does T-Mobile G1 really have GPS navigation?
Sep 29, 2008 android, google, gps navigation, gps phones, gps software, htc, t-mobile
Unfortunately the answer maybe no. Yes we’ve read the specs too. It says:
- GPS GPS navigation capability with built-in GPS receiver and map software
So it is capable. But will it really give you turn-by-turn directions as you travel? We already talked about bunch of GPS applications on the Android platform but none of them was a simple GPS navigation application to give you directions from A to B.
GPS navigation was not even shown on the announcement site as a feature. We’ve searched for some videos too… found none that shows a promising GPS navigation application.
Why do you think there’s no default GPS navigation application on the G1? Is it because Google Maps will load slower than the speed you’re traveling at? Or is it because it will drain your batteries quite fast for having both GPS receiver and the 3G on at the same time?
However it is not all that bleak. We did come across some developers working on this though: Take for example AndNav. It is still in development but it already looks promising.
Here is the proposed feature list for AndNav:
- Worldwide Map-Routing, based on GoogleMaps
- Always up to date!
- Routes with WayPoints(From A over B to C)
- Waypoint-order can be optimized
- No need to buy MapPacks, never!
- Voice-Directions (british, by Joy Gibara)
- Street-View and Satellite View
- 100% Free (Only your Internet fees)
- FirstAid-Help
- Traffic Overlay (No TMC needed)
- Loads hiking routes in many formats (soon)
- POI-search (Points-Of-Interest) (soon)
- Various map display types (rotating or fixed)
- Different KeyLayouts and UnitSystems (Metric or US)
See a screencast of AndNav.
Related posts:
September 30th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
[...] Link: NaviGadget [...]
October 4th, 2008 at 7:57 am
I will switch to sprint if this phone does not have GPS Navigation.
Come on T-Mobile……….. Get with the program!
October 6th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I have been a loyal tmobile customer for quite some time now, and I am a tech kind of guy, and when i see all of the other carriers coming out with advanced services i get jealous and frustrated. I think the local carrier in my metro area even has gps services, come on tmobile, get it together. i am really sick and tired of taking the back seat, waiting on tmobile to catch up with the competition. i too vow to switch to another carrier if tmobile doesn’t get their (expletive) together.
October 18th, 2008 at 9:53 am
I AGREE 100% WITH TARRYL
October 19th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I’m still on the fence about getting the first Android phone and since I’m not a T-mobile customer, I couldn’t have got in line on time anyway. So I’m going to wait it out till a lot more posts on this site and others convince me that the G1 has decent un-assisted GPS performance so that I can view topographic maps while hiking and out of coverage. I’d like to know: run time in “airplane mode”, time to first fix in various scenarios, and if there are any power saving programs that wake the GPS up every so often to record a way point. Now that USGS has GeoPDFs available for free download, I’m ultimately hoping to see a program that understands these files and can stitch them together, show me my current position, and pan and zoon smoothly. I’d love it if it were open-source, but I’d probably pay up to $50 for a good closed source one if I had to.
Dara Parsavand
Note: GeoTIFFs would be OK too, but GeoPDF is more future proof as that seems to be the direction USGS is going (e.g. http://www.gisuser.com/content/view/13265/). For more on this topic in general, see a thread on Google Groups (http://groups.google.com/group/android-discuss/browse_thread/thread/13c88c7d70c420/d12d9c75cd4640dd#d12d9c75cd4640dd)
October 20th, 2008 at 7:41 am
I thought I read all the major reviews, but I missed this comment at gizmado (http://gizmodo.com/5053611/t+mobile-g1-android-phone-hands+on):
“Maps is top-notch—we found our location within a few seconds indoors on Manhattan’s far east side with combines GPS and cell-tower.”
So it sounds like assisted GPS can work very well. I’d still like to know about un-asissted GPS though.
Dara Parsavand
October 24th, 2008 at 8:43 am
i too agree with tarryl 10000%
November 3rd, 2008 at 8:16 pm
t-mobile is always like that the service is not good and even with the new phones still the same how comes the g1 does not have gps navigation system turn by turn t-mobile have to be better than the competition
November 4th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
What the G1 needs is “on-board maps”. I often travel to places where I can’t get cell reception, but I do get a GPS signal. I don’t want to load maps before I go anywhere because I might not have a cell signal. I’d pay (pay as in pay once, no subscription to keep using if I don’t update) for a fill featured GPS application with on board maps.
December 10th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
y’ll talk crap things! you buy a phone to use it as aphone and text primarily.but if u need som gadgets to satisfy ur spoiled ass go to bestbuy and buy garmin! t-mob wont care enuf if u drop ur subscription with them.they wont get hurt if they lose u.:)
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:01 am
[...] you remember we talked about GPS navigation for Android phones back in September and mentioned AndNav. Well that name is back in the news with their latest [...]
December 28th, 2008 at 10:14 am
the GPS needs to be independent of a data connection so it can be used when roaming, google maps is pretty usless if you’re in another European country sans data plan.
January 4th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I tried the directions this weekend to a part of LA I am not familiar with and unless you can keep your north south bearings it is difficult. I can understand turn right but when its turn west and your not sure which way west is it sucks. I found my destination but made four wrong turns and had to keep imputing my destination from my currant lost location. Guess its just a phone and one poster was correct in saying “if you want a nav go buy on form Best Buy”.
January 24th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
i guess G1 does not have GPS…..thank god i did not buy it..i got the samsung behold…so far i love it….it has GPS and the weather channel….
January 27th, 2009 at 6:46 am
It does have GPS as well as using cell tower. Cell tower is used when a GPS signal is unreachable or lost for some reason.
May 1st, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Just got g1. I love it! Ok, want gps get one. What happens when u want to talk and nav. id rather have a reliable navi with a big screen. The g1 is what it is. Stop complaining people!
May 13th, 2009 at 7:40 am
I had a random hardware failure in my BlackBerry 8820, and Tmobile sent me three consecutive replacements phones that were broker. No kidding — all refurbished and trackball didn’t work, one key on keyboard broken, etc. Amazing. So they offer me a new G1 phone as a free replacement. I was skeptical cause I travel a lot. One device working as a phone AND GPS was what I needed. THE G1 IS A TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT. I’m not paying for TeleNav monthly, when I can get Mapquest Navigator for $40 a year on BB. I’m trading G1 back for Blackberry. The G1 is a weak imitation of the iPhone. I’d have bought an iPhone if I wanted nothing but entertainment. I love video, web surfing. Just can’t believe TMobile TOLD ME G1 had navigation and GPS built in — BS. Not true. It’s got a chip that acquires some nature of location data, but not built in GPS like BlackBerry 8820. This is a toy compared to the robust device I had in the 8820. G1 not ready for heavy data users and true multi-tasking. Android market a joke unless you want to play games. I might give a G1 to my 14 year old daughter. She’d love it.
June 20th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Yeah, give it to her, you are to smart to unlack all G1 features.
June 29th, 2009 at 8:19 pm
gps for cars…
Equipped with these GPS receivers, users can accurately locate where they are and easily navigate to where they want to go, whether walking, driving, flying, or boating….
July 21st, 2009 at 10:26 pm
You had me at “voice directions by Joy Gibara”
September 5th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
yes, this is crap. my boyfriend and I just purchased last week. G1 and google latitude are terrible.And we have recently noticed in the market folder under applications and then under travel file you will find many other free gps tracking downloads. We plan on using one or two of them asap to see which works best. I will update as soon as I have more info.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
get co-pilot live from market, its not free but much cheaper than buying a satnav and works well on th G1.It has loads of extras including speed cameras