Bluetooth connection to Android phone GPS

rjdpa · 10:12 PM

I thought some of you would be interested in hearing about my success in using my Motorola Bravo (Froyo) as a GPS receiver for the Touchpad. I bought MapTool Pro from the HP App catalog and downloaded a free Android app called GPS over BT from the Android market. Renamed my phone to include "GPS" in the name, paired it with my Touchpad, started Maptool and there was my phone in the choices, selected it and voila had my location almost immediately!

gsmiley · 10/08/2011, 02:26 AM

I have a droid 2 and I can't for the life of me pair with the TP. What am I doing wrong ?

rjdpa · 10/08/2011, 02:36 AM

I completely forgot that I installed "Freetether" on my Touchpad a few weeks ago, so that's probably another prerequisite, sorry for the confusion. I think I mostly followed the directions on the "first bluetooth tether" thread to get the initial pairing.

dignitary · 10/08/2011, 02:37 AM

What webOS desperately needs is an app akin to Android's BlueGPS, where pairs with an external GPS and allows its use with any application on the platform that needs it--not just one app--by treating it as an internal GPS. Maptool feels like a tech demo with really limited usefulness in comparison.

gsmiley · 10/08/2011, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjdpa

I completely forgot that I installed "Freetether" on my Touchpad a few weeks ago, so that's probably another prerequisite, sorry for the confusion. I think I mostly followed the directions on the "first bluetooth tether" thread to get the initial pairing.

followed the video and noticed my phone didn't see the touchpad when scanning via bluetooth. The phone list didn't include my phone, maybe it just won't work

rjdpa · 10/08/2011, 03:28 AM

I don't think mine's on the list either. I just deleted both connections and redid the whole thing and had a helluva a time getting the phone to see the TP, until I watched the vid again. So I started over again, and I think the key (in my case) was to make sure your TP bluetooth is off, then make sure to turn it on from Freetether, once I did that, my phone saw the TP and I told the phone to pair with it, then accepted the pairing on the TP then again on the phone. Hope this helps!!

npmt · 10/08/2011, 04:14 AM

it works, but need to connect with freeTether first

rbrusuelas · 10/08/2011, 10:14 AM

I am guessing freetether is not in the HP catalog?

Redflea · 10/08/2011, 10:15 AM

need some steps here...D2 is not connecting with freetether (I assume supposed to do BT connect?).

rjdpa · 10/08/2011, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redflea

need some steps here...D2 is not connecting with freetether (I assume supposed to do BT connect?).

If you watch this vid it will give you the freetether steps:

First non webOS phone to be fully tetherd with HP TouchPad - YouTube

Follow the directions exactly, especially the part about turning on the bluetooth from within the freetether app.

rjdpa · 10/08/2011, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbrusuelas

I am guessing freetether is not in the HP catalog?

No, I don't think it's in the app catalog, I got it from Preware

Redflea · 10/08/2011, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjdpa

If you watch this vid it will give you the freetether steps:

First non webOS phone to be fully tetherd with HP TouchPad - YouTube

Follow the directions exactly, especially the part about turning on the bluetooth from within the freetether app.

The Vid says that if you don't follow the instructions exactly the first time, you have to Doctor back to stock to try again...I played around w/it before I saw the video, and it isn't working for me when I follow the video instructions, so apparently I'm hosed. Not interested in doctoring for this, since I have a keychain BT device that I've been using for GPS which works well, and then I can tether to my phone for internet if I need to at the same time, so I can have GPS and internet access on the road on my TP.

rjdpa · 10/08/2011, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redflea

The Vid says that if you don't follow the instructions exactly the first time, you have to Doctor back to stock to try again...I played around w/it before I saw the video, and it isn't working for me when I follow the video instructions, so apparently I'm hosed. Not interested in doctoring for this, since I have a keychain BT device that I've been using for GPS which works well, and then I can tether to my phone for internet if I need to at the same time, so I can have GPS and internet access on the road on my TP.

I don't think that's true, I've never doctored mine, and last night I deleted the connections from both devices so I could recreate the steps and missed the step where you turn on the BT from within Free tether and tried several times but couldn't get my phone to see the TP. I watched the vid again, saw my error, tried again following the directions and it worked fine.

gsmiley · 10/08/2011, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redflea

The Vid says that if you don't follow the instructions exactly the first time, you have to Doctor back to stock to try again...I played around w/it before I saw the video, and it isn't working for me when I follow the video instructions, so apparently I'm hosed. Not interested in doctoring for this, since I have a keychain BT device that I've been using for GPS which works well, and then I can tether to my phone for internet if I need to at the same time, so I can have GPS and internet access on the road on my TP.

