The new update apparantly supports GLONASS, however I've read this:
To save power, the GLONASS receiver is only activated in problematic locations, such as in an urban environment with high rise buildings. Therefore, if you are in an open sky environment where there are enough GPS satellites available to calculate a good accuracy position, GLONASS will automatically be switched off temporarily to enhance the battery lifetime.
When using Endomondo the gps is even worse than my Galaxy S (which pretty much has a crappy GPS). I've tried this using my 2 devices side by side.
Is there a way to either improve the GPS or to forcefully enable GLONASS?
edit: i've analysed my GPX and it appears that about every 5 minutes the GPS signal is lost??? Anyone has any info on this (and maybe even a fix).
GLONASS is quite new, but nice to see it in Sony Ericsson.
GLONASS is automatic and it is not so popular, because only newest SE Xperia phones have its chip. So, there isn't any app yet about GLONASS, at least I haven't found.
I have used my phone's, SE Live with Walkman, GPS in a bigger city without problems. I used app GPS Test(from Market) to check, which GPS is being used. According to me, GLONASS is used only, if you see satellites numbers between 65 and 88.
Some info here: http://developer.sonymobile.com/wp/2012/01/19/glonass-support-in-our-latest-xperia-phones/
Someguyfromhell said:
So, there isn't any app yet about GLONASS, at least I haven't found.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As far as I know GLONASS is transparent accessible for any application through the android gps-api. So no need for special treadment of GLONASS for the applications.
My xperia active (firmware .42) use GLONASS all the time according to GPS TEST. It always show me satellites between 65 and 88.
GPS Fix is very fast (with mobile data enabled) and accurateness of the gps signal is the best I ever had.
Sprinter
Sprinter_HH said:
As far as I know GLONASS is transparent accessible for any application through the android gps-api. So no need for special treadment of GLONASS for the applications.
My xperia active (firmware .42) use GLONASS all the time according to GPS TEST. It always show me satellites between 65 and 88.
GPS Fix is very fast (with mobile data enabled) and accurateness of the gps signal is the best I ever had.
Sprinter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I meant, that application about GLONASS, turning it on and so. I might have said incorrectly.
But indeed, all applications, which use GPS, have also access to GLONASS.
Yes, but according to SE, it seems to only use the GLONASS in urban environements. As I use this device for running, it would be nice to have an "always on" function. I don't really care about battery.
Also: anyone tried to use a tracking application to track the GPS (like mytracks, rungps, ...)? GPS test is a pretty static application and works fine to determine if you get a fast fix but not if there is a tracking issue.
i have the same problem to ..gps signal lost every 3-5 minutes in big city ..
even my x8 have better signal (never lost a signal) i'm using papago~
i just heard about GLONASS (recently on your thread that is)
and i don't even know that it have on our phone !
known issue apparantly since last update (for officials roms)
http://talk.sonymobile.com/thread/25770?start=0&tstart=0
Related
Hi all im trying to use my GPS on navigation and it doesnt seem to be working one bit i even downloaded a gps app and that wasnt picking it up also any idea's what's wrong?
TipTopFlipFlop said:
Hi all im trying to use my GPS on navigation and it doesnt seem to be working one bit i even downloaded a gps app and that wasnt picking it up also any idea's what's wrong?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
EDIT: the only real GPS dead zones are underground and on a very rare occurence when your time and date aren't synchronized with that of the GPS sattelite. Other then that, have you tried to enable GPS in settings (would be weird if it was disabled by default). It also matters if you have a data connection when using some apps (I have never gotten google maps to show me where I am when I have no data).
Hope some of this is useful to you
Dyskmaster said:
EDIT: the only real GPS dead zones are underground and on a very rare occurence when your time and date aren't synchronized with that of the GPS sattelite. Other then that, have you tried to enable GPS in settings (would be weird if it was disabled by default). It also matters if you have a data connection when using some apps (I have never gotten google maps to show me where I am when I have no data).
Hope some of this is useful to you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank's for the reply the GPS is enabled still no luck,you cant get data on the Galaxy Player anyway i think.
