GPS & iPad 2 (3G)

[targa88]

Another technical question. With an IPAD 3G version (without installing a SIM card). Is it possible to use GPS without an external GPS receiver?
I seem to remember reading somewhere that the 3G version has a GPS chip = but that it does triangulation based on cell coverage. Which is basically useless if you are offroading.
Also from the perspective that = cell coverage requires roaming (charges) for those of us who are coming from outside the US. Hard to correlate paying for GPS....

 

[coastsider]

Hey Colin, I have a first gen iPad 64GB 3G wifi and use it all the time for off road nav with the Topo app and USGS maps with excellent results. You are right, it has a GPS chip but even in the cell signal graveyard depths of Death Valley I can still nav with my device. So not sure how much it relies on a 'five bar' cell signal, if at all. All I CAN tell you is that with a 'no service' message I still have flawless GPS functionality backcountry, not sure weather it still scans for towers but doesn't actually need a signal to achieve that, but it sort of doesn't make sense... I think. Remove the SIM card (not sure why you are doing that) and I'm not sure if that makes any difference. Hope that sort of helps? BTW if you need a cool mount I highly recommend the RAM mounts, they rock and don't cost the earth.

http://www.ram-mount.com/SupportCenter/PictureGalleryReviews/tabid/314/Default.aspx

 

[RobRed]

Another technical question. With an IPAD 3G version (without installing a SIM card). Is it possible to use GPS without an external GPS receiver?
I seem to remember reading somewhere that the 3G version has a GPS chip = but that it does triangulation based on cell coverage. Which is basically useless if you are offroading.
Also from the perspective that = cell coverage requires roaming (charges) for those of us who are coming from outside the US. Hard to correlate paying for GPS....

The iPad 3g/4g models will allow GPS without provisioning data service. These models are the only iPads that have GPS chipsets. The benfit of active data service is the ability obviously to retreive maps and other data and use a feature called A-GPS (assisted). It wont change the accuracy of the resulting GPS function. It merely speeds up postion acquisition on a cold start.

As far using GPS without a SIM card, I dont know. I suspect the iPad might complain. Not because there is no data service but because it's expecting a SIM card in place, active or not.

 

[haven]

I ran my iPad 1 (WiFi and 3G from ATT) without a SIM card for a while. The iPad put a small "no SIM" notification at the top of the screen. Otherwise, the iPad worked as usual, including GPS.

 

[jCubed]

I use mine off network all the time, the only issue is its looking for towers and using battery juice to do so. Just keep it plugged in and you'll be fine.

BTW if you need a cool mount I highly recommend the RAM mounts, they rock and don't cost the earth.

http://www.ram-mount.com/SupportCenter/PictureGalleryReviews/tabid/314/Default.aspx

View attachment 94943[/QUOTE]

I'm using a RAM Mount setup in my Tundra with a Panavise dash mount. ROCKS! Using it now for this post.

 

[targa88]

I suspect that the maps (tiles) would have to be cached (downloaded) before hand without access to WIFI or 3G

 

[RobRed]

I use mine off network all the time, the only issue is its looking for towers and using battery juice to do so. Just keep it plugged in and you'll be fine.

BTW if you need a cool mount I highly recommend the RAM mounts, they rock and don't cost the earth.

http://www.ram-mount.com/SupportCenter/PictureGalleryReviews/tabid/314/Default.aspx

View attachment 94943

I think the GPS is whats killing your battery however in Settings | Cellular Data you can shut off the 3G modem so the ipad wont hunt for service.

 

[jCubed]

So I never realized you could turn off cellular completely! I don't think you can on the iPhone, or maybe you know how. I've tried airplane mode and that shuts down everything. Good catch! But I do just leave it plugged in while on longer trips to keep the battery up and charged.

 

[Jeff@QuadShop]

So I never realized you could turn off cellular completely! I don't think you can on the iPhone, or maybe you know how. I've tried airplane mode and that shuts down everything. Good catch! But I do just leave it plugged in while on longer trips to keep the battery up and charged.

You can turn off 3G but not the Edge network on the iPhone. Edge draws a lot less power than 3G.

 

[RobRed]

Also turn off cellular data on the Iphone. Jeff is also right to point out that Edge mode is lower power consumption than 3g.

 

[targa88]

So it will establish coordinates on a map ( following a track/trail) - however it will not find directions to/from without cell or WIFI service

 

[kevint]

In airplane mode GPS iPhone doesn't work but with cellular data off it does.