Internal GPS vs. external GPS receivers
Over the past month we have been testing a number of phones with internal and external GPS receivers with some great results. Both types result in some very accurate results due to the way that we have set up Map My Tracks Mobile.
One of the main factors for phones with internal GPS receivers is that it it takes a lot longer for it to acquire enough satellites to track accurately. On most occasions internal GPS receivers take around three to four minutes to complete its GPS cycle. By comparison an external GPS receiver generally takes around 20 seconds to one minute to acquire a position. Curiously, the second time an internal GPS receiver is used it acquires a position much quicker in around 30 seconds.
To ensure that a complete track is recorded this lag needs to be taken into account when you wish to start tracking. Due to the variable time, to get an accurate position, it was often useful to spend a couple of minutes before needing to track to have the phone pick up its GPS location. This isn’t a problem with external GPS receivers as they are able to pick up a good position very quickly.
Round of golf with a Nokia 6110 (internal GPS)
On this occasion battery life got the better of our test. When starting the track the phone battery was well below half charged resulting in an incomplete track finishing around the fifth hole!
Apart from the fact that my golf is not as good as it should be the track is very accurate. On this occasion it successully provides some insight into my lack of golfing skill!
We’ll be featuring some more results of our recent testing over the coming weeks. Keep up to date with everything Map My Tracks by subscribing to our feed.
New to GPS tracking?
The idea of GPS tracking is new to most people and can leave some not knowing how to get started. In reality, GPS or Global Positioning System, to be precise, has been around since the '80s and it provides a way for a compatible device to accurately determine it location. With the use of an external GPS receiver or a mobile phone with internal GPS it becomes possible to pin point the location of the device anywhere in the world.
So how do you get started? GPS tracking is all about showing where you have been when you are out and about whether it is simply going for a walk or a more energetic bike ride.
Basically, there are two approaches to GPS tracking; real-time tracking or recorded tracking.
Real-time GPS tracking
This is the camp that Map My Tracks falls into. Real-time GPS tracking is provided by our little application that is installed on your mobile phone. The tracking software determines your exact location in the world and then seamlessly updates this website to both display your current location and also store your track for future reference. One of the benefits of real-time GPS tracking is that it removes the need to download GPS data after your activity but more importantly it provides a way to illustrate where you are in the world right now!
Recorded GPS tracking
Recorded GPS tracking is all about storing the location data on a GPS device and then downloading the data to be viewed on a PC after the event. This type of GPS tracking won’t show your real-time position. Typically this is done with a small hand-held GPS device that will record a series of waypoints during your activity. Many of these devices will come with software to install on a computer to provide some analytical data. The obvious downside to this approach is the extra work needed to see the tracks and the fact that it won’t show where you are right now.
Which one is best?
Clearly, we have a preference for real-time GPS tracking. Not because that this is how Map My Tracks works but because real-time GPS tracking provides a way to show where people are right now and removes the technical hurdle of downloading location data.
Smartphone winner
Nokia's N95 has come out top of PDA Essential magazine's head to head. Up against other smartphones like HTC's P3600, Fujitse-Siemens's T830, and HTC's Advantage it was rated best out of the group test.
Although the winner in the group test the battery life was noted as not being the best of the bunch. One of the most useful features (from our point of view) for the N95 is the built-in GPS receiver. The built-in receiver allows users of Map My Tracks to bypass the external GPS receiver with its Bluetooth connection and use just one device. Now that’s the ticket!
