Gizmodo
Whoa, the iPhone just got GPS. Well, it's actually using peer-collected GPS data linked to cellular tower, which Navizon describes as peer to peer location detection. Either way &mdash it actually works. This morning, the Navizon GPS app showed up in Installer.app. After creating a username and login (get this: email NOT required), the app started up, taking about 30 seconds to find my location accurate within a few hundred feet &mdash good enough to use as a starting point for driving directions. Then it pushes your coordinates, by latitude and longitude, to many, many, many decimal places of degrees, to the map application.
Here's how it works:
Some people with a GPS device collect the location information of cell towers and wifi access points. Then they share it with the rest of the network and everyone else who doesn't have a GPS device can then simulate a Virtual GPS thanks to the data collected by others.
This is why we call it Peer to Peer Positioning.
Kind of. It's off by a few hundred yards, but this is a lot better than the total lack of location awareness that the iPhone officially enjoys. It also claims Wi-Fi positioning, which I don't completely understand. The app is free for the first 15 days. After that, the software costs $24.99. A caveat: It crashed Chen's phone, but it worked great for me. And this is only version 1.0, but maybe the real question is why wasn't this functionality built into the iPhone to begin with? Go Navizon! [navizon via installer.app]
Comments
Pretty cool. This sounds similar to what Microsoft is doing, no? :)
There is NO reason this shouldn't be in Google Maps. I had a similar service on my Verizon KRZR, and it worked a treat.
Silly Apple.
Wow. Come On Jobsey, this should have been built in from the beginning. Let's see this on the next firmware update!
I think they probably didn't include it because of the extraordinary size of the app... 55.6 kb :P
Gonna try it now.
Why doesn't AGPS software like this exist for my Treo 700p???
I'm sure there's a reason they didn't include this. Whether it was a good reason....
"Unable to Locate - Your location could not be identified. No Known Cells or WiFi nodes in range"
:'(
I don't know that I'd call it "AWESOME" but it is cool and an intriguing advancement. How do you go on to get directions from your present location to another location?
Yeah i got the same "Unable to Locate - Your location could not be identified. No Known Cells or WiFi nodes in range" message when i tried to use it. I am about 20 miles outside of NYC with excellent cell coverage??
see, I love innovative 3rd party apps like this. I don't have an iPhone, but it does have GPS function. Here's a story: last week I lost my phone and for the love of god, my carrier could NOT and WOULD NOT locate it even with the location setting set to ON. Mind you I found it later in my friend's trash shoved in a pretzel bag, but seriously, this would be such a great feature to find lost phones and it looks like 3rd party apps are the only ones who could implement a feature like this.
I read all the privacy legal mumbo jumbo on tracking people illegally through GPS, but I just wanted to track myself. go figure.
interesting - definitely worth a download
and im guessing the reason why it wasnt included has something to do with the fact that it isnt very reliable or accurate (as discussed in the post and in the comments)...
Not so accurate for me. Was about 4 miles off from where I was actually located. Still, surprised this actually works as well as it does.
Don't really see the usefulness of this if it lacks pinpoint accuracy. If I am lost and used something like this, it would probably get me even more lost!
/snore
My LG phone already does this very accurately...
The main point is to find things near you, which it works perfectly for.
BTW, what is apple doing? Are they even innovators anymore?
@diabolusunknown: Apple's staple isn't really innovation. They are kings at taking something that already exists and making it more intuitive and simple. Can't remember Apple ever making anything new...
@KingSnakeX4:
Nothing new? What about the NEWton :)
I want to try out the application but it seems that it freezes my phone when this message pops up: "Unable to Locate - Your location could not be identified. No Known Cells or WiFi nodes in range"
I just installed it on my iPhone.
It has me a block north of my actual location, but other than that, a painless install and better than nothing!
Is this software entirely free? Their site mentions a Navizon + a 15 day trial of the GPS software. It not clear exactly what this package consists of.
Thanks for the heads up!!!
I still wish somebody would enable the serial protocol in the bluetooth stack.
Then we could use bluetooth GPS modules and wouldn't have to deal with these cell tower triangulation hacks...
wow. i just grabbed this, and it's about 50 feet off from where i really am. thats pretty good i'd say.
there's no GSM where I live so it would be useless anyway
Cool app! Only thing is that it miscalculated my location. Placed me somewhere in Cincinati when I'm in California. My bad for being inside an office building.
Wow, this is actually pretty cool. Worked great, only a few feet off.
Looks like a great free app. First it crashed trying to enter my user name, then it crashed the second time once it got my user name, but couldn't connect to their server, then it crashed with my user name, but just froze up, and then finally, it worked, but couldn't find my location -- apparently NYC and the greater metro area isn't all that well known. Tried again, couldn't find location, crashed. I guess it will be a great free app, maybe with some updates down the road. Can't wait, this would be great to have. Although I'd love to see this functionality supported natively within the Maps app by Apple.
I got an unable to locate then my phone crashed.... dang!
