Galaxy 3

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networkn

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#73468 14-Dec-2010 11:00

I have a friend interested in this vodafone device, and wants to use it when biking around nz and china/tibet as a GPS. Does this unit have a proper sat connection, or does it require a live connection to the internet/Cell tower?

sittingduckz

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#416976 14-Dec-2010 11:12

networkn: I have a friend interested in this vodafone device, and wants to use it when biking around nz and china/tibet as a GPS. Does this unit have a proper sat connection, or does it require a live connection to the internet/Cell tower?

What's a Galaxy 3?

I'm not a complete idiot, I still have some parts missing.

networkn

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#416978 14-Dec-2010 11:13

Samsung Galaxy 3
http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Samsung-Galaxy-3-Review_id2501

sittingduckz

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#416980 14-Dec-2010 11:23

networkn: Samsung Galaxy 3
http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Samsung-Galaxy-3-Review_id2501

It looks like Vodafone Galaxy 580?

You might be able to get an app that records gps points only and upload them to something else when you get back. Maybe an app called Endomondo (not sure if it works without data on)

The GPS itself shouldn't need data (Someone correct me if I'm wrong

I'm not a complete idiot, I still have some parts missing.

oxnsox

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#416995 14-Dec-2010 11:54

Unit has inbuilt GPS, and via android market and other sources you should be able to find some map databases.

Using (accessing) GPS satellites is free but GPS like that is a bit like having an engine without a vehicle connected to it. For GPS to 'work for you' it really needs a an application that lets you put in waypoints, or destinations. Then it'll tell you how far you have to go, or how to get to where you want to be.

kiwijunglist

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#417014 14-Dec-2010 12:12

Yes GPS will be able to work out your co-ordinates (lattitude / longitude) without mobile data/wifi.

GPS will get a better lock and will work a lot more reliably if you enable wifi/data, this is because the GPS goes into A-GPS mode, and uses information from local cell towers / wifi to help it guess where it is faster. Even though it is in A-GPS mode i'm pretty sure it doesn't actually use any data.

On my phone, if I am in basic GPS mode (ie not A-GPS) then the phone sometimes can't figure out the location, or seems to take forever.

I assume you want to use GPS so you can use maps?

If you want to use maps with GPS without using data then you will have to purchase an application that has 'offline' maps for NZ / China. eg. Navigon, Co-Pilot Live, etc..

The google maps that comes with the phone has to download maps 'on the go' using either wifi or mobile data. Downloading maps 'on the go' will probably not be suitable for china.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

networkn

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#417029 14-Dec-2010 12:43

Right, so I want to use google maps. I figured I could download maps for the area he was going to be in whilst connected to the internet, and then use the std gps stuff to give his location on the maps.

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#417133 14-Dec-2010 16:03

Google maps cache may not be useful enough here as the cache is not really designed to cache an entire city / long route

If you want to do it with google maps for free then it would be best to install "brut google maps hack" (from xfa forum) and then use mobile atlas creator to create an offline google map of the region at the requried zoom level(s).

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networkn

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#417134 14-Dec-2010 16:05

sounds too hard :-) I'll just tell him to guy a handheld GPS and make do :)

oxnsox

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#417139 14-Dec-2010 16:21

If he goes down that route then he'd have to make sure the HH GPS has inbuilt maps of the places he wants to go.

In some countries a lot of the available maps databases are not that accurate as they haven't been compiled from reliable data sources.

Your mate needs to decide what they want the GPS to do for them and make sure the one they get (or the application they get) allows for that. Otherwise it may just be a waste of money.
(Biggest problem they may strike is being able to actually use/read the local map as sometimes local dialects are used rather than what to us are the more common names for locations and addresses.... often is simply the way its formatted ie: Smith St. 24, instead of 24 Smith St. But it can get more complex than that.)

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#417150 14-Dec-2010 17:06

maps in china will be difficult, in the country they don't bother having road signs and people often don't actually know the names of the roads

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.