Previous in Forum: Pipeline Corrosion Control Voltage Measurements   Next in Forum: HVAC Circulation Pump Control
Close

Comments Format:






Change Mode
Close

Subscribe to Discussion:

CR4 allows you to "subscribe" to a discussion
so that you can be notified of new comments to
the discussion via email.

Close

Rating Vote:







Add Vote
15 comments
Rate Comments: Nested
agua_doc
Guru
Engineering Fields - Retired Engineers / Mentors - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Brecksville, OH
Posts: 1621
Good Answers: 18

GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/01/2013 12:26 PM

Hi Everyone,

I am interested in learning how to determine the current GPS co-ordinates (ie: location) of the device (Smartphone/cellphone/laptop/tablet,etc.) directly from the unit. I understand that many new devices include GPS units on-board, or that cell-towers may be used for getting a general idea of the unit's location. Is there a generic method as to how to access that proprietary information directly from the phone, or is that information available from the device manufacturers or third party tracking services ?

Agua_doc

__________________
 "Consensus Science got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?" : Rephrase of Will Rogers Comment
Register to Reply
Interested in this topic? By joining CR4 you can "subscribe" to
this discussion and receive notification when new comments are added.

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
redfred
Guru
Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - Been there, done that. Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 15600
Good Answers: 981
#1

Re: GPS co-ordinates from Smartphones, etc.

01/01/2013 12:47 PM

You should review the definition of the word, proprietary.

__________________
 "Don't disturb my circles." translation of Archimedes last words
Register to Reply
lyn
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 42355
Good Answers: 1693
#2

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/01/2013 1:34 PM

There are many stalkers who would like to know how to track someone else's cell phone, I'm sure.

Why do you want to know?
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
No more "Almost" Good Answers.
agua_doc
Guru
Engineering Fields - Retired Engineers / Mentors - New Member

Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Brecksville, OH
Posts: 1621
Good Answers: 18
#6
In reply to #2

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/01/2013 2:11 PM

I am only interested in learning how to use a Smartphone as a GPS unit.

__________________
 "Consensus Science got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?" : Rephrase of Will Rogers Comment
Register to Reply
lyn
Guru

Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 42355
Good Answers: 1693
#7
In reply to #6

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/01/2013 2:52 PM

That's not what you implied.

I touch the MAPS app on my smart phone, and you can download many others as Usbport has said.
Register to Reply
CATPNJNI
Participant

Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 1
#14
In reply to #2

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

03/02/2020 1:17 PM

Forget about tracking cell phones ….what about the TOWERS that take and hold info from IMEI's then send it to a HUGE computer run by our own US GOV'T? ref. Edward Snowden.

Those Cell Phone TOWERS Just might have valuable info on say a missing person (everyone carries a cell phone but the kidnapper gets rid of it).

The missing person or persons might be located more precisely using the info gathered by the snoopy towers, wouldn't ya think so? cat pnjani
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
SolarEagle
Guru

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: by the beach in Florida
Posts: 33392
Good Answers: 1817
#15
In reply to #14

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

03/02/2020 1:44 PM

https://www.quora.com/How-do-police-track-a-missing-persons-phone-location

__________________
 All living things seek to control their own destiny....this is the purpose of life
Register to Reply Off Topic (Score 5)
kramarat
Guru
Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Raleigh, NC USA
Posts: 13529
Good Answers: 468
#3

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/01/2013 1:51 PM

Looks like it's doable.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4478735_use-cell-phone-gps-locate.html

http://www.pcworld.com/article/152570/cell_phone_gps_apps.html

__________________
 Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. Ben Franklin
Register to Reply
Tornado
Guru
Technical Fields - Technical Writing - New Member Engineering Fields - Piping Design Engineering - New Member

Join Date: May 2009
Location: Richland, WA, USA
Posts: 21017
Good Answers: 795
#4

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/01/2013 1:52 PM

Inspecteur Javert, Inspecteur Clouseau; vive la différence!

__________________
 In vino veritas; in cervisia carmen; in aqua E. coli.
Register to Reply
3
Usbport
Guru
Engineering Fields - Optical Engineering - Member Engineering Fields - Engineering Physics - Member Engineering Fields - Systems Engineering - Member

Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Trantor
Posts: 5363
Good Answers: 647
#5

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/01/2013 1:54 PM

I've got an iphone 4. There is a 'Utilities' icon that includes a compass app. If I tap that, it shows North (option for true or magnetic) and gives my longitude and latitude in degrees, minutes and seconds (° ′ ″). The GPS position function isn't active in 'airplane mode'.

