Well I always kinda wondered if a standalone GPS would be better than using the GPS function of an all-in-one smartphone. They say a device that does everything can do everything moderately well. Not the case here! I have to say, that compared to the phone, Garmin sucks!!
We got these garmins in our vans at work, mainly so they could track us (taddlers). I definitely prefer my phone. Here's why:
1. I have to enter my city for every address I input. WTF? it knows where I am
2. It doesn't know all the addresses that G maps does. On one address, garmin failed and gmaps found it no prob. (those homes have been there over 4 years)
3. It doesn't automatically stop navigating when I arrive. It's like it doesn't even know I'm there...
4. The touch buttons are a pita. I have to touch them just right, this makes it difficult while driving.
Anyway, go gmaps! I guess a multi-function device can do things better than the standalone.
That gps sounds old. I have the newest nuvi and it works well for me and it knows where I am as well. But I do like google maps better than any gps out right now and plus google maps gets updates so you can get a better mapping experience with the locations added. I know there is also a garmin app that I have for my iPhone that works good too.
For sure I guess if you navigate a lot google nav would be better for those reasons. You shouldn't input anything while driving though so the touch screen makes perfect sense to me. Also the voice recognition on android is definitely a plus. Btw next time your company buys nuvis, make sure they get the ones with lifetime map updates...
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
How does nuvi get updates, through the sdcard?
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA Premium App
Umm I would ask a store that sells them.
if they arent updating the software every year thats why the phone has better directions. have to keep the GPS updated. havent you seen the "mayhem" commercial? LOL.
Plus I think on most standalone gps units, you have to PAY for the map updates, it was 75$ for the garmin I used to use before I got this phone.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
You update through the sd card. It is 75 bucks to buy the updates, but you can spend a little more and get the nuvis that end with "lm" or "lmt" which stand for lifetime maps or lifetime maps and traffic.
Usually, especially around christmas time, they have great sales where the ones with lifetime updates are basically as cheap if not cheaper than the ones without. But definitely look for the ones that come with lifetime map updates.
I'd much rather use my gps so I dont have to waste precious battery or keep my phone plugged in to the car charger. Especially because when you get calls, it cuts out your data signal...plus I like having the map with street names mounted right in front of me at all times. I use my phone to play music in the car so it gets to be a hassle.
Sent from my SCH-I500 using XDA App
Seeing as though my Fascinate's GPS had worked flawlessly ever since DJ05(and I used it this weekend for a few hours), I can definitely say it's better. The satellite view is really awesome. The only advantage a dedicated GPS has is the voice. If Google improves the voice, the free GPS on Android phones WILL be the best, even though I consider them that already,
Personally I prefer google nav over my garmin. I still keep the old gps in the trunk incase of emergency if my phone was to die. If you already have one, might as well take it just incase.
Related
Hello everyone.
I am going to buy htc desire soon. I have a query to ask. Please help me on this.
How would you rate the GPS on the Desire if i am going to use google maps? As is the speed. The screen view-ability etc.
The reason I ask this is that if it is not that good then I'll buy iPad 3G else the wifi version. I am really stuck with the decision. Please help me on this.
restrict said:
Hello everyone.
I am going to buy htc desire soon. I have a query to ask. Please help me on this.
How would you rate the GPS on the Desire if i am going to use google maps? As is the speed. The screen view-ability etc.
The reason I ask this is that if it is not that good then I'll buy iPad 3G else the wifi version. I am really stuck with the decision. Please help me on this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure about using it with google maps, but I have copilot and it works very good with that.
Also, comparing with HTC Diamond's GPS, the GPS in Desire is much much better. It locks the location even faster than my old Garmin Nuvi 350 that use sirf III.
The GPS in Google Maps is pretty spot on, and also works very well for Google Navigator too. The lock speed with assisted GPS is probably the fastest I've seen in a phone. Certainly better than my previous HTC Touch HD.
I've used 5 different HTC Devices with GPS Receivers throughout the years and the Desire beats them all. Time to get a fix is nearly 0 (Well okay, but it is veeery fast) and also very precise. Using it with google maps and Mobile Navigator and have never been happier with a GPS Device. Scrolling the Map in Google Maps is the smoothest i have seen on a mobile device (it is easily as fast as the iPhone, personally i think even faster) and it never loses the GPS Connection. I made a trip with my bike the other day, Desire in my Jacket and only took it out every 10 minutes or so, when heading towards an intersection where i had to turn and didn't know where to ;P It wakes incredibly fast from Standby, the Fix has never gone and your position is acurate again in an instance, not lags at all.
