Droid GPS

[pwnjabi]

Hey guys, I am taking a trip to Asia starting tomorrow. I wanted to know, does the GPS on the droid actually work globally as the name implies? And even if it does work, without service in that region google maps will most likely not work for directions, however is there a way or an app that can download maps of the region for the GPS to work off of?

Thanks and hope someone can answer this today

 

[ilmar72]

Hey guys, I am taking a trip to Asia starting tomorrow. I wanted to know, does the GPS on the droid actually work globally as the name implies? And even if it does work, without service in that region google maps will most likely not work for directions, however is there a way or an app that can download maps of the region for the GPS to work off of?

Thanks and hope someone can answer this today

The gps should work. Google maps would work if you got a wifi connection then. I don't know about any software though to actually do what you want. Like they used to make tomtom for winmo.

 

[johnlgalt]

rotf - love the nickname.

take a look at this - see if the article helps you any - True offline maps for your Android - unplugged ! | MapDroyd

Also, I did a bit of searching, but nothing really stood out - so I hope some of our foreign users of the Milestone can chime in....

 

[Lock-N-Load]

well... let me add to this some thoughts

There are some good threads, even here on this forum, and I have a ton of proven anecdotal research - using My Tracks - to show that there is a tie between GPS use and cell phone signal. That is, it seems the GPS some what requires a cell connection to begin. For example, try to use My Tracks and have the cell phone off and just GPS.. no dice. it will not record or track. Turn the phone on, then initiate the My Tracks and it will start to record and then you can turn off the cell portion and continue on.

point?

the point is that it seems the Droid needs a cell phone signal to initiate GPS use and then moment GPS use is initiated with the cell service on, you can then shut off the cell radio - via Airplane mode and continue on. Again, some threads explain why this is, and I have proven it to myself, and on some of the Google forums of some other devs, with the use of My Tracks. IIRC some others mentioned the issue with the Navigation as well. But it is in My Tracks for sure and from what I understand, it is not a MT issue, but a Droid usage of GPS issue.

SO, the issues are.. the cost of using this feature internationally as from what I recall and understand, GPS in the VZW contract is clearly for USA use and not international use so that could mean cost AND if you need the cell to initiate the GPS, the cost associated with that. Hence... "offline" maps.

 

[johnlgalt]

Cell signal and cell roaming are not necessarily the same thing, though. It may just be trying to triangulate a general region before attempting to contact a particular server that it knows serves said region, and that would not incur any roaming charges....

 

[Lock-N-Load]

Cell signal and cell roaming are not necessarily the same thing, though. It may just be trying to triangulate a general region before attempting to contact a particular server that it knows serves said region, and that would not incur any roaming charges....

fair enough.

so your postulating, just turning on the cell to initiate GPS grabbing onto a signal, may not in fact incur a cost as your not actually making or taking a call?

well, given most of the world does not use CDMA, I suspect it would not matter then in terms of a potential cost incured for flipping in the cell radio.. but then again, if that is true, that means no signal or tower to lock onto so no way to potentially initiate the GPS.

either way, this does not address the fact (or fact I think I recall) where GPS usage is USA only and then can see it is not USA and POW.. international data usage charge.


BTW - thanks for that tip on that app.. I just downloaded it to try it.

 

[trav473]

well... let me add to this some thoughts

There are some good threads, even here on this forum, and I have a ton of proven anecdotal research - using My Tracks - to show that there is a tie between GPS use and cell phone signal. That is, it seems the GPS some what requires a cell connection to begin. For example, try to use My Tracks and have the cell phone off and just GPS.. no dice. it will not record or track. Turn the phone on, then initiate the My Tracks and it will start to record and then you can turn off the cell portion and continue on.

point?

the point is that it seems the Droid needs a cell phone signal to initiate GPS use and then moment GPS use is initiated with the cell service on, you can then shut off the cell radio - via Airplane mode and continue on. Again, some threads explain why this is, and I have proven it to myself, and on some of the Google forums of some other devs, with the use of My Tracks. IIRC some others mentioned the issue with the Navigation as well. But it is in My Tracks for sure and from what I understand, it is not a MT issue, but a Droid usage of GPS issue.

SO, the issues are.. the cost of using this feature internationally as from what I recall and understand, GPS in the VZW contract is clearly for USA use and not international use so that could mean cost AND if you need the cell to initiate the GPS, the cost associated with that. Hence... "offline" maps.

Read up on aGPS.. seems what we have here in the droid..... Most of your smartphone go that route. gets gps locks MUCH faster.. check here............
http://www.wmexperts.com/articles/gps_vs_agps_a_quick_tutorial.html