Q: Does iPad 2 WiFi Really Have No GPS???

lol my ipad 2 wifi 32 has GPS radio lmao

No it doesn't.

It is not clear what you have but MotionX is showing that you are receiving GPS data. The app would show GPS Searching or Wi-Fi Triangulation if you did not. I do not have a GPS dongle but my understanding is that such a device may update Location Services to reflect that you have a GPS receiver and that it is collecting GPS data.

I have ipad 32 WiFi only and have been upset that teh maps program, urbanspoon and FindiPhone couldn't locate me.  Even when I was connected to the internet.  I recently ordered a DualGPS150 to use with my iPad since I read good reviews. 

Funny thing happened playing with my iPad.  I went to Settings and found out my time was set to Central instead of Eastern.  Switched it to Eastern, since I live in Detroit area.  Low and behold the GPS (assisted or not - who cares) was working.  I can be driving down the street and I am located on the map as well as Tripadvisor, etc. 

I guess I will be keeping the Dual GPS150 to see how that works.  I now love my iPad more than I did before. 

richfromberkley wrote:

 

I have ipad 32 WiFi only

...

Low and behold the GPS (assisted or not - who cares) was working.

The wifi only iPad has no GPS to work.

You mean Location services is working.

If you had the DualGPS connected, it was geting GPS and passing this to Location services info to the iPad.

I haven't gotten the Dual GPS yet!  I don't know why, but Location services worked until a mile away from the office and then again a couple of miles away from home!!  Don't know why, but it makes it more convenient.

Anyone know of a good mapping program to use with the Dual?

"Funny thing happened playing with my iPad.  I went to Settings and found out my time was set to Central instead of Eastern.  Switched it to Eastern, since I live in Detroit area.  Low and behold the GPS (assisted or not - who cares) was working.  I can be driving down the street and I am located on the map as well as Tripadvisor, etc. "

If you are seeing the map in the Map app, you have an internet connection.

If you have a wifi iPad and are seeing a location, you have an Internet location.

There are plenty of wifi spots around. The iPad Map app can easily pick them up and show your location.

Glad things are working a bit better for you on your iPad. Thanks for the post. It is pretty easy to over look the time zone settings during trouble shooting. It is possible location services is dependent on having close to the correct time setting. There may be some sanity checks that are going on. Anyway, thanks for the feedback.

richfromberkley wrote:

Anyone know of a good mapping program to use with the Dual?

Using the Navigon GPS mapping program and it works incredibly well with the Dual. Tried some of the others but they didn't work as nicely or as smoothly as the Navigon does.

Interesting thread ... can any of you tell me if I take my Wi-fi only iPad2 to the UK, is there any way I can get internet service while driving so I can use an App ly Sygic for GPS?  I plan to buy a phone over there from carphonewarehouse.com to use while there  -- perhaps I could pick one that would serve as an internet hot spot? Or, is there some other way I can use my iPad as a GPS while driving in UK or not near a wifi hotspot?   Any advice would be appreciated.

Interesting thread ... can any of you tell me if I take my Wi-fi only iPad2 to the UK, is there any way I can get internet service while driving so I can use an App ly Sygic for GPS?  I plan to buy a phone over there from carphonewarehouse.com to use while there  -- perhaps I could pick one that would serve as an internet hot spot?

Yes, you could get a phone capable of serving as a hot spot.

Or, is there some other way I can use my iPad as a GPS while driving in UK or not near a wifi hotspot?   Any advice would be appreciated.

Yikes, the WiFi-only iPad does not have GPS capability. It estimates its location from a database of wifi router MAC addresses (these are unique for each router made) and their last recorded location. When you are near a wifi hotspot which is correctly in the database and your iPad has wifi-access so the location software can access the the router-MAC address vs location database then you will get a position. I believe that the location software does maintain a local cache of found MAC address/locations so it does not always need Wifi access to get a location for a known router MAC address.

ascotsgranny wrote:

 

is there any way I can get internet service while driving so I can use an App ly Sygic for GPS? 

Your new phone will need to have a portable hot spot built in AND your phone carrier must allow you to use it for that purpose. NOT all phone companies allow this, so check first. I am using a LG Optimus T and it works great. You can also buy a separate portable hot spot device, but they usually cost about as much as a new phone once you figure in the rates.

Am I in over my head?  What does an iPad2 16GB with WiFi only need in order to utilize a GPS app like Sygic while in UK ... ?  Just an internet connection?  If so, what can I add to this iPad to give it instant internet connection when not near a public wifi hotspot?  Would a mobile hotspot thing work, like this: http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/broadband/mobile-broadband/buy/O2-USB-MODEM-169 -PU2G-PPUSB

Or would I need something in addition to this?

Or would I need to buy a phone that could be its own mobile hotspot and, if so, what do I need to look for in specs? 

I want this not just for traffic directions but mainly for POI info.

The Sygic GPS App won't work on a WiFi-only iPad.

118 posts so far, and the simplicity of the answer still cannot permeate.....

The wifi only iPad does not have GPS capabilities.

Feel free to discuss the complexity of this fact over the next few hundred posts.....