new guy with GPS questions

[Guardian]

This has been answered to death and by searching you would have found more information than you could ever imagine, but just the same.

It is correct and either way you need a data plan or how is it supposed to download the maps and communicate with the satellite? The GPS is there and it works fine but needs data plan, that is correct.

It is hard to imagine that people assume having a GPS means somehow it is encapsulated in your phone and in a vacuum just for them. Like people used to call support and say, "my computer says internet ready why doesn't it show anything?" and we would ask, "did you dial up?" and the response would be why should I dial up, it says internet ready and has a modem and its turned on. Never fails.

[Guardian]

Originally Posted by SpeedyG

Now I'm getting errors on active sync and the phone can't reach the internet when connected via USB. I had a Samsung Blackjack for a year so and I know I had a heck of a time getting all the settings right for that too. Hopefully this won't be too painful. I haven't "docked" in a couple weeks but I now it worked fine before.

Obviously with no data plan I need this to work for downloading files like google maps.

You can access the internet while connected to your computer if you havd NDIS enabled and you allow on your system to access the internet when the RAPI asks you for permission. I have done this and that's how I update my virus and windows definitions and patches.

[SpeedyG]

Originally Posted by Guardian

Correct and either way you need a data plan or how is it supposed to download the maps and communicate with the satellite? The GPS is there and it works fine but needs data plan, that is correct.

No I don't understand exactly why a data plan should be needed unless I missed something very basic here. A gps receiver does not need a data connection of any sort to operate and the maps should be able to be downloaded and stored for use.

I may be missing something fundementally different in how cell phone GPS works but I'm plenty experienced with GPS in general and haven't needed any sort of net connection with any of the other devices.

Edit - maybe it has been discussed to death but in my searching this morning I found plenty of conflicting info that I wanted to have verified.

[PacoJr67]

Most of the GPS programs for windows mobile (other than Garmin mobile XT, copilot and a few others) only store map data for the immediate surrounding area (limited cache). This is why a constant data connection is needed, the phone downloads new map data as the phone moves.

[ptlee8202]

Originally Posted by SpeedyG

No I don't understand exactly why a data plan should be needed unless I missed something very basic here. A gps receiver does not need a data connection of any sort to operate and the maps should be able to be downloaded and stored for use.

I may be missing something fundementally different in how cell phone GPS works but I'm plenty experienced with GPS in general and haven't needed any sort of net connection with any of the other devices.

You don't need a unlimited data plan if you use navigation software like co-pilot or garmin. These come with maps stored on the SD card. But, you should get a unlimited plan all the same.

[SpeedyG]

Originally Posted by Guardian

You can access the internet while connected to your computer if you havd NDIS enabled and you allow on your system to access the internet when the RAPI asks you for permission. I have done this and that's how I update my virus and windows definitions and patches.

Thanks - I will follow up on that this evening.

[Guardian]

Originally Posted by SpeedyG

No I don't understand exactly why a data plan should be needed unless I missed something very basic here. A gps receiver does not need a data connection of any sort to operate and the maps should be able to be downloaded and stored for use.

I may be missing something fundementally different in how cell phone GPS works but I'm plenty experienced with GPS in general and haven't needed any sort of net connection with any of the other devices.

Edit - maybe it has been discussed to death but in my searching this morning I found plenty of conflicting info that I wanted to have verified.

Unless you use a software that preloads the maps and then uses the GPS to locate and place you on that map, then yeah data plan is not critical. however, in order for the phone to FETCH the data that it needs to tell you where you are and show you, it needs to get it from somewhere. Its "data" that it gets, it is "data" that it needs. simple.

in regards to the search comment, conflicting or not it has been discussed but for the reason you mentioned is why everyone is still helping you and answering your question, including me.

[Guardian]

Originally Posted by PacoJr67

Most of the GPS programs for windows mobile (other than Garmin mobile XT, copilot and a few others) only store map data for the immediate surrounding area (limited cache). This is why a constant data connection is needed, the phone downloads new map data as the phone moves.

I think he wants all the maps to be in his machine no matter where and that is unreasonable since that would require so many gigs of information your phone wouldn't be able to hold it. we are not talking generic GPS units like Garming or Tom tom or whatever that have ability to hold it on the SD. Even then they can only hold so much.

[Guardian]

Originally Posted by SpeedyG

Thanks - I will follow up on that this evening.

you are welcome and if you are on vista I can help you more but with xp it has been a while since I have done it and someone else might have it in front of them easier to show you.

[PacoJr67]

Even the garmin or copilot setups most likely don't come with ALL of the maps...