Google Maps Can Now Pinpoint Location Via Mobile

[DaveBKK]

So Google released this new feature for their Google Maps product on mobile phones: http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2007/11/n...n-your-map.html

Supposedly you can pinpoint your location on the map via cell tower triangulation. Anyone had success with this in Bangkok / Thailand?

p.s. Wish google maps gave english transliterations for road names and such.

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

I've got it running on both a Nokia 3230 and a Sony-Ericsson K750i. Neither one shows my location (according to the website this feature is only available for the U.S.A. and even there only for a few phone models).

Still a great app

Kind regards.....

Thanh

[TomnearCentral]

I just installed the new version on my win mobile device and the location feature IS working, at least in Phuket.

Great stuff!

[wolfmanjack]

when are they going to have it where we can sit at our computer and keep track of where our phones are ? Or does this do that already? My net is too slow to download the you tube video.

[grtaylor]

I just installed the new version on my win mobile device and the location feature IS working, at least in Phuket.

Great stuff!

Working in BKK on my Nokia 6300.

[zzdocxx]

when are they going to have it where we can sit at our computer and keep track of where our phones are ? Or does this do that already? My net is too slow to download the you tube video.

Yes that would be great because I occasionally do misplace my phone.

[humarkus]

Hi

I've got it running on both a Nokia 3230 and a Sony-Ericsson K750i. Neither one shows my location (according to the website this feature is only available for the U.S.A. and even there only for a few phone models).

Still a great app

Kind regards.....

Thanh

Unfortunately, the My Location feature is not supported on older phones, because on these phones it's not possible to read the current cell ID, which is used to determine your approximate location.

The My Location feature is however enabled in most countries in the world (where local laws permit it), including Thailand.

However, Google's location server is still in its infancy, and does not have complete information for all carriers, so you may find that in one location Google Maps Mobile (GMM) can position you on one network, but not another (the id of the current cell tower is used to approximate your location).

Google's My Location feature can actually be improved by GMM users: If anyone with a phone that supports My Location uses

GMM with GPS, either integrated in phone (e.g. Nokia N95) or via a Bluetooth GPS receiver, GMM will collect (GPS,cell ID) information and add it to Google's location server, enabling/improving My Location support in that area for phones without GPS (or when GPS is turned off or not working).

I should point out that no personal information is collected, only the current cell id of the cell tower to which the phone is collected.

Regards,

Markus

Google Maps Mobile development team.

[JetsetBkk]

Unfortunately, the My Location feature is not supported on older phones, because on these phones it's not possible to read the current cell ID, which is used to determine your approximate location.

The My Location feature is however enabled in most countries in the world (where local laws permit it), including Thailand.

However, Google's location server is still in its infancy, and does not have complete information for all carriers, so you may find that in one location Google Maps Mobile (GMM) can position you on one network, but not another (the id of the current cell tower is used to approximate your location).

Google's My Location feature can actually be improved by GMM users: If anyone with a phone that supports My Location uses

GMM with GPS, either integrated in phone (e.g. Nokia N95) or via a Bluetooth GPS receiver, GMM will collect (GPS,cell ID) information and add it to Google's location server, enabling/improving My Location support in that area for phones without GPS (or when GPS is turned off or not working).

I should point out that no personal information is collected, only the current cell id of the cell tower to which the phone is collected.

Regards,

Markus

Google Maps Mobile development team.

Excellent first post Markus, especially considering you joined in 2003!!

[Thanh-BKK]

Hi

I've got it running on both a Nokia 3230 and a Sony-Ericsson K750i. Neither one shows my location (according to the website this feature is only available for the U.S.A. and even there only for a few phone models).

Still a great app

Kind regards.....

Thanh

Unfortunately, the My Location feature is not supported on older phones, because on these phones it's not possible to read the current cell ID, which is used to determine your approximate location.

The My Location feature is however enabled in most countries in the world (where local laws permit it), including Thailand.

However, Google's location server is still in its infancy, and does not have complete information for all carriers, so you may find that in one location Google Maps Mobile (GMM) can position you on one network, but not another (the id of the current cell tower is used to approximate your location).

Google's My Location feature can actually be improved by GMM users: If anyone with a phone that supports My Location uses

GMM with GPS, either integrated in phone (e.g. Nokia N95) or via a Bluetooth GPS receiver, GMM will collect (GPS,cell ID) information and add it to Google's location server, enabling/improving My Location support in that area for phones without GPS (or when GPS is turned off or not working).

