Incredible & GeoTagging

[CheezWiz]

Anyone treid the GeoTagging functionality yet?

I have used a program to get it working with my WinMo device, but it sure slowed the thing down. I am hoping that with the Inc. having it built-in, it will be seamless and quick..

 

[Dyingyak]

I'm curious to know as well, I do a lot of regional travel for work and geotagged photos would be great. We really don't have the need for a high-quality (accurate) unit but the accuracy of a phone with a decent camera would be perfect.

 

[NKT]

Footprints will geo tag

 

[andr0idfan]

Anyone treid the GeoTagging functionality yet?

I have used a program to get it working with my WinMo device, but it sure slowed the thing down. I am hoping that with the Inc. having it built-in, it will be seamless and quick..

Funny thing, I live on Queen Anne. And as NKT added, the UG mentioned "Footprints" will have Geotagging.

 

[CheezWiz]

Funny thing, I live on Queen Anne. And as NKT added, the UG mentioned "Footprints" will have Geotagging.

Seattle was awesome.. We want to live there now..

 

[andr0idfan]

Seattle was awesome.. We want to live there now..

Yeah, I love it. And I love being 2 hours away from a hopping foreign city (Vancouver BC). Make it up to the San Juan Islands by chance?

 

[woop]

Footprints will geo tag

*Ding Ding Ding!*

 

[Colchicine]

The problem with Footprints is that has a lot more info associated with it that I may not necessarily care about. This means it is a slower process. Also, from the demos I've seen, the photo it takes through that program is (or appears to be) smaller than using the regular camera.

Bottomline, Footprints does NOT replace simple geotagging.

So going back to the OP. If I have geotagging turned on for every photo I take, how much does it slow down the process? Will it wait until after I take the photo to fire up the GPS and get a lock, and can I take another photo while it's getting a lock?

 

[NKT]

The problem with Footprints is that has a lot more info associated with it that I may not necessarily care about. This means it is a slower process. Also, from the demos I've seen, the photo it takes through that program is (or appears to be) smaller than using the regular camera.

Bottomline, Footprints does NOT replace simple geotagging.

So going back to the OP. If I have geotagging turned on for every photo I take, how much does it slow down the process? Will it wait until after I take the photo to fire up the GPS and get a lock, and can I take another photo while it's getting a lock?

The GPS location on the device will update much faster than you would be able to take a picture so I wouldn't worry about "lag".

And you don't NEED to use FootPrints. If you open the camera app, hit menu and choose settings. Scroll down and check "Geo tag photos". This will add the GPS data to any pictures taken.

 

[Colchicine]

The GPS location on the device will update much faster than you would be able to take a picture so I wouldn't worry about "lag".

Let's sort this out be me declaring some of my assumptions.
-GPS is generally turned off because it would consume battery power unneccessarily when the phone is on, but is not using a feature that requires the GPS.
-For geotagging and Footprints, if the GPS is turned on only when needed, then it would need time to fire up and get a lock on satellites once those features are opened.
-Therefore, if I wanted to geotag a photo, time would be needed to get a lock on the satellites.
Fact: Locking onto satellites takes more than a few seconds in areas with good reception. It will take longer when in high multipath environments. (Incidentally, I use Trimble GPS units professionally. Even our sub-foot accurate, $12,000 units will easily take 30+ seconds to get a lock when first turned on).

So, I have a set of assumptions, and no experience operating the GPS on a smartphone. I'm curious as to how quickly it can get a lock.

And you don't NEED to use FootPrints.

Agreed. But some of the posters early made it seem like, why bother geotagging when you can use Footprints.

 

[NKT]

Let's sort this out be me declaring some of my assumptions.
-GPS is generally turned off because it would consume battery power unneccessarily when the phone is on, but is not using a feature that requires the GPS.
-For geotagging and Footprints, if the GPS is turned on only when needed, then it would need time to fire up and get a lock on satellites once those features are opened.
-Therefore, if I wanted to geotag a photo, time would be needed to get a lock on the satellites.
Fact: Locking onto satellites takes more than a few seconds in areas with good reception. It will take longer when in high multipath environments. (Incidentally, I use Trimble GPS units professionally. Even our sub-foot accurate, $12,000 units will easily take 30+ seconds to get a lock when first turned on).

So, I have a set of assumptions, and no experience operating the GPS on a smartphone. I'm curious as to how quickly it can get a lock.


Agreed. But some of the posters early made it seem like, why bother geotagging when you can use Footprints.

Correct, it will take some time for the GPS to lock after being turned on. I've seen it generally as fast as 20 seconds and as long as a minute. This will depend, as you note, on conditions.

