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I am NOT on Easter Island!

flspnr

Well-Known Member
Jan 11, 2010
128
8
Florida
A couple of times now, I have turned on my GPS and gone to google maps, and it will tell me I'm right smack dap in the middle of Easter Island. :thinking: I'm not. Last I checked, I was in Tampa, FL. Also last time I checked, Tampa wasn't an island. :p

Any ideas why this is so? It doesn't happen every time, just once in a while, but it is weird!
 
I've had the same thing happen a week or so ago. I think I first noticed it when I opened Weather Bug and noticed it said I was on Easter Island. If I remember right all I did to correct it was turn on my GPS (I usually keep it off), go into Google Maps and click Menu > Location. Haven't had the problem since (and I turned my GPS off again).
I had read a post here I don't remember what it was about, but other people had commented on having the same thing happen. I'm guessing a bug/glitch in one of the apps... not sure which one though.
 
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I've had something similar happen. I'm here in Virginia yet it's telling me I'm in rural Georgia. I went so far as to downgrade to an older ROM and still had the problem. Upgraded back to the current release and it was still there. Using one of the GPS status applications I was able to see that I could only see 2-3 satellites and it was not getting a full connection to them. The more interesting thing is they were not in the correct locations. I was ready to head to the verizon store and the next morning it was back in the right location. I've since had the problem one more time this time on a trip from VA Beach to Washington DC. The GPS worked fine for the first 2 hours, then for about 20 minutes could not find us, then was fine for the rest of the trip.

I was able to come up with a hypothesis. I think that there is some link to the cell towers in the way our GPS works. I know that our eris's use aGPS which uses the cell network to help the internal GPS keep a fix. I'm guessing that there can be issues at the cell towers that can cause our GPS to think we're off in lala land for a while and then when the cell tower is updated again we're fixed.

It's the only thing I can think of. As we moved out of one cell region into another my gps started working again on that last trip.
 
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I saw a thread on this yesterday, maybe something you downloaded is affecting Google maps. Maybe you really are on Easter Island and you are in denial...it's okay, we are here to help...:)

Okay, well, then why isn't it warm? Easter Island should be warm!! I'm in a trailer with NO heat right now, and it definitely doesn't feel like a nice little island! Hm. Maybe I have lost my mind....:eek:
 
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I've had the same thing happen a week or so ago. I think I first noticed it when I opened Weather Bug and noticed it said I was on Easter Island. If I remember right all I did to correct it was turn on my GPS (I usually keep it off), go into Google Maps and click Menu > Location. Haven't had the problem since (and I turned my GPS off again).
I had read a post here I don't remember what it was about, but other people had commented on having the same thing happen. I'm guessing a bug/glitch in one of the apps... not sure which one though.

I can't remember if I downloaded an app around the time I started having the problem. Hm. That is a thought though, wonder who the culprite might be??
 
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I've had something similar happen. I'm here in Virginia yet it's telling me I'm in rural Georgia. I went so far as to downgrade to an older ROM and still had the problem. Upgraded back to the current release and it was still there. Using one of the GPS status applications I was able to see that I could only see 2-3 satellites and it was not getting a full connection to them. The more interesting thing is they were not in the correct locations. I was ready to head to the verizon store and the next morning it was back in the right location. I've since had the problem one more time this time on a trip from VA Beach to Washington DC. The GPS worked fine for the first 2 hours, then for about 20 minutes could not find us, then was fine for the rest of the trip.

I was able to come up with a hypothesis. I think that there is some link to the cell towers in the way our GPS works. I know that our eris's use aGPS which uses the cell network to help the internal GPS keep a fix. I'm guessing that there can be issues at the cell towers that can cause our GPS to think we're off in lala land for a while and then when the cell tower is updated again we're fixed.

It's the only thing I can think of. As we moved out of one cell region into another my gps started working again on that last trip.

I tried my gps and maps again right now, because DH is thinking I'm nuts, and of course it showed up as right where we are so now he's convinces I'm nuts. :D But your hypothesis does make quite a bit of sense. I'm always amazed at how technology works, it's a wonder I don't think more often about what happens when it doesn't. I just thought I had done something wrong (I play with settings sometimes, so that really wouldn't have surprised me!). Thanks!
 
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A couple of times now, I have turned on my GPS and gone to google maps, and it will tell me I'm right smack dap in the middle of Easter Island. :thinking: I'm not. Last I checked, I was in Tampa, FL. Also last time I checked, Tampa wasn't an island. :p

Any ideas why this is so? It doesn't happen every time, just once in a while, but it is weird!

Isn't if kind of obvious? Google wants you on Easter Island.

Think, man, think.
 
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Perhaps we are unknown Beta Testers of the first pocket sized TARDIS.

