Hi there,
I'm loving my Surface so far (Had it for two weeks) and would like to know if anyone has managed to pair it with a USB or Bluetooth GPS unit?
If yes, does it work well with the included Bing maps? Or are there any other good apps for use with a GPS?
I potentially have two uses for the device with GPS enabled.
1) As a navigation device
2) As a GPS logger that can log my position and export the data to be used in Photoshop Lightroom to geotag my photos.
If anyone has done this can they please share with GPS device you have tried and how your experiences have been?
I was hoping that using my Android phone as a WiFi hotspot would allow Bing maps access to the GPS location of my phone...but I don't think it works.
I was able to pair it with my BT GPS but no luck actually getting any apps to work with it...
--Chris
christr said:
I was able to pair it with my BT GPS but no luck actually getting any apps to work with it...
--Chris
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The same result here.
Sent from my Windows 8 device using Board Express Pro
Do you guys have the Windows location platform enabled? I think it may be off by default, which prevents apps from getting your location even when the OS has it.
Open Start, type "location", and look under Settings.
Related
Hello,
I did quite some searching on this topic but nothing to be found. Maybe some developers can shed some light on this issue?
Many developers have written excellent applications that take the GPS output of the phone and display your coordinates, altitude, speed, and other variables. Presumably, this information can be gathered without the need for a data application.
Now, let's say the data format that the GPS is outputted in (NEMA Standard) is slipstreamed consistently into a Maps application (like Microsoft Streets & Maps), then you would have a winner. The combination of preloaded maps with the power of the GPS receiver in the G1 would give you awesome maps functionality on the cheap (perfect for that Netbook).
However, much GPS status applications only display the output on screen. While it is nice to have a coordinate staring at you in the face, that's all it's doing. Instead, utilizing those NEMA values for the computer to interpret would simplify the process.
My friend and I proposed a couple of concepts on how to take this on:
1) Upload the NEMA data to a server
*Okay idea but defeats the purpose of going Data-less. I might as well use Google Maps
2) Upload the NEMA data to a local server
*Good idea but if the laptop is connected to an ad-hoc network or some weird [sic] network, the phone maybe unable to connect to the same network (i.e. business-style wifi logins)
3) Bluetooth. Beam data through OBEX file transfer or other method.
*Better idea but the implementation of bluetooth in Android does not currently support OBEX file transfers or other pairing mechanisms. Would this be possible to carry out?
4) Serial output via USB.
*Best idea. This would put the GPS receiver in tandem to the other devices.
So...any ideas? Would love to hear them. Are there people who could utilize such functionality for a netbook/laptop combination? Spill your comments, questions, concerns.
Developers, feel free to chime in at any time Thanks.
~NerveBand
try BlueNMEA witch is avaible on the market, it send NMEA over bluetooth.
So does anyone use BlueNMEA and if so can you help set mine up. I cant seem to find any real documentation.
Are there any other options for utilizing the gps on a program like streets and trips?
Can anyone confirm blueNEMA and CM-4.1.9999?
Has anyone successfully gotten this blueNEMA working with a G1 + Bluetooth + Laptop and Streets and Trips?
Love to get this working too... I have the BlueNMEA installed, paird with my laptop over BT but I cant get MS Streets and Trips to see it, if I scan it doesnt see it either... weird.
Here's a bit of documentation I found: http://git.snow-crash.org/?p=blue-nmea.git;a=blob_plain;f=README
Sorry for the bump, but...
Is there any possibility of this ever working over USB rather than bluetooth?
Will it ever be possible for Android to be able to interface to a Bluetooth GPS Receiver for use in programs like Google Maps?
What sounds like such a simple thing which would give me some respite on my Samsung Galaxy S.
Cheers
Simon
I am curious also.
i need that too
I know that most of the Bluetooth GPS receivers use a simulated Comm port. As long as Android can use the Comm port and receive position data through ASCII sentences, then it should be fine.
i'm gonna try BlueNMEA (it's on the market)
i'll report back
edit: the app seems to be broken :\
If there is an app for NMEA data, that is a good sign. NMEA uses ASCII text strings to send data. To be honest, I know that Garmin's Bluetooth receivers will send NMEA data to the phone.
Sent from my Garminfone using XDA App
Any news on this topic?
Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
Look for "Bluetooth GPS Provider" or "Bluetooth GPS mouse" in the market...
I didn't want to pay for something like that and I did not understand why I should give phone call or network access for such an application...
So I've have developed mine:
it' free,
it's open-source (you can verify what it's really doing and you can improve it!),
it just asks for needed permissions.
