Beginners iPad for GPS Questions (with apologies)
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Of course the wifi only version has no location information at all.
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As I now understand it a "Bad Elf" or similar is only needed on a non 3G / GPS iPad.
But initially I would wait and see how the internal GPS works out for you. For most of us it's good enough.
(not sure what is based on, wifi signals?)
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...23183519AAuFT1
Apparently there's a database out there that contains the locations of thousands of public access points, and if any of these are in range, then that location is given. Or triangulation is done if multiple are within range.
If that's not possible, then apparently the location of your public IP address is used. This will usually not be any more accurate than the city you are in.
But as wb9999 said, both methods will not work whatsoever in flight.
Last edited by BackPacker; 5th Apr 2013 at 08:39.
Thread Starter
My iPod Touch, which has Wi-Fi but quite definitely no cellular connectivity at all, always knows exactly where it is when connected to Wi-Fi
.. to within the nearest couple of metres.
Most Apps ask to "use your present location" and then do so very accurately. this has so far worked in Dorking, at Gatwick, in Northampton, Manchester, in Santorini, in Faro etc. Something somewhere must know the location of the Wi-Fi router it is connecting via.
Often it is more accurate than my HTC Desire (
) which has seriously coloured my view of Android devices.
.. to within the nearest couple of metres.
Most Apps ask to "use your present location" and then do so very accurately. this has so far worked in Dorking, at Gatwick, in Northampton, Manchester, in Santorini, in Faro etc. Something somewhere must know the location of the Wi-Fi router it is connecting via.
Often it is more accurate than my HTC Desire (
) which has seriously coloured my view of Android devices.
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Dave:
Provider: I switched from Vodafone to Three years ago, mainly due to their substantially lower roaming charges at the time. Never had a coverage issue and my bills dropped by 60%.
WiFi-based location services: as I understand it, it is as BackPacker says, IOW your device will get the location info from ANY WiFi it sees, wether you are logged into it or not. Hence the pretty good location info on the ground, especially in cities. Obviously, this is totally useless once in the air.
I don't have personal experience with the native iPad GPS (as mentioned earlier, mine is WiFi-only), but the Bad Elf definitely works. I recently flew a long x-country in the US, where the briefer included a warning about potential GPS outages / jamming during my flight (this was over remote parts of the SW with lots of military zones). I have no idea if there were any, but little thingy never lost the signal. Well worth the $ 100.-
Provider: I switched from Vodafone to Three years ago, mainly due to their substantially lower roaming charges at the time. Never had a coverage issue and my bills dropped by 60%.
WiFi-based location services: as I understand it, it is as BackPacker says, IOW your device will get the location info from ANY WiFi it sees, wether you are logged into it or not. Hence the pretty good location info on the ground, especially in cities. Obviously, this is totally useless once in the air.
I don't have personal experience with the native iPad GPS (as mentioned earlier, mine is WiFi-only), but the Bad Elf definitely works. I recently flew a long x-country in the US, where the briefer included a warning about potential GPS outages / jamming during my flight (this was over remote parts of the SW with lots of military zones). I have no idea if there were any, but little thingy never lost the signal. Well worth the $ 100.-
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Wifi location services works because most iPhone users have gps turned on and whenever the device sees a wifi connection it sends the location of that wifi access point - private or public - to Apple. You can turn this off (or have location services turned off, which is what I mostly do) but most users don't bother.
As a result it's startlingly accurate - on a recent holiday in the US using my wifi only iPad it was never more than 50m out and usually less than 5.
Useless in the air, as stated.
Tim
As a result it's startlingly accurate - on a recent holiday in the US using my wifi only iPad it was never more than 50m out and usually less than 5.
Useless in the air, as stated.
Tim
I used SkyDemon on an original iPad with a Garmin Glo (Bluetooth enabled GPS and GLONASS sensor) during some flights in NZ last year. I was very impressed.
The combination worked almost flawlessly, even though the Glo was in the pocket of my shorts. The only time I had a signal dropout was during manoeuvering for some photos of a mountain top. Even then, it was only the altitude that was lost.
However, I found the iPad heavy and unwieldy for cockpit use and I have now replaced it with a Wi-Fi iPad Mini. I think it is the perfect size. I just need to find a good yoke-mount for it.
I agree with tmmorris about the location accuracy of a non-GPS iPad. I'm sitting in my favorite restaurant and my location is reported as less than 10 m away - exactly where the Wi-Fi server is located.
The combination worked almost flawlessly, even though the Glo was in the pocket of my shorts. The only time I had a signal dropout was during manoeuvering for some photos of a mountain top. Even then, it was only the altitude that was lost.
However, I found the iPad heavy and unwieldy for cockpit use and I have now replaced it with a Wi-Fi iPad Mini. I think it is the perfect size. I just need to find a good yoke-mount for it.
I agree with tmmorris about the location accuracy of a non-GPS iPad. I'm sitting in my favorite restaurant and my location is reported as less than 10 m away - exactly where the Wi-Fi server is located.
Last edited by India Four Two; 6th Apr 2013 at 02:39.
I've been trialing a Nexus 7 with Memory Map, Skydemon and GPS. Works brilliantly at a reasonable price. I don't even us 1G let alone 3 or 4! The iPad is best for watching TV!
