Is your GPS working?

[tekageek]

well well well, this one worked.

3.01
turned it on and opened Navigator. in 10 seconds it locked into the gps. Installed gps test and saw 6 to 7 satellites, in use= 6
looked at the map and it found my location. Opened both Navigator and Places

3.1
Installed 3.1 OTA, once rebooted i opened gps test and now i see 7 satellites! Opened Navigator and worked fine. Opened Places and also worked fine. Both found my location and saw 6 to 7 satellites.

4.010.13.comgen2
wish there was a list of what this update does. installed this update and gps still works. Seeing 6 to 7 satellites. navigator and places still work.


Before i even took this tab i asked the sales guy the manufactured date. This one is from: May

 

[StoneKy]

@ tekageek congratulations!!

I believe they had a bad run in April, lol

 

[paddedcell]

Found a few apps that fixed my issues with GPS and just wanted to share my results with everyone. (Acer Iconia A500 - Android 3.1 - Kernel 2.6.36.3 - Build 4.010.13) Build date, April 2011

Now understand that GPS has never been a priority on my Tab but when I discovered that like many of you my compass was way off, and my GPS wouldn't lock on to a signal I spent more than a few frustrated hours working on the problem. I found 3 apps that have the necessary tools and stats to get mine working. GPS Essentials, GPS Status, & GPS Test (all found on the market). Overkill, I know but I found GPS Statis to be the most beneficial. It has auto-download AGPS data on startup located within settings under GPS & Sensors, as well as a compass calibration, and Calibrate pitch and roll, found under tools. After using these three tools my compass was spot on and I was locking on to and holding signals from 5-8 satellites. Google maps locked on within 10 meters (I tested this in the car as well).

GPS Test has a very readable graphic UI to aid in figuring out signal strength and also has an Update AGPS located at the top of the settings menu.

Hope some of this helps...

 

[frnkws]

Maps does not always get your location from GPS.
I have an Archos 101 and it has no GPS.
Yet Maps does show my location at my house.
I believe it has to do with your internet provider knowing where you are ans thus it gets information from your internet address.

 

[pamorrisvt]

@ tekageek congratulations!!

I believe they had a bad run in April, lol

Add May to that. Mine searches forever and never gets a lock.

 

[biogon]

Where do you find the build date?

Mine does not ever get a lock. I've tried resetting AGPS cache and changing the NTP server to us.pool.ntp.org -- nothing. At most 3 satellites, 0 lock, compared to my Thunderbolt, which gets a lock on 7 satellites in 20 seconds in the same location.

 

[Icebike]

Where do you find the build date?

Mine does not ever get a lock. I've tried resetting AGPS cache and changing the NTP server to us.pool.ntp.org -- nothing. At most 3 satellites, 0 lock, compared to my Thunderbolt, which gets a lock on 7 satellites in 20 seconds in the same location.

What are you using to determine if you have a "lock"?

When you launch Google Maps, does it not show you where you are?

 

[biogon]

It shows where I am based on my WiFi location, not based on a GPS location.

I think many people here have been confused. That is not a location based on GPS, it's a location based on your IP and WiFi location. Many people I've seen think that this is a "GPS" location, when it is not.

Without a GPS lock ("fix"), it is impossible to use the device with Google Navigation for realtime turn-by-turn directions.

The only way to determine if there's a GPS lock is, when using a GPS app, such as "GPS Status" or "GPS Test", and it actually has 3 or more satellites "fixed", with an accuracy reading of less than 100 feet or so.

Mine shows 2-3 satellites, all of them grey (e.g. less than 0.30 SNR), zero locked, and no accuracy, even if I leave it out under direct sky for 10 minutes.

-j

 

[Icebike]

It shows where I am based on my WiFi location, not based on a GPS location.

I think many people here have been confused. That is not a location based on GPS, it's a location based on your IP and WiFi location. Many people I've seen think that this is a "GPS" location, when it is not.

