How the GPS in your wireless phone works:

[Rubbertoe]

CLICK ME

 

I recently got one of those "GPS enabled" wireless phones from Verizon, but I wasn't able to quickly find any information about the real GPS abilities of the phone.

 

Someone in one of the cellular newsgroups forwarded me this URL with information on how the service really works. Pretty interesting.

 

http://www.snaptrack.com/AtWork/sysdescription.html

 

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[+Cachetrotters]

Since our GPSr's are sooo slooow compared to the cell phone technology, perhaps we should be talking our way to the cache.

 

On the other hand, maybe we are paying way too much for our receivers.

[+Goodguys]

Haven't seen those up here in the Great Wet North yet - hope they become available soon.

 

Rubbertoe, is there additional cost for the service?

Does the system accumulate a database of your whereabouts that you can access?

[Rubbertoe]

quote:

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Originally posted by Goodguys:

Rubbertoe, is there additional cost for the service?

Does the system accumulate a database of your whereabouts that you can access?

---

 

Currently it seems the only feature that uses the location information is the e911 feature - which helps emergency folks locate you if you drive your car off a cliff into the woods or something.

 

The folks at Verizon said they are planning on introducing "location based services" soon - but that would be more like automagically showing the nearest restaurants, movie theaters, hotels, etc - without the user having to do anything.

 

I assume any sort of new feature will have some sort of fee, too... Verizon seems to be more about the money than other wireless companies. You can't even download ringtones or images into the Motorola T720 once it has been activated through them. They force you to use their pay-per-use GetItNow feature. But that's a whole other rant...

 

So, right now the GPS feature appears pretty useless to me.

 

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[+Mr. 0]

Double post

 

[This message was edited by Mr. 0 on December 29, 2002 at 09:14 PM.]

[+Mr. 0]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rubbertoe:

 

Currently it seems the only feature that uses the location information is the e911 feature - which helps emergency folks locate you if you drive your car off a cliff into the woods or something.

 

The folks at Verizon said they are planning on introducing "location based services" soon - but that would be more like automagically showing the nearest restaurants, movie theaters, hotels, etc - without the user having to do anything.

 

I assume any sort of new feature will have some sort of fee, too... Verizon seems to be more about the money than other wireless companies. You can't even download ringtones or images into the Motorola T720 once it has been activated through them. They force you to use their pay-per-use GetItNow feature. But that's a whole other rant...

 

So, right now the GPS feature appears pretty useless to me.

 

http://home.columbus.rr.com/rubbertoe/geobanana.gif http://home.columbus.rr.com/rubbertoe/index.html

 

Oh man you've had it now!!! I actually work for Verizon Wireless in the Midwest headquarters. As far as the E-911 goes, yeah, pretty useless right now. We're selling the phones with the GPSr in 'em to be pre-emptive. Basically the technology is there, it's just waiting on more communities to bring the e-911 system online. The last I hear (about a week ago) the only place around Central Ohio that has the E-911 up and running is Delaware (Yeah, Delaware of all places). So I guess you could go up there and try it out.

 

Operator: "911 What's you're emergency?"

RT: "Umm well I'm trying to find this geocache, and my GPSr isn't working well, can you help me??"

 

There is, of course, no extra charge to use the E-911 service. As for the extra goodies that we're thinking about doing with the GPS in the phone. I really don't know. I assume that it'll be something that it would be pay per use, kinda like calling 411, or something. It's all in rumor stage, more or less. So I don't have any idea what it might include, cost, or even if it'll come to life.

 

As for the Get-it-now feature, you have mail. It has nothing to do with geocaching and I've already wasted enough forum space.

 

Mr. 0

 

"Remember that nature and the elements are neither your friend or your enemy - they are actually disinterested."

 

Department of the Army Field Manual FM 21-76 "Survival" Oct. 1970

[Rubbertoe]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mr. 0:

Basically the technology is there, it's just waiting on more communities to bring the e-911 system online. The last I hear (about a week ago) the only place around Central Ohio that has the E-911 up and running is Delaware (Yeah, Delaware of all places). So I guess you could go up there and try it out.

 

Operator: "911 What's you're emergency?"

RT: "Umm well I'm trying to find this geocache, and my GPSr isn't working well, can you help me??"

---

Hey... you may be on to something there. Verizon could have a whole new GetItNow module - it could automatically load up the information for the nearest geocache based on your location. Mmmm... think how nice that could be. No more downloading of waypoints - just a device that already knows where you are, and loads up the appropriate page on its own. *drool*

 

Actually, my wish for the GPS abilities was simple. I only hope that eventually they make it a simple lat/lon display. I don't need maps or any special BS... but if I could be out somewhere and wanna hide a cache on a whim, I'd be the nerd of all nerds if I could just flip open my phone and have the information right there.

 

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