[Turrese]

Hi, everyone. I got a Bold last week. I just put Google Maps (v3.0.2) on it today. I'm curious about something, though...

With nearly all phones I've ever had (particularly smartphones), one of -- if not THE -- main concern for me has always been battery life. I like to have as much battery life as possible.

I know that if I go in to Options > Advanced Options > GPS and set my GPS to "Location On," that will use more battery -- and faster -- than if it was switched to "Location Off." With this Google Maps, right when I open the app, it gives me my approximate location to within 2200 meters. So I originally figured maybe the app automatically switched my GPS to "Location On," but when I went back to Options and checked the GPS, it still said Location Off.

So, even with my GPS apparently off (the way I prefer it, unless absolutely necessary), how is Google Maps able to approximate my location, and is it still using my GPS somehow to do this? And in turn, how much extra battery life is this taking from my phone? Lastly, how can I make sure everything about my GPS is off unless I physically turn it on myself? Again, I ask because I like to have available as much battery life as possible, and don't want my phone or its GPS using up my battery unless I actually need it to (for example, if I was driving and got really lost, and only then I turned on my GPS to map it)? Is this just how Google Maps is, or is there some setting I can apply to it to prevent this?

Sorry for the rather long explanation...I just wanted to make sure I describe it as well as possible, so as to get the best possible answer, haha.

Thanks for any help! Much appreciated.

[Abbsta]

If you set it to Location Off then your GPS is Off.

Google Maps would then use cell towers to aproximate your location. That's why it's 2200 meters hence not very accurate. But with GPS on, this would drop down to around 5 meters. .

You would also know on the map by the blue circle. If GPS is on you'll see a blue dot instead of a big circle.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Turrese]

If you set it to Location Off then your GPS is Off.

Google Maps would then use cell towers to aproximate your location. That's why it's 2200 meters hence not very accurate. But with GPS on, this would drop down to around 5 meters. .

You would also know on the map by the blue circle. If GPS is on you'll see a blue dot instead of a big circle.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Okay cool, that's good to know anyway... Thanks bud!

[Turrese]

Hey actually I just noticed this -- I just checked in Options, and my GPS is still set to Location Off. However, when I open Google Maps, though it's still saying "approximate location," it is represented by a small blue dot, like you said it would if GPS was ON...The small blue dot flashes blue and white.

[Abbsta]

Well, you can double check if your Location Off is true or not. If you press menu then Refresh GPS, you'll get a pop up saying 'GPS Location Update Failed'. Try it.

Also in Google Maps what does it say when you press 0 (zero).