Other people must be having this problem too the thread has had about 200 view's does anyone know anything about this problem?
TipTopFlipFlop said:
Thank's for the reply the GPS is enabled still no luck,you cant get data on the Galaxy Player anyway i think.
Other people must be having this problem too the thread has had about 200 view's does anyone know anything about this problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By data connection he means a wifi connection.
GPS uses data always. So it needs a data stream to get and use location services and maps.
On a phone it uses cellular or wifi but on an ipod style device or the galaxy player it needs wifi.
Without wifi it will never work unless your gps config files are modified; which is something i learned when trying to get the Acer Iconia GPS to work. And even then its probably not going to work.
Turn on wifi. I bet it works.
You now may be thinking "then what good is gps when i do not have a data connection!!?" - and my answer is exactly!!!
Gps on these devices is a gimmick and really only works when wifi is available.
True gps like a tom tom device doesnt need a wifi connection because it uses the gps link iyself for the limited data it needs plus the maps are built in.
On the galaxy player and phones the maps are downloaded at needed because they are hundreds of megs .
v_lestat said:
{snip}
True gps like a tom tom device doesnt need a wifi connection because it uses the gps link iyself for the limited data it needs plus the maps are built in.
On the galaxy player and phones the maps are downloaded at needed because they are hundreds of megs .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Galaxy Player works fine as a standalone GPS without need of a wifi connection if you have the right kind of app. I use Sygic but there are several others. You download maps from Sygic to your player so they are available on your device. Works fine on my 5" Galaxy Player. Also there are apps like speedometers which use the GPS and work fine without a wifi connection.
I use Sygic. And also use pre recorded areas in Google Maps when I need it. No need to WI-FI, etc..
It is a good GPS 5 ".
In fact, very good.
Until now no problems experienced with GPS. If you do not connect may be related to your area.
v_lestat said:
By data connection he means a wifi connection.
GPS uses data always. So it needs a data stream to get and use location services and maps.
On a phone it uses cellular or wifi but on an ipod style device or the galaxy player it needs wifi.
Without wifi it will never work unless your gps config files are modified; which is something i learned when trying to get the Acer Iconia GPS to work. And even then its probably not going to work.
Turn on wifi. I bet it works.
You now may be thinking "then what good is gps when i do not have a data connection!!?" - and my answer is exactly!!!
Gps on these devices is a gimmick and really only works when wifi is available.
True gps like a tom tom device doesnt need a wifi connection because it uses the gps link iyself for the limited data it needs plus the maps are built in.
On the galaxy player and phones the maps are downloaded at needed because they are hundreds of megs .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The GPS technology works perfectly fine without data connection. To speed up the first fix, aGPS was developped and uses a data connection when available, but data connection is not mandatory. It's what is used in most if not all smartphones (search for "assisted gps" in wikipedia).
Data connection are required by some navigation software because they need to download the maps or for some obscure reasons. It's the case with google navigation for example.
But you can use a software that doesn't require data connection and store all its map on the device and only uses the GPS signal to do the fix, as gotok pointed out correctly. An android device with a good navigation software is no different than what you call a "true gps like tomtom".
I think you just don't make the difference between GPS (the technology) and navigation software.
I agree that the samsung S wifi's GPS capabilities are not very useful "out of the box" with the limitations of google navigation, but it can work perfectly fine with a good software. Don't blame this device (or any other one) for the shortcomings of google navigation and some other software.
MervinMinky said:
I agree that the samsung S wifi's GPS capabilities are not very useful "out of the box" with the limitations of google navigation, but it can work perfectly fine with a good software. Don't blame this device (or any other one) for the shortcomings of google navigation and some other software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The software is definitely an issue. The SGP i got for christmas couldn't utilize its GPS at all. Regardless of what app tried to use GPS location services, i always got a location error (E.G. Location unavailable at this time.) After doing a little searching, i found that someone had an app that fixed a similar problem. I downloaded "GPS Status & Toolbox" and let it run. Its primary use is a compass and getting information about location, but after i opened it and let it download GPS configuration information, everything worked perfectly. Maps showed where i was, Facebook gave me nearby locations and so on.
