Google Sky Map app. works flawless - GPS?

[sdmania]

It was a clear night last night so thought I would test out the Google Sky Map app for the first time and it worked perfectly! It directed me to constellations right on point as well as north, south, east and west. If I turned slightly it immediately changed my direction. I was honestly blown away. I'm wondering how this works so well as i'm assuming this app. uses the GPS?

 

[Endoran]

It was a clear night last night so thought I would test out the Google Sky Map app for the first time and it worked perfectly! It directed me to constellations right on point as well as north, south, east and west. If I turned slightly it immediately changed my direction. I was honestly blown away. I'm wondering how this works so well as i'm assuming this app. uses the GPS?

I've been using this app for quite a bit. It worked like that before the update. I seriously doubt it uses GPS as that would be a waste. It does not need a fine fix on your location just a VERY rough estimation - how much does the sky change from 10-20 miles out? Or even more. I bet it uses just your city which it either already has or can easily get via your network. It has a 6-axis accelerometer that it uses to give us such accuracy as you are moving the device around as well as a built in compass ( built in means it will work with no cell coverage, wifi, GPS, or anything else external).

**I just tested and you need at least use wireless networks enabled.**

 

[Dennis_Bham]

In Google Sky maps, menu>settings>location settings you select what the application uses for its location.

 

[jeremytanner]

Okay, I had my first issue with Skymaps a couple of nights ago. It had my location correct, by it was showing the moon and jupiter in the north, whereas they were actually to the south. The interesting part was, the on-screen compass was accurate. My system time was also accurate.