Nokia N95 GPS Is Rubbish
Everton | May 24, 2007 | Comments 54
Overall my new Nokia N95 is amazing, and it’s become my main phone, mp3 player, camera and mobile browser.
There is one feature though that has been a big let-down and that’s the Nokia N95’s GPS function, which is rubbish. The Nokia N95 does a good job of being the ultimate all-in-one personal device, but sadly I think it’s bitten off more than it can chew with trying to incorporate GPS as well.
I was really looking forward to using the Nokia N95’s GPS service, and I even sold my TomTom 6 GPS kit as I thought I wouldn’t need it anymore. However, the Nokia N95 GPS service is awful. I’ve been using the service now for a month and I’ve only managed to get a fix on my location ONCE.
I haven’t even been able to try and use it on a journey as the stupid GPS service never manages to find my GPS location. And trust me, I’ve tried very hard to find my GPS location. Even when I don’t need to use the service e.g. when I’m in the back of a cab I’ve tried to get my Nokia N95 to determine my GPS location. The final straw was last week when my friend picked me up and was relying on my GPS to show the way as he didn’t know the way, and of course, the Nokia N95 wasn’t able to get a fix.
I feel doubly cheated as I paid for my 3 year maps subscription. I’m going to give Nokia a call today to try and get my money back. They’ll probably say I can’t have my money back, but I’m determined to get my money back as they can’t refuse a refund if they’ve sold a service, that frankly, doesn’t work and isn’t fit for purpose.
So, it’s back to the drawing board and I’ve decided I’m going to get a Navman F50 installed when I pick up my new car in September. I’m going for the F50 as it comes with free traffic updates, so if there’s a problem with the plotted route it will automatically update the journey. It also includes Speed Camera locations, which the Nokia N95 doesn’t, which is important for ’safe’ drivers like me who like to be warned about potential accident hotspots.
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Filed Under: Everton • Mobile & Telecoms • The Team
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My N95 GPS is OK, but not great. But what do you expect in a phone anyway? The main problem I’ve found is that it is pretty slow getting satellite fixes and updating the current location, and the accuracy is not great (can be 10s of meters out even with several satellites in view). I don’t usually switch on the “assisted GPS”, as it’s not particularly accurate where I live (rural Wales). So I’m happy enough, given that my N95 has so many other functions. But if you want a top-of-the-range super-accurate GPS, go and buy a dedicated GPS instead.
I have a Tom Tom and to be honest even it’s a little bit “iffy” trying to lock on to the GPS signal so I suppose we shouldn’t expect miracles from a phone…
Dude, I suggest you find out how GPS works. I guess it’s cool if your TomTom owns every other device at locating satellites, but it goes like this:
1. GPS device listens to GPS frequencies.
2. Satellite frequencies detected, attempting to get an interrupted data package from each satellite containing their almanac, location, precise time, etc. This takes around 30 SECONDS TO ONE MINUTE, of 100% uninterrupted data.
3. Satellite location detected, able to know precisely where the satellites from which the device receives random code strings. Based on the lag of the random code (the device compares its own identical code to the satellites, and calculates the latency -> using the physical constant c: the distance from the satellite) and by knowing the satellites’ locations in space, it can calculate your location.
That whole process can take from 30 seconds to 3 minutes depending on where you are and how good satellite coverage you’re getting. I have a Nokia 5800XM and the satellite works wonders.. INSIDE! Yes, it works goddamn good inside, let alone outside. Sometimes it might go off by 5 meters off the road but that’s only initially when it hasn’t locked on that many satellites. Just turn on your device, preferably “GPS locatro” instead of Nokia Maps and go into Satellite View and just wait patiently.
GPS needs much more orchastration than would have been feasible only few years ago.