Is the HTC Desire's GPS reliable?

[adibranch]

that answered my question.. thanks

 

[CaptainSensib1e]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but can anyone tell me how to set the default navigation program on the desire to walking mode? There's loads of one way streets near me and so the defalt driving mode is a real pain! Thanks.

 

[spile]

I prefer apps with built in maps:
1) No data charges
2) Work with POIs eg speedcams
3) Makes planning easier.

Reviews:
Android Sat Nav Apps

Sygic comes out the best

 

[Deleted User]

The lat and lon positions seem OK, but the altitude seems to be about 20 meters too high at sea level, increasing to about 50 meters too high at altitudes 1300 meters above sea level. This was verified with both Garmin GPS units and reference map data.

I have a Garmin GPSMAP 62s which is a fairly new model that replaced the well regarded GPSMAP 60 series and based on their accuracy for lat/long and altitude, I can say my Desire is very accurate to less than 1 meter (in the open it's usually a bang on match to the GPS unit). Except for altitude where the Desire consistently puts my altitude 20 meters lower than the GPS units and known altitude locations. My wife's HTC Legend is also quite accurate within a foot of the others and also 20 meters lower than the GPS units.

For driving, Maps lookup, geocaching, it's very accurate as long as it has a good signal. Under a canopy of trees or power lines, the Desire doesn't maintain a good lock and it becomes less accurate. The Garmin 62s keeps a lock under heavy trees and even in canyons or between tall buildings in the city...the double-helix antenna performance on the Garmin is impressive to say the least.

Compared to my old iPhone 3G and my friend's iPhone 4, perfomance is easily as accurate and is better for signal lock under trees. Can't complain at all with how great the GPS is in phones these days. If it wasn't for hiking/camping and geocaching, I wouldn't have a use for a handheld GPS unit.

 

[NeilW]

(a bit off topic, but definitely related...)

Does anyone else every drive across Salisbury Plain (on the A303)?

I drove down yesterday, and both ways I completely lost GPS signal pretty much at Stonehenge for 20 or so miles - luckily I was continuing down the same road and didn't have to navigate off it until after the signal came back.

Neither google maps or CoPilot could get the relevant data feed....

I wonder if the army were exercising and don't want the troops using their own satnavs when they are supposed to be reading maps properly?

 

[furious duck]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but can anyone tell me how to set the default navigation program on the desire to walking mode? There's loads of one way streets near me and so the defalt driving mode is a real pain! Thanks.

Do you mean directions in Google maps? The walking mode button is on the same direction screen. Are you saying you want this button selected rather than having to tap it?

 

[CaptainSensib1e]

Do you mean directions in Google maps? The walking mode button is on the same direction screen. Are you saying you want this button selected rather than having to tap it?

No, I mean the navigation app, not google maps. It was installed as a default app when I got my phone. Thanks.

 

[Griff_LI]

No, I mean the navigation app, not google maps. It was installed as a default app when I got my phone. Thanks.

You can either find a place in Maps and then when you hit Get Directions - choose walking mode.

Or you can open Navigation and select Walking on the drop-down top-left.

 

[sudkcoce]

I have posted this elsewhere, but what a heck. When I bought my first smartphone, it HAD to be good with GPS. And so is the Desire.

What I find interesting is how many of you use Google Maps navigation...

IMHO, if you want a really great experience, these two are by far the best:
1) iGo (also Motonav, which is a clone)
2) Navigon

I have tried Sygic a couple of days ago, it's not bad, but far, really far from the ones mentioned above....

I now use iGo exclusively and it has NEVER let me down. Even receiving calls while navigating - no problem, changing route by turning elsewhere, no problem - recalcualates the route in a second or two.........

 

[Griff_LI]

What I find interesting is how many of you use Google Maps navigation...

Why so ? It works really well and it's free. With the rate Google are updating it the few things dedicated Sat Navs do more than it will be picked-up pretty soon. I just can't see a reason to outlay another chunk of cash when I already have something that works.

The biggest wish, for me would be to use user-uploaded position data to monitor road speeds (like top-of-range Tom Toms do). Currently in the UK the traffic layer is only fed from the Traffic Master cameras and they're limited mainly to motorways.

 

[CaptainSensib1e]

You can either find a place in Maps and then when you hit Get Directions - choose walking mode.

Or you can open Navigation and select Walking on the drop-down top-left.

Thanks for thr reply, but I can't get this to work. As soon as I select a desitnation it defaults to 'getting driving directions'. There is no drop down on the top left. I have explored all options and settings and I can't see anyway to change this. Perhaps there isn't.

 

[Griff_LI]

Which version of Maps ? (I'm on 4.7).

 

[pebkac]

I have a Garmin GPSMAP 62s which is a fairly new model that replaced the well regarded GPSMAP 60 series and based on their accuracy for lat/long and altitude, I can say my Desire is very accurate to less than 1 meter (in the open it's usually a bang on match to the GPS unit). Except for altitude where the Desire consistently puts my altitude 20 meters lower than the GPS units and known altitude locations.

But the GPSMap 62s has a barometric altimeter, which is pretty accurate. Any GPS unit which provides altitude data without a dedicated altimeter is doing it via triangulation, which for altitude isn't very accurate at all. If it's tracking consistently 20m off then that's pretty good going in my book - in the past I've sat on the ground with an old Garmin Legend (which had no altimeter) and watched it gain something like 50m over the space of about a minute.

 

[htchddesire]

I use the HTC Desire HD on geocaching.
In my own country, where I can keep both the data connection and the GPS connection on, the accuracy is generally sufficient.
When I'm abroad, I have to close the data connection (roaming charges), the accuracy using only the GPS signal is about 40-70m.
But also in my country, I've noticed that if I go off-road, which contains a lot of differences in elevation, GPS throwing too much.
I use for geocaching a c:geo-application (and Locus add-on).