Google Maps | Internal GPS | Verizon Wireless

[Guest dna550]

Success! Seven months after getting my Verizon Wireless Samsung Omnia SCH-i910 I am finally using Google Maps with the internal GPS!

This has been my single-minded goal since turning this amazing device on...well...right after using the device as a tethered modem, getting my corporate e-mail and calendar updates, surfing the web and, oh yeah, taking telephone calls.

The last step to a GPS-enabled Google Maps Mobile was to download and install and activate BAF GPS Toggle. http://www.baf.cc/gpstoggle

I turned on the BAF GPS Toggle GPS, waited a few seconds - out doors - and watched as BAF GPS locked-in 5 satellites.

Then I launched Google Maps. Yes! Eureka! Google Maps immediately positioned me on planet Earth

I added BAF GPS Toggle GPS to my Today Screen.

I want to be able to quickly see whether or not the GPS is turned on and if so has locked in the GPS Satellites.

Go to Start --> Settings --> Personal --> Today --> Items --> BAF GPS Toggle--> Checked --> ok

The step prior to that was to actually configure the device to use the internal GPS. Duh! It works better when it is turned on!

Go to Start --> Settings --> Personal --> Phone --> Services --> GPS --> Change Setting --> Location On --> Selected, and do a soft reset.

I did the step below too, but I doubt it made any difference, but if you want to know what ports your GPS is using and at what baud rate, then you will want this normally hidden control applet available:

If you can’t view External GPS under settings, then you need to edit your registry.

By using a registry editor you can unhide the External GPS control panel

by Deleting any “Redirect” or “Hide” keys under

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Controlpanel\GPS Settings.

Warning, be sure to backup your registry first in case you mess up.

It's nice to see something about GPS in my system control panel!

To do the above, however, I had to first download a Desktop Registry Editor ;-)

I got The CeRegEditor which is a registry editor for all devices based on PocketPC2003, WindowsMobile, WindowsCE.

Much nicer to edit the registry for Windows Mobile 6.1 using my laptop and the USB-connected OMNIA!

CeRegEditor can be downloaded from:

http://ceregeditor.mdsoft.pl.

http://ceregeditor.mdsoft.pl/index.php?id=3&lang=en

None of this would have been possible without downloading and carefully running the SAMSUNG SCH-i910 ROM Upgrade!!:

Where Do I Obtain CF03 Software Upgrade For My SCH-I910 (Omnia) Phone?

SCH-i910 User upgrade tool v1.0.5.3.zip

http://ars.samsung.com/customer/usa/jsp/fa...mp;AT_ID=157996]

What a strange trip Verizon Wireless has put us through to use the Samsung OMNIA SCH-i910 internal GPS!

The Samsung SCH-i910 is a great device. In fact, it's capabilities are mind boggling and with the new ROM, touch screen usage is way better and generally the entire experience is much more usable. YouTube out-of-the-box with CF03 was a nice surprise.

I want to thank this forum for it's persistence and willingness to share information, since neither Samsung, Google Maps, Microsoft Windows Mobile or Verizon Wireless was able to get me over the hump on getting Google Maps working with the GPS on this device using Verizon's very capable network!

Edited July 26, 2009 by dna550

[Guest necosino]

Yes, BAF GPS toggle is an awesome tool, I recommend it to everyone. The only power-draining that occurs by BAF is during seek and lock-on. Once a lock is established, it uses virtually no power! I've been using it since the CC20 leak :)

[Guest bga7x]

Wait whats going on here? Did i go back in time?

[Guest dna550]

I created this thread for novice users who want some simple directions for using Google Maps with the SCH-i910 internal GPS using the Samsung | Verizon Wireless supported ROM.

Some of us need to keep Verizon support....just in case!

Hopefully, the instructions are straight forward. After you run the ROM update you are essentially setting up your device as though it were new, hence I listed all of the steps I followed, even though I had done much of this months ago, but had long since forgotten the details.

Certainly there are many other possible solutions, but this is the one that worked for me and I was able to use all features on the device functioning at all times except during the ROM upgrade.

Many persons have struggled with what should have been a very simple configuration exercise to get Google Maps working with the internal GPS on the Verizon Wireless network.

I know, I am one of them!

Wait whats going on here? Did i go back in time?

