Database Users

GPS settings / connection problems

Hi,
Could anyone please explain the various settings for GPS in the "settings" menu (under "location")? I find that the manual and tooltips are not very informative.
Particularly, I don't understand the difference between the first choice ("wireless networks"?) and the third choice ("assisted GPS"). I understand that the phone may use wifi or mobile network to detect my position (instead of or in addition to GPS satelites), but I don't know which of the two options to choose for this.
Also: When I enable "wireless networks", what does the warning that pops up mean? It mentions that data will be collected even when no software (GPS/map) is running. What is that? And what is the difference between enabling this and the fourth option ("share with google")?
Finally:
Does your GPS immediately start working when you enable it? Myself, I need to enable/disable GPS using the desktop widget and the various GPS settings several times before it managess to find my location. (My position is not the problem - once detected/connected, it works fine.) I still don't understand which combination of settings it is that finally makes the GPS work as expected.

As I understand the first option "Wireless Neworks" will rely entirely on data from Cell Towers e.t.c to determine your position. I guess this will be less accurate.
"Assisted GPS" enables your device to get a faster lock on your location by collecting available data from cell towers first before using the GPS receiver.
I think if you were only to activate the GPS in some circumstances it would take a lot longer to get a fix.
"Share with Google" just allows the gears addon within the browser to share your position with google allowing them to return results based on your location.
That's my take on those options.

"Wireless Neworks" - is using cell towers and wifi to locate you.
Probably they have (or use a 3rd party DB) for that. Anyway, is not (very) accurate.
"Assisted GPS" - i'm not 100% sure but i think is connecting to a location server to get the location of the GPS satellite so, will lock faster (at least this is what my Nokia 5800xm is doing).
The warning message you get is because google will (most likely) use your location (cell towers and wifi spots) to create and update their own database so, phones without GPS will still be able to use google maps.
Well, they probably do something more with that data but who knows what

I just wanna add that using any type of assistance for the gps chip in this phone is (in my personal oppinion) unnecessary. I am sitting inside my house, in my bed(with a window behind me) an in 10sec i get fixed on 10 satellites. Not much that can beat that ;-)
in addition, i am in the bottom floor in a 2floor house so it is alot of roof and cealing between me and the sky.
Sent from my X10i using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk

Thanks for your replies. Much appreciated.
Just curious - which app do you use to monitor GPS satelites?
Also, does everyone's GPS find your location rather quickly after enabling GPS? I usually get the message "Your current position is temporarily unavailable", I retry, same result, I retry, same result ... Only after I disable/enable GPS several times, my position can be found.

My GPS usually finds my position rather quickly first time I switch on GPS. I have aGPS (Assisted GPS) enabled too, this way your phone gets help on locating the sattelites position from your mobile provider, hence locking onto GPS signal faster (is to my understanding).
Plus, if you're standing in an area with tall buildings, your position will be less accuratelly pin-pointed, bouncing GPS signal and all.

I'm using GPS test by chartcross ltd. Avalible in the free android market, and i really like it!
Sent from my X10i using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk

I never turned on A-GPS on this phone. There is no need for A-GPS.
This phone have fastest GPS fix of all phones.

I have noticed when I am running on 3G (H) I get the "location temporarily unavailable" notice, but if I force it to not go to 3G it will be E and I get my location. This holds true if I have setting for using GPS or not.
This seems to be a problem with Google Maps using the data transfer method of 3G (H) versus E.

Locations not working on my Omnia 7

It worked once when I first tried it but ever since then for example when I go into maps, it's always searching and searching. the local filter in the bing search doesn't work either...
What can I do? Anyone have the same issue?

I've managed to bring up my location but it's highly innacurate. I downloaded the GPS app that is available in the marketplace and it's showing the wrong latitude/longitude coordinates as well.
Highly annoying.

Do you have Weatherbug installed? This app seemed to break my location service too. Sometimes it showed my location a few hundred miles away... I then uninstalled Weatherbug and somehow, after a while, it was working again -strange.
Now it's very accurate and fast.
Then go into settings -> "find my phone" and check the upper box for "saving the location".
It could also be a problem with your carrier -the location service first takes the location via A-GPS which is you provider's responsibility.
GPS might take a few minutes to determine the exact location.

I called 3 and they said I could arrange a door to door exchange but first they advised me to go to the 3 store nearby and use my SIM in another omnia 7 to see if it works.
Surprise surpise, after the call, the GPS is now perfect. I wonder if they did something at their end lol.

So after a few days use, I have come to the conclusion that the GPS doesn't seem to work well indoors, but as soon as I go outdoors, it's tracking me just fine.

digger1985 said:
So after a few days use, I have come to the conclusion that the GPS doesn't seem to work well indoors, but as soon as I go outdoors, it's tracking me just fine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GPS will absolutely NOT work indoors because it needs nearly line-of-sight to the GPS satellites above. The roof of a car might work but the roof of a house won't.
Indoors the phone is using A-GPS, the triangulation of cell towers of your network operator. It's very inaccurate and might get no location at all.
See my post here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=9417735&postcount=2

GPS calibration

I have found that some apps that are location aware or ask me to pick local servers, often suggest servers on the east coast. I am on the west coast of the US. When I am on wifi this does not happen, it is only happening on 3g. When I toggle on wifi is suggests local servers. I have went into location settings and toggled on and off the settings for GPS as well as the "use wireless" option and it does nothing to help the issue.
The maps app as well as navigation work perfectly fine for locating me, this seems to be isolated to apps.

Thats usually an indication your gps is not working. When you use speedtest app with out wifi does it ask you to connect to kansas?