The application allows to use an external bluetooth GPS on Android devices:
The application starts a service, then connects to a Bluetooth device (NMEA GPS) and creates a mock GPS provider which can be used to replace the internal GPS.
It's also possible to log the external GPS NMEA data in a file on the device.
The app need the following permissions:
bluetooth and bluetooth admin (connection to the GPS device),
location and mock location (replace the GPS location provider by a new one using the bluetooth GPS device),
write external storage (if you want to log the NMEA data into a file on the sdcard).
It should run on all android devices (2.0 and above) and NMEA bluetooth devices.
I have tested it with a GlobalSat BT-338 bluetooth GPS (SiRF III), a Galaxy S (I9000) and a HTC Sapphire (Froyo CM-6).
It works with Google Maps, Wikitude, GoPenS and my own personal navigation app. It should work with all applications that use Android official location API.
Note: in order to install the app:
enable Settings/Applications/Unknown sources,
enable Settings/Applications/Development/Allow mock locations,
download and install the apk.
Project page:
Bluetooth GPS for Android on SourceForge
BlueGPS4Droid apk: BlueGps4Droid_1.0.apk
herbert1 said:
I didn't want to pay for something like that and I did not understand why I should give phone call or network access for such an application...
So I've have developed mine:
it' free,
it's open-source (you can verify what it's really doing and you can improve it!),
it just asks for needed permissions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, went from zero of these to three or more.. More is good I guess! Does yours reconnect to the GPS when the connection is lost (walk away from the GPS, GPS accidentally gets turned off in pocket, etc)? What happens if you turn off the phone (hit power button.. standby), does it disconnect? Reconnect? What happens to apps while running, do they pick back up, or reconnect to the internal GPS?
EDIT: It disconnects. You should have it reconnect, especially if the signal was just lost watch for the device to become available again, and it'd also be really nice if it could do it automatically even if not just used; ie I get in the car, fire up the Holux 236 and a few seconds later your program connects to it.
Very very nice start, worked as well as the Bluetooth GPS Mouse program I've been using for a few weeks.. No sat or fix info, but that's a limitation of the Mock interface of course. Not much to be done there.
And it will be great if supports usb gps too. I have an android device with usb host and a usb gps, so will be great if we can attach a serial port to the mock gps in your app.
Thanks.
Corvus.
I actually have stopped using this, as about 50% of the time my phone is freezing when entering Waze with it enabled, 0% of the time without it or using Bluetooth GPS Mouse.
But it is a new program, it has room to grow.
khaytsus said:
Wow, went from zero of these to three or more.. More is good I guess! Does yours reconnect to the GPS when the connection is lost (walk away from the GPS, GPS accidentally gets turned off in pocket, etc)? What happens if you turn off the phone (hit power button.. standby), does it disconnect? Reconnect? What happens to apps while running, do they pick back up, or reconnect to the internal GPS?
EDIT: It disconnects. You should have it reconnect, especially if the signal was just lost watch for the device to become available again,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't have this kind of problems in my car, so I haven't planned anything for that. For now, I have preferred that, in case of problems, everything stops properly. However I will verify what I can do (if I can find a simple way to do this).
and it'd also be really nice if it could do it automatically even if not just used; ie I get in the car, fire up the Holux 236 and a few seconds later your program connects to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A priori, no good way for doing this with the sdk. If we have a background task, which runs looking for the GPS mouse to often it won't be good for the battery.
Generally you have to switch on the GPS, so It should not really be a problem to start the service at the same time, especially if, as I do, you plug the android device in a car dock...
Very very nice start, worked as well as the Bluetooth GPS Mouse program I've been using for a few weeks.. No sat or fix info, but that's a limitation of the Mock interface of course. Not much to be done there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use the extra info in the location to have the number of sat used.
However, if Google has made a better Mock API, we should be able to use GPS Test directly...
Thanks for your comments,
Herbert
Hello,
I downloaded the file but that is not apk but zip and does not include any apy files.
Where can i download the bluegps4droid.apk file from? or How can I use the zip file in the android unit?
Thanks for the help
Sandor
Any Hope for Android 1.6?
I just tried Bluetooth GPS for Android but sadly found out it won't work with Android 1.6 such as used by my Archos 5 Internet Tablet.
Any hope for 1.6 support? Is it even possible?
I imagine the other two solutions suggested here were not found in my Market because they are 2.x only as well. Boo. I was so looking forward to this solving all my problems of the craptastic GPS in that device.
herbert1 said:
I didn't want to pay for something like that and I did not understand why I should give phone call or network access for such an application...