Edited July 26, 2009 by dna550

[Guest dwallersv]

Yes, BAF GPS toggle is an awesome tool, I recommend it to everyone. The only power-draining that occurs by BAF is during seek and lock-on. Once a lock is established, it uses virtually no power! I've been using it since the CC20 leak :)

Could you explain in some more detail why power consumption is insignificant while locked? Is it because there are no calls to the underlying API for position data?

Seems to me that if the GPS hardware is turned on, and tracking position, it uses the same power regardless of what any application is doing.

As an aside, I really want you to be right -- I'd like to leave GPSToggle on all the time. In fact, any way to turn it on programmatically, so I can just have it seek and lock on reboot?

[Guest dna550]

More information about power consumption and GPS is available here:

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=21278

Could you explain in some more detail why power consumption is insignificant while locked? Is it because there are no calls to the underlying API for position data?

Seems to me that if the GPS hardware is turned on, and tracking position, it uses the same power regardless of what any application is doing.

If you're running something like Ultimate launch or pocket plus, you can put this on a tab with all your gps apps. Then you can tap to turn on GPS and launch any app you want, without configuring each one with a launcher individually.

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showpost.php?p=2...amp;postcount=4

and

http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=21248

As an aside, I really want you to be right -- I'd like to leave GPSToggle on all the time. In fact, any way to turn it on programmatically, so I can just have it seek and lock on reboot?

Edited July 26, 2009 by dna550

[Guest dwallersv]

Certainly there are many other possible solutions, but this is the one that worked for me and I was able to use all features on the device functioning at all times except during the ROM upgrade.

Your instructions are a bit misleading, however.

GPSToggle is not necessary. Simply flash the CF03 ROM from samsung, turn on "Location ON", and GPS will work with Google Maps and every other GPS application.

A cold lock may take a long time at first, since this will be the first time the GPS hardware has ever attempted one for most people. "Long time" can be half an hour or more.

The time to get a first lock can be reduced by installing and running GPS Quick Position (search the forum) or one of the other apps that preload ephemeris data, which will turn the first lock into a warm lock.

[Guest dna550]

In my experience Google Maps needed some assistance on this device before using the internal GPS.

A number of people had reported annoying delays in finding GPS satellites in Google Maps unless they first ran VZNavigator.

BAF GPS Toggle insures that GPS is working before you launch Google Maps and it is quick at doing this. BTW, installing and running BAF GPS Toggle avoids further configuration details for novice users who just want to run Google Maps on their Samsung Omnia.

After installing BAF GPS Toggle, my OMNIA'S GPS -- for the very first time -- was locking in Satellites within 30 seconds with no special configuration needed from me.

These instructions are specific to the SCH-i910 on the Verizon Wireless version.

BAF GPS Toggle insures that the GPS is operating and locked-in to the satellites and it does this quickly and provides user feedback.

Once you see that you have locked in to the GPS satellites, and launch Google Maps, you will be instantly positioned.

I don't doubt that there are a multitude of ways to accomplish the same end of using Google Maps on the Verizon Wireless version of the Samsung SCH-i910.

But, what I have configured now works and provides the feedback on the GPS that I have not had before on this device.

It sure beats watching Google Maps trying to find the GPS satellites only to get a message some minutes later telling me none could be found.

Your instructions are a bit misleading, however.

GPSToggle is not necessary. Simply flash the CF03 ROM from samsung, turn on "Location ON", and GPS will work with Google Maps and every other GPS application.

A cold lock may take a long time at first, since this will be the first time the GPS hardware has ever attempted one for most people. "Long time" can be half an hour or more.

The time to get a first lock can be reduced by installing and running GPS Quick Position (search the forum) or one of the other apps that preload ephemeris data, which will turn the first lock into a warm lock.

Edited July 26, 2009 by dna550

[Guest dwallersv]

I have GPSToggle installed, and have been using it for quite a while.

I have experience with making this all work going back to the leaked CC20 rom. I assure you, and everyone else, that GPSToggle is unnecessary to make GPS work on the i910 with any app.

The biggest issue that interferes with it working is failing to change the service mode from "911 only" to "Location ON".

I am not criticizing your advocacy for GPSToggle. As I said, I use it too -- specifically so that I have instant GPS functionality in Google Maps, iGO8, GPS Skinner, etc.

My point simply was to correct what I believe is a false impression that you are giving that makes it sound that GPS can not be made to work without this app. This simply is not the case.

