N95 GPS observation

Forums › Legacy mobile platforms (Windows Mobile, Palm OS, Web OS, Symbian, Meego, Blackberry) › N95 GPS observation

UnrealWarCheek

86 posts

Master Geek

#29348 4-Jan-2009 12:29

Just recently I've rediscovered the GPS on my N95. Up until then I hadn't bothered much with the GPS as the (Nokia) Maps for the Dunedin/Otago area were pretty bad. Also locking times were (and still are) lengthy e.g. I could be a third of my way to a destination before it finally locks. Throw in a little paranoia that the battery will run flat when your away from the wall socket, then you have a premium feature gathering metaphorical dust.

I decided to buy a Dick Smith Electronics car charger at the Boxing day sales and a cellphone craddle ($28+$20). So after a bit of modification to the craddle i.e. drilling a hole for the charger, I had a rock solid GPS solution for my car...

... if I intended to use only the GPS Data application!

I then Installed Nokia Maps 2.0, I was very impressed by the quality and detail of the maps, especially when travelling over rural gravel roads, the roads were all there!

Now after my lengthy digression, one thing I observed with Nokia Maps 2.0 is where is the A-GPS option? I'm asking this because after I installed Maps 2.0 and loaded in the New Zealand map, I went for a drive to trial it. I had the radio on in the car and whilst waiting for the GPS lock I then noticed the 'cellphone data noise over the radio', just as the noise finished, my GPS locked on! I thought I was getting a txt message so that's what drew my attention to the unit.

Had I witnessed A-GPS at work or a hand off between cell towers? if so, how much data is sent? And is this charged at the $5 per 1MB region (before you cross the threshold into $1 per 10MB)? Just curious.

Forgive me if I'm rehashing old forums posts.

NZtechfreak

4649 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#187299 4-Jan-2009 12:56

Find the GPS data application (in Tools, Connection on my N82), hit Options-->Settings-->Positioning methods and check A-GPS (if it isn't already, and presuming you want to use it).

With A-GPS locks always took me less than 20secs (usually around 10) on my N95, making it perfectly usable. A car charger is definitely recommended (and a car holder is a good idea too - Dick Smith have them and they work well).

Data-wise its usually in the vicinity of 2-12kb, no idea how Vodafone would charge for that (I have a data plan).

Twitter: @nztechfreak
Blogs: HeadphoNZ.org

UnrealWarCheek

86 posts

Master Geek

#187316 4-Jan-2009 14:45

Thanks,

That makes sence now. I had always considered the connection methods (bluetooth,A-GPS...) in the 'GPS Data' application seperate to all other GPS applications i.e. all GPS applications are responsible for how they use the N95 hardware. I hadn't considered that the 'GPS Data' application was a functional software layer between hardware and the GPS application of choice.

BTW, I've always kept A-GPS off since Vodafone changed the casual data rate. I'm off now to experiment with A-GPS on...

ajobbins

5052 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#187322 4-Jan-2009 15:46

UnrealWarCheek:

Just recently I've rediscovered the GPS on my N95. Up until then I hadn't bothered much with the GPS as the (Nokia) Maps for the Dunedin/Otago area were pretty bad. Also locking times were (and still are) lengthy e.g. I could be a third of my way to a destination before it finally locks. Throw in a little paranoia that the battery will run flat when your away from the wall socket, then you have a premium feature gathering metaphorical dust.

I decided to buy a Dick Smith Electronics car charger at the Boxing day sales and a cellphone craddle ($28+$20). So after a bit of modification to the craddle i.e. drilling a hole for the charger, I had a rock solid GPS solution for my car...

... if I intended to use only the GPS Data application!

I then Installed Nokia Maps 2.0, I was very impressed by the quality and detail of the maps, especially when travelling over rural gravel roads, the roads were all there!

Now after my lengthy digression, one thing I observed with Nokia Maps 2.0 is where is the A-GPS option? I'm asking this because after I installed Maps 2.0 and loaded in the New Zealand map, I went for a drive to trial it. I had the radio on in the car and whilst waiting for the GPS lock I then noticed the 'cellphone data noise over the radio', just as the noise finished, my GPS locked on! I thought I was getting a txt message so that's what drew my attention to the unit.

Had I witnessed A-GPS at work or a hand off between cell towers? if so, how much data is sent? And is this charged at the $5 per 1MB region (before you cross the threshold into $1 per 10MB)? Just curious.

Forgive me if I'm rehashing old forums posts.

BE WARNED: Even if you turn data use off in Nokia maps, it will still connect to your default Access Point to get the A-GPS data.

I'm roaming in the USA and didn't realise this until a few days ago. A quick look at my unbilled data online confirmed it, and the charges were about $0.80 - $1.00 a pop (Roaming on AT&T so data is $10/MB) every time I opened the app and locked on.

kjthomas

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#187635 5-Jan-2009 20:36

Hi

I dowmloaded google maps for mobile. Symbian to my N95. Heaps better than Nokia maps. Asks if you want to use phone GPS and can AGPS and download maps from your wifi or a public wifi point as well as the Vodafone data connection.

No nokia navigation charges!

BrentR

1315 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#187654 5-Jan-2009 22:11

kjthomas:
Hi

I dowmloaded google maps for mobile. Symbian to my N95. Heaps better than Nokia maps. Asks if you want to use phone GPS and can AGPS and download maps from your wifi or a public wifi point as well as the Vodafone data connection.
No nokia navigation charges!

You only have to pay Nokia if you want voice guidance. Does Google Maps do voice guidance?

Aloha

676 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

#187669 5-Jan-2009 23:56

kjthomas:
Hi

I dowmloaded google maps for mobile. Symbian to my N95. Heaps better than Nokia maps. Asks if you want to use phone GPS and can AGPS and download maps from your wifi or a public wifi point as well as the Vodafone data connection.
No nokia navigation charges!

And can you download the total NZ maps from Google to your phone?

I is a kollege stoodent. Bee nice.

kjthomas

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#187704 6-Jan-2009 08:50

Hi

You can put google maps for NZ on your memory card, but it is a bit complicated. There is another geekzone post on how to do it. I download my initiul maps for each trip by wifi at home. That costs nothing. Extra data as we go so far has been well within my $10 monthly data plan including AGPS when needed. I turn AGPS off once the gps is initualised as it does not make much difference except with finding the first fix. Google say you can use vioce directions, but havn't tried.

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BrentR

1315 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#187762 6-Jan-2009 12:55

kjthomas: Hi

You can put google maps for NZ on your memory card, but it is a bit complicated. There is another geekzone post on how to do it. I download my initiul maps for each trip by wifi at home. That costs nothing. Extra data as we go so far has?been well within? my? $10 monthly data plan including AGPS when needed. I turn AGPS off once the gps is initualised as it does not make much difference except with finding the first fix. Google say you can use vioce directions, but havn't tried.

So really you're just as well off using the FREE Nokia Maps which are simple to install and require NO data usage at all (If you turn off A-GPS)

kjthomas

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#187767 6-Jan-2009 13:23

Hi
Nokia maps are not as good as google and will not load through my wifi so there are data charges to load and update them.