Comments on: Garmin nuvifone launch imminent? http://gpstracklog.com/2009/06/garmin-nuvifone-launch-imminent.html GPS reviews, news, tips and tricks Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:27:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Muero http://gpstracklog.com/2009/06/garmin-nuvifone-launch-imminent.html#comment-6222 Muero Thu, 18 Jun 2009 13:11:31 +0000 http://gpstracklog.com/?p=2217#comment-6222 In big cities with the iPhone, Skyhook WiFi positioning helps get a decently accurate position (maybe not quite street level accuracy, but close) in a couple of seconds, and the aGPS should still be able to get a GPS signal in just a few seconds. In an urban canyon, the "circle of accuracy" might stay bigger for longer. So instead of having a possible location circle with a radius of 15 to 20 feet, like on a Garmin 60CSx, the radius might be 30 to 75 feet on the iPhone, but as with any GPS device, the longer it's active, it can get a better signal over time. In big cities with the iPhone, Skyhook WiFi positioning helps get a decently accurate position (maybe not quite street level accuracy, but close) in a couple of seconds, and the aGPS should still be able to get a GPS signal in just a few seconds. In an urban canyon, the “circle of accuracy” might stay bigger for longer. So instead of having a possible location circle with a radius of 15 to 20 feet, like on a Garmin 60CSx, the radius might be 30 to 75 feet on the iPhone, but as with any GPS device, the longer it’s active, it can get a better signal over time.

]]> By: Rich Owings http://gpstracklog.com/2009/06/garmin-nuvifone-launch-imminent.html#comment-6211 Rich Owings Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:09:09 +0000 http://gpstracklog.com/?p=2217#comment-6211 Good to know that it locks so fast. How does it perform in urban canyons? Good to know that it locks so fast. How does it perform in urban canyons?

]]> By: Muero http://gpstracklog.com/2009/06/garmin-nuvifone-launch-imminent.html#comment-6019 Muero Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:09:39 +0000 http://gpstracklog.com/?p=2217#comment-6019 Faster lock? My iPhone never takes more than 4 seconds to get a street-accurate GPS signal. The GPS chip in the cradle won't have aGPS, so it would actually provide a slower GPS lock. (This is a bit of a guess, so please someone correct me if I'm wrong. I guess it's possible that the Tomtom software will first get the GPS data from the iPhone's built-in aGPS chip, and then use that information to help the cradle's GPS chip know where to look for the satellites, which could help the cradle's GPS chip get a lock faster than it normally would, but I still don't think it would have a faster startup-to-lock-time than the iPhone already has (although it would eventually have a stronger, more accurate signal, provided they use a decent GPS chip). I'm not sure if this two-way communication through the dock to use both GPS chips at the same time is even possible with the current iPhone hardware and OS, or if Tomtom's software could make it work together despite hardware/OS limitations.) Faster lock?

My iPhone never takes more than 4 seconds to get a street-accurate GPS signal. The GPS chip in the cradle won’t have aGPS, so it would actually provide a slower GPS lock.

(This is a bit of a guess, so please someone correct me if I’m wrong. I guess it’s possible that the Tomtom software will first get the GPS data from the iPhone’s built-in aGPS chip, and then use that information to help the cradle’s GPS chip know where to look for the satellites, which could help the cradle’s GPS chip get a lock faster than it normally would, but I still don’t think it would have a faster startup-to-lock-time than the iPhone already has (although it would eventually have a stronger, more accurate signal, provided they use a decent GPS chip). I’m not sure if this two-way communication through the dock to use both GPS chips at the same time is even possible with the current iPhone hardware and OS, or if Tomtom’s software could make it work together despite hardware/OS limitations.)

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