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You are here: Home / Archives for google maps

Fix GPS on Froyo (EPIC 4G)

February 13, 2011 by Paul Spoerry Leave a Comment

The Samsung Galaxy S is one of the best selling phone ever. Unfortunately, it’s plagued by a lack of updates and a crappy GPS. If you get tired of waiting on Froyo/DK28 modem and flashed a custom ROM to one of the Froyo builds (I personally recommend Bonsai; it’s wicked fast) and lost your GPS here’s how you can fix it. Yes yes, you can fix the GPS on an EPIC 4G.

First things first… this WILL blow away your apps so I recommend first doing a NAND backup in Clockwork recovery. Once you have a good backup go out to Android Market and get Titanium Backup (free on market; requires root) and backup those apps. To do this launch Titanium and goto Backup/Restore. Click menu and then ‘Batch’. Simply select the ‘Backup all user apps’ option and let it backup your apps and data.

Next you’ll need to obtain your MSL code by calling Sprint and asking for it. Ya…. that sounds like a pain right? You can get MSL code without calling Sprint using ConnectBot (from Market). Run ConnectBot and when it launched change the dropdown menu in lower left corner select ‘Local’. Type in any name in the nickname box and hit enter. From there simply type ‘getprop’, hit enter and then scroll up in the results and copy down your MSL code. It’s ril.MSL) in the list.

Lastly, you’re going to perform a manufacturer’s reset. Remove the SD Card from your phone and then enter ##786# on the dialer keypad. You will see two options: View and Reset. Tap on the Reset option and you will get a prompt to enter the MSL code. At this point you will be asked if you want to do a manufacter’s reset, enter yes. The phone will shut down and reset itself after a few seconds. Once the process is complete, the phone will go through a hands free activation. After the activation process updates may be downloaded and installed. Once all updates have been performed check to see if your GPS is working by going to Google Maps. You should get a GPS lock in under 10 seconds. Thats it. Your GPS woes are over.

Now go download Titanium Backup from market (yes… again, because the reset whacked all your data). Restore your user apps and data and you’re good to go. Titanium is awesome, but not perfect. You’ll likely have to restore live wallpapers, widgets, etc. That said it’s significantly faster than going through all the app download/setup again.

Once the process is complete your EPIC 4G with Froyo GPS issue should be fixed.

Filed Under: Android, Google, Tech Tagged With: google, google maps, gps, sprint

Branded Google Phone: Google set to take over

December 3, 2009 by Paul Spoerry Leave a Comment

Images of the new ‘branded’ Google phone surfaced this week after months of rumors. This will be a branded Google phone, not one developed by the likes of HTC, that will use an even newer version of Android than that of the Droid?the only Android phone currently running 2.0. Most interesting is that this phone may use VOIP, which uses a wireless connection to the Internet for calls rather than a cellular network. For the end user this could could mean lower or even free cell phone bills (you will still pay for data).

VOIP  (Voice Over Internet Protocol) uses an Internet connection to transmit voice signals the same way emails and text messages are transmitted, and is far cheaper than using a cell phone network. Services like Skype are becoming more attractive, offering free domestic calls, no minutes to count, no roaming, and international calls at a fraction of the cost of cell phone rates, but even Skype has not been convenient enough for consumers to abandon their familiar phone service providers.

For the most part, computers have been the only hardware that was convenient to make VOIP calls. It required the caller to use a headset to both send and receive messages (or monitor mounted speaker/mic or one of the newer Wifi phones). Smartphones were the next logical device to get VOIP, and like their PC counterparts required the user to download an app and secure a wireless connection.

The Google phone may be the first smartphone designed specifically for VOIP service, and will come with all of the goodies Google has introduced this year:

  1. The Android operating system in a newer version than what is currently offered on the Droid, on schedule to sell a million units before the end of the year, far ahead of analysts’ expectations.
  2. Google Voice, Google’s free multi-phone number and message management application, currently available by invitation only and only in the US.
  3. Google Latitude, the free app that lets friends share their locations with one another.
  4. Google Maps, the free GPS app for mobile phones offering voice guided, turn-by- turn directions that could replace not only the pricier phone apps, but stand-alone GPS systems altogether.

