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Help GPS in Nexus 7?

4ubest said:
Indeed the gps works great on wifi BUT I am a bit confused as to how to use it with no wifi and to get performance equal or better than a new garmin or tomtom. I know its cpu is far better than a g or tt, I just do not understand how they work without a data connection.
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Tether to your phone for data connection
 
When I see GPS I think navigation. This is not necessarily so. The Nexus GPS will locate you on a downloaded map. That is no problem at all.
However, you must have a data connection to calculate a route. If you calculate the route while connected the navigation works well. But if you don't have a data connection you can not calculate a new destination. This includes recalculating if you deviate from the original route. In my opinion this makes the tablet next to useless as a navigation device.
Yes, you could use your phone for a data connection but the why not just use the phone for GPS?
 
mmckissock said:
When I see GPS I think navigation. This is not necessarily so. The Nexus GPS will locate you on a downloaded map. That is no problem at all.
However, you must have a data connection to calculate a route. If you calculate the route while connected the navigation works well. But if you don't have a data connection you can not calculate a new destination. This includes recalculating if you deviate from the original route. In my opinion this makes the tablet next to useless as a navigation device.
Yes, you could use your phone for a data connection but the why not just use the phone for GPS?
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'Cos:
1. The N7 has a 7" display vs a 4~5+" on a cell phone.
2. The N7 has a quad-core cpu and Jelly Bean.
3. You can still use your cell phone while your N7 navigates you to your destination uninterrupted.
 
Regarding google navigation offline. I did a post here a few weeks ago comparing my car's navigation to google navigation on the N7 without being tethered. Google navigation can run without a data connection but it is quite awful. It can't reroute, it basically just spoke to me when I was about to get on and off the highway. Nothing in between. On the street if I change route, it won't reroute. When I tether N7 to my phone google navigation was much chattier. Overall, the current version of google navigation offline is not close to what my car can do and almost as good as my car when its online. Obviously, my car is not online so I'm not sure how my car's gps differs from the N7's gps.
 
Compared to Google Nav, I think Navfree is awful.

Completely not designed for tablets - the UI is too small, buttons are too small... no voice recognition to input addresses, and it has that awful method of inputting state, then city, then road, then house number.

I wish Google Nav could function completely offline. My girlfriend's dad is looking at an N7 to replace his GPS, since he likes the idea of having a computer-like device on the go, and is looking to buy a new GPS anyway. I'm just having a hard time recommending a GPS app for him. He's not highly tech savvy, so working out a method where Google Nav is usable isn't going to happen.

Navfree crashed twice on me yesterday, and like I said, the usability of it leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, I get that it's free - I'm not arguing with the value of the app.

I may give the cheap version of Copilot a try and see if that's any better. The reviews for navigation apps are just all over the board.
 
Regarding Navfree rerouting, I have just completed a round trip of 290 miles and can confirm it reroutes on the fly, no problems, maybe the UK maps are behaving differently from the US ones? I hope not as I am using this instead of Copilot on a 1500 mile road trip in the US in less than 2 weeks time !
 
I have the paid for voice turn-by-turn Live8 version on my WM phone but just installed the free version on Play to my N7. Not used it in earnest yet but looks like it'll be fine as long as I keep my beadies on the screen

FWIW, I asked ALK if I could deactivate the WM version and download/install the Android version. A resounding "no" was the answer and they wouldn't even make an allowance towards the Android version.

Not sure I'm ready to trust Google Nav just yet.

Might give Navfree a wee go as well :)
 
You can precache up to like a 20mb area of the map. The GPS works fine, you just gotta make sire you have the area you are in predownloaded.

Good for short trips, bad for anything more than around 4 hours because you'll run out of cached map
 
The problem is that all you get is cached map data - it will not calculate routes or locate addresses. So it's better than nothing but Google Maps is not a substitute for a full GPS on a device that doesn't have a persistent data connection.
 
It will calculate routes as long as youre connected to data. You just can't stray from that route because it won't reroute you
 
You guy's might want to think of it as an assist. you still need data, but not as much. Think about getting a cheap wifi hotspot. Freedompop or something.
 
VicMatson said:
You guy's might want to think of it as an assist. you still need data, but not as much. Think about getting a cheap wifi hotspot. Freedompop or something.
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...and now you're committing to carrying an extra device, requiring additional charging, and paying a usage fee just to have a GPS.

Not trying to be obstinate, just pointing out that Google Maps/Google Nav really only works as a concept on a device with a data connection. You can shoehorn it into kind-of working, but there are a lot of disadvantages.

