[crackberryjill]

The GPS feature of the playbook to me is one of the good ones, especially now that Magellan Compass will soon come with offline capability.

I just always assumed that the iPad also had GPS on its wifi models. For that kind of money, you would think it would be standard equipment.

So to get GPS you have to buy one of the more expensive 3G/4G models. And a data plan to go with it.

That alone makes my playbook miles ahead of the iPad. And I am not really one for comparing devices as they all offer different things to different people, but somehow this one just surprised me.

So with offline mode, bridge and tethering, why would I ever need to get a 3g/4g tablet? The extra capabilities don't seem to match the high extra cost both in purchase and data plans.

Edited to add: You might want to move this, I meant to put it in the Playbook forum.

[app_Developer]

Just one little point: the GPS in the iPad2 3G works without a data plan. I only pay for the data plan a few months out of the year when I know I'm traveling. I don't pay for it in the fall and winter at all.

At least in the iPad2, the radio chipset does the GPS as well. So I guess they didn't want to do a different GPS part for the wifi models. Of course if you are on WiFi, very often you're indoors anyway and can get a coarse location from the WiFi itself. So Maps and other apps that need to know where you are still generally work. But you make a good point about the tethering scenario. I don't know how that works.

I think there are a couple of apps out there that claim to allow you to use your iPhone's GPS on the wifi iPad. I haven't tried them, though.

[crackberryjill]

If planning a trip, coarse location isn't going to help.

And it just surprised me that for the big price tag, there wasn't a gps chip.

Once I have my updated Magellan Compass, I will have a working GPS. Not quite as good as a dedicated one, but pretty functional.

I know the GPS works without a data plan, but you need the app to go with it. But I assume Magellan will probably come out with one for the iPad as well.

[app_Developer]

If planning a trip, coarse location isn't going to help.

Depends on the trip. If I'm planning a trip from here to Sacremento or something, I don't need to know where I am to 10m accuracy. I really just need the nearest intersection.

And it just surprised me that for the big price tag, there wasn't a gps chip.

Apple is very big on minimal parts. They use the same integrated GPS and radio on the iPhone also. As in the exact same part.

Once I have my updated Magellan Compass, I will have a working GPS. Not quite as good as a dedicated one, but pretty functional.

I know the GPS works without a data plan, but you need the app to go with it. But I assume Magellan will probably come out with one for the iPad as well.

Most of the good iOS navigation apps I've tried work on the iPad. There's a few good ones to choose from there.

[crackberryjill]

Most of the good iOS navigation apps I've tried work on the iPad. There's a few good ones to choose from there.

But if you are looking for turn by turn instructions, how can you do that without a dedicated gps chip?

[Mike1117]

My wife has the wifi ipad2 and I find the map always finds her location very accurately whereas my PlayBook often puts me a quarter mile away if it can find me at all. Actually this is one of the features that I am very disappointed in on the PlayBook.

[app_Developer]

But if you are looking for turn by turn instructions, how can you do that without a dedicated gps chip?

Right, you can only plan/map your route, you couldn't follow it turn by turn. And, anyway, the iPad is too big for that type of application IMO, even with the GPS in the 3G.

I would say a 7" tablet like the Playbook is a better fit for that particular use.

[app_Developer]

My wife has the wifi ipad2 and I find the map always finds her location very accurately whereas my PlayBook often puts me a quarter mile away if it can find me at all. Actually this is one of the features that I am very disappointed in on the PlayBook.

We've seen the same from our Playbooks, but that's because we're in an office building. And like most office buildings, we can't get good GPS visibility in here.

I think the database that they use for WiFi positioning may be old or a bit off. My Playbook worked fine for location a couple of weeks ago when I was in Washington, DC, for example.