http://www.nps.gov/gis/gps/history.html

http://support.radioshack.com/support_tutorials/gps/gps_hist.htm

http://www.maps-gps-info.com/gps-history.html

http://www.beyonddiscovery.org/content/view.article.asp?a=458

http://www.topcontierra.com/support/reference-center/gps-history-snapshot

Reagan and later Clinton made it accessible for civilian use. FREE. To benefit mankind.

Not every nation is so generous. I think if Sing owned the GPS, it will surely make people pay every time they use it. And increase the cost every few years too. The attitude is so different. So are we really a first world country? ha....ha....you decide.

It is such a waste if you don't use it. If you own a late model Nokia phone, you can tap into almost all the countries' maps. FREE. Courtesy of Nokia. Very detailed. I know. I loaded the Sing and Malaysia maps. Comes complete with navigation. You can even choose the voice telling you to turn left or right. Choose from multiple languages. Can choose male voice or female voice. Can even choose Cantonese, if you want.

You know, add up the cost of all the maps that is being given free and you just imagine what good deal you are getting.
Before Google Maps and Nokia OVI cracked open the GPS map market, the GPS-device-manufacturers were charging a lot (say, > hundred dollars for each map)

All you need to complement your mobile phone is a Bluetooth GPS Receiver with a good GPS chipset like SIRFStar III. About $100Sing. It will gather the GPS position and send to your handphone using Bluetooth.

Or buy the new Asus-Garmin A10 (Android).

You can also buy tried and tested Garmin 60CSX or any other good brand/model if you are into hiking or geocaching ( a kind of modern electronic GPS treasure hunt game for adults).

If driving , then go Tom Tom, Garmin, Holux, etc....put on car dashboard.
 

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After years of reading I still have not bought one, I need it in Holland, I tend to always loose my way in Rotterdam (I grew up in Amsterdam), but I have no problems in A'dam

Once, I was in R'dam and decided to visit my sister's holiday home south of R'dam, but I got lost on the circle highway (took the wrong direction), then it started to rain heavily and I gave and went straight home to A'dam hehehhee

HS
 

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Useful to have around. Some people will tell you that Singapore so small, have GPS for what? I'll tell you now that's hogwash, so many times I used it to find some obscure location in Singapore or even something as simple as a friend's house in an unfamiliar estate. So much easier than digging out the street directory.

Plus GPS these days aren't all that expensive and if you get a unit that uses MalFreeMaps, map updates are free too!
 

is very useful, when exploring new locations.

even when taking public transport, i don't have to keep looking out of the bus window to see if i have missed my stop, etc... can just use the gps to sight when to get down.. also how to get there, etc... or to get home from wherever i am.

i think most turn by turn navigation systems for the iphone are not free (or cheap) though.
 

After years of reading I still have not bought one, I need it in Holland, I tend to always loose my way in Rotterdam (I grew up in Amsterdam), but I have no problems in A'dam

Once, I was in R'dam and decided to visit my sister's holiday home south of R'dam, but I got lost on the circle highway (took the wrong direction), then it started to rain heavily and I gave and went straight home to A'dam hehehhee

HS

hahaha, similar for me.
Once I was lazy to read the map to go from Leuven to Brussels to look for a friend.
Got lost around Brussels and probably circled around Brussels a couple of times before making the wrong turn... then after a long drive saw a sign saying "paris/london"...
After that I learned Brussels == Bruxelles with on the road signs.... :p
 

Saw a co worker's iphone4 on their GPS ( think assisted by Net access probably some form of A-GPS). His mobile net account paid for anyway. Lovely screen on iphone 4 very high resolution. If Apple manages to build a real qwerty key pad into their future iphone - like they have on Nokia e71 & 72 or like the Blackberry, then other phone makers will be in trouble. I hate pecking on the virtual keyboard to input text.

But the Bluetooth GPS receiver is the 2nd best way to go because you only pay once - to buy the Bluetooth GPS receiver.

If your phone does have built-in SIFR III chip - this is the BEST solution for GPS.

Don't allow GPS update through other Net access because you may pay for it.
 

hahaha, similar for me.
Once I was lazy to read the map to go from Leuven to Brussels to look for a friend.
Got lost around Brussels and probably circled around Brussels a couple of times before making the wrong turn... then after a long drive saw a sign saying "paris/london"...
After that I learned Brussels == Bruxelles with on the road signs.... :p
Brussels = Bruxelles is not too bad try to figure out this:

Flemish (old Dutch) vs French

Antwerpen vs Anvers
Gent vs Gand
Luik vs Liege
etc, etc.........