Yes, I can confirm all above, also sensitivity is excellent, I was able to fix inside my living room 3m far from window
+1. I use an app called GPS Test which shows you how many and where the satellites are you're connecting to. Also gives speed info. I'm shocked how quick it locks onto satellites. I use in on the bike and car with no problems.
Stimpoff said:
Yes, I can confirm all above, also sensitivity is excellent, I was able to fix inside my living room 3m far from window
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can anyone confirm how the "stand alone" GPS works by itself? What if there is no mobile data coverage available?
Stand alone gps is even better as long as u have good navigation software installed with maps. Like co pilot, motonav (igo for desire.). It's almost instant... well worth of money. Paid
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Sent from my HTC Desire
Can also confirm that the GPS is superb. GPS Test from the market shows you number of satellites used & degree of accuracy. My Desire stabilises on 2-3m accuracy I'd hazard that stand-alone GPSs won't do any better than that, and I've only seen it lose GPS signal once... for about half a second.
Coming from a Touch Pro, this thing's GPS (along with absolutely everything else!) is a revelation!
I'm an avid cyclist, use the Desire with runkeeper & sportypal, it is spot on accurate with my rather expensive & well tuned bike computer.
I also use it with copilot and it works perfectly...
Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
I usually get a lock when outside within 10th seconds maximum, compared with about 3 minutes on my Omnia without tweaks.
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Sent via the XDA Tapatalk App
When You are roaming then MB prices are very high... so I understand using google maps is working great when You are in your home network.
What other GPS software (with maps stored on the Desire, not downloaded in real time) have You used and was it any good?
i think my old Hero was faster, but i could be i imagine it... Will traveling in high speed affect the lock time?
i think my old Hero was faster, but i could be i imagine it... Will traveling in high speed affect the lock time?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It won't be an issue upto 140 MPH, I can confirm that. Faster... I'm not sure. I've used the GPS facility for routes and disabled my TomTom over 60 times by now. Never once has it failed signal or lost tracking (in the UK).
I can confirm all the above positive sayings. Apps like Car Home / Navigator will assist you well. The GPS Test app is excellent (I use GPS Speedo and GPS2GoogleEarth at times too).
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- Sent via my HTC Desire -
hi mates!
i am a newbie here
i use my desire in Greece so i want to know how i ll find CoPilot 8?
if i search to market there are no effects
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...372,0.018947&z=16&iwloc=00048f225d8da9a32da25
on a very very clear day with the Vibrant in my cycling jersey pocket on my back.
supl.google.com
sky hook on
MS Based
a few blips but its fairly close. but should be better. It's not unusable like some say.
It is unusable for some people, you happened to be able to use skyhook. If you were in the middle of nowhere that wouldnt help you.
Yea I used it also and it seems to be a bit off on the track
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Never been unusable for me either. Actually fairly accurate ill have to do a my tracks later....
Lol you guys sound like some of the customers I deal with everyday. These are consumer grade devices. If you want something accurate go buy a Trimble GPS device and spend the thousands of dollars it takes to acquire one. I think even with the hiccups, your tracks are pretty decent. This is a cellphone, not a true GPS device.
BTW I work for Garmin so with my background of GPS and how it works this is probably why the inaccuracies in your track do not bother me. One thing you have to understand there are so many factors that can play into why you might of had these spikes....Heavy tree coverage, cloud over cast, power lines, tall buildings etc...Signal multi-path can also play into these types of spikes. Not bashing, but I think it does a pretty good job for what it is.
Steeltippin said:
Lol you guys sound like some of the customers I deal with everyday. These are consumer grade devices. If you want something accurate go buy a Trimble GPS device and spend the thousands of dollars it takes to acquire one. I think even with the hiccups, your tracks are pretty decent. This is a cellphone, not a true GPS device.
BTW I work for Garmin so with my background of GPS and how it works this is probably why the inaccuracies in your track do not bother me. One thing you have to understand there are so many factors that can play into why you might of had these spikes....Heavy tree coverage, cloud over cast, power lines, tall buildings etc...Signal multi-path can also play into these types of spikes. Not bashing, but I think it does a pretty good job for what it is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Um I am sorry I disagree with you, with my first smart phone, the G1 took seconds to lock on to 4+ birds ... and my vibrant .. see's 10 and locks on to 1 .. and its not even the one with the strongest signal ... then there is an issue. I think that is what people are complaining about.