If you don't already have an app like that, you can probably download a free one for whatever kind of smartphone or device you have.

Devices that don't have built-in GPS sensing use nearby cell towers to approximate your location.

__________________
 Whiskey, women -- and astrophysics. Because sometimes a problem can't be solved with just whiskey and women.
Register to Reply Good Answer (Score 3)
No more Good Answers. Go to first "Almost" Good Answer
Bricktop
Guru
United States - Member - Charter Member Engineering Fields - Instrumentation Engineering - Charter Member

Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: The People's Republic of Massachusetts
Posts: 1946
Good Answers: 73
#8
In reply to #5

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/01/2013 9:22 PM

Thanks USB, I got an iphone 5 for xmas, and I didn't realize that compass/gps was in there. Very cool.

__________________
 I go into every human encounter expecting to be framed for a crime I didn't commit. Dilbert, 2013
Register to Reply
Usbport
Guru
Engineering Fields - Optical Engineering - Member Engineering Fields - Engineering Physics - Member Engineering Fields - Systems Engineering - Member

Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Trantor
Posts: 5363
Good Answers: 647
#9
In reply to #8

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/01/2013 9:31 PM

Good for you. Be sure to check out the apps discussed in this article, below. I haven't used it yet, but I downloaded the google maps app for the iphone. My son has used it and says it's fantastic.

http://cr4.globalspec.com/blogentry/21795/The-20-Best-iOS-and-Android-Apps-Of-2012

__________________
 Whiskey, women -- and astrophysics. Because sometimes a problem can't be solved with just whiskey and women.
Register to Reply
JohnDG
Guru
United Kingdom - Member - Not a New Member Hobbies - Musician - New Member Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: May 2006
Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK. Going under cover.
Posts: 9684
Good Answers: 468
#11
In reply to #9

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/02/2013 6:25 AM

Google Maps is also excellent on Android phones. I can see dedicated SatNav devices disappearing soon, as the Navigation mode on the 'phone makes them pretty much redundant.

__________________
 "Love justice, you who rule the world" - Dante Alighieri
Register to Reply
Geode Hunter
Power-User

Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: N38º3', W085º3'
Posts: 326
Good Answers: 19
#10

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/02/2013 5:43 AM

Geocachers have been using their iPhones for quite awhile now. Try iPhone Geocaching For an app that will give you a compas and current coordinates.

__________________
 There's a theory stating if anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for & why it is here, it will instantly disappear & be replaced by something even more bizarre & inexplicable. There's another theory stating this has already happened.D Adams
Register to Reply
JohnDG
Guru
United Kingdom - Member - Not a New Member Hobbies - Musician - New Member Hobbies - Fishing - New Member

Join Date: May 2006
Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK. Going under cover.
Posts: 9684
Good Answers: 468
#12

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/02/2013 6:28 AM

There are dozens of free compass apps available for Android which will show the GPS co-ords.

__________________
 "Love justice, you who rule the world" - Dante Alighieri
Register to Reply
bp01
Power-User
United States - US - Statue of Liberty - Technical Fields - Education -

Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: In the middle of the USA
Posts: 334
Good Answers: 14
#13

Re: GPS Co-ordinates From Smartphones, Etc.

01/02/2013 11:07 AM

I use GPS Test by Chartcross Ltd. It's a free download.

__________________
 "Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." -- Albert Einstein
Register to Reply
Register to Reply
Have a Different Question?
15 comments

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
Copy to Clipboard

Users who posted comments:

agua_doc (1); bp01 (1); Bricktop (1); CATPNJNI (1); Geode Hunter (1); JohnDG (2); kramarat (1); lyn (2); redfred (1); SolarEagle (1); Tornado (1); Usbport (2)

Previous in Forum: Pipeline Corrosion Control Voltage Measurements   Next in Forum: HVAC Circulation Pump Control

Advertisement

Got Something to Say?
Ask a Question
Start a Discussion

Search this Forum
General Discussion:
Go

CR4 Sections
Aerospace
BioMech & BioMed
Chemical & Material Science
Civil Engineering
Communications & Electronics
Education and Engineering Careers
Electrical Engineering
General Discussion
Instrumentation
Manufacturing
Mechanical Engineering
New Technologies & Research
Software & Programming
Sustainable Engineering
Transportation

Site Directories
Forum Directory
Blog Directory
User Group Directory
RSS Feeds

CR4 Rules of Conduct
CR4 FAQ
Site Glossary

Who's Online (89 right now)
Show Members
Advertisement