Dont know if everyone figured this out already or not, but after reading over most of the thread, i didn't see a definitive solution. Just thought I'd share what i had found.
MervinMinky said:
The GPS technology works perfectly fine without data connection. To speed up the first fix, aGPS was developped and uses a data connection when available, but data connection is not mandatory. It's what is used in most if not all smartphones (search for "assisted gps" in wikipedia).
Data connection are required by some navigation software because they need to download the maps or for some obscure reasons. It's the case with google navigation for example.
But you can use a software that doesn't require data connection and store all its map on the device and only uses the GPS signal to do the fix, as gotok pointed out correctly. An android device with a good navigation software is no different than what you call a "true gps like tomtom".
I think you just don't make the difference between GPS (the technology) and navigation software.
I agree that the samsung S wifi's GPS capabilities are not very useful "out of the box" with the limitations of google navigation, but it can work perfectly fine with a good software. Don't blame this device (or any other one) for the shortcomings of google navigation and some other software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Data connection is never "mandatory" but with some GPS chipsets, it effectively is.
Some chipsets are so crippled they are almost never able to get a lock without assistance.
See the original GalaxyS phones as one example.
The Infuse is improved but not much better.
The Galaxy S II is VERY good at standalone operation.
Galaxy Players - ???, no clue
The GPS works fine, without wifi, on the Galaxy Player 5.0. To test it, get GPS Test (free). Of all the devices I have ever had with GPS (including Nokia phones, LG Android and HTC phones, Garmin) the GPS is the fastest I have experienced. Locks indoors and on moving trains very fast.
I use CoPilot mapping and navigation program and it works great.
I use "Mapdroid" (Free) and "Navdroid" (purchased) and both work great as stand-alone apps. The maps are open source maps and can be had for pretty much anywhere in the world.
Just like a real stand-alone GPSr the accuracy and speed of start up depends on a clear view of the sky, enough time to builds it's almanac of Sats and how far you are from the location you last accessed the app ( moving great distances between uses is almost the same as being turned on for the first time). The same can be said if too much time has gone by between use (such as months).
The Sat almanac gets built when your gpsr is turned on for the first time and is used as a predictive way identifying which Sats should be overhead at the current time you turn your GPSr on. Four or more Sataltites locked in gives you a higher degree of accuracy.
John
Hi,
I'm just wondering why my GPS doesn't work without internet connection. It just can't connect to any sattelite. I'm currently using PFGPS v2.0 FIX for my country (Poland) and I don't see any changes. What is wrong?
It requires Internet to load the maps
Can I load maps now to use GPS without internet connection if I'm not in wifi area?
Brajano95 said:
Can I load maps now to use GPS without internet connection if I'm not in wifi area?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
how can you load maps without internet connection ??
I'm at home now so I can do it cause I have wifi here :/
Brajano95 said:
I'm at home now so I can do it cause I have wifi here :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
so you have wifi that means you are connected to the internet!!!
for GPS it can only find your position but can't display your location on a map without an internet connection so GPS needs one.
I will wait for answer from another person. Thank you.
There is an application on the market(related to sports/tracking) that allows you to download a portion of a map and then you can use your GPS offline(no data connection). When I get home I will look for it(I have it on my tablet).
Correct me if I am wrong but Brajano95 means that is it possible to load the maps on his wifi connection and keep then saved when he is out and about to allow the gps to connect. You used to be able to do this in the google labs section on google maps but they've since taken it away unless you look for an older version. Otherwise have a look for third party map app on the android market which allows downloading of map data to the phone
adsada arc said:
Correct me if I am wrong but Brajano95 means that is it possible to load the maps on his wifi connection and keep then saved when he is out and about to allow the gps to connect. You used to be able to do this in the google labs section on google maps but they've since taken it away unless you look for an older version. Otherwise have a look for third party map app on the android market which allows downloading of map data to the phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats exactly what I'm talking about! Now I'm downloading Sygic Aura (about 550 mb) and will test it later.
