2.1 location GPS Question - assistance please

[SGM-CO]

I'm confused.

Presently my phone is configured to grab location information. With location information comes turning on GPS which decreases my battery life substantially. When running 1.5 it seems as though location could be turned on without having to turn GPS on.

The options -
Turn location off all together
Turn location on with 911 support only
Turn location on period with GPS support


1.5 allowed me to choose location without gps support. Does this make any sense? Could I get some assistance here?

Thanks
SGM

 

[wilceaux]

Huh. I hadn't realized that, but you seem to be right.
Weird.

 

[mtalexan]

I have no idea what you're talking about with 1.5, but in general there are two ways to get your location, GPS and cell-tower triangulation. The GPS eats power, but you shouldn't have much of a reason to leave it on for an extended period of time unless you're using something like Navigator for hours on end. GPS gives a very fine-tuned location, while the cell-tower triangulation gives you a more coarse location. If you only care about your general area, many apps have an option or setting to allow triangulation instead, and some apps have a fallback to triangulation if GPS is manually blocked by the system. Triangulation uses almost no additional power so you might try that instead.

EDIT: I'm an idiot. I got you on the 1.5. More specifically, you can manually turn GPS off completely in 2.1, or leave it for the specific app to decide when it needs it. If you're GPS is constantly eating your battery, get better apps that don't have GPS on when they don't need it.

 

[SGM-CO]

Thanks for the input. Triangulation is fine for the day to day needs for weather and location based services such as "where" or "411free". All I want is the triangulation but can't seem to get that service...unless of course the "911" option is that service...which I don't think it is.

 

[aleis]

I'm confused.

Presently my phone is configured to grab location information. With location information comes turning on GPS which decreases my battery life substantially. When running 1.5 it seems as though location could be turned on without having to turn GPS on.

The options -
Turn location off all together
Turn location on with 911 support only
Turn location on period with GPS support


1.5 allowed me to choose location without gps support. Does this make any sense? Could I get some assistance here?

Thanks
SGM

well, 2.1 just add that ability to dis-allow apps that use GPS.
so it has the e911. so that only the police can track you (so...gps technically is never turned off) but google has location based services and of course verizon has assisted gps which is alot similar to google except that its using cellphone tower triangulation. google location uses internet protocols triangulation to locate you. all constantly working in the background so...just not as much as dedicated gps power hungry receiver

 

[OfTheDamned]

There are 2 different icons in the status bar for location information. The one right next to the headphones icon is for location information and is using cell triangulation to get your location.

The other one looks like a satellite dish and that is for the gps. If you don't see the little satellite dish in the notification bar then you aren't using GPS at the moment, even if it is turned on.

 

[Podivin]

Menu > settings > location.
Turn on 'use wireless networks', turn off 'use GPS'. Under "location setting" set 'location on'. That should work, at least it works for me.

 

[SGM-CO]

I do believe Ofthedamend is correct. Motovec - bet if you check your GPS is back on but not being used!!

SGM

 

[Caddyman]

There are 2 different icons in the status bar for location information. The one right next to the headphones icon is for location information and is using cell triangulation to get your location.

The other one looks like a satellite dish and that is for the gps. If you don't see the little satellite dish in the notification bar then you aren't using GPS at the moment, even if it is turned on.

You just wanted to show off your media player.

 

[OfTheDamned]

I do believe Ofthedamend is correct. Motovec - bet if you check your GPS is back on but not being used!!

SGM

Interesting, I leave mine on all the time and never really try to turn it off. I had not noticed that I just couldn't. I just checked the widget and turning it off kills all location services too. Odd.

Well, more home screen space for me I guess.

 

[OfTheDamned]

You just wanted to show off your media player.

LOL, I don't even have it anymore actually. It was just the last screenshot pic that I uploaded to tinypic so it was easy to grab.