Ya wanna get screwd over?

[Diane B]

and who needs GPS in their living room?

Ooh perhaps it's a big living room with secret doors,pool tables,chairs and sofas to navigate around LOL[/QUOTE]

I use the location sometimes when I am using mobile hot spot. Its not something I care so much about but several restaurant, etc apps use location so it does help. My weather apps use the triangulation (?) means that its closer to me rather than closest city. Seakayaker'e points are useful also though I haven't tried cheapest gas. I'm in small city so we are pretty samey for gas unfortunately LOL--maybe a penny's diffence.

 

[DrHouse]

I've downloaded some gps apps to validate that my wifi only does have a built-in gps chips. Just moving around in the house does show on the gps coordinates. So assuming that I could have wifi on the road, it would work the same as the 3G model.

I used some apps for trekking and you can clearly see the coordinates updating just moving a few meters around.

And my iPad gps seems more precise than my iPhone gps on my current location.

I bought mine in Quebec, canada.

 

[hey_moe]

I musta open a bucket of worms..lol. I am new to the Ipad apps. When I saw on the left hand side it works with Ipads thats all I saw. I use the Verizon wireless to connect on line when working I kinda thought that this program would work. For the ones who think I am using it around the house..lol. Kinda of shallow don't you think. I am a HVAC tech and work in a rural area. Yes I also use a a five inch Garmin and our company provides a laptop with a built in GPS. But it is outdated. I keep the Garmin up to date. I was hoping the Ipad GPS would work with my current Ipad because in the event I am unable to find the customers house that progam would let you use Google to zoom in the area and at least show the cusomers house. If you have ever worked in a rual area next time you are be-bopping around look out the window and see how easy it is to see the house number or mail boxes that have no numbers on either one, plus the houses are spread out and sit a right good ways off the road.I know there are other work around but this looked nice.

 

[gentlefury]

So your ignorance is their fault? As others have said, it's a well known fact and published everywhere that wifi ipads don't have gps. If you purchase a bluetooth device that says "requires bluetooth" but only specific bluetooth radios, it's not gonna specify it until the fine print. That's how apple makes their money, people are to button happy without actually looking into things before they buy it.

I have a 16g wifi only, and I do have gps in mine. It is surely not getting my location thru Wifi. When I load google maps, I can see it following me where ever I go (from location to location of course)

Or do I have a 3G without knowing it for the price of a wifi only? That would be cool

That isn't gps, it uses your current wifi ip address and all others surrounding you to determine your location within 15m. With actual GPS you can turn wifi off and still have a result, since it uses satellites.

 

[gentlefury]

I've downloaded some gps apps to validate that my wifi only does have a built-in gps chips. Just moving around in the house does show on the gps coordinates. So assuming that I could have wifi on the road, it would work the same as the 3G model.

I used some apps for trekking and you can clearly see the coordinates updating just moving a few meters around.

And my iPad gps seems more precise than my iPhone gps on my current location.

I bought mine in Quebec, canada.

Your iPad has a compass, yes....GPS, no.

I have tethered my iPad to a phone and using the signal from the phone and wifi signals around it could come up with a basic location (it would jump all over the place within 15-20m but it was approximately where I was.)....there is no GPS radio in the wifi model, since it is actually built into the cell radio.

 

[y2kgtp]

I am suprized anyone bought this app, as it really has no description whatsoever to what it does.

 

[kierandill]

..

I have a 16g wifi only, and I do have gps in mine. It is surely not getting my location thru Wifi. When I load google maps, I can see it following me where ever I go (from location to location of course)

Or do I have a 3G without knowing it for the price of a wifi only? That would be cool

That isn't gps, it uses your current wifi ip address and all others surrounding you to determine your location within 15m. With actual GPS you can turn wifi off and still have a result, since it uses satellites.

Indeed. Or leave your wifi on, and take DrHouse here

Your iPad will know right where it is, but his will not. Unless there is a Starbucks in the Kalahari that I don't know about...

 

[dmaul1114]

I'm still not understanding why even the 3g ipad needs 3g to do GPS when car GPS units like Garmin's and TomToms have no internet or cell connection.

Does apple just not want to put those kind of full GPS chips in the iPad/iPhone?

 

[DrHouse]

Your iPad has a compass, yes....GPS, no.

