Anyone else having this problem? It doesn't work at all indoors. And I mean even if I'm right next to the window. Works a little better outdoors. I've tried it with Google Maps, BB Maps, and Live Search.
The iPhone 3G's GPS worked fine for me.
I hope there's a fix because right now, this is no better than having no GPS at all.
Duh! GPS depends on communication with satellites. Can you not find the bathroom with out GPS? You need a clear view of the sky.
So is the iPhone using magic Steve Jobs dust?
I want to look for local restaurants without having to stand outside freezing my ba11s off.
I'm in NYC. Concrete jungle. Still, it's not like I'm in a nuclear bunker. I can still see the sky from the window. I'm gonna go to the AT&T store to see if their display model has the same problem.
The GPS on my Bold works everywhere my TomTom does. Its not the quickest fix, but its just as accurate.
As for the iPhone, it uses cell tower triangulation to approximate your position, at least until the internal GPS can get a fix. But its not vocal about it like the BB is. My friend with his iPhone is always amazed by the accuracy of the BB.
The GPS on my Bold works everywhere my TomTom does. Its not the quickest fix, but its just as accurate.
As for the iPhone, it uses cell tower triangulation to approximate your position, at least until the internal GPS can get a fix. But its not vocal about it like the BB is. My friend with his iPhone is always amazed by the accuracy of the BB.
which means?? BB gps doesnt work indoor? even in my car i have a hard time locking into the satellite :s could be just me though..
I am in NYC as well and havent been able to get my device to lock into a satellite. I have only tried next to my window at work. I have been able to use other GPS devices from the same location.
I am in NYC as well and havent been able to get my device to lock into a satellite. I have only tried next to my window at work. I have been able to use other GPS devices from the same location.
are you trying through a program like google maps? is it your first time trying to get a lock?
if so, go through your advanced options and hit refresh while outdoors. the first lock takes the longest.
Not using any program as I was trying to lock to a satellite before I used Nav4ALL. I have not tried to "Refresh GPS" outdoors yet, but I have tried by the window. I will try in a few minutes on my cigerette break and repost.
Mine works fine and you can still look for places without GPS.
Google maps will get close to you about 2700 meters.
hahha. That's not close at all!
I did some more experimenting. Outdoors, Google Maps says "accurate within 9 meters" or "4 meters." As SOON as I'm on the warm side of the door, it says "accurate within 800 meters." I'm assuming 800 meters is gotten through triangulation.
I went to the AT&T store. The display model was the same.
Originally Posted by litesout
As for the iPhone, it uses cell tower triangulation to approximate your position, at least until the internal GPS can get a fix. But its not vocal about it like the BB is.
That sounds right. I'd still prefer that though. I can't use Poynt or Live Search's location-aware features at all. At least triangulation would get me in the same neighborhood.
That sounds right. I'd still prefer that though. I can't use Poynt or Live Search's location-aware features at all. At least triangulation would get me in the same neighborhood.
Google Maps uses tower triangulation whenever a GPS lock can not be established, so it's just as accurate as your iPhone was, or better with lock.
Not using any program as I was trying to lock to a satellite before I used Nav4ALL. I have not tried to "Refresh GPS" outdoors yet, but I have tried by the window. I will try in a few minutes on my cigerette break and repost.
yeah for the first lock, refresh outside. and it might take a few minutes. i think my first one took 3 or 4 minutes but since then, it locks while in google maps within 20 seconds, and that's while driving. and then it's usually accurate for 3-8 meters.
works fine for me indoors, i use google maps to search indoors all the time. It won't pinpoint my exact location, but will get close enough, within a few blocks through cell tower triangulation-the exact same thing the iPhone does.
I have to say that the fix on the bold is quite slow even with the location aiding... i find it is quite slow.
I used to have the N95 and N82 Nokia, and the GPS lock with those two phones with asisted-gps kicks the bold's ****....
i mean i think i can have 10 GPS-lock with the N82 before the bold gets one... and i am not exaggerating by saying 10.
Nope, triangulation on cell towers, and probably a longer lasting cache of last GPS fix before it gets marked as invalid.
Originally Posted by yeahman
I'm in NYC. Concrete jungle. Still, it's not like I'm in a nuclear bunker. I can still see the sky from the window.
But can you see the right bits of sky? You need a clear view to at least 4 satellites, which are all moving across the sky. As you say, concrete jungle, and its filled with steel rebar and girders to help block the signal. The signal reflections from surrounding buildings could also fubar the timing calculations used to create a fix.
Here at home in UK the number of SVs I can track from a second floor room varies between 0 and 10. The variation is due to the number of SVs available in view at the time, whether it is raining (wet roof reduces signal), and whether individual SVs are blocked by surrounding buildings or not.
If you have been without satellite signals for some time (hours?) you might also need to keep a lock for several minutes to download ephemeris data again. With a longer timeout you might have to download ephemeris and almanack data, which will take longer. If you have restricted satellite visibility this can take significantly longer than the target time with good visibility.
I found the GPS on the BB to be flawless, I get a lock within seconds...seriously. In fact the Garmin Mobile app provides more functionality than my Nuvi 350 and with the same accuracy which is spot on in my experience thus far.
Price31 is right. The BOLD is slower to get a fix on sats then the 8310 was/is. Don't know what causes it but it almost renders amAze useless and makes BBMaps pointless.
That being said, I can be sitting on my couch and get a satellite fix in google maps. But then, I'm in Atlanta, must be a northern thing....