A first-time cold start can take a very long time to get a fix. With aGPS now enabled, it shouldn't, but sometimes it does. However, Google Maps will eventually obtain a lock, and then will do so much more quickly when used again within 24-48 hours. The longer time that passes with attempting a lock will cause the ephemeris data to get more and more out of date, until it isn't valid anymore, and you're back to a cold lock. Also, if the towers in your area are supporting aGPS information, you will get an instant rough position in Google Maps (within half a mile accuracy or so), even before there is a satellite lock. If you're not getting this, either you don't have aGPS support in your area (which I'd be very surprised at), or Google Maps is not configured correctly for GPS.

GPSToggle helps simply by absorbing this delay when you aren't using GPS for anything, so when you do run a GPS application GPSToggle has already put the GPS hardware through the search and lock procedure.

So, while you had difficulties, and others have too, it's far from established that anything was wrong other than impatience (and I certainly don't have the patience to wait half an hour for a lock either -- hence fallback on things like GPS Quick Position.

Another thing to note: Any time you do a Hard Reset on the device the GPS status reverts back to "911 Only", and this state is not stored in the registry or anywhere in the filesystem -- seems to be a non-volatile state of the GPS chip itself, I'm guessing -- so doing a full backup with something like SPB Backup, then a hard reset, then a full restore, will NOT put GPS back into "Location ON" mode, even though that was the state when the backup was done.

I have no doubt that some of the people that are having trouble getting it to work are assuming that restoring a full backup over a virgin hard reset will restore this setting to Location ON because that's what it was when they backed up -- not the case.

I got burned by this a few times until it stuck in my memory to remember to change this setting again every time I went through a reset/restore cycle.

Edited July 26, 2009 by dwallersv

[Guest dna550]

I certainly didn't intend to give the impression that BAF GPS Toggle is necessary to use the internal GPS with Google Maps.

I was merely reporting that after using BAF GPS Toggle Google Maps worked immediately with the internal GPS.

I had already turned the GPS to "Location ON" rather than "911" mode but was, like many other people trying to use Google Maps, still not able to use the internal GPS in Google Maps. This was at 11:30 PM, so I am sure my patience was minimal.

This was at the end of a long day and I was tired so I could have easily missed something along the way.

When Google Maps finally started working with the GPS I was excited.

Having used PC-based navigation systems with an external GPS for years I appreciate the explicit feedback on the state of the GPS system, since without a working GPS, Navigation systems are not particularly useful.

For me, BAF GPS Toggle provides simple, positive feedback on the state of the Samsung OMNIA SCH-i910.

Have I become an over night convert for this applet?

I guess so.

It's simple to install, simple to use and I expect I'll be using it every day.

I use Google Maps a lot and it is great that it is working on my SCH-i910 with the GPS.

I appreciate the additional information you are providing about the workings of the internal SAMSUNG SCH-i910 GPS

I have GPSToggle installed, and have been using it for quite a while.

I have experience with making this all work going back to the leaked CC20 rom. I assure you, and everyone else, that GPSToggle is unnecessary to make GPS work on the i910 with any app.

The biggest issue that interferes with it working is failing to change the service mode from "911 only" to "Location ON".

I am not criticizing your advocacy for GPSToggle. As I said, I use it too -- specifically so that I have instant GPS functionality in Google Maps, iGO8, GPS Skinner, etc.

My point simply was to correct what I believe is a false impression that you are giving that makes it sound that GPS can not be made to work without this app. This simply is not the case.

A first-time cold start can take a very long time to get a fix. With aGPS now enabled, it shouldn't, but sometimes it does. However, Google Maps will eventually obtain a lock, and then will do so much more quickly when used again within 24-48 hours. The longer time that passes with attempting a lock will cause the ephemeris data to get more and more out of date, until it isn't valid anymore, and you're back to a cold lock.

GPSToggle helps simply by absorbing this delay when you aren't using GPS for anything, so when you do run a GPS application GPSToggle has already put the GPS hardware through the search and lock procedure.

So, while you had difficulties, and others have too, it's far from established that anything was wrong other than impatience (and I certainly don't have the patience to wait half an hour for a lock either -- hence fallback on things like GPS Quick Position.

Another thing to note: Any time you do a Hard Reset on the device the GPS status reverts back to "911 Only", and this state is not stored in the registry or anywhere in the filesystem -- seems to be a non-volatile state of the GPS chip itself, I'm guessing -- so doing a full backup with something like SPB Backup, then a hard reset, then a full restore, will NOT put GPS back into "Location ON" mode, even though that was the state when the backup was done.

I have no doubt that some of the people that are having trouble getting it to work are assuming that restoring a full backup over a virgin hard reset will restore this setting to Location ON because that's what it was when they backed up -- not the case.