This country almost split into two last year
 

Saw a co worker's iphone4 on their GPS ( think assisted by Net access probably some form of A-GPS). His mobile net account paid for anyway. Lovely screen on iphone 4 very high resolution. If Apple manages to build a real qwerty key pad into their future iphone - like they have on Nokia e71 & 72 or like the Blackberry, then other phone makers will be in trouble. I hate pecking on the virtual keyboard to input text.

But the Bluetooth GPS receiver is the 2nd best way to go because you only pay once - to buy the Bluetooth GPS receiver.

If your phone does have built-in SIFR III chip - this is the BEST solution for GPS.

Don't allow GPS update through other Net access because you may pay for it.
Take a look at the ASUS-Garmin A10 running on Android with built-in GPS receiver chip, but maps from Garmin are damned expensive!
 

Take a look at the ASUS-Garmin A10 running on Android with built-in GPS receiver chip, but maps from Garmin are damned expensive!

Totally agree. When I enquired on the cost of the Garmin or other manufacturer's (MapKing) maps years before, it was a big turn off.

That is why when Nokia gave away navigation maps of 180 countries FREE in multiple languages, it is such a big deal. When you zoom in, the detail and sharpness remain. You CAN download the Nokia OVI maps of the countries that you choose into your mobile phone. All FREE.

For Google -Android , here you are....
http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/
 

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Geotagging your photos.

Have you ever travelled overseas, some one brought you to a far away place, it is GREAT place and enjoyable. But you wonder where exactly it is and how to find it again.
Now you can. Take a photo of the place with your GPS on and using this application (can install into your mobile phone) automatically tag its Latitude and Longitude into the photo's EXIF.

Oh, today tried this. Works like a charm.
Very accurate too.
and .....

FREE


enjoy

http://www.symbian-freeware.com/download-location-tagger.html


Of course some compacts can do this e.g. Sony DSC-HX5V and DSC-TX7. Also Nikon P6000.
But some of us just move around with handphone or our compact does not have this feature.
 

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My lady colleagues always laugh at me for getting lost in those big shopping malls, especially those new ones. They can navigate the malls walk backwards & blind folded w/o GPS.
 


The only shortcoming of google maps is that it doesn't allow you to use offline maps..

And if you're overseas, data charge is very expensive so Google map is practically useless.. unless you're in some desperate situation where $$$$ is not a major concern anymore..
 

The only shortcoming of google maps is that it doesn't allow you to use offline maps..

And if you're overseas, data charge is very expensive so Google map is practically useless.. unless you're in some desperate situation where $$$$ is not a major concern anymore..
I understand some people did download Google maps from the net onto their phone avoiding to having their phone to be roaming all the time.........think you can find it when you search it on Google
 

The only shortcoming of google maps is that it doesn't allow you to use offline maps..

And if you're overseas, data charge is very expensive so Google map is practically useless.. unless you're in some desperate situation where $$$$ is not a major concern anymore..

You are right (about navigation). I think local GPS groups get around the problem by using the free MalSing maps.

Nokia allows downloads. Not only the maps but the navigation module. With the Bluetooth GPS receiver, don't have spend a cent on data charges.

Nokia also makes these. LD-4W and older model LD-3W (bigger but bty last longer)
Holux makes a small one.

Some Nokia models got built-in GPS chip.
I think it is not SIRF Star III.
It is Texas Instruments NaviLink™ 5.0 single-chip GPS solution: NL5350

See the impact of Google and Nokia's opening up of the GPS map market since last October2009, on Garmin's stock price. Scary. Nosedive.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/technology/companies/29gps.html
 

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A-GPS - assisted GPS -- some call it "fake" GPS
Telcos love A-GPS in phones because in order to use it, you need a dataplan.
Dataplan means never ending $$$$$$$ income stream to the telcos.

Already all telcos know that future earnings from mobiles is not from Voice.
The money is going to come from Data.

So if you choose a phone for GPS, look for one with the REAL thing.