So I've have developed mine:
it' free,
it's open-source (you can verify what it's really doing and you can improve it!),
it just asks for needed permissions.
The application allows to use an external bluetooth GPS on Android devices:
The application starts a service, then connects to a Bluetooth device (NMEA GPS) and creates a mock GPS provider which can be used to replace the internal GPS.
It's also possible to log the external GPS NMEA data in a file on the device.
The app need the following permissions:
bluetooth and bluetooth admin (connection to the GPS device),
location and mock location (replace the GPS location provider by a new one using the bluetooth GPS device),
write external storage (if you want to log the NMEA data into a file on the sdcard).
It should run on all android devices (2.0 and above) and NMEA bluetooth devices.
I have tested it with a GlobalSat BT-338 bluetooth GPS (SiRF III), a Galaxy S (I9000) and a HTC Sapphire (Froyo CM-6).
It works with Google Maps, Wikitude, GoPenS and my own personal navigation app. It should work with all applications that use Android official location API.
Note: in order to install the app:
enable Settings/Applications/Unknown sources,
enable Settings/Applications/Development/Allow mock locations,
download and install the apk.
Project page:
Bluetooth GPS for Android on SourceForge
BlueGPS4Droid apk: BlueGps4Droid_1.0.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any way you could port this to android 1.6 ? everyone with an archos needs this app cause the gps that is in it is terrible . Please please please port it to android 1.6 .
I've been in touch with a developer of one of these programs and unfortunately it is not possible to port these apps to 1.6 since 1.6 lacks some of the Bluetooth APIs/libraries needed for the functionality. Without a whole lot of messy programming it isn't possible for these apps to work on 1.6.
Can I use an USB GPS receivier instead of a Bluetooth one?
Stefem said:
Can I use an USB GPS receivier instead of a Bluetooth one?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure that such app exists...
Some devices (some tablets for example) have usb host capabilities, but not all of them.
If you can read the NMEA sentences from the USB GPS, it should be feasible (At least to adapt one of the app used with bluetooth GPS).
Thanks for this great App!
Wow!
Thanks Herbert1, this was exactly what I was looking for. I am using you app with a Samsung Galaxy S and a Columbus v900 BT GPS reciever. The reciever does the logging and is WAY faster and more accurate then the internal GPS android gives me.
has anybody succeeded in connecting and using the TomTom wireless GPS mkII to the Desire HD running Sense rom? it's an amazing antenna and it doesn't need internet to work which is a huge plus for me.
if so, please help me do the same.
thanks
a little review of the unit
http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/tomtom-bt-gps-mkii.php
Should be easy.
Pair the bluetooth as you would pair any other bleutooth device.
Now there are several free GPS tools on the market which allow you to use the external GPS module.
Just search on 'bluetooth gps' on the market and you are set to go.
When you say it doesn't need internet to work, does it mean you can use google maps with it without internet connection?
nm8 said:
When you say it doesn't need internet to work, does it mean you can use google maps with it without internet connection?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It should work the same as the internal GPS receiver only that it is more sensitive probably.
The question of using data through a internet connection actually has nothing to do with the gps receiver but with the program itself.
nm8 said:
When you say it doesn't need internet to work, does it mean you can use google maps with it without internet connection?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when you use the regular GPS module of the phone itself, because it's rather weak, unless you have a correct setting for AGPS it will take it quite a while to get a lock.
if you use something like the TomTom wireless GPS, you don't use the weak receiver in your phone and have better satellite reception.
that doesn't NOT mean that you can use google maps without actually downloading them beforehand. ie, any program you would like to use must have the maps in it already.
lukesan said:
Should be easy.
Pair the bluetooth as you would pair any other bleutooth device.
Now there are several free GPS tools on the market which allow you to use the external GPS module.
Just search on 'bluetooth gps' on the market and you are set to go.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for the suggestion (logical assumption), i'll give it a go
reporting back:
i've installed this app
https://market.android.com/details?id=googoo.android.btgps&feature=search_result
and a couple of others but i liked this the most.
recommend it for everybody.
Yea, that's great than the one I use before this.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App
Hi!
I'm using my tf in my car as navigation system. I have the direct comparison to my Samsung Galaxy S (SGS) smart phone and I have to say that Google Navigation isn't running smooth for me. When driving through the streets, the displayed position jumps or jiggles from point to point in an interval with about 6 seconds. My SGS can handle this smooth, with the arrow moving in a constant speed over the maps.
First I expected that the TF has a worse GPS module but it seems that the GPS receiving is pretty good with other diagnostic apps. Could it be that Google Navigation runs better on a slower and older device?
