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  1. #1
    Beer Drinking Dog
    Guest
    I've never owned a GPS-enabled cell phone. I've been thinking about
    getting one after my hand-held Garmin GPS unit finally died a couple
    months ago.

    I already got rid of my digital camera (most of the time) and my PDA as
    these features are present in most high-end smart phones now. Be nice to
    be able to drop one more electronic gadget.

    A question: I assume the GPS works even when the phone is outside
    cellular service range. But given that something like Google Maps is
    downloaded over WiFi or EDGE or 3G data service, what does the GPS
    display when you're outside the cellular service range? Is it just a set
    of coordinates? Or is there some sort of provision for a digital map
    built in--like with a hand-held GPS unit?

    Thanks in advance!



    See More: Question about GPS in cell phones




  2. #2
    Jim Rusling
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    Beer Drinking Dog <[email protected]> wrote:

    >I've never owned a GPS-enabled cell phone. I've been thinking about
    >getting one after my hand-held Garmin GPS unit finally died a couple
    >months ago.
    >
    >I already got rid of my digital camera (most of the time) and my PDA as
    >these features are present in most high-end smart phones now. Be nice to
    >be able to drop one more electronic gadget.
    >
    >A question: I assume the GPS works even when the phone is outside
    >cellular service range. But given that something like Google Maps is
    >downloaded over WiFi or EDGE or 3G data service, what does the GPS
    >display when you're outside the cellular service range? Is it just a set
    >of coordinates? Or is there some sort of provision for a digital map
    >built in--like with a hand-held GPS unit?
    >
    >Thanks in advance!


    If you have mapping software and the maps stored on your phone, then
    it should work even without cellular coverage.
    --
    Jim Rusling
    More or Less Retired
    Mustang, OK
    http://www.rusling.org



  3. #3
    Larry
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    Beer Drinking Dog <[email protected]> wrote in news:QsCbk.14322$3q7.9762
    @newsfe15.lga:

    > I've never owned a GPS-enabled cell phone. I've been thinking about
    > getting one after my hand-held Garmin GPS unit finally died a couple
    > months ago.
    >
    > I already got rid of my digital camera (most of the time) and my PDA as
    > these features are present in most high-end smart phones now. Be nice to
    > be able to drop one more electronic gadget.
    >
    > A question: I assume the GPS works even when the phone is outside
    > cellular service range. But given that something like Google Maps is
    > downloaded over WiFi or EDGE or 3G data service, what does the GPS
    > display when you're outside the cellular service range? Is it just a set
    > of coordinates? Or is there some sort of provision for a digital map
    > built in--like with a hand-held GPS unit?
    >
    > Thanks in advance!
    >


    Don't assume anything about a Sellphone GPS. Carriers aren't going to let
    you even see your lat/long unless they find some way to force you to pay
    for it by the month. They're certainly not going to let you install an
    unconnected map program like your Garmin had in it they can't constantly
    charge you to use. That's crazy!

    I have a GPS enabled MotoROKR Z6m slidephone. There's no way of seeing
    anything about GPS on it, even on Alltel where they don't hobble up the
    phones like most other carriers do....notably Verizon. The GPS you pay for
    is not for YOU...it's for the cops to aid tracking escaped Americans.




  4. #4
    Todd Allcock
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    At 05 Jul 2008 17:49:17 +0000 Larry wrote:

    > > A question: I assume the GPS works even when the phone is outside
    > > cellular service range. But given that something like Google Maps is
    > > downloaded over WiFi or EDGE or 3G data service, what does the GPS
    > > display when you're outside the cellular service range? Is it just a

    set
    > > of coordinates? Or is there some sort of provision for a digital map
    > > built in--like with a hand-held GPS unit?
    > >
    > > Thanks in advance!

    >
    >
    > Don't assume anything about a Sellphone GPS. Carriers aren't going to

    let
    > you even see your lat/long unless they find some way to force you to pay
    > for it by the month.



    As I peck this into my AT&T Tilt WinMo phone (unlocked to use on T-Mobile,
    but running stock, unmodified AT&T software), I'm at 42.26N, 96.20W at an
    altitude of 1190 feet according to the GPS software I've installed.

    > They're certainly not going to let you install an
    > unconnected map program like your Garmin had in it they can't constantly
    > charge you to use. That's crazy!



    I'm running (the no longer marketed) Mapopolis as my "unconnected" GPS
    software of choice. My connected software of choic is Windows Live Search
    (MS' answer to Google Maps for Mobile- it uses the MS Virtual Earth maps
    and data.)


