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Gps ?

Vettecor

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I was reading a post in the forums from other users of Ipads regarding GPS. Is it true that if you have wifi only Ipad you can not use GPS ?

My friend has a Samsung Galaxy with wifi only and he using GPS all the time.

I want to get my daughter an Ipad 2 or 3 but she wants GPS.


Thanks
 

scifan57

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You'll have to get your daughter a wifi + 3G/cellular iPad if you want GPS.
 

scifan57

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sjleworthy said:
Ive an ipad 2 with wifi and 3g, but i dont subscribe to the 3g service. Mine has gps :)

Correct,you don't need a data plan for your iPad to use GPS.It shares some of the circuitry as the 3G system,but they operate independently from each other.
 

Bosvaark

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The Gps , will work with wireless and 3G disabled, it is slightly slower and will speed up if the 3G is on ,but will use data bandwidth quickly, however it does work well if the navigation applet is a genuine mapping GPS. IE: maps are on the device unlike google maps which needs an Internet connection to function.
 

scifan57

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The GPS will not function properly if you disable both the wireless and 3G accuracy will be severely degraded.
 
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Bosvaark

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The GPS will not function properly if you disable both the wireless and 3G accuracy will be severely degraded.

Hi, I tend to disagree, have used it many times to navigate without wifi or 3G, as mentioned you need the correct software with on board maps (offline maps).
As for accuracy , it may not be as accurate as a Garmin GPS, but it still finds address locations and routes fine to me.
I use iGo Primo, and NavFree for vehicle routing, I have also walked outside now and turned both wifi and 3G off and it located my GPS coordinates in less than a minute, I tested using 2 apps, iGps, and GPS Toolbox.
 

AQ_OC

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Get a nav app like Navigon, which has its own maps that are stored on the iPad. You don't need cellular or WIFI for the GPS to work *if* you have maps on your device. The GPS function is fully enabled.

I think paying extra for the 3g/4g model is a good deal because you get GPS and you have the option to use cellcular if you should ever want to.
 
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scifan57

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AQ_OC said:
Get a nav app like Navigon, which has its own maps that are stored on the iPad. You don't need cellular or WIFI for the GPS to work *if* you have maps on your device. The GPS function is fully enabled.

I have Navigon and if I go into airplane mode the accuracy decreases.If stay in airplane mode and turn on wifi,the accuracy goes up even though there's no available wifi signal.This is with no sim card installed.The GPS must make use of the cellular and wifi antennas and turning them off is not a good idea.
 

Bosvaark

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The trick is not to turn airplane mode on, I turn the wireless and 3G off in the network setting , we discovered this by accident while navigating In Rural areas with no coverage what so ever and the device was still navigating to my delight, I then bought more software apps as I realized the potential.
The trick with nav software is to make sure they don't use google or open maps otherwise you will then need the assisted 3G to navigate.
 

michaelw83

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I am looking for a GPS app that gives talking directions but does not require an annual subscription fee. Do you know of any apps like that?
 

AQ_OC

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I have Navigon and if I go into airplane mode the accuracy decreases.If stay in airplane mode and turn on wifi,the accuracy goes up even though there's no available wifi signal.This is with no sim card installed.The GPS must make use of the cellular and wifi antennas and turning them off is not a good idea.

That's not true. If you get a WIFI iPad and a GPS receiver, which I had before I got the iPad 3, then you will not have either wifi or cellular out on the road, just a gps signal from the receiver. The accuracy is fine. GPS does not use cellular or wifi.

BTW, the same is true for Android tablets, most of which don't have cellular at all and certainly won't have wifi out on the road. And there is no way it can use a wifi antenna out on the road in the middle of nowhere.
 

scifan57

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What does the GPS on an iPad use for an antenna,then.As far as I know,there are only two antennas on a wifi+ 3G iPad.
 

AQ_OC

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scifan57 said:
What does the GPS on an iPad use for an antenna,then.As far as I know,there are only two antennas on a wifi+ 3G iPad.

There is a gps antenna included too.
 

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