I got burned by this a few times until it stuck in my memory to remember to change this setting again every time I went through a reset/restore cycle.

Edited July 26, 2009 by dna550

[Guest aceofrazgriz]

aGPS SHOULD be working on the new ROM, and it works with GMaps also. This actually helps the normal GPS lock on faster as well, while taking a bit longer, not using GPS toggle will save alot of battery life.

Btw, the "External GPS" settings are useless. They only effect GPS devices used with the phone externally, like a bluetooth GPS device. This step can be skipped without problems, and won't help at all if used anyway.

[Guest SuzukiDan]

- Turned location ON.

- soft reset

- Installed aGPS

- soft reset

- Installed BAF GPS toggle

- soft reset

-Verified GPS Location is still on

- Turned BAF GPS toggle ON

-Set phone outside for 15 minutes on a few occasions

- soft reset

- verify settings and try again

- repeat last 3 steps about 5 times

Aaaand.. nothing. BAF reports 0 gps locks, google maps does not find me AT ALL. I've set google maps to use both windows managed gps and com8 57600..

I guess I could try leaving my phone outside for a friggin hour but WTF how can some of you be doing the same thing and get a lock within 30 seconds or whatever.. I havent even seen BAF or Googlemaps report even ONE gps signal lock, it just stays at 0.

p.s. this is with a Verizon i910 and I have the new software update

Edited July 27, 2009 by SuzukiDan

[Guest necosino]

"Installed aGPS"

oh really? How did you do this? :)

[Guest AngusATAT]

Hmm... all I did was flash to CF03, turn my GPS on, opened up Google Maps, and BOOM! It found me instantly on aGPS while I was inside. I walked outside and GPS took over within about 30 seconds.

I have issues with Bing, it can't seem to find me at all. Luckily, Google Maps is more than sufficient for my needs.

[Guest necosino]

Angus, Bing only uses GPS, so if it can't get your location, you either don't have a lock, or don't have your GPS configured correctly. The internal GPS is on Com8, Baud 57600

[Guest AngusATAT]

Angus, Bing only uses GPS, so if it can't get your location, you either don't have a lock, or don't have your GPS configured correctly. The internal GPS is on Com8, Baud 57600

Ahh, that explains it. I was inside trying to get aGPS to lock on. :)

Thanks for the heads up!

[Guest SuzukiDan]

"Installed aGPS"

oh really? How did you do this? :)

Well during my hours of reading posts about how to get gps working, someone linked to a .cab to instal aGPS saying this would help. I downloaded and installed it ;)

Edited July 27, 2009 by SuzukiDan

[Guest necosino]

Oh, the euphoris downloader.. Yeah, I never had luck with that, so I just use BAF GPS Toggle.. Turn it on before you leave the house, and by the time you get to your car, you'll have a lock (unless you're in a garage, in which case it will be by the time you get out of your driveway).

Please note these times are estimates and may fluctuate depending on your rate of walking and driveway length..

[Guest SuzukiDan]

Oh, the euphoris downloader.. Yeah, I never had luck with that, so I just use BAF GPS Toggle.. Turn it on before you leave the house, and by the time you get to your car, you'll have a lock (unless you're in a garage, in which case it will be by the time you get out of your driveway).

Please note these times are estimates and may fluctuate depending on your rate of walking and driveway length..

I left my phone outside yesterday with plain view of a cloudless sky for over half an hour, not a single GPS lock. Several others are seeing this issue, it seems. Check the GPS unlock effort thread, this simply isn't working yet it seems.

[Guest necosino]

"this simply isn't working yet it seems. " For a very few people.

Did you do a hard reset, or reflash the CF03 ROM to be safe? Probably not.. :)

[Guest gayflag]

What the hell is going on here? My gps has worked fine since the CC20 rom. Made even better by the more recent CF03 release.

Update ROM, open google maps. com8 56700baud. Be done with it, enjoy GPS.

None of this witch craftery is necessary.

[Guest camxposure]

Okay I posted originally that I couldn't access GPS to work- but hey! thanks to reading and a little research

after verizon official update - no leaks - phone is not activated either- so that should be a plus of info for you guys- my account is suspended- so I rely on WiFi and Voip- pretty slick for these times- AAAYYY!!!

<_<

the gps toggle - and gps viewer were the kickers that started the whole thing going!

