• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Help About Gps in Atrix

pilou271

Lurker
Apr 23, 2011
8
1
Hello guys,

I'm looking now for a new phone (i come from 3GS), and i have hard time choosing between the Htc inspire or the Moto Atrix.

what's important for me ? GPS !

The HTC has a stand alone GPS. And that's really the feature i need! Wether i have network or not -- especially when you are driving in the middle of nowhere, without network , it's great to know that you can rely on your GPS.


For the Atrix, i really could not figure out if this phone has a stand alone GPS or not. The Motorola web site says that ' In order for your GPS to work, your phone service must be active and you must be in a good service area'

So i understand that if i'm not in a good area, without phone service, the GPS is useless -- and will only help me to find the closest starbucks!!

so , for those who have the Atrix, did you try to use GPS with the airplane mode on (or even better, without the sim card and wifi disabled) ? what do you think ?


It's really important for me to have a real GPS since i'm very nomad - and want to avoid big roaming fees. Also, i'm most of the time climbing mountains - no network there, but i can still get satellites signals!

I really like the Atrix, and i would prefer to get it. But i will go with the Inspire if GPS is just a joke on the Atrix.

Thanks a lot for your help :)
 
You need mobile data on to get the route, but you can turn it off has you follow the route.

Hello guys,

I'm looking now for a new phone (i come from 3GS), and i have hard time choosing between the Htc inspire or the Moto Atrix.

what's important for me ? GPS !

The HTC has a stand alone GPS. And that's really the feature i need! Wether i have network or not -- especially when you are driving in the middle of nowhere, without network , it's great to know that you can rely on your GPS.


For the Atrix, i really could not figure out if this phone has a stand alone GPS or not. The Motorola web site says that ' In order for your GPS to work, your phone service must be active and you must be in a good service area'

So i understand that if i'm not in a good area, without phone service, the GPS is useless -- and will only help me to find the closest starbucks!!

so , for those who have the Atrix, did you try to use GPS with the airplane mode on (or even better, without the sim card and wifi disabled) ? what do you think ?


It's really important for me to have a real GPS since i'm very nomad - and want to avoid big roaming fees. Also, i'm most of the time climbing mountains - no network there, but i can still get satellites signals!

I really like the Atrix, and i would prefer to get it. But i will go with the Inspire if GPS is just a joke on the Atrix.

Thanks a lot for your help :)
 
Upvote 0
I just tried it on airplane mode and Wi-Fi off. It knew where I was. As I rotated the phone it updated the direction I was facing.

However, without data my map was plain with just roads. Also had no map beyond that I previously traveled before with Google Maps. Which is probably what the Motorola website was referring to. I don't see how that would be different with the Inspire, my wife's iPhone4(I may try it on her phone if I remember) or any other phone.

May want to increase the map cache setting and preload the map area before leaving the data area. Just an idea. I haven't tried that yet, but you got me curious.
 
Upvote 0
I just tried it on airplane mode and Wi-Fi off. It knew where I was. As I rotated the phone it updated the direction I was facing.

However, without data my map was plain with just roads. Also had no map beyond that I previously traveled before with Google Maps. Which is probably what the Motorola website was referring to. I don't see how that would be different with the Inspire, my wife's iPhone4(I may try it on her phone if I remember) or any other phone.

May want to increase the map cache setting and preload the map area before leaving the data area. Just an idea. I haven't tried that yet, but you got me curious.


Does Google Maps and Google Nav use the same map data?
 
Upvote 0
I use Motonav, which put the maps on your sdcard; so I don't use data for navigation. Just to verify:

I pulled the sim card, turned on the phone, enabled GPS, fired up gps, stgarted motonav and within 30 seconds, it had a lock. SO yes GPS works great without a data connection. Google nav is useless without a starting connection for data, but that is it.