How can I fix this problem? I have the newest OTA update from 25th Aug for DE.
thx
Could you try another navigation software? May be its some of the background app/temps.
How are you getting your Map update?
You will need a 3G data to push the maps (unless you have pre-downloaded them first of course).
Beards said:
How are you getting your Map update?
You will need a 3G data to push the maps (unless you have pre-downloaded them first of course).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I activate wlan tethering on my phone and connect the tablet over wlan. Works very good and the map updating is pretty fast. It also possible to listen to webstreams or watch youtube without any problem so I don't expect a problem on the internet connection.
thx for your answer anyway
Can somebody confirm, that it should be possible to have a smooth navigation in google maps navigation? Maybe it is a basically problem with the transformer?
fpdragon said:
I activate wlan tethering on my phone and connect the tablet over wlan. Works very good and the map updating is pretty fast. It also possible to listen to webstreams or watch youtube without any problem so I don't expect a problem on the internet connection.
thx for your answer anyway
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Understood.....
Try this and see if there is any difference:-
Next time you have a WLAN connection on your TF load Google Maps and download a map you would use for a particular journey.
When you next go out try using just your TF (not tethered) and the downloaded map.
Basically at this stage all we are trying to ascertain if the issue is with tethering or map updates.
Beards said:
Understood.....
Try this and see if there is any difference:-
Next time you have a WLAN connection on your TF load Google Maps and download a map you would use for a particular journey.
When you next go out try using just your TF (not tethered) and the downloaded map.
Basically at this stage all we are trying to ascertain if the issue is with tethering or map updates.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2 things:
first... I think the beta labs feature to download maps is just for google maps and not google maps navigation. anyway... I make an offline test.
second... Do you mean to make a test without wlan or bluetooth enabled? Right now there must be much wireless traffic in my car:
bluetooth: phone to parrot
bluetooth: tablet to parrot
wlan: phone to tablet
other wireless: parrot wireless steering wheel remote
Maybe something of these disturbs the GPS?
Your phone is cheating. It has an assisted GPS that uses both GPS and cell triangulation to speed up lock and help maintain location when GPS is weak, without cellular your tf has to rely only on a limited GPS chip.
ryan stewart said:
Your phone is cheating. It has an assisted GPS that uses both GPS and cell triangulation to speed up lock and help maintain location when GPS is weak, without cellular your tf has to rely only on a limited GPS chip.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly what I was building up to Ryan.
ryan stewart said:
Your phone is cheating. It has an assisted GPS that uses both GPS and cell triangulation to speed up lock and help maintain location when GPS is weak, without cellular your tf has to rely only on a limited GPS chip.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to say that I develop GPS Receiver for space use and I know a little bit about GPS
Anyway AGPS or assisted GPS just speeds up the first fix (as you said) and can fix the position error a very little bit. On weak GPS signal it wont make any difference if you have AGPS or GPS. Both wont work and none would work better or worse. With no GPS signal the AGPS Receiver would only know where the satellites are but thats it and he can't navigate with this info only.
So I don't expect a problem due to the not available AGPS, just to stop the speculation .
Maybe it's a SW thing or the GPS chip is just bad.
Anyway I still don't know if google navigation is running smoth on your tablet?
The Problem is solved...
A Speedometer Widget seems to be the cause:
https://market.android.com/details?id=it.opbyte.odometerwidget&feature=search_result
I uninstalled the widget and Google Maps Navigation runs fluently.
thank you all for helping
Hi,
I am trying to be able to use my new Fire for navigation in my car. I realize it does not have a built-in GPS, but there are a number of apps that will let you share GPS from another device via bluetooth or WiFi.
They all rely on the ability to set a Mock Location App in Developer options.
I have used the toolkit and installed Google Play services, and downloaded an app that I know works on my other Android tablet. "GPS Connector". It has a simulation mode, as well as using BT or USB for real GPS data from another device.
I have also installed an app called "Fake GPS location" which just allows you to pick a spot in the world, and then sends that GPS info to the tablet for other apps to use.
Both apps rely on the Mock Location App being set to the app.
When I use Fake GPS location, it works as it should. Apps on the tablet get the fake location and behave as expected.
When I use GPS Connector, it does not work. The tablet acts like there is no GPS info available.
The obvious diagnosis would be its a problem with the GPS Connector app (and it may well be), however the app works fine elsewhere. And, I have downloaded three similar apps, and none of them work on the Fire either (but work elsewhere).
Wondering if anyone here has any ideas? I have seen posts and videos of this working, but likely on older OS/tablets so not sure if Amazon has done something.
Appreciate the help!