I should point out that no personal information is collected, only the current cell id of the cell tower to which the phone is collected.

Regards,

Markus

Google Maps Mobile development team.

Hello

Thank you so much for that! I HIGHLY appreciate this information Hmm too bad both my phones are too old.... however i have a question since you're on the developing team I have another phone, a Samsung SCH-F679 (CDMA, from Hutch). I don't know what exactly it supports - for sure BREW applications (because it's PlayRoom enabled, Hutch's BREW access) but it may also support JAVA (since it can also get games from Hutch's regular, non-BREW portal). I have already sent an e-mail to Hutch asking for the possibility of access to this application but i haven't gotten a reply yet (may never get one - it's Hutch after all). When i point the phone's browser to www.google.com/gmm it shows the download link, but accessing it does nothing, i guess Hutch blocks the access (as they usually do to force people to get content such as games from THEM only).

BUT i can access content from my own web account just fine!

So i would like to ask for a link to the JAD and JAR files of the GMM application, i need one that's got a screen size of 176x208 (same as the Sony-Ericsson). I would upload both files to my web account and see if the phone can grab them from there.

If it can be arranged i would be very glad

With kind regards.....

your Thanh

[humarkus]

Hi Thanh,

Unfortunately GMM doesn't support BREW-enabled devices.

Now I don't know the situation with Hutch, but there are carries that explicitly block download of GMM, because they want to control (and profit from) services used on their phones and network infrastructure. You'll need to get a reply from Hutch on the subject, and there's nothing I can (legally) do about it.

I was briefly in Bangkok some time ago and tested GMM on D-Tac, True and AIS. It seemed to work ok on these carriers, though internet connectivity on mobile phones can be a bit intermittent in Thailand (I was roaming on a UK SIM, so I could try all three carriers).

Sorry I can't be of further help,

Markus

[Maestro]

Are any mobile phones with integrated GPS sold in Thailand?

I saw an advertisement for the “Phone One” brand but checking it out on their website I see that even their latest and most sophisticated model does not have GPS.

The Nokia N95 has been mentioned in this thread as having GPS. Is this model available in Thailand?

--

Maestro

[Tywais]

The Nokia N95 has been mentioned in this thread as having GPS. Is this model available in Thailand?

Tohome shows it listed and available with GPS.

[jackr]

Christ, they'll have a transmitter up yer chuff next

[humarkus]

The Nokia 6110 Navigator also has built-in GPS, and is a lot cheaper than the N95.

By the way, we've noticed a problem with the N95: sometimes on a weak signal, an application that attempts to establish an internet connection will freeze, and require a restart. This happens not only with GMM, but also with the web browser included on the phone. As Nokia have not yet managed to resolve this issue, I do NOT recommend N95 for internet-based apps such as GMM. The Nokia 6110 has no such problems.

A cheaper alternative if you have a phone with Bluetooth capabilities is to buy a Bluetooth GPS receiver. I have had good experience with a QStarz Q1000, THB 4990. However, if the phone doesn't support the My Location feature, then it's unlikely to support GPS via Bluetooth in GMM.

Markus

[wolfmanjack]

when are they going to have it where we can sit at our computer and keep track of where our phones are ? Or does this do that already? My net is too slow to download the you tube video.

Yes that would be great because I occasionally do misplace my phone.

Right. I have forgotten where i left my phone a few times also. I was thinking more for locating my kids from time to time though.

[thaiflyer1]

when are they going to have it where we can sit at our computer and keep track of where our phones are ? Or does this do that already? My net is too slow to download the you tube video.

Yes that would be great because I occasionally do misplace my phone.

Right. I have forgotten where i left my phone a few times also. I was thinking more for locating my kids from time to time though.

Like this you mean?

http://www.sat-gps-locate.com/english/index.html

Edited December 3, 2007 by thaiflyer1

[wolfmanjack]

when are they going to have it where we can sit at our computer and keep track of where our phones are ? Or does this do that already? My net is too slow to download the you tube video.

Yes that would be great because I occasionally do misplace my phone.

Right. I have forgotten where i left my phone a few times also. I was thinking more for locating my kids from time to time though.

Like this you mean?

http://www.sat-gps-locate.com/english/index.html

I saw that the last time it was posted on thaivisa also but yeah the idea is the same but without the photos. Just the location would be good enough.