Speed test isn't a good way to find out as it will connect you sometimes to the least busiest server. Gps needs to lock first on a couple sats first time usage after that should be better.
Xda app via atrix

I wad able to get it calibrated correctly. I went outside and calibrated the compass first. I then did a gps lock from maps and then tapped lock again and let it sit for about 2 minutes. Everything is fine as of now.
Sent from my Atrix using XDA App

GPS in Atrix locks the satellite very quick. It could be comparable to a standalone GPS.

Google Maps

I have the question regarding Triangulation.
Previously my phone was catching my location based on triangulation of antennas even when GPS was not ready and still searching for satellites.
Now when I hit MyLocation it always says unavailable until it gets GPS signal.
Strange enough my feature phone SE Cedar almost immediately gets the location (different carrier though).
What can be reason?

Check you location settings in the settings menu... That might be the problem?

im_iceman said:
Check you location settings in the settings menu... That might be the problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well just read my post.
In location settings you have only GPS and WiFi.
As I wrote previously the phone was getting the Location BEFORE GPS kicked in,
now it doesn't work and why - this is my question.

And WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Google Maps show me today I'm in KarlsKorona while I'm in Warsaw!!!
What the f..ck?!

[Q] Anyone Elses GPS Aweful?

I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]

Nothing wrong with my gps. Have you upgraded to the latest firmware? Downloaded the A-GPS data (you can get this by using an app called GPS status)? Switch OFF wifi after you do, then leave it to get a full signal lock (takes up to 15minutes or so with a clear view of the sky).

toddmp said:
I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you are outside with a clear view of sky when you test. It can take any GPS up to 10 minutes to acquire the ephemeris information (satellite position at a certain time) and lock up. You phone cheats this by using the cellular network to provide a general location of where your are and therefore where to look for certain satellites.

thanks so much for the info guys. I had a feeling it had something to do with no cell phone band helping out. thanks!

GPS works fine here, as other have said the closer you are to the sky/window the better.

yeah..give your TF a few minutes to lock up sat positions (if you've never done this)..
this applies to most pure gps devices..cellphones can use cellular network signal to quickly locate your position but the data isn't really from gps itself.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1088120
Hope this helps
Acid lestitious 2.0. Fugumod 2.4 800 mhz

jerrykur said:
Make sure you are outside with a clear view of sky when you test. It can take any GPS up to 10 minutes to acquire the ephemeris information (satellite position at a certain time) and lock up. You phone cheats this by using the cellular network to provide a general location of where your are and therefore where to look for certain satellites.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wonder if it does the wifi cheat like maps for android phones, where it uses the known APs to determine location? I say that because when I first fired up my transformer yesterday, after connecting to wifi, I screwed around on maps and it found me inside my house in less than 30 seconds.

toddmp said:
I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its the reverse for me! in the same room of house i often cannot get a fix on my Optimus 2x. i use GPS Staus app. but i often get fix within 30secs. as a test i have both machines running the app next to each other and the transformer always gets regular fixes.
..... hmm just realised as i type this that i have a phone called optimus and tablet called transformer, and they both run android!!!

I get fixes with no wifi (ie: only GPS) within 30 seconds.

Quite the opposite, mine is extremely accurate. After it gets a fix on maps that little google person is standing right in my front yard in the satellite view! Better than my Droid!

Mine is almost instantaneous. Just tried it at home based on this thread and had a read in probably 5 seconds.

I have not been able to obtain a GPS lock until today when I set my location to use wireless networks. To me this is really stupid because the GPS shouldn't have to use any location settings to obtain a lock in my mind. That is if the GPS chip in the TF is a true GPS chip it should not to rely on a wifi signal to obtain a lock. If the GPS is turned on then it should lock.

I tested sygic gps navigation 11 and signal lock and quality was better than my galaxy s was pretty accurate
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using XDA Premium App

Works fine for me, apart from one minor detail. When I switch from Google Maps to another app, even for a few seconds, then the tablet has to get a lock all over again. There appears to be no way to set the GPS to keep a lock while Google Maps isn't the active program.
That, for me, makes Google Maps near-useless in a moving vehicle. Hopefully other third-party apps won't have this issue.

Google Maps is prety much useless on the Transformer for GPS navigation as a data connection is need. I have heard of people caching a route before hand but ..... Copilot Live 7 is out for android so that is one option. However if the GPS relies on a wifi signal in order to obtain a lock then it is about useless too.

toddmp said:
I have never had my GPS locate me via google maps. My Phone has no issues. Anyone else have GPS issues? any tips? Hopefully a software update fixes it? I have a friend who has the same issue.
[Should have read "awful", not aweful]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gps works fine on mine....unlike my icons or Samsung...both returned

gps does use wifi to help gps locate, theres options to turn this off in settings, i went to pick up my dock today and couldn't get a gps lock while in the car with the transformer in my lap(gps status app showed 3 sats but none would lock) just lifting it up 12 inches closer to the windshield made 7 satellites pop up and instantly started getting locks
i think proximity to a window/line of sky is a big factor, and the transformer does have a true gps chip for those who seem to doubt it, also the navigation app keeps running in the background, its better to use that than google maps

No issues with gps here. The bastard finds me every time!

jadesse said:
However if the GPS relies on a wifi signal in order to obtain a lock then it is about useless too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't rely on WiFi for a lock, it just uses it to allow a faster connection if you don't already have current ephemeris data downloaded. That's a limitation of all GPS receivers -- it takes a fair while to download the ephemeris data if you're out of date or have travelled a significant distance, and without it the device can't get a GPS fix.
You can think of the WiFi location system as analogous to a cellphone being able to use tower locations to help position itself while waiting for GPS ephemeris data.