A built-in GPS chip that read off the satellites direct. Like for example, SIRF III

Maybe these are the phones that got built-in GPS chip.
No idea why Nokia is so afraid of letting people know some of its phones can do REAL GPS.
Nokia also don't say much what hardware GPS chip is inside.

N97 mini

E72 - claims to have integrated GPS and A-GPS. But Nokia forum is full of complaints about how poorly the integrated GPS in E72 works; but when users turn on the A-GPS, everything works well. Of course, this makes money for telcos. With a lousy integrated GPS, users will turn on A-GPS.

5230
N97
6710 Navigator
5800 Navigation Edition

and maybe...N8 and also E7 But if their integrated GPS chip is as lousy as the one in the e72, then gone case. Maybe no need to buy.

In future can Nokia use a "G" prefix to indicate that a real GPS chip is built-in. So buyers know what they are buying.

Like GN8 or GE7

old model 6110 navigator too. This one confirm. Taxi driver was using on his dashboard. It was Navigating with voice turn by turn directions. With the SIM card removed.

Yes. That is the test. To see if your phone is the REAL GPS thing.

Oh, the Apple iPhone4 is A-GPS only.
But Magellan to the rescue. Buy the Magellan tough case for the iPhone4 and the case has a SIRF III chip.
http://www.gpsnews.org/index.php?s=Sirf+III
 

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So you're saying that the iPhone GPS cannot work w/o a data connection?

Any one tested it before? Once I went overseas and turned off roaming, and the Google Map doesn't work. But it is known that Google Map requires continuous data connection to work, so not sure if the GPS is actually working or not. Would need an App that support offline Maps to test.
 

If I'm not wrong, all HTC android phones come proper GPS receivers as well.

Personally, phones with GPS functions are nice to use in a pinch but I prefer to use a proper GPS unit for navigation.

Also, its very simple to test. Launch Google Maps and see how accurate your positioning is, if you've got a huge circle of error then you're only on aGPS.
 

So you're saying that the iPhone GPS cannot work w/o a data connection?

Any one tested it before? Once I went overseas and turned off roaming, and the Google Map doesn't work. But it is known that Google Map requires continuous data connection to work, so not sure if the GPS is actually working or not. Would need an App that support offline Maps to test.

confirm because the iPhone4 technical specs only say Assisted GPS.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html

without dataplan, no GPS navigation. No way to locate your position using GPS.
 

confirm because the iPhone4 technical specs only say Assisted GPS.
http://www.apple.com/iphone/specs.html

without dataplan, no GPS navigation. No way to locate your position using GPS.

iPhone uses A-GPS, yes, but I'm sure it contains real GPS too. The A-GPS is to allow it to acquire positions faster while it waits for the satellite lock-on.

When it receives the Satellite signals, it will show a pulsating blue ring and the position is very accurate.
 

iPhone uses A-GPS, yes, but I'm sure it contains real GPS too. The A-GPS is to allow it to acquire positions faster while it waits for the satellite lock-on.

When it receives the Satellite signals, it will show a pulsating blue ring and the position is very accurate.

http://www.tuaw.com/2008/01/28/testing-the-iphones-fake-gps/

It is necessary to define what is real.
In this case means read directly off the satellites above you in open ground, without first going through any assist. And relying solely on your iPhone exposed to the sky, pick up the GPS signal.


I know, some people bend the argument and say that as long as the "GPS" signal is ported through some data network to you, it is still a GPS receiver. Hah?....well if they insist...loh...

If that is the case, then why does Magellan need to make a ToughCase with a SIRF III GPS chip for the iPhone4?




Best way to check is to remove the sim card. After removing the sim card, do not put it back yet.

Then see if your GPS can pin point your location. (don't use some place you "saved" or bookmarked previously).
Move far away (say, from Bedok to Boat Quay) and test again. Can the iPhone pinpoint your new location.

Then try and see if it can navigate you. Walk or drive or sit in taxi and see if the dot moves as you move along.

If it can, maybe you got real GPS.

If not, time to put back the sim card and start receiving data assist from cell towers on A-GPS. Telcos will be happy - dataplan.
kaching ! money rolling in......

But tell you what. Sometimes people don't want to know.

And Apple does not want to talk about it and make official confirmation one way or the other.

Nokia also very hush hush about what GPS chipset goes in (if any). They too have phones relying on A-GPS only.
 

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