Say you decide you don't want to carry a hotspot everywhere... You calculate the route before you leave the house. Okay, great. You can't deviate from it, though. You can't look up any POI on the way. And God forbid you accidentally exit the Nav application or it crashes: your route is gone with no way to get it back.
 
binary visions said:
...and now you're committing to carrying an extra device, requiring additional charging, and paying a usage fee just to have a GPS.

Not trying to be obstinate, just pointing out that Google Maps/Google Nav really only works as a concept on a device with a data connection. You can shoehorn it into kind-of working, but there are a lot of disadvantages.

Say you decide you don't want to carry a hotspot everywhere... You calculate the route before you leave the house. Okay, great. You can't deviate from it, though. You can't look up any POI on the way. And God forbid you accidentally exit the Nav application or it crashes: your route is gone with no way to get it back.
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I use a Garmin GPS, until it can't find a location. So there is a flip side to that argument. I don't see Google making a free NAV app in the near future.
 
unknownM said:
Can gps work when wifi is off? I'm need it tomorow and I don't know how to use it. Pls answer soon.
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Yes it does work without WiFi. But you have to make your setup with the WiFi - I guess because it has to get the relevant maps first..
 
The GPS does not require a data connection to work, period.

It's the navigation software that may or may not require a data connection. With the Google Nav app, a data connection is required as it dynamically downloads map data as you travel along. It's possible to cache map data for a trip but then you will not be able to reroute or anything without a data connection.

Instead, install an app like NavFree that INCLUDES the map data (stored locally on your N7) and doesn't require a data connection.
 
I use Nav free where you can preload the maps - per state. Since I live in the center of Florida, the map of Florida is enough for me. This works very well and has a lot of options.
 
OK. After reading through these posts, I tried something that I think most will find useful. I will list some steps to take and keep in mind that this is strictly for the Nexus 7. The Nexus comes preloaded with a handy little app that uses a combination of GPS and an internet connection. It's called Navigation. And you'll need a smartphone with bluetooth for internet access if you plan to use navigation for trips.

1. On your smart phone you have to enable internet sharing. Your smartphone must have a data plan for this to work.

2. Make sure that both your phone and your nexus 7 are able to connect to each other via Bluetooth.

3. When both devices can see each other and Bluetooth is enabled on both, your Nexus 7 will show your phone connection under bluetooth. There is a little box to the right of that connection. Click on it and there is a check box that allows your Nexus to get internet access through your phone via bluetooth.

4. Open the Navigation app and enter your destination.

That's it! The Navigation app does not work on GPS alone and needs an internet connection to actually load the maps in real time. But it works great with an internet connection.

And by the way, since you have an actual internet connection you can use your Nexus 7 to also browse the internet, get on facebook, twitter, check your email, etc as well.

This may also work on other Android devices but I can only speak on the Nexus since I know it all ready comes preloaded with the Navigation app. Not sure if it is something that is on other Andriod devices to start and may be available in the Google store anyway. Good luck and have fun with internet access on your tablet while you are on the road. But please, do not try this while driving too. Safety first!
 
You're making things way too hard. THERE IS NO NEED FOR INTERNET ACCESS IF YOU USE AN APP THAT USES LOCALLY STORED MAP DATA!!!!

Try CoPilot Live for a paid app or NavFree for a free one. Both of these apps store the map data locally so you won;t need a data connection while underway.
 
strollin said:
You're making things way too hard. THERE IS NO NEED FOR INTERNET ACCESS IF YOU USE AN APP THAT USES LOCALLY STORED MAP DATA!!!!

Try CoPilot Live for a paid app or NavFree for a free one. Both of these apps store the map data locally so you won;t need a data connection while underway.
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Right, navigation systems in cars don't have data connections either. I use a few different apps with maps download and it works very well.
 
Nearly everything Google requires an internet connection. Don't associate Google anything with GPS if you do not have an internet connection. ITS THAT SIMPLE! Google (input whatever name you want) works well in metro areas or tethered to an internet connection, but not without.

Other "NAVIGATION APPS" utilize the GPS without the requirement of a WiFi/internet connection. What this means is that the Nexus 7 has a true "stand-alone" GPS! The app itself has the contained maps required for GPS operation and navigation.

So if you're out backpacking and downloaded the appropriate software (with maps) before going out into the wilderness, it will triangulate your position on the map and track movement. You can also set a route, and it will take you there...without an internet connection.

Backpackers and other entities are catching on to the uses of some of these tablets that have this features to hold very detailed topographical maps rather than carrying paper. It also allows them to geo cache and entertainment out in the wilderness. The Nexus 7 has the ability to be a Garmin Montana 650T but with many many more features! As long as you have the appropriate software for the unit to use!

There are many posts on here stating that it won't work without the internet (this is not an absolute), they are referring to Google or an "internet powered" map, not a GPS powered app.
 
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