Because GPS and Maps on CM7 suck balls at best. Maps is using your I.P. for the GPS coordinates when on WIFI, without it Maps is counting on a reliable signal from your GPS; and that's just not going to happen with CM7.
Sent from my GT-S5830 using xda premium
You can use iGo My Way
I know a fair bit about the GPS module in the Ace so i will comment. I think someone has already told you that it is possible to operate the Ace with preloaded maps. Likewise, i thought that the OP's choice of Sygic Navigation is a fair one.
Back to the original question in the title. GPS can operate with or without internet be it wifi or data e.g. 3G/2G. The difference is how fast you can obtain a GPS lock. Without using any positioning help from data connectivity, you are looking at a lock time of possibly 15 minutes thereabout.
There are 4 modes of operation possible for the GPS module in the Ace which is actually Qualcomm's GpsONE.
1.) Standalone (Slowest using positioning information in cache and smart polling)
2.) MS-Based (Sends data to nearby cell tower(s) and makes use of GPS transceivers in the cell tower(s)
3.) MS-Assisted (Similar to MS-Based BUT data connectivity is broken when GPS transceiver is online. I don't quite like that!)
4.) MS-Based/Hybrid (You need to have superb data connectivity probably cell tower signal strength should be in the -50dBm region. Not very useful in real life usage)
i have had my own thread for fixing GPS, so read up if you want to know more here.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1320626
first you need the maps to use it offline, and the correct gps.conf for your location http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1284506, then you can use it without internet
Mapdroyd is a great app that allows you to download maps for offline use. Unfortunately there isn't offline navigation though..
Hi,
I've solved my problem, just install Sygic! Thanks for helping guys
btw u dont need too install anything.. go to google labs inside maps and add map cache.. now long press a location on map.. click the arrow on the address and u ll see an option to cache that area.. the steps may not be accurate as i tried it a long time back and dont have my phone with me but its possible and what u have to do will be more or less the same...
Is gps a real gps or actually a-gps? Seems all tablet and phone want to confuse people this.
The GPS on Galaxy Player is a real GPS and it is pretty accurate. However, you need to find an app that DO NOT use data connection. May apps require you to have a data connection and it will give you an impression that the GPS is not working.
People have been talking about this in this thread.
truelies1 said:
Is gps a real gps or actually a-gps? Seems all tablet and phone want to confuse people this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically it is not a GPS... It is an aided GPS through the use of cell phone towers, so yes A GPS. It is very accurate though. Use Navfree if you want the use of offline maps. No internet connection is required once you install the maps. Hope this helps.
Yes it has Both..
AGPS when you have WiFi connection can be achieved.. much faster fix.
Once you had already acquired this and had initial fix, it's much faster to have a GPS fix for days..
use app like "gps status" free from market.
Note: It uses Satellites so its more easier to have a fix when you're outside and have a clear sky.
Two apps that come to mind for offline map is Map Doyd and Nav Droyd.
In map droyd the maps are free but Navdroyd will cost you a small onetime fee.
John
dunca123 said:
Technically it is not a GPS... It is an aided GPS through the use of cell phone towers, so yes A GPS. It is very accurate though. Use Navfree if you want the use of offline maps. No internet connection is required once you install the maps. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It can receive assistance from the network, but unlike many AGPS solutions, it does fairly well when operating standalone. It CAN lock fairly quickly when standalone, the only other devices I have that lock as well standalone are my Tab 10.1 and my GS2. (Original GalaxyS devices and the Infuse have GPS receivers that perform horribly without assistance.)
dunca123 said:
Technically it is not a GPS... It is an aided GPS through the use of cell phone towers, so yes A GPS. It is very accurate though. Use Navfree if you want the use of offline maps. No internet connection is required once you install the maps. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No phone function in YP-G70, so not A-GPS obviously. Don't you need data connection in Navfree to enter address even you have offline map?
Sent from my YP-G70 using xda premium
Greetings!