I agree .. if the true purpose of getting something is for GPS alone, then a Garmin etc .. is great.
aohmer said:
Um I am sorry I disagree with you, with my first smart phone, the G1 took seconds to lock on to 4+ birds ... and my vibrant .. see's 10 and locks on to 1 .. and its not even the one with the strongest signal ... then there is an issue. I think that is what people are complaining about.
I agree .. if the true purpose of getting something is for GPS alone, then a Garmin etc .. is great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The G1 had almost the same exact problem with the GPS when it was first released in October of 08. In the beginning of December, it was updated OTA and it was fixed completely. The update for the Vibrant is coming this month, have faith.
scooterman said:
supl.google.com
sky hook on
MS Based
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Skyhook is not GPS. Period.
scooterman said:
a few blips but its fairly close. ...ore it a 7/10, usable, but far from the best.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The release notes for the new Obsidian 2.2 ROM from TW says the GPS is "very accurate". I'm assuming it's got the real 2.2 drivers and SW.
It would be interesting to see a comparison of the JI6 and 2.2 GPS accuracy.
I've definitely had issues with significant inaccuracy using the Vibrant GPS for driving. It's usually fine, but sometimes it goes into rapid recalculations due to miscalculating my location on nearby streets. It's can be quite annoying if you're depending on it. I've used several standalone GPS units over the years and haven't seen this behavior before. In some ways the Vibrant GPS is better than my current standalone unit, but this inconsistent accuracy is a significant flaw.
I'm hoping 2.2 will include some improvements.
samnada said:
The release notes for the new Obsidian 2.2 ROM from TW says the GPS is "very accurate". I'm assuming it's got the real 2.2 drivers and SW.
It would be interesting to see a comparison of the JI6 and 2.2 GPS accuracy.
I've definitely had issues with significant inaccuracy using the Vibrant GPS for driving. It's usually fine, but sometimes it goes into rapid recalculations due to miscalculating my location on nearby streets. It's can be quite annoying if you're depending on it. I've used several standalone GPS units over the years and haven't seen this behavior before. In some ways the Vibrant GPS is better than my current standalone unit, but this inconsistent accuracy is a significant flaw.
I'm hoping 2.2 will include some improvements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although GPS test reports an accuracy of 6-10 yards roughly, once I start Maps, the accuracy varies on a much wider range. Driving in big city is not much fun when you could be anywhere within a 200 yard range.
I have a non-rooted Vibrant. After the OTA J16 fix a couple of weeks ago, the GPS went from non-functional (hardly ever locked on any satellites, even after many minutes) to quite good (usually locks on 6-9 satellites within 10-30 seconds). The Google Navigation works well and stays on track 99% of the time. However, Google Earth seems a little wonky. It can locate me in my neighborhood and usually within my 1-acre yard, but, after I'm located, it can begin to wander around by 100-200 feet even when I'm standing still...not always, but sometimes. Am I expecting more than I should?
I know how to get into my GPS settings with the dialer. Is there any point in clearing the GPS data? I assumed that the J16 update would have reset this. I'm generally happy with the GPS function now, but wonder if there is anything more I should do now that it works pretty well.
Can we take another run at this?
Ok, I'm a little surprised that I didn't get even one response to this. Let me try a slightly different approach.
How good can the GPS in a smartphone be? Do any of you have any model of phone where the GPS is blazingly fast to lock, never gets lost or off track, and is always dead-on? Since the Vibrant is my first phone with GPS, the only thing I have to compare it to is my Garmin navigation unit, which is less-than-perfect.
So, can anyone give me a reality check or a realistic set of expectations? Thanks.
After the J16 update, my Vibe's GPS is a bit better than my G1's GPS. Both are lightyears ahead of my girlfriends TomTom.
after the update, my GPS still does not work. I think the GPS is just absolutely horrible and I really do hope they release a new software fix because the ji6 did nothing for me.
to compare, my g2 was able to find my location within 5 seconds. in terms of my location, it was pretty dead on within a few feet, and also accuarate in the direction I was facing.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
ZX3ZX4 said:
Ok, I'm a little surprised that I didn't get even one response to this. Let me try a slightly different approach.
How good can the GPS in a smartphone be? Do any of you have any model of phone where the GPS is blazingly fast to lock, never gets lost or off track, and is always dead-on? Since the Vibrant is my first phone with GPS, the only thing I have to compare it to is my Garmin navigation unit, which is less-than-perfect.
So, can anyone give me a reality check or a realistic set of expectations? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All my Nokia phones had great GPS. Locks were pretty fast, but they were dead on and I don't remember ever losing the signal outside.
I haven't had to use the gps much since fixed, but it locks on in a reasonable amount of time now and within 20 feet usually. What I don't know yet is if it stays locked on while driving.
