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Can the iPad 2 suck GPS info from the iPhone 4?

When Kyle Carmitchel fired up his Wi-Fi only iPad 2 to check his route on a road-trip, he was amazed to see that it was tracking his position on the map using proper, works-in-the-middle-of-nowhere GPS. Kyle was pulling in his iPhone 4’s data connection via wireless tether, and it appears that the iPhone was also sending GPS info to the iPad.

Only 3G iPads have a GPS chip inside, so Kyle says that his Wi-Fi only model was being fed the more accurate data from the iPhone. Wi-Fi iPad and iPod Touches can work out where they are thanks to hotspot triangulation, and they will even track you as you move, but Kyle is convinced that he was getting the real thing:

The location I’m getting on my Wi-Fi only iPad is most certainly not this. It is clear I am being fed GPS information from the phone, at what appears to be an interval of once a minute or so between refreshes (likely they didn’t do real time updating so as to go easy on the phone’s battery).

And because the Wi-Fi iPad 2 has a compass inside, this works, too.

If true, this is a great hidden feature, and makes the combination of iPhone and non-3G iPad more compelling. I have heard that a lot of people are planning on just this combo. I think that they may be disappointed. I used an iPod Touch with a MiFi hotspot for a while and found it to be a huge pain.

With the 3G iPad, you are always connected, and quickly checking your mail is easy. With hotspots, you need to activate them, wait for connection and then juggle the hardware in your hands. It is clunky, and far from ideal. If you almost never leave the house, though, maybe you’ll be happy. But then, if you never leave the house, why do you even have an iPhone?

Video: Wi-Fi Only iPad 2 GPS Navigation [Tablet Monsters via Cult of Mac]

See Also:

• Tiny Dock-Dongle Adds GPS to iPad, iPod Touch
• The Wi-Fi iPad's Dealbreaker: No GPS
• Hands-On With the Dual iPod Touch GPS-Kit
• Eight Great Tips for Traveling with the iPad

FCC going after cellphone jammers, could land users in the slammer originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well, this can’t be good, but it’s certainly not surprising, either. Researchers have concluded that people living in developed nations have become overly reliant on satellite navigation such as GPS devices, and that the results can be… dangerous. Anyone with a think tank could probably figure this one out on their own, but the research shows that such over-reliance on the devices can produce some bad results when said devices inevitably fail out. The report goes a lot father than warning individual drivers, however, and says that systems such commercial airline traffic and those which direct train doors to open also rely on the US-based GPS system, which are all vulnerable to widespread failure should the system encounter any interference or downtime. The report does suggest further development of backup systems — such as the European-based Galileo system, but essentially concludes that the vulnerabilities are likely to remain. Comforting, huh?

Early mid-week shocker: research says we are overly reliant on GPS originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 16:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We were actually pretty shocked at just how stellar the AT&T coverage was during a recent jaunt to Anchorage and Fairbanks, but we’re guessing it’ll take a satellite phone or two to make calls from the Alaskan wilderness. Whatever the case, the 2011 edition of the Iditarod is being hailed as the most technologically advanced ever, with mushers having “custom-made sleds with adjustable runners for varying snow conditions and, starting this year, GPS devices to check on their progress.” Phones and live streaming arrangements will be keeping the world tuned in to the 1,150 mile race from Anchorage to Nome, and if fate has its way, the hot-natured, Red Stripe-drinking kid from Jamaica will take home the gold. C’mon — who wouldn’t want to see Cool Runnings 2: Dog Sled Edition?

Alaska’s Iditarod sled dog race gains GPS, cellphones and live streaming originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 10:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Olympus just loosed a trio of compact cameras. Let’s start big with the €329 SZ-30MR. According to Olympus, the 30MR packs a backlit CMOS sensor with 24x (25-600mm) optical zoom and Dual Engine TruePic III+ processing. It also lays claim to being the first to simultaneously record 1080p video while shooting 16 megapixel stills — a feature Oly dubs, Multi Recording. The SZ-20 lacks the MR and dials back the zoom to 12.5x but costs a relatively modest €219.

Olympus also announced a silver or black TG-810 compact for €299. First and foremost is the cam’s claim for ruggedness: crushproof at a weight of 100kg (220 pounds); waterproof to 10 meters (32.8 feet); shockproof at a distance of 2 meters (6.56 feet); and freezeproof a temps to -10 degree celsius (14 degrees F). Otherwise, it boasts a 14 megapixel CCD sensor, a 5x (28-140mm) optical zoom, 720p movie mode, TAP control (for gloved use), GPS, and an electronic compass.

All three cameras feature a 3-inch LCD; HDMI; high ISO and sensor-based mechanical image stabilization; smart panorama, 3D photo, pet detection, and beauty modes; and SDXC and Eye-Fi card compatibility. Look for them to hit retail in March.

Continue reading Olympus SZ-30MR shoots 1080p video and 16MP stills simultaneously; Tough TG-810 is ‘crushproof’

Olympus SZ-30MR shoots 1080p video and 16MP stills simultaneously; Tough TG-810 is ‘crushproof’ originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 Mar 2011 07:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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