Samsung Galaxy S II Epic GPS

[+Twinmakers]

I currently have a Blackberry phone and use it for all of my geocaching. I am looking at getting a samsung galaxy and in some of the reviews that I have read say the GPS doesn't work. Just wondering if anyone has one and uses it for caching? Thanks.

[+FDWhitey]

I just started Geocaching this week and used my Samsung Galaxy S II and it was about 50%. We were able to find 3 out of 6 and 1 of them the phone was about 150 yards off. After my first adventure I am in the market for a handheld GPS!

 

But, I LOVE my phone!

[+Team CowboyPapa]

I've had a Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket for about a month now and have used it for limited geocaching. I have downloaded the Android app offered by gc.com and have found it very tractable. I have found the GPS accuracy to be within 4 - 10' standing at a reference point and using the satellite map, Google Earth(?).

 

My guess is that the various Samsung Galaxy S II models are basically identical, with the Skyrocket being the AT&T version.

[+RangerR47]

Samsung for some odd reason has always had very weak GPS for some reason, so you heard right...my kid has a captivate, the first galaxy...and its very slow, it takes a good 10min or more to get sat lock and loses it easy, this is not a myth, I can only assume they are still using the same GPS and the issue still remains. I have liked Samsungs for a while now, but this is about the only issue I know of they constantly have. I was 95% on the path to get the Skyrocket, but have now decided to hold out till spring when the quad cores roll out to jump on upgrading my iPhone 3gs...Im hoping they come around to using another GPS by then, but not holding my breath.

Edited January 19, 2012 by RangerR47

[+Team CowboyPapa]

Samsung for some odd reason has always had very weak GPS for some reason, so you heard right...my kid has a captivate, the first galaxy...and its very slow, it takes a good 10min or more to get sat lock ....

This is not true in every instance for a Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket.

 

Actual hands-on observations:

1. I took the subject phone out to my backyard this AM, turned on the GPS function and the Maps app, and had the current position indicator correctly showing my location within 10 seconds of the terminal screen tap.

2. I repeated the above 1 mile sway and 1 hour later and the current position was locating me instantaneously.

 

So, the slowness quoted above may be attributed to the effects of the ephemeral data as applicable to the GPS constellation.

As such, the slowness is applicable to all GPSRs, as opposed to specific makes and models.

For example, two months from now I expect to be 120 miles from my home. If I do not use the GPS function on my Skyrocket between now and then, I fully expect that it will take substantially longer to show my location correctly on the screen.

[+RangerR47]

Samsung for some odd reason has always had very weak GPS for some reason, so you heard right...my kid has a captivate, the first galaxy...and its very slow, it takes a good 10min or more to get sat lock ....

This is not true in every instance for a Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket.

 

Actual hands-on observations:

1. I took the subject phone out to my backyard this AM, turned on the GPS function and the Maps app, and had the current position indicator correctly showing my location within 10 seconds of the terminal screen tap.

2. I repeated the above 1 mile sway and 1 hour later and the current position was locating me instantaneously.

 

So, the slowness quoted above may be attributed to the effects of the ephemeral data as applicable to the GPS constellation.

As such, the slowness is applicable to all GPSRs, as opposed to specific makes and models.

For example, two months from now I expect to be 120 miles from my home. If I do not use the GPS function on my Skyrocket between now and then, I fully expect that it will take substantially longer to show my location correctly on the screen.

 

This just means they might have already changed the gps in the newer phones, again this is not an opinion or myth...the Samsungs before the newest ones had issues with the gps, google it , talk to somebody that has/had one and you will see what the OP was referring to. It was not a case of the usual "its been a while" or "Im now in another state" issue, the gps was poorly designed in the prior samsung models. Samsung and AT&T even finally said they were putting out an update to fix it, but it did not work... But Im glad to hear that maybe now they have this resolved as I think they have the best all around phones these days.

[+Twinmakers]

Anybody else have any input on this phone???

[+Davo1063]

Anybody else have any input on this phone???

I use a Galaxy S2 as my only GPS device and have so for about a year.

I use the Neongeo app and GPS Status App and have found no problem with speed or accuracy.

Neongeo talks directcly with Geocaching.com and GPs status puts you on top of the cache.

[tr_s]

GPS in my Galaxy Pocket (which has a new 2012 chipset, also supporting Glonass) works great. A relative's 2011 Galaxy Gio not so much. For some reason it fails to lock unless there's a 3G signal?! My guess is some software error where there's unneccesary AGPS symbiosis implemented...

 

If one gets it to lock however, it's up to fine par with just any handheld.

Edited April 29, 2013 by tr_s

[+Cr8zyC8tL8dy]

I have the Galaxy SII Epic 4G and I used it for my first Geocaching hunt ever and we found 8 caches that day. It worked great! However, I didn't like carrying an expensive phone around and have to worry about it, so I've bought a GPS unit. I compared them on the trail and they both landed me at the same exact spot! It did kill the battery though. However, it lasted a good 3 hours.