Is anyone experiencing a problem with GPS locating your A500? I have all my location, wifi, and GPS settings on but Google Maps/Navigation cannot locate me, even with direct line of sight outside for hours. Has anyone else experienced this?
I have also downloaded GPS Test, with no luck of locating my GPS. Help!
Just tried that and still had no GPS access. I am connected to wifi as well. Are you able to receive a connection indoors or only outside? I am unable to connect regardless, but thought I would ask.
I have tried a restart, airplane mode now, turning off and on all wireless/location/gps settings, etc. to no avail. I am starting to think I may just have a dud system and need to exchange it at Best Buy. I have not tried factory restore or the reset button yet, as that would be a last resort of course.
Just tried that and still had no GPS access. I am connected to wifi as well. Are you able to receive a connection indoors or only outside? I am unable to connect regardless, but thought I would ask.
I have tried a restart, airplane mode now, turning off and on all wireless/location/gps settings, etc. to no avail. I am starting to think I may just have a dud system and need to exchange it at Best Buy. I have not tried factory restore or the reset button yet, as that would be a last resort of course.
Works inside perfectly fine. Take it back for an exchange before they run out of stock.
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There is definitely an issue with the GPS on many of the a500 tablets. I purchased one 2 days ago and it would never obtain a gps lock. I returned it today and got a new one. It locked the first time I tried it. It seems to be hit or miss with getting one without a gps problem.
Do you guys think that Acer recognizes the fact that some of their gps's don't work and that is the reason they are saying the GPS only works with wifi? I'm beginning to think that just so they can cover themselves and hope people don't return them for an exchange.
It looks like I may be getting one this week, and it seems that some people are having no problems with the GPS while others are having a good deal of problems. In some cases those with problems have exchanged their units and the new one works.
Could someone please suggest an app that I could use to check out the GPS. I am TOTALLY new to any kind of Andriod or for that matter any kind of smart phone environment. While I know what GPS is (I actually worked on a proposal for the VERY original start of this program when it was called NAVSTAR - but that was a LONG time ago!!!) but I have no experience in seeing how it works in these types of environments.
I had problems with my GPS at first, but after giving it some time, and loading GPS Status to see that it was pulling in satelites, I eventually got a fix (outside, sky in clear view). It took about 10 minutes, be patient. It's faster after the first time, this is true for all GPS devices.
After getting it to work, I drove around with the tab on the console of the car and it worked great. Not sure about indoors, but I wouldn't expect any GPS to work indoors, if it does, it's probably because of the WIFI connection.
A some what dumb question. Are you depending on Google maps?I think that you need to have a data connection for Google. Try using one of the stand alone maps and see if it solves the problem. If you consider too dumb a reply and have already considered this, sorry.
A some what dumb question. Are you depending on Google maps?I think that you need to have a data connection for Google. Try using one of the stand alone maps and see if it solves the problem. If you consider too dumb a reply and have already considered this, sorry.
I was wondering the same. Was going to test later and try gps.test and fast fix to see iif they help any
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I may not take it much further in my trials... the fact that you can't access the sd card while connected to the pc and that I have yet to get a single sd card to work has convinced me that this thing is prolly going back. The visible grid mentioned in another thread bothers me more and more in brightly lit/outdoor settings.
I may give it another 24 hours or so but it doesn't look promising at all
Just an update for all - once I returned my unit and got a second one, GPS worked immediately. Sounds like a large number of units just don't have GPS working. When in the car, I used my Android phone as a hotspot to stay connected to wireless and was able to use GPS - kind of silly since my phone has GPS alone. Once I locked on a destination, I turned my wifi off and the Acer was unable to reroute me to a new route if I missed a designated turn. It did, however, continue to give voice by voice directions (if I stayed on the original path).
I would expect GPS to work without wifi - as all GPS units do. However, those units have maps stored internally and the Acer uses Google Maps, so maybe the data is needed for that reason.....Hope this all helps someone, somewhere.
I'm new here, and I'm checking posts about the A500 and specially for the GPS function. I've read many confusing things about the GPS of the Iconia : some saying that there is no GPS inside, some with and some other saying that its works only A-GPS mode, then when the Wi-Fi connection is lost, the GPS too.
==> what are your experience in that matter (I have not yet purchased mine !), is there a real GPS chip installed into the Acer A500 ?
Thanks
Marc.
