[Leica] OT: Tracfone and GPS

[pklein at threshinc.com (Peter Klein)]

Thanks, everybody.

The friend who said he didn't need a data plan works on a campus, so 
maybe he uses WiFi. I think he said he bought last year's iPhone (an 
unlocked one) on Craig's list from an upgrader, and just uses it with a 
prepaid carrier.  No data plan.  There is a pseudo-GPS method that 
triangulates your position using nearby cell towers rather than 
satellites--that might be involved. I'm not sure how you could get 
real-time map updating without a data connection of some sort, so WiFi 
may be it. He's travelling now, I'll have ask him when he gets back.

The whole question appears to be academic, though.  The Tracfones are 
not really full-fledged smart phones.  They don't have GPS chips.  
There's only one that has WiFi--a Blackberry-like model with a small 
screen (Samsung S390G). It works with some Java apps, not Android apps.  
There is a touch-screen model (bigger screen, obviously) that also does 
Java apps, but it doesn't do WiFi, so you're paying cell phone minutes 
for inefficient download of data. Me no wanna do that.

The Samsung is actually tempting.  For a $50 one-time cost, it would 
give me email and barely tolerable Web browsing on a phone, using any 
available WiFi, without forcing me to pay any more for the phone service 
than I do now. But it appears that if I really want GPS, I should just 
get a dedicated unit.  Otherwise, I'd have to join the monthly-plan 
payers, and me no wanna do that, neither.  :-)

The cost of iPhones is breathtaking.  They're kinda like Leicas--very 
well-made devices that are a pleasure to use, for which people pay too 
much, and they like it.

--Peter

----------------
Bill Pearce wrote:

 > WiFi perhaps?
 >
 > -----Original Message-----
 > From: John McMaster
 > Sent: Friday, October 12, 2012 4:02 PM
 > To: Leica Users Group
 > Subject: Re: [Leica] OT: Tracfone and GPS
 >
 > I used the TomTom app on my iPad when I was in Europe without a data 
plan,
 > GPS only
 >
 > john
 >
 > -----Original Message-----
 >
 > All the gps chip built in does is locate the phone, it doesn't give
 > directions. I don't see how this feature could be used without a data 
plan,
 > though.
 >
 >
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 >