[pct-l] smartphone as GPS

[Jim Keener ( J J )]

Austin,

A GPS-capable smartphone can get location information from satellites, as well as cell towers. 

Jim Keener ( J J )

On Oct 25, 2010, at 10:20 AM, Austin Williams <austinwilliams123 at gmail.com> wrote:

> I agree.  My concern would be more that - in areas where no towers are in
> range - the user would have no gps capability whatsoever.  That could be
> bad.
> As far as accuracy, seems like they can reliably get to within 50 meters in
> urban areas, and are less accurate in rural areas:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_tracking
> 
> -Austin
> 
> On Mon, Oct 25, 2010 at 10:11 AM, greg mushial <gmushial at gmdr.com> wrote:
> 
>>> Message: 2
>>> Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2010 08:44:13 -0700
>>> From: Austin Williams <austinwilliams123 at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [pct-l] smartphone as GPS
>>> To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>>> Message-ID:
>>> <AANLkTinOvNfuQPZHGGwxJk2BCWN9RR=DTjKCx7wJ9yr6 at mail.gmail.com>
>>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>>> 
>>> Be careful.  Most of the time the 'GPS' in smart phones is based on
>>> cell-tower triangulation, NOT gps-satellite triangulation.  That means
>>> when
>>> there are now cell towers around, the "GPS" on the phone won't work.
>> Make
>>> sure you buy one that uses *real* gps, not the kind that uses cell tower
>>> triangulation.
>>> 
>>> Just a heads up.
>>> 
>>> --
>>> Austin Williams
>>> 
>> 
>> Is there any (published) indication of accuracy difference? Seems that
>> since
>> generally towers don't jump around, they should be as good as satellites...
>> no?
>> TheDuck
>> 
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Austin Williams
> 
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