Phone : iPhone 3G 8gb (HK unlocked)
Firmware : 2.0.1
Telco : Maxis 3G
Journey : From Puchong,KL to Ipoh,Perak (using LDP, Federal Highway, and Plus)

For introduction, just to let's u know that I tested the GPS in bukit bintang (while walking) and in front of my house. I works.

However, last Friday, while I am going from Puchong to Ipoh (my wife driving), I encounter some problems with the GPS with Maxis 3G line.

First, there is no "full bar" signals while driving, starting from Puchong, only 2-3 bar most of the time.

Second, ONLY manage to get the "blue dot" under the Sunway bridge before turning into Federal highway while caught in the traffic jam. (This is the only time I saw the "blue dot" in this journey)

Third, there is no more 3g signal after the Sg. Buloh area, only left with EDGE or GPRS.

Conclusion:
So... pretty sad with this test results..

Would appreciate if anyone can share their GPS test with us.

Note: my car is tinted with V-kool.

aaah...3G fellow users..come come come..

v need ur testimonials

Maxis 3G very cacat la, even in ipoh i only can get in like few places.. Thats why i rather stick with my 1st gen iphone for now..

Not sure about celcom 3G thou, heard it were slightly better than maxis's gay 3G..

Tested with Vodafone 3G prepay, the response was really good, but it takes up a lot of my money

the GPS is linked to 3G line?

to load the google maps

ah....... thanks for the clarification bro

Well.. i tested the GPS out while driving along KL-Putrajaya Highway heading towards airport. As I'm not on unlimited 3G data plan.. ouch!

Well.. it works most of the time (I can't really confirm because I'm driving and glancing at it once in a while. But one thing for sure.. I notice the current location DOT moving along and my 3G signal is full. I turn the map to just use only the street signs to ensure minimal data download. One thing about Google Maps implementation as compared to Nokia Maps are the followings:
1) Nokia Maps have voice navigation and the maps are updated
2) Google Maps although quite accurate but some portion of the map is not reflecting current infrastructure ie. KL-Putrajaya Highway (it means I can see a blue dot moving along the map but there's no road and there's no street signs.. like moving through empty air until I reach Cyberjaya exit whereby the Elite highway is reflected)

So, my overall point of view, GPS signal is quicker to lock in my area as compared to my N80 paired with a Bluetooth GPS receiver, but when you input FROM and TO, most of the time, it can't get any directions for you unlike the same thing I tried for Nokia Maps. Tried lots of scenario but somehow, always get the can't retrieve directions error thingy.

Overall, i felt, once there's a 3rd party GPS apps available and it uses updated maps (ie. Mapking or Malsing), GPS will really shine for iPhone 3G. Until then, the GPS is just a novelty.

p/s: Last weekend, I got lost in Shah Alam and thank God the GPS is able to show me where I am and where I want to go (manually).

see.. it saved ur arse

@ knightltu

Thanks a lot for the feedback. Would appreciate if you could provide us your details:-

1. Phone model, country and lock/unlocked
2. Firmware
3. Telco.

TQ

question ~ the GPS must use with google earth ? mean 3G must always ON ??? then the bill mah very high ??? if user is not using unlimited plan.

Just curious, why some of u r buying the iphone 3G if u are not really using the 3g service?

Then, better just stick to iphone original... less firmware issues, more stable and more softwares can be download from Installer.. anyway, WIFI is always faster than 3g..

Waaa.... up to this post, its already 70/30 where i3g would be 30 for me... it used to be the other way round....

sorry for the bump of this thread, just want to make things more clear for me.

is the google map pre-intalled on iphone covered the whole world? if it's not, so can i download part of the map like how nokia map does?

the above conversation seems like talking about the satellite view of google map which i heard need access to the internet (via 3G/EDGE) all the time right? the normal plain view need internet access or not?

thanks in advance ya...

i only tested the gps wif wifi system, respond very fast. never try wif 3g.

Hi 3G Iphone users,

Can you share with us whether we can use the built-in Gps receiver in the Iphone instead of 3G line for navigation?
Last question is can we sms our peer point to another 3G Iphone or any phone that uses Google map..

Thanks for the advance enlightement...

Google map will auto download i think, just like browser. Iphone GPS need either wifi or network, is so called AGPS, not like GPS from Garmin.

ah so if i need to browse map where the place haven't loaded yet offline but don't have any network access, or simply use just GPS without GPRS assistant to pinpoint me at a place i never been to before, impossible?

i asked this cause e.g. i go to other countries with my iphone but with no roaming, and the place no wifi, so the GPS is useless already?

---

Added on September 12, 2008, 5:02 pmanyway i found this article, looks like the google map still need EDGE/3G to access even not using GPS...

http://weblogs.redeyechicago.com/iphoneblo...ou-know-ho.html

This post has been edited by little ice: Sep 12 2008, 05:02 PM

^Yes.

googlemap doesnt have offline map, so it will need to use 3g/wifi connection to download the map. Unlike Garmin that has its own offline map, they do not require map downloading. A-GPS uses cellular network to triangulate the position for faster position lock. if there is no GPRS connection, A-GPS will have to rely on onboard GPS chip which might take a long time.

thanks strings and seaedge for the information!

i've found this one so if i want to use it as offline map.
http://www.touchpodium.com/2008/04/13/view...aps-offline-01/

so i guess gotta sign up the maxis unlimited 3G service for RM99 a month after all.

but i think there is a third party app which enables offline maps usage.

yeah that's the link i posted above.

i think best if there's 3rd party GPS application develop a version for iphone so can use the garmin way.

alamak.... have to JB the phone ar?

i've read that JB the phone will not void warranty, so why not?