This thing is whack! I tried it in my office building and outside and I keep getting the "Unable to Locate - Your location could not be identified. No Known Cells or WiFi nodes in range" error. WTF, I'm about 20 mins outside of Chicago!!! I have 5 bars. Please tell me how this thhing can't find any "Cells."
Eh, I'll try it again when I get home to see if things change...otherwise this will be getting a prompt Uninstall.
iPhone maps and GPS screencaps sure do make it seem like people in San Francisco have a hard time finding their way around. Branch out Apple. The world extends beyond the Bay Area.
Hmmm....I take back my previous post.
First time I ran it, it got close to my correct location in NYC.
The last few times it has erroneously put me in variously locations around Dallas, Texas.
My cell number is based out of Texas, but I live in New York.
I guess there are still kinks to work out and this doesn't work well when you're out of your home coverage area?
This could not find my location either, but it didnt crash my phone or anything. Maybe you need to be outdoors? Anyways, cool app.
I wish people would stop calling this crap GPS. It's a PS at best. Clearly not global.
@fastm3driver: You're right, its not GPS. Not technically. What should we call it? BMW driver, huh?
@St3v3: I live in SF.
@berribrand: You're so cool with your LG phone.
@Brian Lam:
cell positioning?
PS sound OK too but with out a "O" in between the P and S I'm not sure.
There needs to be a clear difference between a proper device with a GPS chip and installed software and everything else. Even if a device had a GPS chip, say in a cell, but you needed a service, e.g. you have to be connected to the cell towers, you would not be global.
The GPS service that is paid for with my tax dollars is free to use otherwise. Plus every "fake GPS" I see has very poor and inaccurate positioning. And any device without built in maps is very crippled. If I buy a phone with a "GPS" I expect it to replace my real GPS with maps of at-least the US and work in Antarctica. Anything less still requires me to carry two device.
why is it so hard to imagine using a bluetooth gps receiver with the iPhone? C'MON STEVE!
Since when is being a few hundred yards off considered "AWESOME"? Oh... I see... when it's Apple.
Since when is being off a "few hundred yards" considered "AWESOME"? Oh... I see... When it's Apple.
It works for me!
I am at Ferry Building (on Embarcadero St, San Francisco, CA) and it showing me off one-two blocks away. and also it sometime show me that i m on the BayBridge! but hey! it works! sweet!
Not so sauve to post twice (d-bag). Apple didn't make the app.
Anyways...is anyone else having problems downloading it in Installer.app? It keeps telling me that there is a package size mismatch.
@snrsuave:
No. When something can get you within a few hundred yards when that something wasn't thought possible of doing so, then it's awesome. E.g., if my 3rd gen. iPod (40GB) could get me within 20 miles of where I am, that would be über-awesome.
@PHOENIXDOWNE: It has been fixed as I'm able to install the app without any issues now.
how can i insall the app on my iphone? is there a pxl file for this?
Navizon attempts to locate me, but says that no known cells or wifi nodes are in range. I'm in AT&Tlanta, have full reception, and have trouble understanding why it can't locate me. Grrr.
Doesn't work for me, tried in different area of Columbus, OH and other suburbs while driving today - 25 times out of 25 it fails.
I STILL can't find a good reason to keep f-ing with my iPhone. All the apps need a LOT of work - especially this one.
No known cells or wifi mode here also. However, when that message came up, it locked up my phone. I had to reset the device to get out of it.
how do you install this app on my iphone. I have iBrickr? is it a pxl file?
@redstripe8: touché
Cool app. However, it seems to only work with WiFi. In locations where I have solid EDGE coverage and can do email and web surfing, and where my Cell signal is 100% (5 bars) this app tells me:
"Unable to Locate - Your location could not be identified. No Known Cells or WiFi nodes in range"
If I switch to WiFi in that same exact location it works fine and locates me within 1000ft.
I was able to reproduce this in 2 separate locations, home and work.
Pretty sure it uses geolocating for ip addresses nothing more. Limited database.
@jirga: Im in the Columbus area also and it's a no go. :-(
no luck here in Southern Oregon
@PhoenixDowne: It's the shitty ass commenting system on this site that's suave.
will my posts EVER show up on a page? Am I not worthy?
Apple would never install a hack like this in one of their products. Trust Steve, if it's not included it's because it sucks. Has the man ever been wrong?
Answer: Crazy, yes, but never wrong.
Well its not working so well for me but i think thats due to the fact that i live in a small college town. Ill hate to try it out next time i'm in Houston and see if that makes any difference.
In Central NJ, about 2 miles off (when it doesn't lockup my phone)...won't be forking up $ until it actually works, and well.
@Brian Lam:
Thanks dude.
I like the hyphen, it make a new word and clearly is not GPS.
Im in Herndon, VA and it's not working.
Works on my windows mobile phone, but the location is almost exactly a mile off. I'm in the burbs right now, but I wonder how it will work in a large city.
Hi - to the makers of app_installer - people need t quit whimpering about "oh I hate apple because they made the software better" suck it up - enjoy the new features and re-hack the apps - things always need to get better! Learn to live with it.