The last piece of the puzzle is WiFi connections or hotspots. Lucky residents of Seattle, Austin, San Francisco and Atlanta have fairly reliable, complimentary WiFi coverage. And of course, if you find yourself in Beijing, the city was fully covered prior to the 2008 Summer Olympics. Corporate sponsored WiFi is growing: Google paid for WiFi in 45 US airports over this holiday season, offering the service free to travelers, and bit by bit companies are seeing WiFi installations as effective branding strategies.

But for now, WiFi hotspots and connections are spotty at best. Even hands- free calling on the road becomes impossible without a connection, and we can only wait for more auto manufacturers to follow General Motors who began offering the Autonet WiFi router in GM SUVs and trucks in November. At $500 for the device plus $59 a month for 5GB data service, it’s a pricy and limited solution.

Verizon offers a pocket-sized solution with MiFi, providing a wireless connection for up to five devices virtually anywhere for $60 a month with two year contract. Alternately, Google phone users may be able to purchase just a data plan from a cell phone provider, assuming providers cooperate.

The best solution would be an integrated mobile hotspot in the Google phone, activated only when an external hotspot was not detected.

The Google phone is expected as early as January 2010.

Filed Under: Google, Tech, Web Life, Windows Mobile Tagged With: Android, google, google maps

Track the H1N1 Swine Flu Online

May 3, 2009 by Paul Spoerry Leave a Comment

Swine Flu Tracker

The swine flu is the hottest thing on the news today. Every channel, every news web site, and most most people you talk to are saying something related to the swine flu. This flu strand, known as the H1N1 virus, started in Mexico and has spread to other parts of the world due to travelers carrying the virus.

With United States so close to Mexico people here are very much concerned about the flu. More so, it is common knowledge that the border restrictions between Mexico and the U.S. can be bypassed in a relatively easy manner.

So for all those who are wigging out… check out the FluTracker. FluTracker is an online Google Maps Mashup tracking confirmed cases, suspect cases, deaths and false alarms worldwide. To get the latest straight from the horses mouth check the CDC.

Filed Under: Google Tagged With: google, google maps

Google Latitude – Share your location with your friends

February 4, 2009 by Paul Spoerry Leave a Comment

Google Latitude LogoGoogle Mobile Maps is getting a new feature called Google Latitude. It will allow you to broadcast your location to select friends, family, and colleagues based on the coordinates of your cell phone. Latitude already works in 27 countries on Windows Mobile 5.0 or later, , Blackberries, and most Symbian-based devices such as Nokia smartphones. Android support will begin in about a week, and an iPhone app is coming soon. If you live in the U.S., there is also an iGoogle gadget that shows everyone’s location and messages.

“What Google Latitude does is allow you to share that location with friends and family members, and likewise be able to see friends and family members’ locations,” said Steve Lee, product manager for Google Latitude. For example, a girlfriend could use it to see if her boyfriend has arrived at a restaurant and, if not, how far away he is.

Google Latitude MapGoogle isn’t oblivious to your privacy; Google specifically requires people to sign up for the service. They can then share their precise location, the city they’re in, or nothing at all. A Google account is required to use the service. For choosing who gets to see your location, you can use contacts stored with Gmail or Picasa. Latitude is very much like a private version of Yahoo’s Fire Eagle geo-location service; there is no way to broadcast your location to the public at large, only to your own Gmail contacts. Oddly, it does not yet work with Google Friend Connect.

Like other location aware mobile application, Google Latitude uses either your GPS satellite location or by proximity to mobile phone towers and wireless networks.

Read up more on Google Latitude here. This link will also send Latitude to your phone as well as let you check if your phone is compatible.

Get Google Mobile Maps here.

Filed Under: Gadgets, GMail, Google, iGoogle, Privacy, Tech, Web Life, Windows Mobile Tagged With: Android, google, google maps, gps, Windows Mobile

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