I have tethered my iPad to a phone and using the signal from the phone and wifi signals around it could come up with a basic location (it would jump all over the place within 15-20m but it was approximately where I was.)....there is no GPS radio in the wifi model, since it is actually built into the cell radio.

Hmmm, i've made some more tests:

1- turn off wifi: no location
2- disconnect from any wifi network, but leave wifi on: I get a location

Using Trails HD, I can have a cached maps of my surrounding, and I do get my current location without any network access. If this is not gps then this is pure magic

 

[hookbill]

I am suprized anyone bought this app, as it really has no description whatsoever to what it does.

Not to be unkind to the OP but if you don't have data……..

Anyway the one on my Droid does a great job.

 

[Seadog]

I'm still not understanding why even the 3g ipad needs 3g to do GPS when car GPS units like Garmin's and TomToms have no internet or cell connection.

Does apple just not want to put those kind of full GPS chips in the iPad/iPhone?

As has been mentioned before, the GPS is built into the 3G chipset they buy. To add it to wifi, they would need to buy another chip that would cost more money. Since wifi is going to be used in mostly stationary situations, there is no purpose for a limited demand chip.

 

[dmaul1114]

As has been mentioned before, the GPS is built into the 3G chipset they buy. To add it to wifi, they would need to buy another chip that would cost more money. Since wifi is going to be used in mostly stationary situations, there is no purpose for a limited demand chip.

Like I said, I think using something the size of the iPad as a GPS is silly anyway (and a good way to get mugged if you're using it while walking around). A Garmin or TomTom is much more practical for the car.

One more question, I thought the 3G ipads needed 3G signal for the GPS to work. Is that not the case (i.e. would it work out in the boonies where there's on cell signal)?

If so then I finally understand that it's just a matter of the GPS chip being a full function like the ones in a car GPS unit, but built into the 3G chip.

 

[Tinman]

Like I said, I think using something the size of the iPad as a GPS is silly anyway (and a good way to get mugged if you're using it while walking around). A Garmin or TomTom is much more practical for the car.

One more question, I thought the 3G ipads needed 3G signal for the GPS to work. Is that not the case (i.e. would it work out in the boonies where there's on cell signal)?

If so then I finally understand that it's just a matter of the GPS chip being a full function like the ones in a car GPS unit, but built into the 3G chip.

You're catching on.

It is indeed a full function GPS. It can work just like a stand alone GPS unit if in the middle of nowhere. No Wifi, no 3G, required: can use just satellites for location.

The reason it is included in the "3G" chipset is because chipset is the same as used in actual phones: the iPhone for instance has the same chipset. This was probably less expensive and smaller than a data only chipset sans GPS... them they would have needed another GPS chipset--or forego GPS on all models.

The reason the cellphone chipset has GPS, and not just GPS but AGPS (Assisted), is because without it emergency responders would be unable to find you in an emergency if you did not know where you were or are unable to speak. So it is required by law in many, if not most, areas.

The "assisted" part helps greatly when you are indoors, or out of the view of the sky. So if you needed help inside, say, a large shopping center, emergency responders would still know where you were... even if you didn't have a view of the sky.

So the iPad 3G gets GPS too.



Michael

 

[Tinman]

Hmmm, i've made some more tests:

1- turn off wifi: no location
2- disconnect from any wifi network, but leave wifi on: I get a location

Using Trails HD, I can have a cached maps of my surrounding, and I do get my current location without any network access. If this is not gps then this is pure magic

I don't know why you are having trouble accepting this but your WiFi Ipad has no GPS chipset. Period. This is not a guess: it is fact.

You don't need "network access" for WiFi location services to work. Any WiFi signal that can be acquired... even if only for a few milliseconds. Even if too weak to show in list of available WiFi networks, can be used to get a location. All it has to do is get the MAC ID of the AP. You don't need to actually be connected to that AP for it to use it for a location fix.

No magic. Just science. As usual.



Michael

 

[STiMULi]

I have been checking multiple locations for the answer to these questions:
Does the GPS on a 3G model work without the 3G service on?
If yes then:
Does the GPS on a 3G model work without the 3G service activated by the provider (meaning service suspended)?

Depending on who you talk to from Apple some say yes and some say no. What do owners say?

I would like to use the 3G service every once in a while but I have a Thunderbolt 4G with a wireless hotspot service and the iPad's 3G will not be needed most of the time but I would still like to have access to the GPS without the assisted part.