Droid 3 and GPS

[Tepes]

So I had to go to Oklahoma this weekend and have had to depend on the GPS quite a bit. However, I am finding the gps undependable. My usual locale is Chicago and my D1 was almost always quick to pick up a satelite and directions were good. With the D3, it is having a hard time obtaining the directions and connection and seems to get confused easily. Is anyone else having issues? Should I wait until I get back to Chicago and see if I just happen to currently be in a GPS no-mans-land? If this is a common issue, do you think we would see a fix in an update or do I pay for a fix it app like GPS Doctor?

Edit: third post down has the explanation I received from tech support.

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[The_Rick_14]

So I had to go to Oklahoma this weekend and have had to depend on the GPS quite a bit. However, I am finding the gps undependable. My usual locale is Chicago and my D1 was almost always quick to pick up a satelite and directions were good. With the D3, it is having a hard time obtaining the directions and connection and seems to get confused easily. Is anyone else having issues? Should I wait until I get back to Chicago and see if I just happen to currently be in a GPS no-mans-land? If this is a common issue, do you think we would see a fix in an update or do I pay for a fix it app like GPS Doctor?

Sent from my Hitchhiker's Guide mark 2

I'm actually very interested to see how the GPS is compared to the D1 so if you could please post whether or not it worked like the D1 back in Chicago that would help me out.

Along those lines, that's probably your best bet to confirm whether or not there's an issue with the GPS or not.

 

[tonydelite]

Did you have a solid data connection? I believe the GPS needs to be assisted by data.

 

[Tepes]

Ok. Verdict is, no-mans-land. I called vz tech support and had them look at where I am and asked if data was tied to gps in any way. The answer is yes it is. In order for the gps to give you turn by turn, it requires a good data connection. Where I am right now barely has cel reception and little to no data (currently on wifi just to do this). So when I get back to Chicago, all should be well. This should also improve the battery drain I'm having, since I'm apparently smack dab in between a 3G area and a 1X area. So for anyone travelling to Indiahoma, OK, it's a beautiful area but don't expect much if any phone function unless you have family with wifi

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[bonesjones]

Gps doesn't require data, but you need data for the map data and directions, good news is that the new google maps you can predownload map sections for offline use, look into that works great for me.

 

[BenLand150]

Gps doesn't require data, but you need data for the map data and directions, good news is that the new google maps you can predownload map sections for offline use, look into that works great for me.

First, is your name reffering to the UFC fighter? If so, that's freaking awesome. If not.. oops.

Second, my GPS is working just fine. But after being to Chicago, my city is nothing like that.. so I have no idea if that could affect it or not. But your saying it worked on your D1 just fine so I'd assume that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Tepes]

I'll give the pre download of the map a shot. I know we're going out for a lot of driving tomorrow.

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[bonesjones]

Well I'm skinny and I play music, play a lot of bluesy music so my "blues" name came to be bonesjones, been y nickname for about 6 years. Lol

Back to gps haha, every gps phone I've ever had seems to have a mind of its on, 95% it works great and fine but there's those times it will refuse to be nice and will sit there waiting to lock the gps signal. Reboot always solves it.

 

[evulhotdog]

So when will google maps come out with the maps for offline use? I would gladly just download all the maps of my state beforehand and just save the data on the phone if that was an option. That would be nice

 

[bonesjones]

I've been asking that for years, also I wish I could narrow the auto complete searching, I live in alabama, so if I search for anything in birmingham, auto complete brings up england which pisses me off, I only wanna see searches for my state unless I change my state.

 

[evulhotdog]

Thats not what I meant, but that would also be a good idea, i just meant downloading the maps (images) for streets and ****, to save data and time when trying to work the damn gps haha. I think it would be quicker

 

[bonesjones]

I know what you meant, and id like that too but for me the auto complete thing drives me insane

 

[evulhotdog]

absolutely, it should download a database ahead of time of your immediate area or just within like 500 miles or something. I travel outside of 500 miles maybe once every 10 years? lol