    > I have a GPS enabled MotoROKR Z6m slidephone. There's no way of seeing
    > anything about GPS on it, even on Alltel where they don't hobble up the
    > phones like most other carriers do....notably Verizon.


    No, you have a partially-GPS-enabled CDMA cellphone. It radios raw GPS
    data back to Alltel who calculates your position based on that info, (plus
    tower location.) It doesn't have a "full" GPS, like Alltel's PPC-6800.






  5. #5
    Todd Allcock
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    At 05 Jul 2008 13:28:49 -0400 Bill wrote:
    > Good question.
    > Someone told me the At&t Tilt had a good GPS feature.
    > But I have not seen one.



    I just bought a Tilt a week ago. I like it so far- faster than my old
    WinMo phone, and the internal GPS is handy- much handier than lugging
    around an external BT GPS like I used to.
    > My question would be battery life.


    Answer- it doesn't have any! ;-)

    With push-e-mail and BT running constantly, I barely make it 10-12 hours.

    > But I guess it would be powered off of the vehicle anyway.


    I power it from the vehicle when using the GPS.






  6. #6
    Larry
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    Todd Allcock <[email protected]> wrote in
    news:[email protected]:

    > No, you have a partially-GPS-enabled CDMA cellphone. It radios raw
    > GPS data back to Alltel who calculates your position based on that
    > info, (plus tower location.) It doesn't have a "full" GPS, like
    > Alltel's PPC-6800.
    >
    >
    >


    Doesn't matter to me at all. My GPS is in my watch pocket:
    http://europe.nokia.com/A4400067
    Hottest GPS receiver I've ever seen. 12 channel, WAAS-compensated,
    locks up in 10 seconds, about 30 seconds for a totally cold start. By
    the time the N800 has an Alltel data link, the LD-3W is online and
    feeding it GPS data no Sellphone company can hobble and screw with.
    Even has a REPLACEABLE common Nokia sellphone battery...(c;

    http://maemo.org/downloads/product/OS2008/maemo-mapper/
    It even plots you on aeronautical charts and weather radar plots, now!

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=698iql3B824
    Even the software and data are free....

    Fully compatible with:
    Open Street
    Google Street
    Google Satellite
    Virtual Earth Street
    Virtual Earth Satellite
    Virtual Earth Hybrid (my fav)
    Yahoo Street
    Yahoo Satellite
    Runway Finder
    mesonet.agron.iastate.edu (Weather tiles)

    More to come, USER configurable repositories, of course.
    Downloads maps over wifi before you leave or on-the-fly over sellphone.

    No comparison....
    On Google or Virtual Earth sat photos, it'll put itself in its position
    inside the car in the exact parking space at the mall....
    Leave it running in the car and Maemo mapper will even find your car for
    you as the BT locks on 50 ft from the car.







  7. #7
    Larry
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    Todd Allcock <[email protected]> wrote in
    news:[email protected]:

    > At 05 Jul 2008 13:28:49 -0400 Bill wrote:
    >> Good question.
    >> Someone told me the At&t Tilt had a good GPS feature.
    >> But I have not seen one.

    >
    >
    > I just bought a Tilt a week ago. I like it so far- faster than my old
    > WinMo phone, and the internal GPS is handy- much handier than lugging
    > around an external BT GPS like I used to.
    >> My question would be battery life.

    >
    > Answer- it doesn't have any! ;-)
    >
    > With push-e-mail and BT running constantly, I barely make it 10-12
    > hours.
    >
    >> But I guess it would be powered off of the vehicle anyway.

    >
    > I power it from the vehicle when using the GPS.
    >
    >
    >
    >


    Todd, wanna sell your old BT GPS? Which model is it?

    Nasty old thing of no use...dump it cheap.




  8. #8
    DevilsPGD
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    In message <[email protected]> "Bill"
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Good question.
    >Someone told me the At&t Tilt had a good GPS feature.
    >But I have not seen one.


    What software have you installed?



  9. #9
    DevilsPGD
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    In message <[email protected]> Larry
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    >Don't assume anything about a Sellphone GPS. Carriers aren't going to let
    >you even see your lat/long unless they find some way to force you to pay
    >for it by the month. They're certainly not going to let you install an
    >unconnected map program like your Garmin had in it they can't constantly
    >charge you to use. That's crazy!


    And yet, on the AT&T Tilt there it is, a real GPS providing NMEA data
    even without a SIM card, or out in the mountains where there is no
    mobile coverage at all.



