GPS Dongle...do i really need it?

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jonboyuk

jonboyuk

Senior Member
May 24, 2007
1,031
139
South West UK
I think the main point is that GPS can be substituted by wifi/3g, however, in many circumstances people need/want to use GPS where this is no data (on the road often). If using offline navigation such as copilot, the addition of GPS that actually works efficiently without data is paramount.

As such, this dongle is free, so claim it while you can (it expires in 3 months)!
 
deffjeff

deffjeff

Member
Jul 30, 2010
34
15
Knutby
Personally, I don't use gps at all, but if I have a right to an "addition" for free, even if I would not use it right now?! Damn sure I'll go for it.
 
D

dandrep

Member
Apr 24, 2006
21
3
Seattle
rorytmeadows said:
Who cares?

If the problem is solved because Wifi assists the GPS in finding a lock, then who cares? GPS in small devices isn't always going to work. I learned that 10 years ago when they sold only GPS USB dongles and it took forever to get a good lock. Turning Wifi on takes care of the issue.
...

I'm sorry, I don't aim to be mean or anything, but this is ridiculous. It's semantics. If it works, it works. Is the world going to end because you have to turn on Wifi to lock quicker?

Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Why do you only use GPS when connected to WiFi?

Do you ever use your GPS when on the road, boat, train or at best, tethered? Google's SSID mapping doesn't help in either of those situations and is the reason I would like the GPS that I paid for to work.

Your attitude, while fine for helping you make peace with disappointing purchases is good.. for you. Some of us value our money and if we are going to spend $500 for a piece of aluminum and glass, we would like it to perform as we expected it to when we made the buying decision.
 
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Spidey01

Senior Member
Sep 16, 2011
1,058
110
Duluth
I don't really use GPS on my tablet, unless I'm sitting in a building with WiFi. So I don't really care, because I will also have my phone and a PC available 90% of the time (and always a phone). Times when I really need to know e.g. what frakking road I'm on, I use my phone. I'd consider a tablet if it had HSPA+ and my car came with the mount ^_^. But in simple reality, when I'm really in need of decent GPS = a 10" tablet is to big!

I have however, applied for the kit. Mainly because I'd like it just in case, and if I ever sell my tablet to someone who cares about GPS capability. Honestly I care much more that ASUS is doing this - I'm happy to be an ASUS customer again, not that I've ever really been unhappy to be.



My past handsets (A)GPS would generally go to seed the moment I got to far away from Atlanta, and e.g. be totally useless once crossing the boarder into Tennessee. Yet last road trip I took: my old TF101...freaking thing hadn't been hooked up to WiFi since leaving Duluth, GA, and was able to peg me within 10-20m of the bed room I was staying in. Friends place had a wireless router that wasn't hooked up. My phone? Bloody useless with data+wifi+gps on and still driving up I-75. Using a cell phone for a GPS device is handy but ahem, if it's important: I know what I'm doing before I get there, and rely on GPS as a precautionary check that I didn't take a wrong turn.
 
Last edited:
dabombcra

dabombcra

Senior Member
Oct 14, 2011
71
7
xGary said:
That is stupid. Do you work for ASUS? If the tablet didn't have a camera would I still have bought it? Yes. But if I bought it and they told me "lol the camera is actually fake, we didn't think you would use it." then would I give them hell for it? Yes. As far as I know, people use gps on their phones for turn by turn without internet and it works fine. So I am not sure what you mean by gps won't always work in small devices. As far as I am concerned the TFP is bigger than many GPS devices on the market.

BTW, there is a difference between needing wifi to get a faster lock (aka AGPS) versus using wifi to triangulate one's position (aka the internet). I don't get what your deal is that just because you don't use the gps on the tablet then you think that it is absurd. If no one uses it then why did they put gps on the tablet in the first place? Why does Apple put gps on their 3G iPads if no one uses them?

---------- Post added at 07:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:45 AM ----------



That is tragic. Looks like the modern era is actually degrading. I guess eventually we will have to connect our phones to a cable to make a phone call and then start writing each other letters. Looks like we rather burn the battery and data on our phone unlike the abnormal people who have phones with gps that actually receives signals from satellites rather than using wifi to triangulate the position.