Since we have the same phone, can you email me instruction what you are using and how you set up everything in the simplist terms

rjdpa · 10/08/2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsmiley

Since we have the same phone, can you email me instruction what you are using and how you set up everything in the simplist terms

Yep I'll try to write it up right now and will shoot it over to you asap

rjdpa · 10/08/2011, 04:10 PM

Here's what worked for me:

I figured I might as well post the same thing that I PM'd to gsmiley so everyone can use it.

Ok we'll start a the beginning

1. Clear any bluetooth connections on both devices

2. Install Free Tether, then turn off wifi (I don't think the wifi has to be off, but that's what they say)

3.Turn on bluetooth on phone,

4. Make sure Bluetooth is OFF on Touchpad, Start Free Tether, In Free Tether- Turn on BT (it may do it by itself), go to Bluetooth Prefs Enable Pan Profile, then General Prefs Enable Auto BT tether

5. On your phone, scan for devices, it should find the touchpad but don't do anything yet

6. Open Bluetooth prefs on Touchpad but don't scan for any devices

7. From the phone, click pair with this device (the TP)

8. On the touchpad a confirmation will appear at the bottom of the BT prefs screen, click yes allow, then connect, a confirnmation will appear on the phone allow the connection, you'll also get another message asking if the TP can access your messages, I always say yes but don't know if it's neccessary.

If it doesn't work, and it very well may not, shut off both bluetooths, reboot your TP and try again, I had to do that twice after deleting the connections while writing this, but it did the trick both times.

Good Luck!!

Ron

gsmiley · 10/09/2011, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjdpa

Here's what worked for me:

I figured I might as well post the same thing that I PM'd to gsmiley so everyone can use it.

Ok we'll start a the beginning

1. Clear any bluetooth connections on both devices

2. Install Free Tether, then turn off wifi (I don't think the wifi has to be off, but that's what they say)

3.Turn on bluetooth on phone,

4. Make sure Bluetooth is OFF on Touchpad, Start Free Tether, In Free Tether- Turn on BT (it may do it by itself), go to Bluetooth Prefs Enable Pan Profile, then General Prefs Enable Auto BT tether

5. On your phone, scan for devices, it should find the touchpad but don't do anything yet

6. Open Bluetooth prefs on Touchpad but don't scan for any devices

7. From the phone, click pair with this device (the TP)

8. On the touchpad a confirmation will appear at the bottom of the BT prefs screen, click yes allow, then connect, a confirnmation will appear on the phone allow the connection, you'll also get another message asking if the TP can access your messages, I always say yes but don't know if it's neccessary.

If it doesn't work, and it very well may not, shut off both bluetooths, reboot your TP and try again, I had to do that twice after deleting the connections while writing this, but it did the trick both times.

Good Luck!!

Ron

IT worked, thank you so much, now, for the maps, do we have to download them to show up

Redflea · 10/09/2011, 03:18 AM

You can either view them them over wifi, or cached them on your Touchpad so you can also use them when you're not connected (e.g., in your car/away from wifi).

There is a Cache command in the Mapping Tool Pro app menu - it saves the visible area of the map to your Touchpad. Make sure you select at least levels 14 - 16 so you have the differing levels of detail cached...

gsmiley · 10/09/2011, 03:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redflea

You can either view them them over wifi, or cached them on your Touchpad so you can also use them when you're not connected (e.g., in your car/away from wifi).

There is a Cache command in the Mapping Tool Pro app menu - it saves the visible area of the map to your Touchpad. Make sure you select at least levels 14 - 16 so you have the differing levels of detail cached...

Thanks, now if I could get a free wifi tethering going, I'm set

rjdpa · 10/09/2011, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsmiley

IT worked, thank you so much, now, for the maps, do we have to download them to show up

Glad to hear it worked for you!!!

