N95 + Google Latitude (within Google Maps)

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UnrealWarCheek

86 posts

Master Geek

#39461 14-Aug-2009 11:43

Hey Guys,

I'm wondering if anybody else has tried the Latitude function within Google Maps?

Yesterday I enabled a friends Gmail account to receive my Latitude position data. The end result is that, from iGoogle with the Latitude widget, we can see each others geographic location, if we choose share it.

I then conducted a real-time experiment with my N95.

I'm living in Dunedin so I decided to walk up Mt Cargil walking track (Mt Cargil is a large hill overlooking Dunedin).

After I got out of my car I enabled the GPS, launched Google Maps (using VF INTERNET for data), and finally set tools/use GPS and Latitude's privacy/Location sharing/Detect your location.

This was really cool as what happening was my position was located by GPS and then that data was sent out over the Vodafone data network. My friend was able to track my progress up Mt Cargil from home!!

The GPS lock did go a bit funny a times as I'd get text message saying I was in Otago Harbour, but this was a result of me putting the phone in my jacket pocket.

At the conclusion of the experiment, Google Maps showed my position at the top of Mt Cargil, and I received a PXT of the iGoogle Latitude widget from my friend, showing my position . . . at the top of Mt Cargil!!

Has anybody else tried similar experiments?

ALTRON

577 posts

Ultimate Geek

#246551 14-Aug-2009 13:12

I have been using G-lat on my N95 for a few months now.

I find its most useful when I need to meet up with friends. They know my meet location marked on g-latitude (they all have g-lat capable phones)

I leave g-lat to auto update in the background. It can give some crazy positions just using cell towers to find position. Other users will go "what are you doing in the middle of a river lol?!"

My next phone has to be g-lat capable. :)

UnrealWarCheek

86 posts

Master Geek

#246865 15-Aug-2009 09:36

I know what you mean, when I use G-lat without the GPS function, it can only position me within 2.4km of the cellular tower (1 point fix). The problem with G-lat in Dunedin is that the hills block the signals from other cell towers effectively stopping the chances of a "3 point fix" based on relative signal strengths between 3 cell towers (but I'm guessing there). Would be interesting to find out what position quality you get in Christchurch (i.e. nice and flat)?

I'm assuming that when Google developed Latitude, they assumed that other countries had a similar density of cellphone towers (good reception city wide), instead of a cellphone tower where you got most of your customers (poor reception between hills, city outskirts e.d. Dunedin).

It's an interesting technology.

richms

28175 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#253911 7-Sep-2009 23:13

GPS antenna on the N95 is under the keys, so you have to have it slid open to work properly. No idea where it is on the N97 because it is always losing GPS lock when sitting in a car even with it open. Best I have seen on that is 5 sats, where as teh N95 would often get 7 or8 sometimes.

Richard rich.ms