Question about GPS in cell phones

In message <i8Obk.12251$CC.8960@bignews9.bellsouth.net> "Bill"
<bargerw@bellsouth.net> wrote:

>Good question.
>Someone told me the At&t Tilt had a good GPS feature.
>But I have not seen one.

What software have you installed?

I do not have the Tilt.
Was looking into one, and someone mentioned the GPS worked well.
They never responded to my inquiry as to what was displayed.
(Numbers, or Mapping software.)

"DevilsPGD" <spam_narf_spam@crazyhat.net> wrote in message
news:1ri0749quj8vm9u2dutfmb7u1o7r5033kn@4ax.com...
> In message <i8Obk.12251$CC.8960@bignews9.bellsouth.net> "Bill"
> <bargerw@bellsouth.net> wrote:
>
>>Good question.
>>Someone told me the At&t Tilt had a good GPS feature.
>>But I have not seen one.
>
> What software have you installed?

DevilsPGD <spam_narf_spam@crazyhat.net> wrote in
news:95p074lq6p4vu7ejgf61jb8ntia0mh5hck@4ax.com:

> In message <Xns9AD28EF03FD21noonehomecom@208.49.80.253> Larry
> <noone@home.com> wrote:
>
>>Don't assume anything about a Sellphone GPS. Carriers aren't going to
>>let you even see your lat/long unless they find some way to force you
>>to pay for it by the month. They're certainly not going to let you
>>install an unconnected map program like your Garmin had in it they
>>can't constantly charge you to use. That's crazy!
>
> And yet, on the AT&T Tilt there it is, a real GPS providing NMEA data
> even without a SIM card, or out in the mountains where there is no
> mobile coverage at all.
>

Real data to what? Big deal if it displays lat/long. What's the rent on
the map program in it?

In message <Xns9AD37CFFB6817noonehomecom@208.49.80.253> Larry
<noone@home.com> wrote:

>DevilsPGD <spam_narf_spam@crazyhat.net> wrote in
>news:95p074lq6p4vu7ejgf61jb8ntia0mh5hck@4ax.com :
>
>> In message <Xns9AD28EF03FD21noonehomecom@208.49.80.253> Larry
>> <noone@home.com> wrote:
>>
>>>Don't assume anything about a Sellphone GPS. Carriers aren't going to
>>>let you even see your lat/long unless they find some way to force you
>>>to pay for it by the month. They're certainly not going to let you
>>>install an unconnected map program like your Garmin had in it they
>>>can't constantly charge you to use. That's crazy!
>>
>> And yet, on the AT&T Tilt there it is, a real GPS providing NMEA data
>> even without a SIM card, or out in the mountains where there is no
>> mobile coverage at all.
>
>Real data to what? Big deal if it displays lat/long.

Well, your ROKR apparently can't and you were whining about that just
one post ago.

>What's the rent on the map program in it?

No rental charges. I have both Mapopolis and iGuidance, each a single
purchase for a perpetual license for the version purchased.

Mapopolis is out of business now, still works fine.

In message <Rj5ck.25127$AJ6.22843@bignews8.bellsouth.net> "Bill"
<bargerw@bellsouth.net> wrote:

>I do not have the Tilt.
>Was looking into one, and someone mentioned the GPS worked well.
>They never responded to my inquiry as to what was displayed.
>(Numbers, or Mapping software.)

Whatever you want, you simply load the software you desire and go from
there.

Beer Drinking Dog wrote:
> I've never owned a GPS-enabled cell phone. I've been thinking about
> getting one after my hand-held Garmin GPS unit finally died a couple
> months ago.
>
> I already got rid of my digital camera (most of the time) and my PDA as
> these features are present in most high-end smart phones now. Be nice to
> be able to drop one more electronic gadget.
>
> A question: I assume the GPS works even when the phone is outside
> cellular service range. But given that something like Google Maps is
> downloaded over WiFi or EDGE or 3G data service, what does the GPS
> display when you're outside the cellular service range? Is it just a set
> of coordinates? Or is there some sort of provision for a digital map
> built in--like with a hand-held GPS unit?

You have to buy the mapping software, i.e. for the Tilt it's $99 for
Garmin Mobile® XT and it comes on a MicroSD card.
"https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=11413".

It's $149 for the TomTom program, and you have to buy your own MicroSD
card, however you can have other stuff on the SD card besides the TomTom
program.
"http://www.tiltdepot.com/tomtom-gps-navigator-6-software/10A69A1551.htm"

The new iPhone supports GPS, and TomTom has announced a mapping program
to be sold through the Apple store, and of course the maps must be
stored in the iPhone's memory since there is no memory card slot on the
iPhone. Also, Garmin maps are more accurate and they have a more
extensive POI database than TomTom. It's not clear if Garmin will have
an iPhone product as well, but it's unlikely as they have announced
their own phone. If you need a very accurate GPS then get the Tilt, not
the iPhone, since you can use the Garmin software.

At 06 Jul 2008 06:49:01 +0000 Larry wrote:

> Todd, wanna sell your old BT GPS?

Nah, it's worth more to me as a back up. I still have my old Compactflash
GPS card, which by comparison to the BT unit or the Tilt, is blind, deaf,
and
dumb!

> Which model is it?


It's a Semsons iBlue. 30 hour battery life per charge, and very sensitive.
Uses a Nemerix chipset, which while very good for batteries, takes forever
to lock in "urban canyons" like NY or San Fran.

> Nasty old thing of no use...dump it cheap.


"Cheap" is why I typically don't bother selling old electronics. When my
HTC Wizard (WinMo phone) died a couple weeks sgo, I picked up my five year-
old WinMo PDA and my Symbian-based BT-enabled Nokia 3620 phone and was
up and running right away, with my biz data and apps, until I bought the
Tilt.
The "last generation" of equipment is worth more to me as a backup than
the few lousy bucks I'd get for it.

So, if the Tilt should ever go south, I'll need the BT GPS module and the
old PDA until I replace it...

Todd Allcock <elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com> wrote in news:g4sood$vdo$1
@aioe.org:

> So, if the Tilt should ever go south, I'll need the BT GPS module and the
> old PDA until I replace it...
>
>

I see your points. Old electronics is nearly worthless about 24 hours
after you buy it...(c;

Funny we never think of that while extracting our credit cards...

At 06 Jul 2008 16:12:51 +0000 Larry wrote:

> > And yet, on the AT&T Tilt there it is, a real GPS providing NMEA data
> > even without a SIM card, or out in the mountains where there is no
> > mobile coverage at all.
> >
>
> Real data to what? Big deal if it displays lat/long. What's the rent on
> the map program in it?

What "rent"? You can buy any WinMo-compatible GPS program (or use whatever
freeware/shareware.)

I generally use three GPS programs on my Tilt (and prior WinMo devices.)
One cost me (the excellent but now discontinued Mapopolis) one is free
(Windows Live Search) and one pays me (Navizon.)

At 06 Jul 2008 11:16:08 -0400 Bill wrote:
> I do not have the Tilt.
> Was looking into one, and someone mentioned the GPS worked well.
> They never responded to my inquiry as to what was displayed.
> (Numbers, or Mapping software.)
>

Nothing is displayed- the Tilt does not include GPS software. It includes
GPS _hardware_, and you add whatever software you desire, from free (Google
Maps, Windows Live Search,) subscription (TeleNav) or one-time purchase
(Garmin, TomTom, iGuidance, etc.)