  10. #10
    Larry
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    DevilsPGD <[email protected]> wrote in
    news:[email protected]:

    > In message <[email protected]> Larry
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >
    >>Don't assume anything about a Sellphone GPS. Carriers aren't going to
    >>let you even see your lat/long unless they find some way to force you
    >>to pay for it by the month. They're certainly not going to let you
    >>install an unconnected map program like your Garmin had in it they
    >>can't constantly charge you to use. That's crazy!

    >
    > And yet, on the AT&T Tilt there it is, a real GPS providing NMEA data
    > even without a SIM card, or out in the mountains where there is no
    > mobile coverage at all.
    >


    Real data to what? Big deal if it displays lat/long. What's the rent on
    the map program in it?




  11. #11
    DevilsPGD
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    In message <[email protected]> Larry
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    >DevilsPGD <[email protected]> wrote in
    >news:[email protected]:
    >
    >> In message <[email protected]> Larry
    >> <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>
    >>>Don't assume anything about a Sellphone GPS. Carriers aren't going to
    >>>let you even see your lat/long unless they find some way to force you
    >>>to pay for it by the month. They're certainly not going to let you
    >>>install an unconnected map program like your Garmin had in it they
    >>>can't constantly charge you to use. That's crazy!

    >>
    >> And yet, on the AT&T Tilt there it is, a real GPS providing NMEA data
    >> even without a SIM card, or out in the mountains where there is no
    >> mobile coverage at all.

    >
    >Real data to what? Big deal if it displays lat/long.


    Well, your ROKR apparently can't and you were whining about that just
    one post ago.

    >What's the rent on the map program in it?


    No rental charges. I have both Mapopolis and iGuidance, each a single
    purchase for a perpetual license for the version purchased.

    Mapopolis is out of business now, still works fine.



  12. #12
    DevilsPGD
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    In message <[email protected]> "Bill"
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    >I do not have the Tilt.
    >Was looking into one, and someone mentioned the GPS worked well.
    >They never responded to my inquiry as to what was displayed.
    >(Numbers, or Mapping software.)


    Whatever you want, you simply load the software you desire and go from
    there.



  13. #13
    Todd Allcock
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    At 06 Jul 2008 06:49:01 +0000 Larry wrote:

    > Todd, wanna sell your old BT GPS?


    Nah, it's worth more to me as a back up. I still have my old Compactflash
    GPS card, which by comparison to the BT unit or the Tilt, is blind, deaf,
    and
    dumb!

    > Which model is it?



    It's a Semsons iBlue. 30 hour battery life per charge, and very sensitive.
    Uses a Nemerix chipset, which while very good for batteries, takes forever
    to lock in "urban canyons" like NY or San Fran.

    > Nasty old thing of no use...dump it cheap.



    "Cheap" is why I typically don't bother selling old electronics. When my
    HTC Wizard (WinMo phone) died a couple weeks sgo, I picked up my five year-
    old WinMo PDA and my Symbian-based BT-enabled Nokia 3620 phone and was
    up and running right away, with my biz data and apps, until I bought the
    Tilt.
    The "last generation" of equipment is worth more to me as a backup than
    the few lousy bucks I'd get for it.

    So, if the Tilt should ever go south, I'll need the BT GPS module and the
    old PDA until I replace it...





  14. #14
    Larry
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    Todd Allcock <[email protected]> wrote in news:g4sood$vdo$1
    @aioe.org:

    > So, if the Tilt should ever go south, I'll need the BT GPS module and the
    > old PDA until I replace it...
    >
    >


    I see your points. Old electronics is nearly worthless about 24 hours
    after you buy it...(c;

    Funny we never think of that while extracting our credit cards...




  15. #15
    Todd Allcock
    Guest

    Re: Question about GPS in cell phones

    At 06 Jul 2008 16:12:51 +0000 Larry wrote:

    > > And yet, on the AT&T Tilt there it is, a real GPS providing NMEA data
    > > even without a SIM card, or out in the mountains where there is no
    > > mobile coverage at all.
    > >

    >
    > Real data to what? Big deal if it displays lat/long. What's the rent on
    > the map program in it?


    What "rent"? You can buy any WinMo-compatible GPS program (or use whatever
    freeware/shareware.)

    I generally use three GPS programs on my Tilt (and prior WinMo devices.)
    One cost me (the excellent but now discontinued Mapopolis) one is free
    (Windows Live Search) and one pays me (Navizon.)





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