# Using an Android phone for GPS - Anyone done it yet?



## calris (Aug 22, 2011)

I have installed Bluetooth GPS on my Galaxy S phone and Bluetooth GPS Provider on my TP - I seem to be getting the right results in BT GPS Provider but I cannot be too sure as I can't seem to get Google Maps... I tried GPS Essentials, but it seems to not like that I do not have GPS hardware

Any hints?


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## Zaphod-Beeblebrox (Jun 21, 2011)

calris said:


> I have installed Bluetooth GPS on my Galaxy S phone and Bluetooth GPS Provider on my TP - I seem to be getting the right results in BT GPS Provider but I cannot be too sure as I can't seem to get Google Maps... I tried GPS Essentials, but it seems to not like that I do not have GPS hardware
> 
> Any hints?


Try this on the phone side.
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jillybunch.shareGPS&feature=search_result

BTGPS Provider should work fine on the tablet (I am using it connected to a BT GPS Puck perfectly).

I have not used ShareGPS with the TouchPad yet, but I have successfully used it with My G-tablet and DroidX in the past.


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## radix07 (Oct 11, 2011)

Everything I have heard about the touchpad here and elsewhere indicate that it doesnt support any GPS hardware. So I don't believe any software is going to fix that...

From the master thread
http://code.google.com/p/cmtouchpad/issues/detail?id=21&q=gps

EDIT: Nevermind, I misread the post if you are trying to do over BT from a phone, that could be doable. I apologize.


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## wgeorgecook (Oct 9, 2011)

I would try using TetherGPS (paid app). It starts a server on your phone and a client on the TP and streams the GPS info via WiFi hotspot (assuming you can tether on your phone/are rooted to do so). It's what I use to get GPS on my Nook Color


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## Redflea (Jun 7, 2011)

Posted this last night, from Rakeesh:



Rakeesh said:


> GPS on the touchpad would be pretty straightforward if you have an android phone:
> 
> Run sharegps on your phone:
> 
> ...


Worked for me, but BT GPS connectivity did tend to drop. Installing and running "Blue GPS" from the Market on the TP might be a better option - seems to hold connection better.


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## Rakeesh (Aug 22, 2011)

Redflea said:


> Posted this last night.
> 
> GPS on the touchpad would be pretty straightforward if you have an android phone:
> 
> ...


That's a copy/paste of my earlier post


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## cyber16 (Oct 14, 2011)

well under webos I can use a external bt gps just fine with mapping tool pro, it now also supports tp HD
therefore the TP CAN support GPS via software & you do not need to use the phone gps


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## Colchiro (Aug 26, 2011)

Don't you need map data on the TP, like GPS Essentials? O/W I get a few roads and a location, but no maps.

I can't get my DroidX to connect via BT (pair but don't connect), but my Holux M-1000 seems to work fine.

My setup:

Holux paired with my TP
Turn on Holux and turn TP's BT on
Start BlueGPS and set to use my Holux. Check "Start GPS"
Open Maps

I'm headed on a 100 mile road trip tomorrow so will see how it works.


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## Rakeesh (Aug 22, 2011)

cyber16 said:


> well under webos I can use a external bt gps just fine with mapping tool pro, it now also supports tp HD
> therefore the TP CAN support GPS via software & you do not need to use the phone gps


The phone emulates a bluetooth GPS dongle with that software. Most people have an android phone, so having the phone work as a GPS dongle eliminates the need to purchase one.


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## calris (Aug 22, 2011)

Bluegps2droid seems to do the trick, but bluetooth seems a bit flacky


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## dwluv3333 (Oct 14, 2011)

Just curious but why would you need GPS when this thing doesn't have cellular data?


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## calris (Aug 22, 2011)

dwluv3333 said:


> Just curious but why would you need GPS when this thing doesn't have cellular data?


Tether your phone or configure a ad-hoc WiFi network and voila - You have data


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## FatPigs (Oct 13, 2011)

Colchiro said:


> Don't you need map data on the TP, like GPS Essentials? O/W I get a few roads and a location, but no maps.
> 
> I can't get my DroidX to connect via BT (pair but don't connect), but my Holux M-1000 seems to work fine.
> 
> ...


I tried using Blue GPS for Droid on the TP and couldn't connect to my phone for more than a second. So I installed Bluetooth GPS off the Market on my Touchpad instead and voila, it connects to my phone now.

I'm using Copilot Live for map data since I don't have internet connection.


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## Colchiro (Aug 26, 2011)

I noticed it didn't work if wifi was on so had to turn it off before turning on BT and gps apps.


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## enik (Aug 21, 2011)

calris said:


> Tether your phone or configure a ad-hoc WiFi network and voila - You have data


So we have ad-hoc support now? Good the beta wifi tether made me bootloop and reset constantly.

Sent from my HP Touchpad using Tapatalk


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## dave99 (Oct 8, 2011)

dwluv3333 said:


> Just curious but why would you need GPS when this thing doesn't have cellular data?


You can precache Google maps data so it can be used offline..

My bt359 GPS puck works fine also.

Sent from my HP Touchpad using Tapatalk


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## Redflea (Jun 7, 2011)

Rakeesh said:


> That's a copy/paste of my earlier post


Absolutely.  Thanks for mentioning it, I forgot to grab your name when I originally saved a copy of your post. I've been posting it repeatedly when folks ask about this, I'll be able to give you attribution now. And I'll edit the post in this thread.

I used this on Friday to navigate on a 2 1/2 drive and found the Phone-to-TP GPS connection kept dropping, and it seemed to be mostly when the phone screen went to sleep, so I plugged it in and that seemed to help, but I did keep losing BT GPS connection. When it worked, it was very cool...I was also tethered to my D2 for 3G to get map data, pretty cool.


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## Redflea (Jun 7, 2011)

FatPigs said:


> I tried using Blue GPS for Droid on the TP and couldn't connect to my phone for more than a second. So I installed Bluetooth GPS off the Market on my Touchpad instead and voila, it connects to my phone now.
> 
> I'm using Copilot Live for map data since I don't have internet connection.


Thanks for the tip on Blue GPS - just tried it and it seems like it might be more reliable than Bluegps4Droid...have to do some more testing.


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## Redflea (Jun 7, 2011)

Colchiro said:


> I noticed it didn't work if wifi was on so had to turn it off before turning on BT and gps apps.


I was able to tether my TP to my D2 for maps data while I was also using BT for GPS, so it should work...


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