Yes its apparent many people here have been confused.

The GPS location in Google Maps/navigation is based on satellite data, not your WIFI location.

Assisted GPS, which is what the Acer has, uses hints from your WIFI and other nearby WIFI routers it can see to know which satellites are accessible where you are at this precise second. It then uses that information to look up in the almanac to find exactly which satellites are overhead and their exact frequencies. At best it gives your GPS chip a head start in finding the satellites.

AGPS is not some lame substitute for a "Real" gps, it is a REAL GPS. Its just faster than GPS units that lack assistance.
Read about how this works here: Assisted GPS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you start your Google Navigation prior to leaving wifi zone, Google maps/navigation will cache your entire route and the GPS will track you every step of the way and turn by turn navigation will work fine. (Even with Airplane mode on). Instead of fretting about what some third party app is showing you, simply take it out an try it. I've driven a 70 mile track with Google Nav on the tablet, and it cached the entire route, and gave perfect directions. (Use map mode, not Satellite view, takes less cache).

 

[biogon]

Instead of fretting about what some third party app is showing you, simply take it out an try it. I've driven a 70 mile track with Google Nav on the tablet, and it cached the entire route, and gave perfect directions. (Use map mode, not Satellite view, takes less cache).

That may work on your device, but it does not work on mine.

I've tried it numerous times.

Google Navigation never gets to the stage where it gives me directions. Ever.

 

[Icebike]

Then yours is defective. Get a RMA number and have it fixed.

Like I say, I've had ZERO problems with this in either Google maps or Google Nav as long as I cache the maps before starting out.

 

[Penny_K.]

Makes me wonder what shoving a non-activated SIM card in there would do for GPS triangulation.

All cell phone sim cards, activated or not, will always give you 911 access.
THEREFOR
Any empty pay as you go sim card will triangulate off of the cell towers.

 

[Icebike]

All cell phone sim cards, activated or not, will always give you 911 access.
THEREFOR
Any empty pay as you go sim card will triangulate off of the cell towers.

1) You don't need any sim card at all to make 911 calls.

2) sim cards have Nothing at all to do with triangulation

3) the gps does not use cell tower triangulation at all. Ever.

4) non of this is germane to the A500 which has no cell radio and no sim slot.

 

[dolherin]

Yes its apparent many people here have been confused.

The GPS location in Google Maps/navigation is based on satellite data, not your WIFI location.

Assisted GPS, which is what the Acer has, uses hints from your WIFI and other nearby WIFI routers it can see to know which satellites are accessible where you are at this precise second. It then uses that information to look up in the almanac to find exactly which satellites are overhead and their exact frequencies. At best it gives your GPS chip a head start in finding the satellites.

AGPS is not some lame substitute for a "Real" gps, it is a REAL GPS. Its just faster than GPS units that lack assistance.
Read about how this works here: Assisted GPS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you start your Google Navigation prior to leaving wifi zone, Google maps/navigation will cache your entire route and the GPS will track you every step of the way and turn by turn navigation will work fine. (Even with Airplane mode on). Instead of fretting about what some third party app is showing you, simply take it out an try it. I've driven a 70 mile track with Google Nav on the tablet, and it cached the entire route, and gave perfect directions. (Use map mode, not Satellite view, takes less cache).

A month ago I was visiting Prague and had my Iconia A500 with me. I remember waiting and waiting in the street corners for my tab to find gps-satellites. Then I popped into an internet cafe and immediately Google maps showed me where I was. There was no satellite locks. In general I think that Gps in this device is weak. It takes considerably longer to find satellites than in my garmin car navigation device.
Reinhold Pupu

 

[Icebike]

@Dolherin:

Standing on a street corner out of wifi range you would not expect Google maps to be able to download map images.
If you want to navigate with the acer you have to start from a wifi area so it can cache all the maps it needs for your route.

Don't confuse Google maps with the gps. The gps already knew where you were, but it couldn't get map images to show you.