Google Maps GPS Problems

[Stanovoy]

I thought these were user errors, but now I am starting to think that Google Maps for the G1 is half-baked.

First, is there anyway to move the map according to my location? On the BlackBerry, you can press "6" to center the map on the current GPS location. Thereafter, if you move, the map will move with you to keep your location centered. I can't find a way to do that on the G1. No matter what I do, it just won't lock onto my location. It's extremely distracting having to keep clicking "My Location" while driving.

Second, why doesn't the screen stay on? This could be an extension of the previous problem. On the BlackBerry, as long as you are moving and the map is locked onto your location, the screen stays lit. The G1 screen, on the other hand, times out after the specified amount of time set in settings. Well, this is no good. I don't want my screen to be constantly on UNLESS I am using maps AND locked onto my location.

Anyone found a solution to these?

[onilink67]

I thought these were user errors, but now I am starting to think that Google Maps for the G1 is half-baked.

First, is there anyway to move the map according to my location? On the BlackBerry, you can press "6" to center the map on the current GPS location. Thereafter, if you move, the map will move with you to keep your location centered. I can't find a way to do that on the G1. No matter what I do, it just won't lock onto my location. It's extremely distracting having to keep clicking "My Location" while driving.

Second, why doesn't the screen stay on? This could be an extension of the previous problem. On the BlackBerry, as long as you are moving and the map is locked onto your location, the screen stays lit. The G1 screen, on the other hand, times out after the specified amount of time set in settings. Well, this is no good. I don't want my screen to be constantly on UNLESS I am using maps AND locked onto my location.

Anyone found a solution to these?

Turn on your GPS chip in the settings then it should be able to pinpoint your location also my G1 screen stays lit unless i'm idle so I have no clue about that

[Stanovoy]

Turn on your GPS chip in the settings then it should be able to pinpoint your location also my G1 screen stays lit unless i'm idle so I have no clue about that

It is turned on. The G1 can track my location very accurately. It just won't center the map around it. After a while, my location would move off the map and I'd have to click on "My Location" again to recenter.

[jterry]

I don't think my GPS is working. Yes it is urned on. It will not find my location.

[nadine]

It is turned on. The G1 can track my location very accurately. It just won't center the map around it. After a while, my location would move off the map and I'd have to click on "My Location" again to recenter.

I noticed this too. I had to press [menu] and tap [my location] to get it to center on the map. On my N95 using Nokia maps it would stay centered automatically when the GPS was active.

[RussianSolja]

Are you guy's getting an error of some kind? or just nothing is happening?

[tf442]

I was tracking myself yesterday on my way home. As long as I was moving the screen stayed on. If I was stopped over 1 minute (my set timeout) the screen would go away. My location moved to the edge of the map and then back to the center on my map. I never liked how my location stay exactly in the center on my old phone, but I'm not sure if this is better, except if I was going east to west or west to east my location had quite a bit of travel before my location went to the edge of the map.

[Stanovoy]

What would be ideal is if Maps can do the following (none of them is hard to implement):

1. If going from point A to point B, give a preview of the road ahead. For example, if the road ahead is south east bound, then shift the current position to the upper left hand corner to give more screen real estate to the upcoming parts.

2. If not on a A to B path, shift the view according to the direction and the speed. For example, if the person is walking, then shift less.

3. Zoom in and out depending on the speed.

4. Refresh GPS more frequently and interpolate the points in between refreshes.

5. Pre-cache maps locally along a path.

That said, first things first: center the map constantly like Google Maps for other devices!!!

[lance713]

on my G1, it wont actually center but it WILL move the screen to my blue dot when I leave it.

Haven't paid attention to the light thing though.

[tread]

probably will be fixed in an update... things they just overlooked... as far as all the advanced gps features that you guys are talking about, expect to just buy a seperate navigation software option as i doubt google will develop these features... the small fixes yah i could see, but google maps is NOT part of the open source code so developers will not be able to edit the foundational parts of it