...in fact there's no warranty for iphone in m'sia.

disclaimer: pos ini ada mengandungi unsur unsur seram, seks atau unsur unsur yang mungkin boleh menyinggung perasaan sesetengah individu atau mereka yang masih di bawah umur.



@ rx330


come on come on, devirginise your aifontrigi la... i can hear her calling out "do me rx330, jailbreak me..."

This post has been edited by nokia2003: Sep 12 2008, 08:19 PM

I want to know

I am using GPS tracker / Google Map in my iphone.
Iphone 2G FW 2.0.2
Digi prepaid
EDGE enable

Can i use GPS ?

eh eh, mine comes with a warranty okay? don't pray pray

---

Added on September 12, 2008, 8:22 pmi quoted from their website:


Find your location, get directions, and see traffic — all from your phone. Maps on iPhone 3G combines GPS, Wi-Fi, and cell tower location technology with the Multi-Touch interface to create the best mobile map application ever.

This post has been edited by nokia2003: Sep 12 2008, 08:22 PM

woi, gila ka u? post same post 2 tempat?
mine also got warranty *hi 5 nokia2003

later JB liao, kenot update software ke apa kan?

for the warranty i mean in malaysia la. read again?

if singapore unit then ok la, not too far away to claim warranty.

of cos we know msia tarak, for me nearby saje

@ little ice

both of ours are from the kiasuland.

rx330 is in JB (johor bharu) la. he can even crawl over to the causeway to claim his warranty.

---

Added on September 12, 2008, 8:29 pmafter JB, can still update software (the usual external software method la)

This post has been edited by nokia2003: Sep 12 2008, 08:29 PM

good for you 2!

maybe i'd also get a kiasu unit also la if i cannot wait any longer...

externaal? tak boleh plug throught itunes and update

Put it this way. Iphone have GPS SYSTEM but Don't have map like garmin(not sure the name) and others navigation. Iphone used GOOGLE map as map Which is equivalents to MapKing/others. So u are paying the Kb for google maps dl from 3G, edge,gprs.

thanks!

but since iphone has been jailbroken so hopefully someone can intergrate the offline google map thing with the preinstalled google map.

cause not everyone has the luxury data services globally so GPS is especially useful for travelling, so if there'll ever be an application to make the pre-installed google map save the loaded maps (or simply able to install pre-loaded map) that'll be perfect already.

...just my imagination. as for currect state i think it's fine for me, at least with offline map can browse virtual map and can search street names + places like restaurant/tourist spots/transport etc.

This post has been edited by little ice: Sep 12 2008, 10:33 PM

You can use offline maps, but gonna take some work to do it. u need to save google maps as cache and transfer it though SSH, and also make sure don't accidentally deleted from iphone >.<

so basically iPhone 3G does have a GPS receiver in it, right ?

3G/EDGE/GPRS/WIFI is used only to load the google maps, is that correct ?

Lets say there's an offline map for iPhone 3G like Nokia Maps, then we dont need to use the 3G/EDGE/GPRS/WIFI anymore, is that correct ?

yup that's what i'm curious too, Shock do you know if the offline maps can use with the GPS/cell tower triangle positioning as well, without switching on GPRS/EDGE/3G/WIFI?

After some finding, I realised that here in Malaysia, most likely that it is not officially launched in Malaysia yet - we can't get the driving direction function. Tried to get the driving direction for a straight line also not possible in KL area. But when I tried it on Singapore or US map, I can get the driving direction work! In addition, in Malaysia, our searching only limited to landmark or LRT station only. Can't really search for street name etc... Else in Singapore or US map, you can search down to the small street lane. Well have to wait until Iphone officially launch in Malaysia then.

Anyone know how to overcome this, pls advise. Maybe we need to register our App Store account using a Singapore or US credit card?

@ cstanley

no differences despite registering for another credit card origin.

the search will only be accurate for us once it has been launched here officially.

From my experience using GPS in Iphone, you need to ON "3G or EDGE or GPRS" but since i have a some cache on the maps (i not using any offline maps yet and iphone somehow got cache for the maps i view from google), it never eat my $$ . this maybe because the iphone gps is A-GPS, where it use the cell tower to locate where you are.

Basicly, the GPS u need on the 3G/EDGE/GPRS to locate your location, but not eat $$, as long u nvr load the maps.

It should be work same concept as offline maps installed.
PS: having exam, prolly will try offline maps system when i finish my exam and projects ^^

if the google map shows a radiating, pulsating blue dot, then your gps device is being placed in action. to prove this, simple try to activate it in a very enclosed building where the gps signal simply couldn't penetrate; it will not be a blue dot anymore.


however on the other hand, if it shows a round constricting circle (twice), you are probably being triangulated via cell tower or your internet provider's hub.


just observe the wheel encircling beside the 3G, E, . , if it does rotate then data is currently being sent and received.

This post has been edited by iPhone2008: Sep 16 2008, 10:21 PM

guys. how to configure iphone 3g gprs with digi? need help. thanks in advance

Actually mate, GPS is irrelevant to the 3G coverage by your respective telecommunications providers. GPS coverage strength is dependant on your location's satellite coverage. Just a note

Ruix, refer to digi website, i believe they have the instructions.