How to use Bluetooth GPS with iPad

When I made the decision to retire my first IPAD one of the leading reasons I decided on an Android based tablet was because of what I learned from my IPAD 1st Gen tablet. Not only did they exclude the small postage stamp size GPS receiver in my 32GB WIFI IPAD, it would not support none of the bluetooth GPS receivers I also owned.

When you think about it, the purpose of Bluetooth is for connectivity to hands free or stand alone peripheral appliances.

For Apple to build it specifically to operate with specific appliances of their choice did not seem practical.

"We understand you spent $700 for your device but allow us to demonstrate that we still own it.

So I bought Panasonic Toughpad which included a nice built in GPS with an Android OS. I was able to install Navigator 12 with U.S. OSM and had no issues with its GPS interfacing with the application.

Though the Toughpad is a rugged tablet built strong enough for to use to chock the wheels of a tractor trailer,

the difference is the touchscreen digitizer isn't responsive as the IPAD and mild OPENGL graphics artifact in some 3D game applications.

So few weeks later I purchased a IPAD 2 AIR and use my Toughpad in my truck for use while on trips.

I have tried to connect a number of bluetooth GPS receivers to the iPad, unfortunately whilst the serial stack is supported in the Bluetooth profiles, I don't think any software like Maps, Comapass or other location based software, including Commercial software like TomTom on iPad support accessing this bluetooth path. the closest think I have seen is that TomTom have an external cradle that has an inbuilt GPS that uses a bluetooth connection, however it has to be connected to the iPhone base port to recognize the device and make the connection. Given that the iPad makes a great navigation tool regarding the available size of the screen, perhaps TomTom who have already worked through this issue can modify their code to access bluetooth GPS external receivers.

I am in the same situation and had an old Globalsat BT-338 Bluetooth receiver that I used years ago with an HP iPAQ. After doing some research it seems that unless you jailbreak (which I'm not willing to do), only Apple-approved external receivers will work. For now, it appears only 2 such are available -- see http://aviationmentor.blogspot.com/2011/02/gns-5870-bluetooth-gps-for-ipad.html

The GNS 5870 is buggy, plus it has bad specs. The Bad Elf is limited to only being used with an Apple device.

The one you want to get is by Dual, called the XGPS150. It works incredibly well and can even work with most smart phones. You can check it out here;

http://xgps150.dualav.com/

BTW the GPS receiver in the xgps150 is even better than the one used in the 3G iPad 🙂

I find it totally unacceptable that Apple - again - wants to decide what we can do with what we buy from them. Apple should, of course, make sure that users have the full Bluetooth Stack (or whatever it is) so that customers can make use of what they already have acquired. I also have the excellent BT-338 GPS and it's of no use now with my iPad WiFi.

I agree that it's irritating that Apple left the necessary software out of the iPad to allow it to connect to an external Bluetooth GPS unit. I have to admit, I'm seriously considering jailbreaking my tablet. It's not something I want to do, but Apple is practically forcing me.

By the way, here's the relevant document telling us that we can't do what we want to do:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3647

I too have a BT-338, an excellent little GPS, that my iPad 2 won't recognize. And everyone says that for aviation use, the onboard iPad 2 GPS is not accurate enough.

Remember the famous Apple commercial where the jogger comes in and tosses the hammer at 1984's big brother (a reference to IBM/Microsoft) essentially telling everyone to break free from them?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhsWzJo2sN4

Now Apple has become more Big Brother more than IBM or Microsoft ever were! Put Steve Job's face up on that big screen instead of Big Brother, or more aptly, Steve Jobs IS Big Brother! Apple, are you listening? Do you see the incredible irony here?

Don't get me wrong, Apple makes GREAT products. It's their ridiculous control over how we use them that is so incredibly irksome.

Apple: "You must buy our products. You must buy three different kinds of our products because we carefully limit what each product can do, even though we could easily create one that does the same thing as several. You must only use the software and accessories with our products that we either endorse or sell (i.e. profit from). Everything must be in our control! HEIL APPLE!"

Well said.

Just for reference Apple he be talking the fact we couldnt use video recording on early iphone, no bluetooth wiimote gamepad on the ipad (because of lack of complete bluetooth-stack software) or bluetooth GPS. Forced upgrades like this make me remember the way M$ tried to get me to stop using Winbloze 98 with pleasure.

But you make such georgous products.

50hz GPS for aviation! Atleast 10hz. What a joke huh/ they actually reduce their clientelle by restricting their products when Jobs could be ruling the world! Must be that 30% of stock owned by M$ making Apple dog me everytime I say the word jail-fake. Gee those galaxy tabs are starting to look good. Samsung make all the components for iPad anyway they are bound to have learnt a thing or two.

Or yeah.. FLASH. Or in working iOS land FRASH- how can the galaxy/android tabs have flash and not iOS it makes me sick that Apple wouldn't take on an industry standard. The new version of BT stack GPS might solve your problems pairing a high refresh GPS Ipatronius. Although I cannot speak from experience cause I have a ****** untappable ipad 2.

Apple should change their logo. You can not just take a bite from the apple its all or nothing.

I've got exactly the same issue.

I have an Amori Bluetooth GPS unit that works just fine with my MacBook Pro 15in, but it doesn't even show up in the list when I go to pair it in the Bluetooth setup panel on my iPad 2.

Why is Apple doing this?

Hi just purchased an Ipad 16gb wifi version and as an aviator wanted to have the Ipad working as a backup nav aid.

Found a compatible bluetooth GPS in the GNS 5870 and then with the Ipad Memory-Map App I can download my existing digital avaition maps and any other digi maps supplied by Memory-Map on to the Ipad.

Happy New Year indeed

Yeah, I ended up buying a GNS5870. Works well with all my toys. I'm running Air-Nav Pro on my iPad 2.

Sold the Amoi GPS to someone else.

This is such a stupid decision by Apple not to support the SPP bluetooth profile. I just discovered my iPhone 4S is unable to connect my Holux GPSlim240 external bluetooth GPS which I wanted to connect so I didn't have to use the iPhone's GPS to extend the iPhone's battery life so I could geotag photos and use offline maps on my iPhone overseas when I have no network coverage.

My Nokia phone from about 5 years ago (sans GPS) was able to conect to this GPS receiver so why can't the iPhone do it? Yet another Apple annoyance.

I must say with the slick looking Windows Mobile on the Nokia Lumia phones and the recent release of Icecream sandwich it's starting to look like a viable option to jump ship.