Question about GPS in cell phones

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?

Thanks in advance!

Beer Drinking Dog <photodoglv@yahoo.com> 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?
>
>Thanks in advance!

If you have mapping software and the maps stored on your phone, then
it should work even without cellular coverage.
--
Jim Rusling
More or Less Retired
Mustang, OK
http://www.rusling.org

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

My question would be battery life.
But I guess it would be powered off of the vehicle anyway.

Price is about the same.


"Beer Drinking Dog" <photodoglv@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:QsCbk.14322$3q7.9762@newsfe15.lga...
> 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?
>
> Thanks in advance!

Beer Drinking Dog <photodoglv@yahoo.com> wrote in news:QsCbk.14322$3q7.9762
@newsfe15.lga:

> 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?
>
> Thanks in advance!
>

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!

I have a GPS enabled MotoROKR Z6m slidephone. There's no way of seeing
anything about GPS on it, even on Alltel where they don't hobble up the
phones like most other carriers do....notably Verizon. The GPS you pay for
is not for YOU...it's for the cops to aid tracking escaped Americans.

On Sat, 05 Jul 2008 17:49:17 +0000, 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!
>
>I have a GPS enabled MotoROKR Z6m slidephone. There's no way of seeing
>anything about GPS on it, even on Alltel where they don't hobble up the
>phones like most other carriers do....notably Verizon. The GPS you pay for
>is not for YOU...it's for the cops to aid tracking escaped Americans.

Funny, I use my GPS on my Samsung BlackJack II. I can see my lat /
long, and use any of a number of different mapping programs - and I
have no data package.
--
To reply via e-mail, remove The Obvious from my e-mail address.

At 05 Jul 2008 17:49:17 +0000 Larry wrote:

> > 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?
> >
> > Thanks in advance!
>
>
> 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.


As I peck this into my AT&T Tilt WinMo phone (unlocked to use on T-Mobile,
but running stock, unmodified AT&T software), I'm at 42.26N, 96.20W at an
altitude of 1190 feet according to the GPS software I've installed.

> 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!


I'm running (the no longer marketed) Mapopolis as my "unconnected" GPS
software of choice. My connected software of choic is Windows Live Search
(MS' answer to Google Maps for Mobile- it uses the MS Virtual Earth maps
and data.)


> I have a GPS enabled MotoROKR Z6m slidephone. There's no way of seeing
> anything about GPS on it, even on Alltel where they don't hobble up the
> phones like most other carriers do....notably Verizon.

No, you have a partially-GPS-enabled CDMA cellphone. It radios raw GPS
data back to Alltel who calculates your position based on that info, (plus
tower location.) It doesn't have a "full" GPS, like Alltel's PPC-6800.

At 05 Jul 2008 13:28:49 -0400 Bill wrote:
> Good question.
> Someone told me the At&t Tilt had a good GPS feature.
> But I have not seen one.


I just bought a Tilt a week ago. I like it so far- faster than my old
WinMo phone, and the internal GPS is handy- much handier than lugging
around an external BT GPS like I used to.
> My question would be battery life.

Answer- it doesn't have any! ;-)

With push-e-mail and BT running constantly, I barely make it 10-12 hours.

> But I guess it would be powered off of the vehicle anyway.

I power it from the vehicle when using the GPS.

Todd Allcock <elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com> wrote in
news:g4pl9e$jo5$1@aioe.org:

> No, you have a partially-GPS-enabled CDMA cellphone. It radios raw
> GPS data back to Alltel who calculates your position based on that
> info, (plus tower location.) It doesn't have a "full" GPS, like
> Alltel's PPC-6800.
>
>
>

Doesn't matter to me at all. My GPS is in my watch pocket:
http://europe.nokia.com/A4400067
Hottest GPS receiver I've ever seen. 12 channel, WAAS-compensated,
locks up in 10 seconds, about 30 seconds for a totally cold start. By
the time the N800 has an Alltel data link, the LD-3W is online and
feeding it GPS data no Sellphone company can hobble and screw with.
Even has a REPLACEABLE common Nokia sellphone battery...(c;

http://maemo.org/downloads/product/OS2008/maemo-mapper/
It even plots you on aeronautical charts and weather radar plots, now!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=698iql3B824
Even the software and data are free....

Fully compatible with:
Open Street
Google Street
Google Satellite
Virtual Earth Street
Virtual Earth Satellite
Virtual Earth Hybrid (my fav)
Yahoo Street
Yahoo Satellite
Runway Finder
mesonet.agron.iastate.edu (Weather tiles)

More to come, USER configurable repositories, of course.
Downloads maps over wifi before you leave or on-the-fly over sellphone.

No comparison....
On Google or Virtual Earth sat photos, it'll put itself in its position
inside the car in the exact parking space at the mall....
Leave it running in the car and Maemo mapper will even find your car for
you as the BT locks on 50 ft from the car.

Todd Allcock <elecconnec@AmericaOnLine.com> wrote in
news:g4pl9f$jo5$2@aioe.org:

> At 05 Jul 2008 13:28:49 -0400 Bill wrote:
>> Good question.
>> Someone told me the At&t Tilt had a good GPS feature.
>> But I have not seen one.
>
>
> I just bought a Tilt a week ago. I like it so far- faster than my old
> WinMo phone, and the internal GPS is handy- much handier than lugging
> around an external BT GPS like I used to.
>> My question would be battery life.
>
> Answer- it doesn't have any! ;-)
>
> With push-e-mail and BT running constantly, I barely make it 10-12
> hours.
>
>> But I guess it would be powered off of the vehicle anyway.
>
> I power it from the vehicle when using the GPS.
>
>
>
>

Todd, wanna sell your old BT GPS? Which model is it?

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

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.