I've had GPS activated on a Eris 24/7 and have no issues with battery life but I could see where some people would be concerned. So, if you aren't worried about geotagging it doesn't matter if you leave it off. But if you want to geotag every photo you have 2 choices:

1. Leave GPS on and worry about battery life.

2. Turn GPS on, wait for lock, then proceed to take your pictures. Once you're done, turn GPS off.

That's the great choice Android OS offers

 

[Lev16]

I think that your phones 3g/Wifi connection is also taken into account when geotagging. Could be wrong, but that's how location tracking on things like Google Buzz works

 

[NKT]

I think that your phones 3g/Wifi connection is also taken into account when geotagging. Could be wrong, but that's how location tracking on things like Google Buzz works

Cellular triangulation, while nice, is no where near accurate enough for most geotagging purposes.

 

[Colchicine]

Excellent to hear, NKT, that I can leave the GPS on. That would be my preference.

I don't use my camera phone as a replacement for a regular camera. Rather, I use it when I don't have access to a camera. I do a lot of off-the-cuff, shoot-from-the-hip type shots, i.e. documenting a car accident or where I've found turtle (I'm a herpetologist), so I'd want geotagging on EVERY photo just in case. If I had to wait for the GPS to lock while a photo opportunity rolls by, it would be worthless.

 

[NKT]

Excellent to hear, NKT, that I can leave the GPS on. That would be my preference.

I don't use my camera phone as a replacement for a regular camera. Rather, I use it when I don't have access to a camera. I do a lot of off-the-cuff, shoot-from-the-hip type shots, i.e. documenting a car accident or where I've found turtle (I'm a herpetologist), so I'd want geotagging on EVERY photo just in case. If I had to wait for the GPS to lock while a photo opportunity rolls by, it would be worthless.

Yea, I'm not sure but I believe the GPS goes into a low power state when not actively being utilized (warm state). For example, the GPS icon doesn't show up on the notification bar until you open Google Maps or some other app that uses GPS.

This may be how your able to leave GPS on and not chew up your battery. It'd be interesting to get confirmation on this though...

 

[CheezWiz]

Thanks.. good info coming out here...
I am heading to DC for Vac in a couple of weeks and will be using the Inc like I did my TP in the first post..

 

[CheezWiz]

Yeah, I love it. And I love being 2 hours away from a hopping foreign city (Vancouver BC). Make it up to the San Juan Islands by chance?

No, unfortunately it was a dual purpose trip and we only had time for the Swedish Med Ctr and some touring in the city.. We will be returning for a more in-depth visit..! With passports so we can do the hop you are talking about..

 

[Ender11]

Seattle was awesome.. We want to live there now..

Born, raised and still living in the Seattle area, but it's against the law to tell out of staters how wonderful it is.

 

[CheezWiz]

Born, raised and still living in the Seattle area, but it's against the law to tell out of staters how wonderful it is.

If you watch 30-rock, my wife and I zone out every time we hear the word "Seattle" and say .... "I want to go to there..."

 

[Dually]

Has anyone had any trouble geotagging photos? I was out hiking the other day and my several photo locations were wildly inaccurate even as I stood there 30 seconds later comparing where the photo was on the map (in some cases a cell tower miles away) compared to my location which maps had no trouble pinpointing.

I was using a couple of gps app, Speedometer and Simple Location, but I experimented with turning them off to no effect of the accuracy of the geotagging. Perhaps I should have rebooted? That's the one thing I didn't try. But the geotagging seems to be working now in the back yard (so it goes).

 

[Rdjr74]

For those that use GPS often other then with Google Navigation, does your battery get warm? I noticed that mine does when using the Nav. That would be a major concern of mine, we all know when the battery gets hot the charge time goes bye bye...right?

 

[krispy_mobile]

I have used the DInc to geotag around 100 photos. I usually leave GPS off on my phone. I have found if I enable GPS, then go into the camera and compose my first shot, I also should wait another 10 seconds or so. In other words, I generally get enough lock for lat/long to record in exif data in about 20 seconds. After the first shot, I have noticed no additional lag between shots.

Keep in mind, I have not done comparisons with consumer or pro gps units to check accuracy. I do have access to Leica and Trimble units at work and no doubt the DInc would fail miserably in comparison. However, when I code the pics in ArcGIS against our Ortho's and Street network, they are reasonably accurate. If I had to guess, I would say it has been accurate to 15ft. Sometimes much better, occasionally worse. Outliers have always been just outside of that. Note: This is in a suburban setting with no canyons, skyscrapers, etc.

My only issue so far has been that the camera will freeze on random shots. Maybe one out of 20. I have to back out to the home screen and re-enter the camera app to try again. I have not investigated this.

Rdjr74: yep, battery warms up with Google nav. I have not noticed it as much with geotagging, but I generally turn on gps, take a few pics, turn off gps, go to other location and repeat. So, no real prolonged usage or battery drain.

 

[Andoug]

GPS only uses battery when an app needs it for something. Leaving GPS on does not drain battery just because it is on.

 

[Old Member]

I don't understand why anyone Geotags anyway? Don't you remember where you were when you took your photo? I'm not being flippant, I truly don't understand why anyone would want this feature.

 

[superchaos]

Geotags are used so other people know where you were and can go there. It is like geo caching. It is actually pretty popular.