Mifi used with Wifi Ipad 2

Question

Level 1

8 points

Mifi used with Wifi Ipad 2

I have a wifi 32gb Ipad 2, and carry a Mifi wireless mobile hotspot with me in the car at all times. I want to use my ipad as a large GPS unit. When I try to download a GPS software program i get an error message saying that I can't since this is not a GPS enabled Ipad. With the MIFI wireless hotspot right next to me why isn't it able to download the software?

27" imac, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Apr 9, 2011 6:45 AM

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Answer 1

red555

Level 4

2,581 points

Apr 9, 2011 7:03 AM in response to gary.conrad

It sounds like the app you are using requires a gps receiver-equipped iPad. THe wifi-only iPad fetches location information from a server database that contains location information of each wifi network.

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Answer 2

Rudegar

Level 10

180,606 points

Apr 9, 2011 7:02 AM in response to gary.conrad

the wifi ipad itself don't have gps
don't know about your mifi
but being connected to a router which provide the location
would not be seen as a real gps by much software they would just look at the ipad model number and that indicate no gps

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Answer 3

Chandra

Level 1

65 points

Apr 9, 2011 7:19 AM in response to gary.conrad

Yes, your Error message has nothing to do with your MiFi connection, it is as it says,..
you don't have a GPS enabled iPad...
:-/

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Answer 4

Apr 9, 2011 12:12 PM in response to Chandra

Would a Sprint Overdrive work with a 64 Gb unit? I would guess that the Overdrive has gps built into it.

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Answer 5

Chandra

Level 1

65 points

Apr 9, 2011 12:18 PM in response to kcphaeton

You're missing the point,
it's not how you connect to the Internet that matters....

it's the iPad that runs the Software Application, & this person's particular model does not contain GPS capability & so will not be able to run that software successfully... :-/

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Answer 6

Apr 9, 2011 12:18 PM in response to Chandra

Would an ATT enabled 64GB unit be GPS equipped? If it was running on Sprint thru an overdrive and not on ATT would the GPS work?

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Answer 7

Chandra

Level 1

65 points

Apr 9, 2011 12:20 PM in response to kcphaeton

Yes, the 3G iPads have GPS circuitry...

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Answer 8

Apr 9, 2011 12:38 PM in response to kcphaeton

kcphaeton wrote:
Would an ATT enabled 64GB unit be GPS equipped? If it was running on Sprint thru an overdrive and not on ATT would the GPS work?

The wifi+3G iPad has built in GPS. You don't have to be connected to any carrier or the Internet to use the built in GPS. So a wifi+3G iPad will allow use of GPS.

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Answer 9

red555

Level 4

2,581 points

Apr 9, 2011 1:55 PM in response to kcphaeton

...ensure you have a way to download maps or get an app that supports onboard maps.

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Answer 10

Apr 10, 2011 2:02 PM in response to gary.conrad

GPS is NOT on the wifi only iPads. You have to buy the 3G model iPad to get GPS. Its a shame that the media doesn't point this out in all the reviews of iPads.

BTW the Verizon mi-fi is much slower than the AT&T and Sprint mifi's.

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Answer 11

Apr 10, 2011 2:22 PM in response to gary.conrad

Even though GPS has nothing to do with 3G cellular service, they are only available together on 3G iPads.

I receive GPS signal at sea worldwide on my 3G iPad regardless of whether or not I'm receiving cellular coverage.

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Answer 12

Feb 14, 2012 11:11 PM in response to Chandra

Just wondering about this; you say the overdrive wouldn't work... But on a video where they were talking about gps add-on devices (tomtom car kit, overdrive...) talked about how at the time of the video, that the tomtom device didn't support iPad, but however they did say the overdrive was the only one that did work with the iPad. Now it may have been a 3G+wifi model, I don't know.

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Answer 13

Feb 14, 2012 11:20 PM in response to RADuBreuil

Here is the video I was talking about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cADjYg9SfFU&feature=youtube_gdata_player

And it is about the wifi only iPad.

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