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All things GPS

Is this a poll?

  • Yes, it looks like a poll.

    Votes: 42 26.3%

  • No, there is no way this is a poll.

    Votes: 31 19.4%

  • Why in the world is there a poll here?

    Votes: 87 54.4%
  • Total voters
    160
^Me too - and my parents had a little lock that went on the 1 so we couldn't dial. Turns out that didn't stop plunger dialing tho. ;) My landline? A rotary candlestick, bought from the phone store in the early 70s - still works great.

Speaking of phones and GPS - I learned something interesting that's true of my Evo, but not my wife's Evo Shift, apparently having to do with the multiplexed chipsets used in the Evo:

If I turn off my GPS radio, my wifi and 3G speedtest speeds more than double.

Probably a weirdness unique to the Evo - but I've not seen it discussed around the forums, I guess it's just one of those things people don't think to check. So - this being All things GPS, I'm just kinda tossing that factoid out here and there, some out of my own curiosity, some in case it's useful to others whose phones may be using some similar architectures to mine or the like.
 
reinbeau said:
I believe this is the main reason AT&T hasn't released 2.2 yet.
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I used to agree with this sentiment. However my new Inspire is an AT&T phone and it came with 2.2.1 out of the box.

I don't know why samsung and at&t are so resistant to releasing froyo for the captivate, but I do not think there is anything inherent in froyo that makes it harder for at&t to cripple than 2.1 or 2.3.
 
Weirdly, my stock 2.1 Captivate's GPS has started working. No, it's not quite as accurate as my boss' Evo, for instance, but it really works well enough for anything I care about. I can use Nav now for instance, without getting the huge blue circle. It gives its turn directions at the appropriate times. It shows the dot in the right place, using cross streets as checkpoints. It works, basically.

And I say this is weird because my Captivate (bought August 2010) GPS did not work AT ALL when I first got it. It would just sit there with the icon blinking and never lock. When JH7 came out, that improved it so it would at least lock, most of the time, when it had clear sky, but it still wouldn't track well and it didn't lock if it was cloudy, if there were trees, etc.

And then about a month ago it just started working. It now locks faster, it locks places it never would before (in the house), and it tracks, even at 70+ on the highway. The only thing I can think of that I'm doing different is that I got a windshield mount for the car. That undoubtedly improves the signal there. But it doesn't explain why it now works in the house, or when using the wardrive app while out walking around with the phone in my pocket (definitely did not work in the past). So it's a mystery to me, but I'll take it....
 
I believe if you do the math, it actually makes sense for AT&T to fix the phone instead of pushing people to a new one. The phone is subsidized for 2 years, if you keep it after that, then the $20.00 per month that went to pay for the phone, goes directly into their pockets.

It would be nice to see a fix...
 
The Jester said:
I believe if you do the math, it actually makes sense for AT&T to fix the phone instead of pushing people to a new one. The phone is subsidized for 2 years, if you keep it after that, then the $20.00 per month that went to pay for the phone, goes directly into their pockets.
It would be nice to see a fix...
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I don't understand this logic. If they push you into a new smartphone, they get the large upfront payment AND start a new 2 year high revenue monthly plan. Contrast that with continuing an existing plan with zero upfront (that already happened x months ago) and either no or less than 2 years remaining for locked in monthly.
 
I had one of the first generation Captivates, powerd off once in a while, GPS sucked. Started powering off more often, so after a 5 minute call with AT&T, they sent me a refurbished, 1007 build, Captivate.
I rooted, and flashed Paragon RC5, WOW. This ROM is amazing ( I was using Cognition 3.04), and my GPS is like my shadow. I now pick up 7 or 8 satellites, minimum.
Yeah, I know, these phones should be like this out of the box, but they aren't. It's only my second Captivate since. August 2010. I remember having 5 Motorola Razors in one year (Motorola is junk).
So, try a replacement, you have a year warranty.
 
not sure if its good or bad. seeing im setting in my home office im getting 8 in view and 8 in use.

gps.png


my build # is ECLAIR.UCJH7

once again is that good or bad???
 
For indoors on a Captivate, I think that is pretty good--very good even. How long did it take to have 8 in use? After 2 min, I have 9 in view, 5 in use, indoors of a house.

oops now it is suddenly 8 in view, 0 in use, sitting on the arm of a chair.

oops now it is 8,7

typical Captivate unsteadiness
 
to get the 8-8 no time at all,30 sec maybe. thats where it seems to be staying. the 11-7 was only for a few seconds in itself.
 
As stated above it is called GPS TEST easly found in the market.

I must say im not having any issues with my gps locking in. Im out it the rain here in ohio,and right now i have 11 insight and all 11 in use. With a awsome 12ft. Range. I do have a newer captivate so id say that has alot to do with it. Myself im not ready to throw samsung under the bus. Other than the battery issue. Just my 2cents
 
11-22-2010 is the date on mine. Id say thats one of the newest models. So that would mean that is why im haven such good luck.
 
I do apologize for posting in haste, but presently I am flashing Cog 4.0 fingers crossed the GPS tracking in Google Maps gets better!
 
so does that mean 2.2 is around the corner for the captivate? why the hell is the captivate the only one without 2.2??? i got a freind that has the facinate and he loves 2.2
 
cincyrob, that is an unanswerable question. We're all wondering the same thing, but some of us have moved on to 2.2.1.
 
reinbeau said:
cincyrob, that is an unanswerable question. We're all wondering the same thing, but some of us have moved on to 2.2.1.
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is that a self added rom? im interested in flashing to one but a little uneasy with the idea of screwing up my phone.lol i have only had it 6 weeks. guess if i can build a computer and flash firmware for drives i could install a rom on my phone..

guess im just wanting the so called factory update so to say. i do want the ability of flash on my phone badly...
 
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