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GPS on mobiles - any data download


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Old 21-05-2009, 21:57
Donnaa5dcp
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My question which no-one seems to be able to answer is:
Can I use the GPS finction on a phone such as the C905 for free?
Am I actually connecting to the mobiles network? I mean theres no need to. I have a normal GPS, it doesnt require a mobile network to provide me with lat long info.
I'm not talking about using the maps or way to go or tomtom type stuff, just the standard recieve signal, give me my position..
If anyone knows for sure, that'll be great! Or if anyone has a C905 and see if they get billed for it.. that'd help.
Ta
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Old 21-05-2009, 23:58
kosmos5457
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I think the C905 has a GPS receiver built-in. I'd have thought that a Java version of GoogleMaps would be available as well as some other Java GPS applications.

I wouldn't like to use a GPS application where a constant connection to the internet is a must. Most places I go only offer 2G coverage, so I'd be concerned about the downloading of map data first of all and that needs to be downloading as fast as, if not quicker than I'd be moving along on the map. Then there is the issue of what happens when you have no signal. You won't be able to download map data and I'd expect that to cause some problems too.

To make use of GPS on the phone, I'd only accept a program where map data is already there so no web connection is required.

If you want to make use of the internet on your phone, you must have an unlimited data plan (check fair usage) and make sure that you use it carefully for the first month, just to see exactly how much data your using. I think GoogleMaps can use quite a lot, probably as much as 200KB per screen of map it downloads.

Take into account that 1MB costs something like £2, maybe £2.50, it would work out expensive otherwise.

About just wanting to know the latitude and longitude through a mobile application, I think some form of connection to the web might be necessary. That shouldn't cost a lot though.
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Old 22-05-2009, 07:38
prking
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Its quite straightforward. If you just obtain a fix then there is no data connection. UNLESS you turn on A-GPS, this uses the data network to help provide a quicker fix, which is more accurate.
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Old 22-05-2009, 12:51
web233
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GPS is a free service but as prking mentioned if you use assisted gps then this uses mobile network data to work out your location quicker
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Old 22-05-2009, 13:04
flagpole
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it's worth mentioning that the data used by A-GPS is tiny, less than 1KB.

i think some of the confusion comes from the fact that people use the words GPS and satnav interchangeably.
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Old 22-05-2009, 22:37
kev
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I think the C905 has a GPS receiver built-in. I'd have thought that a Java version of GoogleMaps would be available as well as some other Java GPS applications.
Google Maps is built into the C905 (on T-Mobile at least). It also has a programme that shows the Lat/Long without needing a web connection.

A-GPS does use the data connection to establish your location and it's much faster when it is turned on - GSM (rather than 3G) is fine for this purpose. - Its also more accurate - Using Google Maps triangulation puts you somewhere within 3km of Nottingham city centre, which then jumps to within 200m as APGS kicks in, and then within around 30m as GPS kicks in. Get some clear sky and it's down to decent accuracy.

I wouldn't like to use a GPS application where a constant connection to the internet is a must.
Trek Buddy is great for this - although it needs a big storage card if you want the whole UK in a high resolution.

Most places I go only offer 2G coverage, so I'd be concerned about the downloading of map data first of all and that needs to be downloading as fast as, if not quicker than I'd be moving along on the map.
Mobile Gmaps is rather good in this regard - quite fast at downloading the initial tile (and it caches them) and loads what's off view, so when you get there it has downloaded them.

Then there is the issue of what happens when you have no signal. You won't be able to download map data and I'd expect that to cause some problems too.
Depends how large the gap is - the caching and pre fetching of tiles will cover most gaps unless you are in the middle of nowhere.

To make use of GPS on the phone, I'd only accept a program where map data is already there so no web connection is required.
That would be Trek Buddy then!

If you want to make use of the internet on your phone, you must have an unlimited data plan (check fair usage) and make sure that you use it carefully for the first month, just to see exactly how much data your using. I think GoogleMaps can use quite a lot, probably as much as 200KB per screen of map it downloads.
T-Mobile's Web'n'Walk is brilliant - even with podcasts and the like being downloaded I get nowhere near. T-Mobile have a good fair use policy too - basically If you exceed it once in a blue moon we don't care, if you keep doing it we'll ask you to play fair, if you keep doing it up to a dearer plan you go, if you keep doing it we'll slow you down.

Take into account that 1MB costs something like £2, maybe £2.50, it would work out expensive otherwise.
Ouch - £7.5 pcm flat rate is so much better VFM!

About just wanting to know the latitude and longitude through a mobile application, I think some form of connection to the web might be necessary. That shouldn't cost a lot though.
Not at all - any GPS app can show that- including the one built into the handset that shows signal strength - even Mobile GMaps and Google Maps will show you when you are outside of cell coverage.

As for Sat Nav I use NavForAll - alas this requires network coverage - which means most of my journeys start with just a compass arrow as the Nottingham Ring Road is outside of network coverage.... (not that I follow sat nav within the Nottingham area anyway). - Does anyone know of a Sat Nav app that stores all it's data on the data card?
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