To be honest though, it's still much better than the magellan gps I bought last November. That thing wouldnt lock on unless I was out on the road. Not inside my house right up against a window, not under a carport. I'm satisfied for now as long as it stays locked when I use it for roadtrips.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
allthrottle said:
That thing wouldnt lock on unless I was out on the road. Not inside my house right up against a window, not under a carport. I'm satisfied for now as long as it stays locked when I use it for roadtrips.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If that is what you looking at, I haven't seen one GPS unit in any store with an acquired signal.
I guess the title says it all. Has the official UK froyo release fixed the GPS?
This is the swinging factor on which phone I get!
No.
Eleven chars
I don't know about fixed but mine is certainly a lot better. It no longer loses lock every 5 mins or so using route tracker pro. and it turns back on properly after using waze - so averall a great improvement.
No.
Suggest you get something else if GPS is important to you because it is absolutely crap on the Galaxy S. It is inaccurate and will jump back and forth at regular intervals. It will also lose lock very easily if there are high buildings around. I can't even get a lock sitting on the top deck of a bus and next to the window.
Yes in a big way. 10sec lock.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
I'm not so worried by how long it takes to lock, more-so by how it keeps the lock and can track an accurate location.
I'm assuming it is still all over the place then.
brisnick said:
I'm not so worried by how long it takes to lock, more-so by how it keeps the lock and can track an accurate location.
I'm assuming it is still all over the place then.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you are right, useless for what you need.
Why not RMA, ask for a new built phone, test GPS and report back?. I'm sure it will be ok in most cases. It looks like it was fixed on later hardware but no one is going to make Samsung admit it
No here too, better but still tracks really badly at times. Will look into an rma when I get some time to. Pity because apart from the gps I really rate this phone.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Well, so far, based on my experience in the last 3 days, it is better. At least it seems like it is. I used RunKeeper quite a lot before, the tracks showed me flying over the river and stuff like that, but after I got FroYo, it got better. My tracks are more exact and it seems the GPS reception is not lost, like it used to. We will see how it will go on...
Huge no. It takes sometimes up to half an hour to get lock and then only lasts mins.
Add to that the advertised (here in australia anyway) free navigation which does not work here (no, google maps is not free navigation, its google maps. Navigation is navigation). Its an awesome phone but, and i may regret saying this. The horribly slow, misleadingly advertised, failure of a phone nokia N97 wins on delivering gps by a long shot. There i said it, its out there.
No. GPS still not working for me. Yesterday I couldn't even get a fix (outside, no tall buildings, no overcast)
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App
Those of you that know me here will know I have dedicated a large slice of my spare time in trying to find out as much information as possible.
Throughout that time my GPS was totally useless running on one of the very first SGS's released in the UK.
Anyway, I altered nothing on the phone left it on it's stock ROM and did the upgrade last Saturday.
In short Kies totally wrecked the phone and I had to resort to using Odin to sort out the mess.
I've since told Samsung exactly what happened and my thoughts to Kies.
However, you are asking what is the GPS like.......
I have nothing to gain. Far from it I would be at the very front in damning Samsung for using Kies but the honest answer from me on GPS is for the very first time I can say I totally am impressed with it.
Whilst sat in my home, a good 10 feet away from the window in a large house with thick walls and three floors I get a lock within seconds and notice again for the first time many locked Satellites with signals above AND below 20SNR, yes below 20... (Prior to the upgrade not once did I receive a locked signal on anything other than above 20).
More importantly under My Tracks the lock follows my movements accurately and not once loses it's signal.
I took the dogs out this afternoon for a long walk and each time I checked the phone I noticed the compass showing the correct bearing and the GPS signal right bang on top of my position.
No... bought a SGS in the UK last month and have been using it in Brazil. GPS has been completely useless for me. Froyo seemed to help at fist, but yesterday it took over 20 minutes to lock in google navigation. Terrible!!!
Easy to get a lock whilst walking, when i get in my car it becomes near useless.
I want to compare Nexus S's GPS to Galaxy S's. So could anyone there make a simple track with Nexus S walking and driving for atleast 2km. If possible do the tracking with a Galaxy S tracking at the same time as well.
Thanks
I actually have both a Nexus S and Vibrant, so I could do this for you. Is there any particular app you have in mind to do it with?
I guess you can use MyTracks.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
I did a 14km mountain bike ride with Runkeeper on, yesterday. Was my first try with the app (normally use MyTracks but this was my first ride since switching to the Nexus S). Not sure how to share it but this link is a start.