---------- Post added at 07:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:52 AM ----------



Yea you personally don't. But don't talk for others.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Just stating my opinion as does everyone else

Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201 using Tapatalk 2
 
J

johnnycsx

Senior Member
Jul 28, 2011
97
5
NYC
I think it's ridiculous to NEED wifi alongside GPS. It should just work. My Galaxy S II gets a GPS lock in seconds, all location services are always off and unless I'm at home, wifi is off. My Prime's GPS doesn't work, but I don't really care. I ordered my dongle just cause I'd like to be able to use it if I need to. Not necessary though. Sure, if I need to use wifi it doesn't make me upset, I just don't think navigation should depend on it. Oh well.
 
F

flyingwolf

Senior Member
Dec 23, 2007
470
60
Asus Transformer TF300T
Asus Transformer TF700
Simply put, it was advertised as GPS, not aGPS, as such it was false advertising.

Split hairs all you want, rationalize your way through crappy purchases, but I buy things with certain expectations, I like my 10 inch screen for GPS, it makes a large difference when you are in the middle of an Oregon forest and need to see where you are.
 
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    rorytmeadows
    rorytmeadows
    xGary said:
    Why would you need gps if you had wifi? To check where in the house you are? Or which section of McDonald's you're in? If a device needs wifi for the "gps" to work then they might as well not call it a gps cause my Desktop can triangulate my position with wifi.
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    Who cares?

    If the problem is solved because Wifi assists the GPS in finding a lock, then who cares? GPS in small devices isn't always going to work. I learned that 10 years ago when they sold only GPS USB dongles and it took forever to get a good lock. Turning Wifi on takes care of the issue.

    Look, I get it. We all want our devices to work perfectly. My desktop doesn't handle two video cards easily. My video card doesn't handle TV relay (like Slingbox) well. My phone doesn't have a dedicated number row on the slide out keyboard. My A500 was a bit bulky. My Sony BluRay speaker system sometimes has a delay. My Insignia LED TV doesn't handle Xbox great. My Astro A40s bleed through batteries.

    Welcome to technology. If you don't work in IT, let me give you a heads up: nothing ever works 100%, 100% of the time.

    Just consider yourself lucky it's the GPS with your tablet, something so absurd to make use of on a tablet anyway.

    And if you're still bothered by the whole "Asus sold us a load of crap" concern, well, this is life. This won't be the last time that happens. And honestly, I agree with that other poster; if it didn't have GPS in the description or on the package, would you have refused to buy it? Google's ingenious SSID mapping has made geolocation so much faster and efficient (unless you live in the backwoods).

    I'm sorry, I don't aim to be mean or anything, but this is ridiculous. It's semantics. If it works, it works. Is the world going to end because you have to turn on Wifi to lock quicker?

    Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201
    View
    1
    B
    barryflanagan
    Windiddy said:
    FOr xformer Prime, do I really need the GPS dongle or would the GPS work w/o it?
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    I don't and won't need it, but signed up today to get it. I may want to sell my Prime in the future and having it might make that easier.
    View
    1
    rorytmeadows
    rorytmeadows
    Windiddy said:
    im just asking bc I have a Sgt10.1 and looking to upgrade. I wouldn't like to buy a defective product. I can't decide to get prime or ipad3.
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    It turns out, if you're a normal human being and don't mind running Wifi alongside your GPS (like most people run their phones), you'll be absolutely perfect. Only if you're a stickler for no reason will you have a problem.

    I am learning over the past 24 hours that people are making a big deal over GPS because they are too stubborn to make the modern-era change of running Wifi alongside GPS. If you have no problem doing that (like a normal person), then you'll be perfectly fine.

    Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201
    View
    1
    D
    dandrep
    rorytmeadows said:
    Who cares?

    If the problem is solved because Wifi assists the GPS in finding a lock, then who cares? GPS in small devices isn't always going to work. I learned that 10 years ago when they sold only GPS USB dongles and it took forever to get a good lock. Turning Wifi on takes care of the issue.
    ...

    I'm sorry, I don't aim to be mean or anything, but this is ridiculous. It's semantics. If it works, it works. Is the world going to end because you have to turn on Wifi to lock quicker?

    Sent from my Transformer Prime TF201
    Click to expand...
    Click to collapse

    Why do you only use GPS when connected to WiFi?

    Do you ever use your GPS when on the road, boat, train or at best, tethered? Google's SSID mapping doesn't help in either of those situations and is the reason I would like the GPS that I paid for to work.

    Your attitude, while fine for helping you make peace with disappointing purchases is good.. for you. Some of us value our money and if we are going to spend $500 for a piece of aluminum and glass, we would like it to perform as we expected it to when we made the buying decision.
    View

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