Galaxy Tab GPS?

[Dewed]

Would anyone know if the GPS on the Galaxy Tab works without an internet connection?

I realize it wouldn't feed the maps. But I think there are apps that have maps preloaded.

Thanks

Edit: I've seen that the specs say A-GPS. But some assisted ones also work without internet. It just depends on the device. So I wondered if anyone has tried it yet with the Tab.

 

[mach330]

i would like to know this as well. Meaning can you use google maps without 3G service.

 

[cpjr]

The GPS would work, as in it would pinpoint you....as long as you had software that could run without a data connection (preloaded maps).

aGPS, as you stated, means "assisted" using data gathered through cell tower triangulation and the internetz.....however this is to "boost" the performance of using the chip alone. Keeps it from dropping out as easily...but it will still work.

PS- Google maps are not stored on your device...so it wouldnt work.

 

[mach330]

The GPS would work, as in it would pinpoint you....as long as you had software that could run without a data connection (preloaded maps).

aGPS, as you stated, means "assisted" using data gathered through cell tower triangulation and the internetz.....however this is to "boost" the performance of using the chip alone. Keeps it from dropping out as easily...but it will still work.

PS- Google maps are not stored on your device...so it wouldnt work.

wait..so google maps are not preloaded? we can't download it from the market? dayam...i'm starting not to like this. the things i wish it had (gps and be able to connect to wifi tether with another android phone) are not what i expected.

 

[MonarchWines]

Here's what I tried.
While I was connected to Wi-fi centered my google map on my planned area of travel. Then while driving around the GPS worked great. Of course if I changed my view some of the map was not in "cache" but the location and functioning of the GPS worked just fine without any connection. (I had my mobile packet data off).

I don't know how much of the map Google Caches, I'll try that next and get some good sampling of the local area maps.

 

[cpjr]

wait..so google maps are not preloaded? we can't download it from the market?

Correct. It would basically be impossible to preload google maps onto your device unless you specified an area (like US, or Canada, etc) because since google spans across the globe, the file size would be WAYYYY bigger than you could fit on the phone.

Not only that but google products are all internet based data services, so maps wouldnt be any different.

 

[Dewed]

Thanks Monarch ... I wonder if it was still using cell towers to triangulate, even though it wasn't sending maps. Just a thought. I really don't know. But that pretty much answers my question.

cpjr ... I had heard that before, but wasn't sure if it worked that way or not. Thanks

 

[mach330]

So I'm guessing if you wifi tether you can use the gps function?

 

[MonarchWines]

The first question

I'll write a small app and see what the GPS is returning and then run around with it "off" all networks and see if the GPS functions, which I think was the underlying question in the thread.

Just from looking at it before it really looks like its the GPS pinpointing on the map with no other network connection

 

[Sleeve]

To be clear, GPS works regardless of any type of data connection, including none at all. Many of the apps that use GPS also happen to dynamically download data based on your location. Google Maps will dynamically download data.

Google Navigation, IF you enter your route while you have a data connection, will cache the map data for the route and take a snapshot of the traffic data. It will provide very limited rerouting ability.

There are other apps that use live GPS data and massive saved map data files to provide offline navigation, such as CoPilot, and now I believe there is an app version of the Navigon hardware.

You can totally do GPS without data. How else would a Garmin, Magellan, TomTom, or Navigon work?

 

[King0liver]

Cannot get it to work

I have a galaxy tab without a data plan and I cannot get the GPS to function without a network. I have a small application which uses the location service but it always returns null and never applies any updates. The application works fine on my DroidX even without a network connection.

 

[Dewed]

Thanks ... Mind if I ask what application it is? I'm still trying to find a good app with preloaded maps, for when I finally get an android tablet with a true gps.

 

[King0liver]

Its a test application that I wrote which does nothing other than query the location service, subscribe for updates and plot them using google maps

 

[hookbill]

Did you write the app specific to the OS that is currently on the Gtab?

 

[King0liver]

I wrote it for Android 2.2 which is what both my DroidX and Galaxy Tab are running.