Just an update for all - once I returned my unit and got a second one, GPS worked immediately. Sounds like a large number of units just don't have GPS working. When in the car, I used my Android phone as a hotspot to stay connected to wireless and was able to use GPS - kind of silly since my phone has GPS alone. Once I locked on a destination, I turned my wifi off and the Acer was unable to reroute me to a new route if I missed a designated turn. It did, however, continue to give voice by voice directions (if I stayed on the original path).
I would expect GPS to work without wifi - as all GPS units do. However, those units have maps stored internally and the Acer uses Google Maps, so maybe the data is needed for that reason.....Hope this all helps someone, somewhere.
One way to determine if your unit is dealing directly with the satellites is to download one of the many mapping apps on the market. I have tried "Navit"(free) and I like CoPilot which is not free but does a good job. Once you have installed the app and a map turn off all data connections and go outside and see how long it takes to find your location. A reminder, Google maps are not stored on the device they are cloud based and need a data connection to work.
Hopefully this will help to determine if there is an actual GPS satellite sensor in your unit or is there only agps that would require constant data connection.
One way to determine if your unit is dealing directly with the satellites is to download one of the many mapping apps on the market. I have tried "Navit"(free) and I like CoPilot which is not free but does a good job. Once you have installed the app and a map turn off all data connections and go outside and see how long it takes to find your location. A reminder, Google maps are not stored on the device they are cloud based and need a data connection to work.
Hopefully this will help to determine if there is an actual GPS satellite sensor in your unit or is there only agps that would require constant data connection.
This is not completely true. Google Maps does cache a lot of map data on the device, just like on the iPhone. you can view the maps in your area on WIFI and when out in the car they will display fine.
Mine worked perfectly on the freeway tethered to my droid incredible. It was spot on.
Just a quick question. Was your Droid acting as a wifi hotspot or was it tethered by USB? Just wondering if the USB would allow this.
Also I assume you are talking about Google maps as the app you were using.
Thanks in advance
For those that have been asking, yes the A500 does have a standalone GPS. To test just download one of the GPS Status tools and run, it will display what GPS satellites it can see, no wireless required.
I switched off Wi-Fi and switched on GPS, started Maps app, got a message my location would be found quicket if Wi-Fi was on, skipped that message and got GPS within 30 seconds, accurate to about 5 feet!
Just got a new A500 and was trying nav and maps and couldn't get GPS to lock on. Getting really irritated especially after reading posts and reading that others were taking some back. Downloaded GPS STATUS and could see that it was seeing satellites but just not locking on. Finally just left tablet outside for half an hour and it finally hooked on. It just took a lot of patience.
I have never been able to connect to GPS. AND to all posters you shouldn't have to be connected to WIFI for GPS to WORK. It's 2 seperate networks!! GPS has nothing to do with WIFI. GPS is satellites, and wifi is internet.
I'm gonna try some of your suggestions and leave mine on trying to connect for a while and see what happens. I've had my tablet since beginning of June and have never had success in connecting to GPS.
Ok, I'm an over the road truck driver so here's my story. I had been using a flytouch for my navigation purposes. It worked quite nicely. But I was getting razzed for using a tab from China. So the first day they released the A500 for sale I ran right out and bought one. I have been using ALK Co Pilot for many years on my laptop in the truck. They have truck spacific map programs as well as auto and rv . I installed the truck on my acer and it froze each time I used it. It worked but was a genuine pain. After the 3.2 update it worked flawlessly. More or less. I have noticed that the GPS seems to not want to find what they are looking for if it is very over cast with rian and clouds. It works but takes forever to actually be found. There are a couple of gps repair programs I got off the Google app store that were free and seem to get it to connect when noting else can. If you get some one from the stage 2 support team at Acer they will tell you the best ones to use.
The Co Pilot works with self contained maps and doesn't need an internet connection . It is stand alone and works better than the highest priced GPS devices out there.
I bought a windshield mount from www.dhgate.com that allows my tablet to set in my windshiled right in my line of sight and don't have to take my eyes off the road. Hope this helps.
Is anyone experiencing a problem with GPS locating your A500? I have all my location, wifi, and GPS settings on but Google Maps/Navigation cannot locate me, even with direct line of sight outside for hours. Has anyone else experienced this?
I have also downloaded GPS Test, with no luck of locating my GPS. Help!
You have to have internet connection for Google maps to work. It does not store your maps on your machine. If you want a map program that works without internet you have to use one like Co Pilot or one of the others that actually has the maps stored internally.
A500 - GPS issue
A500
