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

He could ship it to me and I could test it for him.

Dah•veed wrote:

 

He could ship it to me and I could test it for him.

Best option yet!

Chris CA wrote:

 

I highky suggest going across the ocean or continent and going to a different country, just to make sure.

I like 1000KM, straight up.

Funny how a thread entitled "Does an iPad2 Wifi really have no GPS?", which has a simple Yes/No answer, currently has 213 posts.  Seems like many have a difficult time reading/understanding device specifications.

paulcb wrote:

 

Funny how a thread entitled "Does an iPad2 Wifi really have no GPS?", which has a simple Yes/No answer, currently has 213 posts.  Seems like many have a difficult time reading/understanding device specifications.

Exactly what is a GPS, and do I need one?

Exactly what is a GPS, and do I need one?

Well, if you don't know, you don't need one.

Michael Black wrote:

Anyone who buys a computer or other technical device WITHOUT checking the specs and ensuring that it is capable of doing what they want or need done is a foolish and careless person.  Do you also buy cameras that way?

LOL, I always check things out before I buy them, but im a tech savvy user (im a software engineer by trade), and I purposely bought the iPad 1 with 3G because sussed a long time ago (when they first come out) that the WiFi only version probably didnt have a true GPS in it, I bought the 3G version and have never used a SIM card in it, but at least I have GPS, so no, i never buy that way, BUT, i know some older people who are less tech savvy who just take the stores word for it when they buy a camera, so yes, some people do do it, and by the way, they werent happy with their purchase.

I don't know if wifi only ipad has GPS or not. but I'm certain if you look at the specs it says that 3G version has A-GPS. if that says 3G version has only A-GPS, then sorry guys....it means Assisted GPS. it means you must stick to the mobile coverage. if not it can't determine location without mobile coverage. But if it has a traditional GPS built in (which is doesn’t have to do anything with 3G stuff) it will determine your location by directly connecting to at least 4 satellites.

it actually means nothing of the sort, and you clearly don't understand everything that you think you know. FYI, the following is one of many blurbs available online discussing the difference:

Okay, first let's do the basic definitions: aGPS = assisted global positioning system, while just regular GPS is non-assisted.

So who's assisting and why does it matter? When you use a GPS system and you turn it on, it needs to find orbit and clock data for the relevant satellites, this in turn results in what is called TTFF, or Time To First Fix how long before you get your location pinpointed. This initial TTFF is often called a cold start and on SiRF IIIsystems (the latest GPS systems available), it can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a couple of minutes to acquire a signal. That time is dependent on your location, amount of interference and horizon information: open fields are faster than canyons or urban environments where buildings can interfere with the satellite-receiver line of site.

But when you use assisted GPS this whole process is much faster. Very often cellular network towers have GPS receivers (or a base station nearby) and those receivers are constantly pulling down satellite information and computing the data. This data is then passed on to the cellular phone (when requested) and acts like a cheat since the relevant satellites to your location are already identified and all that GPS computations is handled by 3rd party computers. This is the result of such a system, to you the end user:

• Faster location acquisition
• Less processing power is required by the device
• Saves battery life
• Location acquisition indoors or in non-optimal environmental settings

if that says 3G version has only A-GPS, then sorry guys....it means Assisted GPS. it means you must stick to the mobile coverage. if not it can't determine location without mobile coverage.

You have no idea about what you are saying. That is not what A-GPS is.  The 3G iPad has a real GPS unit in it, just as the iPhone does. Apple has explained, as already stated in this thread, that A-GPS just helps the iPad get its bearings quicker than with GPS alone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_GPS

Exactly that's what I said. Have you seen any of those said it has traditional GPS built in?  You know that a-gps can work alone right?(without traditional gps built in) In that case, if both wifi and 3G models can have traditional gps or both may not. To A-GPS, it is essential to have a 3G or network to locate. But traditional gps can work alone fine. And it is pin point accurate. But it is taking time to determine the location. If it is working with A-GPS support, it is quicker. so I see no point to have or don't have a traditional gps bilt in to wifi only models if they are existed in 3G models.

Oh for God's sake, break the effing code! You can not have A-GPS without a 'traditional' GPS and no, there is nothing at all called A-GPS that doesn't have a GPS connected to it.

The wifi model can not have a GPS built into it for the very good reason .... well, among others .... but one simple reason you know it's not there is that there is no antenna for it. Period. No GPS receiver, no antenna, no GPS.

It does have location services, but they work in a totally different way which has nothing at all to do with GPS and its constellation of satellites.

Sorry, I may be wrong. But I have seen that in a Wikipedia artical, a-gps can work alone. Sorry if I wrong. And I don't really think that 3G antenna can use as GPS antenna. I have a Nokia phone with GPS. So it has 3 different antennas for wi if, 3G and for GPS. It has mentioned clearly in the user manual. "don't cover the antenna". And again I really don't know that antenna can do both jobs at once. I haven't seen iPad's GPS antenna.

I don't know if wifi only ipad has GPS or not.

I do know. It has no GPS at all.

but I'm certain if you look at the specs it says that 3G version has A-GPS. if that says 3G version has only A-GPS, then sorry guys....it means Assisted GPS. it means you must stick to the mobile coverage. if not it can't determine location without mobile coverage.

This is incorrect. Cell coverage is not required for  A-GPS receivers to work with satellite data only.

But if it has a traditional GPS built in (which is doesn’t have to do anything with 3G stuff) it will determine your location by directly connecting to at least 4 satellites.

To be correct, there needs to be data from three satellites and four are required for accurate location to include elevation data. adb teh GPS doe snot talk to the satellites. and it only receives data from the satellites (one way comms).

To A-GPS, it is essential to have a 3G or network to locate

This is incorrect. Cell towers are not required at all for A-GPS devices.

The A (assisted) in A-GPS simply means it will acquire your location quicker at startup and may acquire a better position if you are in a location with poor satellite coverage (such as downtown NYC with very tall buildings).

A-GPS will work fine without any cell towers.

But traditional gps can work alone fine.

So does A-GPS.

Well, if ipad 2 dosen't have GPS that would be stupid !!! I have ipad 2 .