:angry:

I have all gps apps working- okay just these so far

bing

WLS

sportypal

iGo 8 - sweet!! :huh:

GPS cycle computer

Gogle Navigator- lame because need license ;)

Pocket Bible- gives coordinates and locks on to Jesus return spot- ;) JK!

waiting on TomTom Nav- US Maps

Destinator- glitchy

Garmin- needs device ID for GPS !?

now the next thing I need is a full functioning working PC that isn't full of corruptiveness :)

ROM version i910.10 v.CF03.20961

H/W version i910.10 V.Q

TAKE NOTICE TO THE Anonymous USER- oops!! I guess I'll be ID theft victim soon -

LAST ***- not programmed but phone is at least talking to the towers!!! it needs to be on for GPS to be effective

Edited August 5, 2009 by camxposure

[Guest akrefarm]

What the hell is going on here? My gps has worked fine since the CC20 rom. Made even better by the more recent CF03 release.

Update ROM, open google maps. com8 56700baud. Be done with it, enjoy GPS.

None of this witch craftery is necessary.

:) :D :P :D THANK YOU!!! NO MORE MESSING AROUND FOR ME!!!! :D :D B) B)

[Guest dna550]

October 29, 2009

Google Steps Into Another Market: GPS for Phones

By MIGUEL HELFT

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — In a move that is likely to be seen as an attack on yet another industry, Google on Wednesday introduced a free navigation system for mobile phones that offers turn-by-turn directions.

Analysts said that Google’s free service, if successful, could erode the sales of GPS navigation devices made by companies like Garmin and TomTom and of navigation services offered by cellphone carriers.

“There’s no doubt that those guys are going to be disrupted,” said Greg Sterling, an analyst with Opus Research.

Google has sowed animosity in various business sectors by giving away products and services that others charge for, from digital voice mail to Web analytics tools.

But during a briefing with reporters on Tuesday, Eric E. Schmidt, Google’s chief executive, said he didn’t think of the new service as disrupting an industry. Instead, he said it is a windfall for consumers that was made possible by the increasing power of smartphones and the growing ubiquity of Internet access.

“Obviously we like the price of free because consumers like that as well,” he said.

After the briefing, Mr. Schmidt said he was not concerned that the new service would create new enemies for Google. “As long as you are on the side of consumers, you’ll be fine,” he said.

The new service will be available as part of the latest version of Google Maps for Mobile, which will be released along the new version of Google’s Android operating for mobile phones, called Android 2.0. Separately on Wednesday, Motorola and Verizon Wireless were to unveil Droid, the first smartphone to be powered by Android 2.0.

Google executives said that they hoped that the new Google Maps for Mobile with navigation capabilities would eventually be available on Apple’s iPhone and other devices. But they said it was up to the makers of those devices to decide whether to include the application.

Google said that its turn-by-turn navigation system may be supported by ads in the future.

To be sure, Google’s new service, which has long been expected, will not change the market overnight. Currently, 21 percent of American adults own a personal navigation device, and that market is expected to continue growing at 33 percent a year for the next five years, according to a recent study by Forrester Research. However, by 2013, phone-based navigation systems, which are more popular with younger users, will dominate the market, the study said.

Google’s entry into the market will accelerate the transition, said Charles S. Golvin, an analyst with Forrester, who conducted the study.

“People are going to be moving to the phone-based solutions, but if it is free, they are going to be moving even quicker,” he said.

Currently many personal navigation devices cost from $100 t0 $300. Navigation services on mobile phones offered by carriers like Verizon Wireless or AT&T cost about $10 a month, though they are increasingly being bundled in packages that include other features.

Anticipating the move to smartphones, device makers have been creating applications to run on them. TomTom, for instance, recently introduced an iPhone application that costs $100.

The market for Google’s new system will be limited, at least initially, to the number of phones running Android 2.0. What’s more, Mr. Golvin said, many consumers prefer dedicated devices to phone-based systems, because they want to be able to carry on phone conversations as they drive.

Google executives said that the company’s navigation service is better than some rival systems because it is always connected to the Internet. It can, for example, provide live updates on traffic conditions and conduct searches for restaurants along the route. It also recognizes voice commands. During a demonstration, a Google executive asked for directions to a “San Francisco museum with a King Tut exhibit” and the service correctly offered directions from Google to the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park, which is currently hosting a show called “Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/29/technolo...29gps.html?_r=1

[Guest one4tw]

+Thanks!!! GPS Toggle has my phone getting a fix in 10 sec. rather than 5 min. :)