Kindle GPS function

Chirishman · 07-20-2009, 06:54 PM

Just picked up a very lightly used kindle 1 to replace my broken Sony PRS-500 and I've spent the last day or so kicking the tires. Loaded content onto it, tried the image viewer, web browser, audioplayer. all of that. Works wonderfully and i'm happy with it especially for the price that i got it for ($160!)
Only problem is the GPS thing won't work. Is that normal? Did amazon stop supporting it? When i try to use it i get the google maps page only with “Not Avail, Not Avail” in the search box.

carld · 07-20-2009, 07:02 PM

They've never supported it. I think it's an almost implemented feature that they pulled at the last minute, which is too bad. It'd be useful if it ever worked.

Elsi · 07-20-2009, 09:08 PM

It's not really GPS -- just a routine that tries to estimate your location by triangulating off of the cell towers. It never worked for me.

Chirishman · 07-21-2009, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elsi;

It's not really GPS -- just a routine that tries to estimate your location by triangulating off of the cell towers. It never worked for me.

I know it's not actually a GPS. I just wanted to make sure i wasn't the only one who couldn't get it to work.

Chirishman · 07-21-2009, 02:15 PM

Problem Solved!

Ok, so i've gotten it working now by reasoning out how it must work. It based on my results it appears that the Kindle locates you passively. It doesn't send a ping out for your location when you hit the shortcuts, that would cost a fair bit of change and is pretty much restricted to Law Enforcement use. The kindle monitors signal strength from various towers (over a period of time for accuracy) and eventually deduces the location.

The upshot of this is that you have to have had your kindle on with whispernet activated for a little while for it to locate you. I surfed the web for about a half an hour and then tried the location function and it worked. I'm not sure if it relies on the amount of traffic that you generate as well or if it would work if you just left it on in sleep mode for a while. Anyway, this may be the reason why it was never really implemented. Most people would want to just flip it on and locate themselves.

HarryT · 07-22-2009, 03:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chirishman

Problem Solved!

Ok, so i've gotten it working now by reasoning out how it must work. It based on my results it appears that the Kindle locates you passively. It doesn't send a ping out for your location when you hit the shortcuts, that would cost a fair bit of change and is pretty much restricted to Law Enforcement use. The kindle monitors signal strength from various towers (over a period of time for accuracy) and eventually deduces the location.

That's precisely the way that "Google Maps" on the iPhone figures out where you are, too.

07-20-2009, 06:54 PM	#1
Chirishman Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle 1	Kindle GPS function Just picked up a very lightly used kindle 1 to replace my broken Sony PRS-500 and I've spent the last day or so kicking the tires. Loaded content onto it, tried the image viewer, web browser, audioplayer. all of that. Works wonderfully and i'm happy with it especially for the price that i got it for ($160!) Only problem is the GPS thing won't work. Is that normal? Did amazon stop supporting it? When i try to use it i get the google maps page only with “Not Avail, Not Avail” in the search box.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Kindle 2 GPS	isotherm	Kindle Developer's Corner	12	05-30-2011 02:14 PM
Kindle 3 GPS capabilities?	jphphotography	Kindle Developer's Corner	9	12-14-2010 09:30 AM
Kindle 3 slideshow function	TheKindleWorm	Amazon Kindle	0	09-18-2010 04:40 PM
Has anyone used the audio function on their Kindle?	Simon Wood	Which one should I buy?	5	11-17-2009 01:17 AM
Amazon Kindle Has Secrets: Faux-GPS Google Maps, Minesweeper, and More	cmumford	Amazon Kindle	1	12-28-2007 06:24 PM

07-20-2009, 07:02 PM	#2
carld Wizard Posts: 2,698 Karma: 4748723 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	They've never supported it. I think it's an almost implemented feature that they pulled at the last minute, which is too bad. It'd be useful if it ever worked.

07-20-2009, 09:08 PM	#3
Elsi Wizard Posts: 2,366 Karma: 12000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas, USA Device: Kindle; Sony PRS 505; Blackberry 8700C	It's not really GPS -- just a routine that tries to estimate your location by triangulating off of the cell towers. It never worked for me.

07-21-2009, 02:15 PM	#5
Chirishman Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Kindle 1	Problem Solved! Ok, so i've gotten it working now by reasoning out how it must work. It based on my results it appears that the Kindle locates you passively. It doesn't send a ping out for your location when you hit the shortcuts, that would cost a fair bit of change and is pretty much restricted to Law Enforcement use. The kindle monitors signal strength from various towers (over a period of time for accuracy) and eventually deduces the location. The upshot of this is that you have to have had your kindle on with whispernet activated for a little while for it to locate you. I surfed the web for about a half an hour and then tried the location function and it worked. I'm not sure if it relies on the amount of traffic that you generate as well or if it would work if you just left it on in sleep mode for a while. Anyway, this may be the reason why it was never really implemented. Most people would want to just flip it on and locate themselves.

Advert

Advert