November 11th, 2010, 06:12 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Crappy GPS Receiver or Crappy GPS Firmware?
The only thing i've found on the Droid2 that's bad is the GPS. I was testing Back Country Navigator on our walk today and without cellular assistance the GPS is essentially useless.
It had me about 7 miles away from my true location. It was probably 90% overcast.
From backcountrynavigators website:
Using an Android GPS in Airplane Mode
Quote:
If your device is made by HTC, including the Nexus One, Droid Incredible, Evo, and many others, you probably said this:
My GPS works just fine in Airplane Mode. If your device is made by Motorolla, including the Droid 2, or Droid X, you probably said this:
My phone had trouble getting a fix, or never got a fix, without the cell signal on, even if the signal was weak. After the first fix I could generally turn it off and then navigate okay.
Those who reported this condition were often unsure if they would get a fix without cell signal if they waited long enough.
Do either of these scenarios sound familiar? I don't have enough data to know what Samsung phones do yet.
Unfortunately, I know what is likely happening with the Motorolla phones. They are using Assisted GPS, also known as A-GPS. By itself, this is a good thing, and allows you to get a faster fix when network coverage is available. Unfortunately, the idiots at the phone manufacturer haven't done a good job of making it work without cell coverage. This is not an unusual task. Standalone GPS devices and even bluetooth devices have been able to get a fix in less than a minute for several years now, and they've never had cell coverage.
Does anyone live near Motorola Headquarters? I'd like to stage a protest.
Don't blame BackCountry Navigator, or any other Android App, if you can't get a quick fix in airplane mode. This is appears to be in the hardware, or OEM specific code.
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Sucks because I absolutely love the droid2. If it were a software issue with a glimmer of hope for a fix i might decide to keep it. As much as i hunt, hike, backpack, and fish it's worth it to lose my beloved slide-out keyboard to have to pack one less thing and leave the GPS at home.
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