I am going to Turkey this Saturday with my school, and I am wondering if I am able to use my gps without huge costs?
My data will be disabled
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using XDA
Last time checking...
GPS is free,
As for data ,
It really depends on the App you are using.
For example :
Google maps requires you to download the maps which would require data.
Try Maverick GPS app
Try Maverick, a GPS app without the need of data or wifi.
You can d/l the lite version for free off the market.
Wont give you a great navigation but it will do the job for free
Also try Navfree.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.navfree.android.OSM.ALL
Sent from my Desire HD using xda premium
You can pre-cache a 10milex10mile square in the google maps app but you'd have to know where you were going to go in advance to cache the areas but this can be done during a trip whenever you have wifi and know you're changing cities. No turn by turn or searching but at least you'd have a map you could plot your position on from the phone.
Well, most phones have A-gps, that stands for "assisted GPS": it is not the same as the common gps in Tom Tom devices and so on.
A-Gps has less power consumption, but a weaker receiver so, without the help of a data connection, it would turn to be quite useless, apart from the maps that should be loaded in advance.
GPS positioning data is always free..
You just need the right software to do turn by turn nav (Like Sygic or NavFree / etc)..
You can cache maps off of Google, but that won't give you turn by turn.
Sure GPS connection is free, but data run on 3g or 2g network to assist the GPS. May be it's not a big amount but, if you're travelling abroad, it won't be so cheap
I wonder if the main population will ever understand what a-gps are.
You can use iGO MyWay for android. Easy program and it dosn't connect to internet
Straight from Wikipedia. Now it'll be clear that a-gps needs data connection...
Standalone GPS provides first position in approximately 30-40 seconds. A Standalone GPS system needs orbital information of the satellites to calculate the current position. The data rate of the satellite signal is only 50 b/s, so downloading orbital information like ephemeris and almanac directly from satellites typically takes a long time, and if the satellite signals are lost during the acquisition of this information, it is discarded and the standalone system has to start from scratch. In AGPS, the Network Operator deploys an AGPS server. These AGPS servers download the orbital information from the satellite and store it in the database. An AGPS capable device can connect to these servers and download this information using Mobile Network radio bearers such as GSM, CDMA, WCDMA, LTE or even using other wireless radio bearers such as Wi-Fi. Usually the data rate of these bearers is high, hence downloading orbital information takes less time.
AGPS downloads very little data and it doesn't even require cell service. I have a non activated Android device and using GPS Status it will download AGPS data over wifi. This data is pretty small in size and you only need it to initially lock on satellites faster. Without AGPS data you'll just have to wait longer to get a lock.
For an offline GPS app, I use Sygic since it uses TomTom maps and I've owned a TomTom unit before. But there are other good ones out there.
Yes, there's no contraddiction between all that has been said by both of us. Not a huge data amount but if you are abroad and a roaming area it won't be cheap, because the data flows any time a fix is needed... Just think of tunnels and areas where the GPS signal is weak. I mean, the fix is not one only, it may be 20 or even 100 during an hour of navigation.
Hi guys, i just bought SGS3 in Australia. Everything is perfect and i notice that i can't find AGPS option in my setting ( i saw one picture online that with AGPS option). I reread what samsung said in SGS3 box, I can't find AGPS as well, but accidently, i find GLONASS/ How's ur devices, do they have AGPS or GLONASS?
hello,
On my, i have gps/glonass on writed on the box.
For an appli for AGPS , you can find it on the google play (like gps status).
For the glonass, i don't know if it's possible to connect on it.(i think it depend on the gps appli and maybe the country , only in Russia ?).
Bye
PS: After a little search, i found that the GPS and the GLONASS are active in same time .Now it seems you can find/use 55 active satellites instead of 31 with GPS alone and 24 with GLONASS alone
jasonlu1992 said:
Hi guys, i just bought SGS3 in Australia. Everything is perfect and i notice that i can't find AGPS option in my setting ( i saw one picture online that with AGPS option). I reread what samsung said in SGS3 box, I can't find AGPS as well, but accidently, i find GLONASS/ How's ur devices, do they have AGPS or GLONASS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AGPS = settings Location Services Use Wireless Networks .