One thing I did notice is that the beginning of my ride included a 28 mile 'warp' from where I'd been using Google Maps the day before! I guess in future I need to give it a little more time establishing that initial fix before I press start. Luckily I was able to edit out that point to get the real route.
Please someone make a Mytracks tracking With a Nexus S and another phone (preferably HTC cause those have very good GPS units) and upload the results.
There you go.
I just made this one with my Nexus S:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U....555383,-44.264713&spn=0.002128,0.003484&z=19
Keep in mind that the sky was full of heavy clouds so I can't guarantee that the GPS was operating on its full accuracy.
A couple of months ago I made a track recording with my Motorola Milestone, here's the link:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...900089483924351110.0004990b6c3698b559c65&z=14
When I first saw the Nexus S track i was like "holy sh*t this looks bad". But then I went to my old milestone track and it was almost the same. You can only see how bad it is once you zoom in a lot.
nicholasbgr said:
There you go.
I just made this one with my Nexus S:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U....555383,-44.264713&spn=0.002128,0.003484&z=19
Keep in mind that the sky was full of heavy clouds so I can't guarantee that the GPS was operating on its full accuracy.
A couple of months ago I made a track recording with my Motorola Milestone, here's the link:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...900089483924351110.0004990b6c3698b559c65&z=14
When I first saw the Nexus S track i was like "holy sh*t this looks bad". But then I went to my old milestone track and it was almost the same. You can only see how bad it is once you zoom in a lot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Based on these two I would say that the Nexus S GPS is still not good enough or its just the weather. I hope the latter.
I'll try to post one of my old tracks from the same location made with HTC Hero (custom ROM though) and Google MyTracks. I'd do it now but the interface is impossible on this netbook screen!
Anyway - for me the Nexus S gets a fix much faster and seems generally at least as accurate, possibly more so.
You will only get at best about 3.5m accuracy from a regular gps device without dgps (waas/egnos). No phones that I know of, support dgps. With dgps you can get accurate to about 0.9m
If you need more accuracy then there are external gps/bluetooth modules that have dgps and fast refresh rates, for about $80.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
Worse GPS than N1
Anecdotally and without any quantifiable experimentation, but based on using mytracks with GPS extremely regularly for running, I can say the GPS in the Nexus S seems a bit worse thanin the Nexus One. I didn't have both in my possession simultaneously for long enough to do the same track with both but I have loads of old Nexus One tracked routes I could re-run with the Nexus S to compare. The N1 gave me trouble every once in a while too though and the clouds have been rowdy lately, possibly contributing, so I'm optimistic. It's bearable in any case other than seeming to take more of a battery drain (again, anecdotally).
OK, here's a bunch of tracks from my HTC Hero if you're interested in trying to compare them.
http://goo.gl/maps/XSG4
(For convenience, the Nexus S link from earlier is this)
As I say, based purely on my observation the Nexus S gets the fix faster. Having a zoomed-in look at the two maps would say to me they're both as accurate as I could wish for.
from what I understand, the gps chip in the ns is good in terms of performance, locks faster, keeps lock longer under low signal conditions etc but isn't necessarily any more accurate than any of the previous models wear. gps accuracy is purposely limited for civilian use and I believe most chips out there can achieve that accuracy as long as they are able to track the required number of satellites.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App
eahiv said:
Anecdotally and without any quantifiable experimentation, but based on using mytracks with GPS extremely regularly for running, I can say the GPS in the Nexus S seems a bit worse thanin the Nexus One.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with this. I use my gps and navigation all the time to drive around and the nexus s gps is typically 30 - 50ft behind the positioning marker. With my N1 it felt like the marker was about 10ft within my location.
Also I notice that the gps sometimes misplaces my postioning marker on the map and the compass points in the wrong direction. These arent problems I had with my N1 but perhaps because its cloudier now than when I had my N1.
I'd give the N1 gps a 9, and the NS gps a 6. What makes up for the weird accuracy issues is the bigger screen.
Thank you for all the replies. If at all possible, could someone still make one comparison with an external bluetooth gps, for example the nokia LD-3W. Also the higher update rate GPS's would be nice to compare.
As of the results, I'd conclude that Nexus S definitely has the same GPS chip and almost the same firmware as the SGS's, but antennas have definitely been improved. Atleast now the GPS on all SGS series devices, including the Nexus S, are capable of running a "satnav" properly. Now if I only could get my compass and accelerometer working on my SGS / JPX
I'm planning on getting an external bt GPS module for autocross, I'll report back then.
Sent from my Nexus S using XDA App