[joka]

Hello, I am using a Nokia 6630, SYmbian OS 8.1 . Is the GPS and location finder only available for Symbian 9? I already have an external gps and would really like to use GMM with it. And the maps are quite accurate,right down to the gravel roads around here in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

[humarkus]

Hello, I am using a Nokia 6630, SYmbian OS 8.1 . Is the GPS and location finder only available for Symbian 9? I already have an external gps and would really like to use GMM with it. And the maps are quite accurate,right down to the gravel roads around here in Nakhon Si Thammarat.

I'm afraid the native Symbian version of GMM is only available for Symbian 9.x (Series 60 3rd Edition and later) devices. On previous Symbian versions you'll get the J2ME version.

Support for GPS and My Location on the J2ME version varies among phone models, but as far as I know J2ME on Symbian <9.0 can't read Cell ID, which would mean that My Location cannot be supported.

In general, the only way to know for sure is to try it out: Download GMM and run it. Then press '0'. If this sends you to your approximate location (you'll see a blue dot with a circle around it), then it's definitely working. If you get a "Location temporarily unavailable" message, then it may just be that Google doesn't have data about the Cell tower you're connected to. If the My Location menu item is missing from the main menu, then you're phone does not support My Location.

Regards,

Markus

[stumonster]

as an aside

if anyone while they are looking through mobile phone forums comes across some software (symbian) that would allow me to use a GPS enabled phone to just act as a bluetooth GPS please post a link

thx

in answer to my question I found this

http://www.joiku.com/index.php?action=prod...;product_id=351

Symarctic ExtGPS allows you to use your phone's built-in GPS module externally on laptop via Bluetooth. It is mainly targeted for Nokia N95, E90, 6110 Navigator handsets, allowing you to use existing, more sophisticated GIS applications.

[TopDogger]

Is there any way of remotely tracking a phone without GPS in Thailand?

[Gary A]

Using my Nokia E51, I get the message that my location is temporarily unavailable. I suspect it works but I don't have enough towers available in this area for it to triangulate.

The Google maps are quite impressive but having no English available on the mobile is a huge drawback.

[nikster]

Using my Nokia E51, I get the message that my location is temporarily unavailable. I suspect it works but I don't have enough towers available in this area for it to triangulate.

The Google maps are quite impressive but having no English available on the mobile is a huge drawback.

Not just on the mobile - Google maps for Thailand are simply only in Thai, even on the website. At least that was the response I got when I complained about it. Pretty weird too, if you are in a store you would have to really look for a map that didn't have both English and Thai names on it.

[Gary A]

Using my Nokia E51, I get the message that my location is temporarily unavailable. I suspect it works but I don't have enough towers available in this area for it to triangulate.

The Google maps are quite impressive but having no English available on the mobile is a huge drawback.

Not just on the mobile - Google maps for Thailand are simply only in Thai, even on the website. At least that was the response I got when I complained about it. Pretty weird too, if you are in a store you would have to really look for a map that didn't have both English and Thai names on it.

Using Google maps on my desktop show English and Thai for cities and streets. Only in Thai on my phone.

[Guest Bellini]

The English names appear to have been added to Google Maps for PC recently, perhaps less than a month ago, without any fanfare.

[onethailand]

The English names appear to have been added to Google Maps for PC recently, perhaps less than a month ago, without any fanfare.

Nice catch - that was extremely irritating having Thai-only maps. However, it still needs a little work - some names are spelled wrongly - for example Bangla in Patong is "Bang Ln".

Nevertheless, a big step forward

[torrenova]

Surely there are issues with reversing this and using it to track other people's phones ?

[TowerPower]

my ais number keeps coming up INVALID NUMBER? Iam 100% sure the number is correct.

Does anyone have any idea how to rectify this?

Edited April 13, 2008 by TowerPower

[worldfun]

For the google guy would you know whether english will become available somehow on the mobiles in the near future for Bangkok/Thailand?

I use Sony Ericsson W910i with great success except for the language ;-)

Only few places & usually indoor where the networks aren't able to pin point the location pretty well I must say :-)

Cheers!

[Guest Bellini]

...However, it still needs a little work - some names are spelled wrongly - for example Bangla in Patong is "Bang Ln"...

It's a pity their website does not have a link to report wrongly spelt names or other errors. Somebody, or a team of persons, at Google has gone to a lot of trouble to add the transliterated names and they would probably be grateful for feedback.