I also verified with GSP Test; 10 sats in view with 8 in use, southern California.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pilou271
Upvote 0
hi,

I had a quick chat with motorola's Live service, and the guy told me that i need a service connection to get gps to work :(

Me: I would like to know if i can use the ATrix as a stand alone GPS, such as any tomtom or Garmin ... without any data connection, but with a third party software, like co-pilot, which puts the maps of the country on the sd card ...
chat_agent.png
Brian Patrick : Let me check that. One moment, please.
chat_enduser_message.png
Me: the purpose is to use the GPS when hiking -- when there is no network, no wifi there!
chat_agent.png
Brian Patrick : I do understand. One moment, please.
chat_enduser_message.png
Me: but only satellites in the sky ... :)
chat_agent.png
Brian Patrick : Okay.
chat_agent.png
Brian Patrick : Thank you for patiently waiting and sorry for the long hold.


Brian Patrick : I do apologize but in order for the GPS to work the phone need to be connected to a service network.
chat_enduser_message.png
Me: i checked that on the motorola web site :( but i wanted to be sure ...
chat_agent.png
Brian Patrick : I do understand and I am very sorry.


I'm confused. I'm not sure that they put the sharpest people for support ... and i can not believe that they did not put REAL gps on a device like this...
 
Upvote 0
The Atrix has a real GPS and WILL work without a data connection, however, to display your position on Google Maps you will need a data connection to download the map. If you have another app that loads the maps on your SD card, then you should be all set.

The GPS in the Atrix (and most other smartphones) is an aGPS, which means it is assisted. This assistance comes from data downloaded from the network which helps you aquire your initial position faster (within seconds instead of a couple minutes). Once your initial position is aquired, the assistance really isn't needed and the GPS will continue to function normally as long as you have sufficient satellites in view.

As you can see in the posts above, members have removed their sim cards and turned off their Wifi and were still able to get the GPS to work properly (however their initial position lock was likely a bit slower due to the lack of the "assistance" data).

Get the Atrix, it is a great phone and will work for what you are trying to do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pilou271
Upvote 0
Hello WirelessGuy,

This afternoon, i went to AT&T. And i could play with both Inspire and Atrix. On both, i installed GPS TEST from android Market. And they both displayed the same things!
Of course, for this experience, i put the devices in airplane mode + wifi off. Both devices could get lock in seconds, (the samsung captivate did not get anything ! )

By this 'small' experience, plus the epxeriences related by people here, i'm now convinced that the Atrix is definitely for me :)

Thanks a lot guys for your help !
 
Upvote 0
I use Motonav, which put the maps on your sdcard; so I don't use data for navigation. Just to verify:

I pulled the sim card, turned on the phone, enabled GPS, fired up gps, stgarted motonav and within 30 seconds, it had a lock. SO yes GPS works great without a data connection. Google nav is useless without a starting connection for data, but that is it.

I also verified with GSP Test; 10 sats in view with 8 in use, southern California.
"Motonav"... just did a market search for Motonav....
nothing there...
Do you mean the "navagation" tile under the '0' screen with all the other apps?? thanks.. Then how dos it put the maps on your sd card.
Id sure like to have cashed maps on my sd...
thanks.. jh
 
Upvote 0
"Motonav"... just did a market search for Motonav....
nothing there...
Do you mean the "navagation" tile under the '0' screen with all the other apps?? thanks.. Then how dos it put the maps on your sd card.
Id sure like to have cashed maps on my sd...
thanks.. jh

Motonav is an app that comes on the milestone; so I got it from an old milestone that I used to have. If you want a simular app, look for copilot. I have not used it, but it stores the maps on your sdcard as well; however I do not know if it is worth the $50+

You can find more info on Motonav here:
MOTONAV Personal Navigation - Motorola Mobility, Inc. USA
 
Upvote 0
Get the Atrix. You'll be glad you did. I went through three Samsung Captivates. All were junk. The GPS never worked on any of them and just excuses from AT&T.


Hello WirelessGuy,

This afternoon, i went to AT&T. And i could play with both Inspire and Atrix. On both, i installed GPS TEST from android Market. And they both displayed the same things!
Of course, for this experience, i put the devices in airplane mode + wifi off. Both devices could get lock in seconds, (the samsung captivate did not get anything ! )

By this 'small' experience, plus the epxeriences related by people here, i'm now convinced that the Atrix is definitely for me :)

Thanks a lot guys for your help !
 
Upvote 0

BEST TECH IN 2023

We've been tracking upcoming products and ranking the best tech since 2007. Thanks for trusting our opinion: we get rewarded through affiliate links that earn us a commission and we invite you to learn more about us.

Smartphones