Glonass its built in to the cpu .
jje
GPS (USA), Glonass (Russia) and the upcoming Galileo (EU) are different protocols provided by different satellites with different features.
But for everything you as a consumer and user care they are the same.
It's just that consumers are used to it being GPS so they call it that way even if it's incorrect.
If your boss,teacher,friend, ... tells you to google something he means to search on the net and (usually) does not actually enforce you to use the Google search.
In technical terms the app couldn't care less about what country and protocol provides the data, I don't think it even could see the difference (except when polling raw data)
It's very easy to check if Glonass works as expected; just fire up a GPS-Test app (e.g. 'GPS Test') and check the amount of satellites it uses.
GPS is designed with 24-30 satellites total in orbit and as such provides visibility to a mimumum of 4 and a maximum of 12 satellites in clear area.
Glonass has roughly the same amount. When holding my phone against the window I get a (more or less) immediate fix on 17 satellites which is impossible with only GPS.
AGPS is something totally different which regroups network-based GPS with satellite-based GPS, accelerometers and satellite trajectory prediction to allow you to get an approximate fix when it would otherwise not be possible (e.g. underground) and to accelerate the time-to-fix.
AGPS is a combination of gps + mobile network data. With the GS3 you get gps + glonas + mobile networks + wireless networks + sensors (I assume barometer + magnetometer) all working together. I get very good positioning even indoors.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using XDA
Glonass satellites are detected automatically. I'm in nz and now pick up 17 sats rather than the 12 on previous devices using GPS sats only. TIFF is also excellent, a matter of seconds only for a cold start.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
d4fseeker said:
GPS (USA), Glonass (Russia) and the upcoming Galileo (EU) are different protocols provided by different satellites with different features.
But for everything you as a consumer and user care they are the same.
It's just that consumers are used to it being GPS so they call it that way even if it's incorrect.
If your boss,teacher,friend, ... tells you to google something he means to search on the net and (usually) does not actually enforce you to use the Google search.
In technical terms the app couldn't care less about what country and protocol provides the data, I don't think it even could see the difference (except when polling raw data)
It's very easy to check if Glonass works as expected; just fire up a GPS-Test app (e.g. 'GPS Test') and check the amount of satellites it uses.
GPS is designed with 24-30 satellites total in orbit and as such provides visibility to a mimumum of 4 and a maximum of 12 satellites in clear area.
Glonass has roughly the same amount. When holding my phone against the window I get a (more or less) immediate fix on 17 satellites which is impossible with only GPS.
AGPS is something totally different which regroups network-based GPS with satellite-based GPS, accelerometers and satellite trajectory prediction to allow you to get an approximate fix when it would otherwise not be possible (e.g. underground) and to accelerate the time-to-fix.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thnx for your answer i just want to know if u guys have AGPS
jasonlu1992 said:
thnx for your answer i just want to know if u guys have AGPS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im pretty sure all S3s have aGPS (Assisted GPS).
Its not really designed as an accurate positioning system on its own - it was originally designed as a clever means to get faster GPS fix by using cell network and/or WiFi provided time and location.
It can also be used to provide less accurate location data to mobile apps (eg GMaps), without GPS.
Per a previous post if you have
System Settings->Location Services->Use Wireless Networks
checked, then you have enabled aGPS
Its a pretty standard thing on most smartphones these days.
subvertbeats said:
Im pretty sure all S3s have aGPS (Assisted GPS).
Its not really designed as an accurate positioning system on its own - it was originally designed as a clever means to get faster GPS fix by using cell network and/or WiFi provided time and location.
It can also be used to provide less accurate location data to mobile apps (eg GMaps), without GPS.
Per a previous post if you have
System Settings->Location Services->Use Wireless Networks
checked, then you have enabled aGPS
Its a pretty standard thing on most smartphones these days.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for your answering now i am sure my device have aGPS !