Poor GPS reception in iPod touch

zagmund

I'm not the biggest gadget-head out there but I won myself an iPod touch a while back and I have been playing around with it a little bit and one thing I can't quite figure out is how to get the GPS to work correctly.

I have an application called Walk Watch which tracks where you cycle/run/walk via GPS and records the times, etc . . . only it doesn't seem to do the GPS thing properly.

I know you need to get a good fix on a couple of GPS satellites or you won't get anything useful, no matter what GPS tool you are using. I've tried putting the iPod in my pocket (I know . . . it can't see the sky there) and it kind of works and some points along my route are picked up correctly, but I've also tried holding it in my hands while walking and the reception is no better.

Short of walking around with the iPod held aloft in front of me like an offering to the gods what do I need to do to get the GPS reception to a workable level ? Is this a common problem or have I just got a flakey unit ?

z

seamus

iPod touch doesn't have GPS I'm afraid.

It can do navigation using connections to known wireless network to triangulate its position, but it doesn't have true GPS. This will explain why it picks you up at some points.

If you're a fitness head into that kind of thing, you can get a case for the iPod touch which has a GPS receiver in it, but tbh for that kind of cash, you could buy a small Garmin/TomTom unit which will do a much better job.

Owen

Damn you Seamus with your sensible reply. We could have had pages of lolcats by now.

zagmund

Thanks for the clarification. This is *exactly* why people like me don't like Apple products (among other new tech items).

According to the application it has good "GPS Strength" It's fair enough as a user to assume that this means the device actually has a GPS function available to it.

I know the application is at fault in this case and not the device itself, but since there was no manual or guide provided with the device itself it's not like I could have found out by osmosis that there was no GPS function available.

As above, I am greatful for the clarification which explains why the GPS isn't working . . .

z

coylemj

zagmund wrote: »

According to the application it has good "GPS Strength" It's fair enough as a user to assume that this means the device actually has a GPS function available to it.

Catches out a lot of people, most app publishers chose to ignore the fact that the iTouch doesn't have GPS when they write the description for the iTunes Store for navigation or location services apps, might turn off people like you and me and then we wouldn't buy their damn app.

zagmund

Related query - after a few uses of the application it asked me to post a review, so I did. Obviously I mentioned the GPS thing. However, the review hasn't shown up on the App store. Does this mean that the application writer gets to vet or approve the reviews before they get posted ? Or did Apple maybe not like my review ?

z

coylemj

zagmund wrote: »

Related query - after a few uses of the application it asked me to post a review, so I did. Obviously I mentioned the GPS thing. However, the review hasn't shown up on the App store. Does this mean that the application writer gets to vet or approve the reviews before they get posted ? Or did Apple maybe not like my review ?

z

Good point, I'm not sure if a review submitted by you as a result of a solicitation by the app on the mobile device gets filtered by them before it gets to Apple.

Either way, having purchased the app you can post a review on the iTunes Store and that goes direct to Apple, keep it short and sweet (or sour:cool:) and it should be published.

figarofigaro

zagmund wrote: »

Related query - after a few uses of the application it asked me to post a review, so I did. Obviously I mentioned the GPS thing. However, the review hasn't shown up on the App store. Does this mean that the application writer gets to vet or approve the reviews before they get posted ? Or did Apple maybe not like my review ?

z

The review should show up after some time. I wrote a review of some ****ty app and it didn't go up for a day or so.