While travelling to Boston a couple of weeks ago, I had a layover in Philly, which the phone decided was in Franfurt Germany. Once I got to Boston, it decided I was in Hawaii.

Persoanlly, I'd realy much rather be able to travel through time than space. I get a bit of motion sickness now that I am older....
 
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flspnr-

Just arrived on Easter Island.....where are you?

Lemme check...Right next to North Seattle Community College?!?!:thinking:

Wait, didn't turn GPS on, hold on...

Ack!! My current location is currently unavailable! I have no idea where I am now!:eek:

My location settings are:
Use Wireless Networks, no Check
Location Setting, Check
GPS setting, Check (for the moment)

I think the GPS problem *right now* is because I'm inside a tin can - I mean trailer, but I got the Easter Island thingy while in my car too, so I don't think that was a living in a tin can problem.:cool:
 
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Lemme check...Right next to North Seattle Community College?!?!:thinking:

Wait, didn't turn GPS on, hold on...

Ack!! My current location is currently unavailable! I have no idea where I am now!:eek:

My location settings are:
Use Wireless Networks, no Check
Location Setting, Check
GPS setting, Check (for the moment)

I think the GPS problem *right now* is because I'm inside a tin can - I mean trailer, but I got the Easter Island thingy while in my car too, so I don't think that was a living in a tin can problem.:cool:

GREAT....guess I'll wait for you....
 
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I haven't wound up on Easter Island, though now I wonder if we're not also dealing with the potential for phone precognition. I didn't see Easter Island trending on Twitter before a) this thread or b) the earthquake in Chile. Your choice. I did play with GPS today and found that I was always at the tower unless I was outside, under the wide blue/black yonder. With sky overhead, GPS found me pretty well.
 
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I tried turning the GPS on again when I picked up DH from work a little bit ago, and it still had trouble finding me! This time I was in my car, and if that's a problem, then the GPS is worthless....:thinking: At least I know I can't blame it on my tin can of a home. This is weird though. I did just move, should I do another *228? Will that help it find me? It shouldn't matter with the GPS, I should be able to drive wherever I want and use the GPS, right? I'm at a loss at this point, guess I'll stop by Verizon in the morning. :(
 
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I tried turning the GPS on again when I picked up DH from work a little bit ago, and it still had trouble finding me! This time I was in my car, and if that's a problem, then the GPS is worthless....:thinking: At least I know I can't blame it on my tin can of a home. This is weird though. I did just move, should I do another *228? Will that help it find me? It shouldn't matter with the GPS, I should be able to drive wherever I want and use the GPS, right? I'm at a loss at this point, guess I'll stop by Verizon in the morning. :(

*228 just updates the carriers that Verizon prefers you roam on when out of their network. It won't help your situation. Google is the one who actually uses the tower triangulation and Wifi to try to locate you. It is still a work in progress and obviously you see it screws up from time to time. If you get an actual satellite fix then your location should be corrected.
 
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Lemme check...Right next to North Seattle Community College?!?!:thinking:

Wait, didn't turn GPS on, hold on...

Ack!! My current location is currently unavailable! I have no idea where I am now!:eek:

My location settings are:
Use Wireless Networks, no Check
Location Setting, Check
GPS setting, Check (for the moment)

I think the GPS problem *right now* is because I'm inside a tin can - I mean trailer, but I got the Easter Island thingy while in my car too, so I don't think that was a living in a tin can problem.:cool:

You should check Wireless Networks. That's only if you refuse to have it display where you general are what-so-ever, but it already knows and pulls it if you are using any wireless internet. This will determine your general area and then the GPS can determine your exact location within that and then easily track every meter if you have sky sight. It will definitely help you from appearing up in Easter Island, lol.
 
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*228 just updates the carriers that Verizon prefers you roam on when out of their network. It won't help your situation. Google is the one who actually uses the tower triangulation and Wifi to try to locate you. It is still a work in progress and obviously you see it screws up from time to time. If you get an actual satellite fix then your location should be corrected.

That's what I thought and was afraid of. I think it's a cool feature of the phone, and I understand that it's still a work in progress - I thought it was funny that it found me somewhere else at first, but hope it doesn't if/when I need it. I rarely *need* it because I don't travel out of the city much, but I'm still very new to the city so it does come in handy when I get myself lost! :) It just shocked me when it couldn't find me *at all*! Thanks.
 
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You should check Wireless Networks. That's only if you refuse to have it display where you general are what-so-ever, but it already knows and pulls it if you are using any wireless internet. This will determine your general area and then the GPS can determine your exact location within that and then easily track every meter if you have sky sight. It will definitely help you from appearing up in Easter Island, lol.

Aha! Hold on a second...Okay, with that checked and GPS on and me being inside a tin can, it's off by about a mile. But I'm not in Seattle or Easter Island, yay! Thanks!! :D I'll leave that checked. :)
 
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