GPS on the Touchpad!!!!

**kahunabill** · 10/05/2011, 12:11 AM

I'm not sure of people are using this, but MapTool (pro) came out recently for the touchpad. Combined with an external bluetooth gps receiver, it turns into a functional GPS navigation app.

I purchased a cheap keychain bluetooth keychain gps receiver from *bay for $14 and paired it up to the touchpad today and the map followed me around town.

I was unable to do this just with my palm pre plus phone, but with the external bluetooth gps receiver it worked.

It doesn't allow you to punch in addresses or locations yet, so you can't pre-set a route. But in terms of being able to tell you where you are and follow you around, it's very nice.

Trying to hold it on my lap while driving was another thing though.

**jblather** · 10/05/2011, 12:21 AM

Do you have a web address for the bluetooth keychain gps receiver from ebay?

**meechieervin** · 10/05/2011, 12:26 AM

Originally Posted by kahunabill

I'm not sure of people are using this, but Mapping Tool (pro) came out recently for the touchpad. Combined with an external bluetooth gps receiver, it turns into a functional GPS navigation app.

I purchased a cheap keychain bluetooth keychain gps receiver from *bay for $14 and paired it up to the touchpad today and the map followed me around town.

I was unable to do this just with my palm pre plus phone, but with the external bluetooth gps receiver it worked.

It doesn't allow you to punch in addresses or locations yet, so you can't pre-set a route. But in terms of being able to tell you where you are and follow you around, it's very nice.

Trying to hold it on my lap while driving was another thing though.

I've been thinking about buying one (gps receiver) do you still have the sellers ebay address,$14 ain't bad

**jblather** · 10/05/2011, 12:41 AM

I'm beginning to think that any bluetooth GPS receiver will work:

http://forums.precentral.net/hp-touc...tooth-gps.html

Here is the main thread discussing MapTool:
http://forums.precentral.net/webos-h...port-more.html

**kahunabill** · 10/05/2011, 12:59 AM

That's what I was thinking too, that any external gps receiver would work, so I wanted to test it out on the cheapest one I could find on ebay.

I wont' say which seller, since that's an endorsement, but the search words were bluetooth gps receiver keychain. The one I bought was $14 but $13.90 for shipping from taiwan.

The words on the unit say mobilemate GPS on the auction picture but if you notice the actual unit that I received, the writing looks Russian. When I paired up the actual unit, it came up as Teleprovodnik GPS.

(Sorry to any Russians who take offense.)

Now to find a great touchpad mount for the car!

**jblather** · 10/05/2011, 01:01 AM

Oh, that's pretty awesome. How is it powered? AA Batteries?

**kahunabill** · 10/05/2011, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by jblather

I'm beginning to think that any bluetooth GPS receiver will work:

http://forums.precentral.net/hp-touc...tooth-gps.html

Here is the main thread discussing MapTool:
http://forums.precentral.net/webos-h...port-more.html

Jblather,

I read the main thread and was surprised that there wasn't a lot of excitement or a big deal made about this app, since now everyone who complained about the touchpad not having GPS can now use an external device with the software.

**jblather** · 10/05/2011, 01:03 AM

Yes, exactly. How far from the TouchPad can you use the GPS receiver? Several feet?

**kahunabill** · 10/05/2011, 01:03 AM

Originally Posted by jblather

Oh, that's pretty awesome. How is it powered? AA Batteries?

the keychain bluetooth gps receiver comes with a usb charger, and says it up to 10 hours of operating time. So it's usb rechargeable.

**kahunabill** · 10/05/2011, 01:05 AM

Originally Posted by jblather

Yes, exactly. How far from the TouchPad can you use the GPS receiver? Several feet?

Well, seeing that I tried it out in the car, I just hung the keychain unit on my keys, so it was only a few feet away from the touchpad.

Here are some spec's taken off the ebay auction page.

Features:
51 channel all-in view tracking
MTK chipset with ultra high sensitivity to -158dBm
Up to 10 hrs operating time
Smart Power Save Mechanish (Transystem Patent)
Fuzzy Auto On/Off (Transystem Patent)

Application:
Personal/ portable Navigation (PDA/ Smartphone)
Automotive
Location Based Services
Geographic Survey

Product Specification: General
GPS Chipset: MTK GPS
Frequency: L1,1575.42 MHZ
C/A Code: 1.023MHz chip rate
Channels: 51 CH for tracking
Antenna: Built-in patch with LNA
Datum: WGS-84

Acquisition Rate
Cold Start: 36 sec, average
Warm Start: 33 sec, average
Hot Start: 1 sec, average
Reacquisition: <1sec

Accuracy (none DGPS)
Position: Without aid: 3.0m; 2D-RMS DGPS:2.5m,2D-RMS
Velocity: Without aid: 0.1m/s; DGPS:0.05m/s
Sensitivity: -158 dBm (tracking)

Dynamic
Altitude: < 18,000m
Velocity: < 515m/sec
Acceleration: 4g

Protocol
GPS Output: NMEA-0183(V3.01) - GGA, GSA, GSV, RMC (default)
Data bit : 8, stop bit : 1 (Default)

Interface
Bluetooth? Version 1.2 compliant
Output Power: Class 2 (10 meter in free space)
Frequency: 2.4 to 2.48 GHz

Power
Battery: Li-Ion
Operation Time: 10 hrs
Power Charge: Mini USB

Environmental
Operating: -10�C to +60�C
Storage: -20�C to +60�C
Charging: 0�C to +45�C
Humidity: 5% to 90% non-condensing

Physical
Dimension: 46(W) x 32(L) x 14.7(H) mm
Weight: 22g

Others
Certification: CE / FCC / C-tick
LED: Bluetooth / GPS / Battery / charger status

Package Contents:
Bluetooth GPS receiver x 1
Mini-USB cable x 1

**jblather** · 10/05/2011, 01:06 AM

Too bad it takes two weeks to a month to get it....

**jblather** · 10/05/2011, 01:08 AM

Is it true you can pick up to four independent sources for the maps?

**kahunabill** · 10/05/2011, 01:10 AM

yeah that was the thing.

I ordered it Sept. 25th and it came this morning. Tawain to Los Angeles in 9 days.

**tnguy88** · 10/05/2011, 01:16 AM

Did you try PreGo?
http://forums.precentral.net/webos-h...prego-gps.html

**jblather** · 10/05/2011, 01:19 AM

Wow, that's pretty awesome. Wish I had a Pre phone...

**kahunabill** · 10/05/2011, 01:22 AM

Originally Posted by tnguy88

Did you try PreGo?
http://forums.precentral.net/webos-h...prego-gps.html

I did try using prego gps on my palm pre plus and I get error message (com.palm.bluetooth is not running.) and on top of that, it made all the other apps on my phone very unresponsive.

**kahunabill** · 10/05/2011, 01:23 AM

Originally Posted by jblather

Is it true you can pick up to four independent sources for the maps?

Here's a screen capture of the possible maps.

**kahunabill** · 10/05/2011, 01:24 AM

ok so everyone knows where I live now.

**jblather** · 10/05/2011, 01:25 AM

LOL.

Please check your PM. Thx.

**meechieervin** · 10/05/2011, 02:24 AM

i got to ask you a question,i notice when i move the map around or zoom in and out it takes a couple of seconds to redraw is it like that when you drive

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