One Limitation That Is Difficult To Justify

[RAC]

I will admit that this us a windup, but there is one aspect of the iPad WiFi that particularly irks me, the lack of GPS receiver.

It really can't be explained away in terms of battery life, deciding what features to leave out in the name of good tablet design etc.

I can think of only two possible reasons:-

1. A lack of imagination in thinking that GPS was only required to support Google Maps and the like. No thought given to GPS apps that have on board maps, such as in-car navigation or "raster mapping" apps.

2. Over-eagerness to send revenue the way of the mobile carrier that Apple originally aligned with for the iPad 3G.

 

[Tinman]

3. Offer a cheaper model without 3G by selling them without cellular radio. Since the cellular radio chipset contains the GPS functionality you don't get it without it.


Also, you can use the GPS in a 3G iPad without ever activating a data plan. So you do have the option of having GPS without spending a dime with any carrier.



Michael

 

[RAC]

3. Offer a cheaper model without 3G by selling them without cellular radio. Since the cellular radio chipset contains the GPS functionality you don't get it without it.

I hadn't thought of that and I certainly didn't realize that in choosing WiFi only I was forgoing GPS. My main reason for not choosing 3G was not the purchase price, but more that I didn't want to pay for a second data plan, in addition to the one that I already had with my phone. I actually get 3G when I need it by tethering to the phone, it's just a pity that I missed out on GPS.

There must be A GPS chip available that is not tied to 3G.

I had thought that my Bluetooth GPS might work but it won't pair with the iPad. Apparently the GNS BT GPS works, they seem say that Apple has developed it's very own BT profile for GPS.

 

[Vika Maya]

Well what can i say about battery timing is that it surely gets hampered if you keep the WIFI of your phone enabled at all times.........

 

[Pocobear]

Well what can i say about battery timing is that it surely gets hampered if you keep the WIFI of your phone enabled at all times.........

You must have something else "hammering" your iPad battery. I have a 3g iPad and while I turn 3g off most of the time, I leave wifi on all the time, and the battery last for 2 to 3 days depending on usage. Are you leaving GPS running in the background, that will certainly kill the battery fast. Leaving push on will, updating email constantly will, and anything that uses the wifi to update anything constantly will kill it. Search these forums for battery life and learn about all the things you can do to prevent battery drain. Or put it in "Airplane" mode, when not in use.

 

[SweetPoison]

I have a 3g iPad and while I turn 3g off most of the time, I leave wifi on all the time, and the battery last for 2 to 3 days depending on usage.

Same here.

 

[peled]

It's like some one who has an iPOD and asking why he can't make phone calls as in iPhone.
The iPAd 3G is a different product, better and more expensive then the WiFi only.
Many people I see here in the forum are quite happy with the Wifi product.
Meaning that Apple did good by providing both products.

 

[bearswatchin]

For what it may be worth, I use Google Maps and a MiFi from Virgin Mobile. Works almost as well as true GPS, except when in the true boonies that you can find in Central Texas. Also, I only pay for 3G when I anticipate needing it. Saves a bundle for me, especially since my wife has an iPhone with the old "unlimited data plan."

Forgot to mention that AT&T does not have 3G in those aforementioned boonies.

 

[deckyon]

It all comes down to what you want the iPad for and what you use the iPad for. I imagine most people who get the iPad have no need for the GPS. The majority of the users who buy the iPad we will never see on these forums.

If people do their homework before the purchase, they would be a lot happier and a lot less surprised by the "Lack of Imagination." Especially since the Apple website for the iPad has all the differences between the models laid out.

Battery life? Yeah, you have something else going on. I have both WIFI and 3G enables all the time and I push 10 hours all the time. I only turn off the 3G radio when I am at home on my own wifi network.

 

[Tinman]

I hadn't thought of that and I certainly didn't realize that in choosing WiFi only I was forgoing GPS. My main reason for not choosing 3G was not the purchase price, but more that I didn't want to pay for a second data plan, in addition to the one that I already had with my phone. I actually get 3G when I need it by tethering to the phone, it's just a pity that I missed out on GPS.

There must be A GPS chip available that is not tied to 3G.

I had thought that my Bluetooth GPS might work but it won't pair with the iPad. Apparently the GNS BT GPS works, they seem say that Apple has developed it's very own BT profile for GPS.

I would imagine cost, support, space, and further separating the 3G and WiFi models were factors in not adding a separate GPS solely for the iPad WiFi.

Yea it's a shame no external bluetooth GPS receiver support. I can do it because I am jailbroken but have only tried a bluetooth mouse--and that worked surprisingly good. So if I had a bluetooth GPS I would definitely try it since I have Navigon for my iPhone 4 anyway.



Michael

 

[jwt873]

I think they market the iPad kind of like the auto manufacturers do.. If you want something like GPS in a car, it's sometimes not available in the basic model. You usually have to spend more for a higher trim level with things that you don't necessarily want in order to get GPS included.

When I bought mine, I didn't know that any iPads had GPS.. I wanted my iPad primarily for mobile browsing, so I needed the 3G model. I was pleasantly surprised to find my unit had GPS.

 

[slothead]

Also, you can use the GPS in a 3G iPad without ever activating a data plan. So you do have the option of having GPS without spending a dime with any carrier.
Michael

I wasn't aware of this! I'll have to turn off my Cellular Data and try it out, and I have the perfect opportunity for such a test this evening in Boulder, CO!

Thanks Tinman!

 

[graywolf]

It's like some one who has an iPOD and asking why he can't make phone calls as in iPhone.
The iPAd 3G is a different product, better and more expensive then the WiFi only.
Many people I see here in the forum are quite happy with the Wifi product.
Meaning that Apple did good by providing both products.

I have an iPad wifi only and I love it. But that is funny when people buy an iPod touch and wonder why they cant make calls.

 

[dupont2005]

Also, you can use the GPS in a 3G iPad without ever activating a data plan.

Aww man, that would have been cool. Pays to research before buying I guess. I also didn't know the data plan was month by month without a contract either and I didn't buy 3G because I didn't know how often I would use it and didn't want a data bill every month if I don't use it. Oh well

 

[RAC]

Also, you can use the GPS in a 3G iPad without ever activating a data plan.

Aww man, that would have been cool. Pays to research before buying I guess. I also didn't know the data plan was month by month without a contract either and I didn't buy 3G because I didn't know how often I would use it and didn't want a data bill every month if I don't use it. Oh well

I can only think that, if it wasn't simply a marketing decision, that the connections and space on the motherboard suit a 3G + GPS chip and not a standalone GPS chip.

I didn't think laterally enough to buy the 3G model and simply not bother with with 3G. I think that I assumed that a 3G plan was part of the deal. I wasn't a purchase price decision, I just didn't want to have a second data plan. The questions that you don't think to ask. The sales person probably would not have been across details such as this anyway of course.

Looking at the Apple site even now, I don't think that it makes the GPS position very clear. It says that both models have AGPS. I don't don't think that it's all that obvious that the WiFi model doesn't actually have GPS receiver on board.

Apple could help be adding the Serial Profile (used by almost all BT GPS receivers) to the BT stack, I don't want to JB my iPad.