10/07/2011, 09:54 PM	#1 (permalink)
rjdpa Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 16 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Successful Bluetooth connection to Android phone GPS I thought some of you would be interested in hearing about my success in using my Motorola Bravo (Froyo) as a GPS receiver for the Touchpad. I bought MapTool Pro from the HP App catalog and downloaded a free Android app called GPS over BT from the Android market. Renamed my phone to include "GPS" in the name, paired it with my Touchpad, started Maptool and there was my phone in the choices, selected it and voila had my location almost immediately! Last edited by rjdpa; 10/07/2011 at 10:12 PM. Reason: Clearer title
	Liked by

10/08/2011, 02:26 AM	#2 (permalink)
gsmiley Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 32 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 4 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I have a droid 2 and I can't for the life of me pair with the TP. What am I doing wrong ?
	Liked by

10/08/2011, 02:36 AM	#3 (permalink)
rjdpa Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 16 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	I completely forgot that I installed "Freetether" on my Touchpad a few weeks ago, so that's probably another prerequisite, sorry for the confusion. I think I mostly followed the directions on the "first bluetooth tether" thread to get the initial pairing.
	Liked by

10/08/2011, 02:37 AM	#4 (permalink)
dignitary Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: London, UK Posts: 573 Likes Received: 117 Thanks: 154 Thanked 166 Times in 121 Posts	What webOS desperately needs is an app akin to Android's BlueGPS, where pairs with an external GPS and allows its use with any application on the platform that needs it--not just one app--by treating it as an internal GPS. Maptool feels like a tech demo with really limited usefulness in comparison.
	Liked by bable likes this.

10/08/2011, 03:28 AM	#6 (permalink)
rjdpa Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 16 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	I don't think mine's on the list either. I just deleted both connections and redid the whole thing and had a helluva a time getting the phone to see the TP, until I watched the vid again. So I started over again, and I think the key (in my case) was to make sure your TP bluetooth is off, then make sure to turn it on from Freetether, once I did that, my phone saw the TP and I told the phone to pair with it, then accepted the pairing on the TP then again on the phone. Hope this helps!!
	Liked by

10/08/2011, 04:14 AM	#7 (permalink)
npmt Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 10 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	it works, but need to connect with freeTether first
	Liked by

10/08/2011, 10:14 AM	#8 (permalink)
rbrusuelas Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 112 Likes Received: 2 Thanks: 2 Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts	I am guessing freetether is not in the HP catalog?
	Liked by

10/08/2011, 10:15 AM	#9 (permalink)
Redflea Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 71 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 3 Thanked 9 Times in 5 Posts	need some steps here...D2 is not connecting with freetether (I assume supposed to do BT connect?).
	Liked by

10/08/2011, 04:10 PM	#16 (permalink)
rjdpa Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 16 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 3 Times in 2 Posts	Step by Step Here's what worked for me: I figured I might as well post the same thing that I PM'd to gsmiley so everyone can use it. Ok we'll start a the beginning 1. Clear any bluetooth connections on both devices 2. Install Free Tether, then turn off wifi (I don't think the wifi has to be off, but that's what they say) 3.Turn on bluetooth on phone, 4. Make sure Bluetooth is OFF on Touchpad, Start Free Tether, In Free Tether- Turn on BT (it may do it by itself), go to Bluetooth Prefs Enable Pan Profile, then General Prefs Enable Auto BT tether 5. On your phone, scan for devices, it should find the touchpad but don't do anything yet 6. Open Bluetooth prefs on Touchpad but don't scan for any devices 7. From the phone, click pair with this device (the TP) 8. On the touchpad a confirmation will appear at the bottom of the BT prefs screen, click yes allow, then connect, a confirnmation will appear on the phone allow the connection, you'll also get another message asking if the TP can access your messages, I always say yes but don't know if it's neccessary. If it doesn't work, and it very well may not, shut off both bluetooths, reboot your TP and try again, I had to do that twice after deleting the connections while writing this, but it did the trick both times. Good Luck!! Ron
	Liked by Thanked By: gsmiley

10/09/2011, 03:18 AM	#18 (permalink)
Redflea Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 71 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 3 Thanked 9 Times in 5 Posts	You can either view them them over wifi, or cached them on your Touchpad so you can also use them when you're not connected (e.g., in your car/away from wifi). There is a Cache command in the Mapping Tool Pro app menu - it saves the visible area of the map to your Touchpad. Make sure you select at least levels 14 - 16 so you have the differing levels of detail cached...
	Liked by

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