I'm starting the year in a bad mood ! Unfortunately, I was able to see, through the experiences of many of you, ignorance, not to mention incompetence, many iPad sellers. Not only specializes supermarkets, but also among some Apple Certified Resellers ! This caused purchase errors during the Christmas holidays, and many disappointments.
Among the information that has been reported to me, Here are some pearls :
- iPad doesn't have GPS (Apple Certified Reseller).
- iPad Cellular cannot be used without a 3G/4G subscription (Mass distribution)
- A SIM card is required to have the position with the iPad (telephone operator)
To name only the most surprising.
All this is COMPLETELY UNTRUE !
I provided, in several articles of this blog (¹) and on my website (²), Detailed information about the Wi-Fi+Cellular iPad for browsing use. But perhaps I have not been clear enough, articles are too long or are not read to the end, or a little too hastily, what do I know ? I will therefore correct some erroneous assertions here.
iPad Wi-Fi and iPad Wi-Fi+Cellular
Of these two models, The first, iPad Wi-Fi, only has Wi-Fi as a means of network connection, and location is only provided by Wi-Fi hotspots (Hotspots), so very random. The second model, called the iPad Wi-Fi+Cellular, allows access to the 3G/4G network using a SIM card and a network subscription (as an iPhone). He has a GPS receiver and a Three-axis electromagnetic compass that provide extremely precise positioning, serving navigation mapping for car , marine or air applications. The location can therefore be obtained alternatively by the Wi-Fi access points, by cellular antennas trilateration, or built-in GPS.
iPad Wi-Fi + Cellular
With the risk of repeating, GPS positioning absolutely does not need 3G/4G cellular network, A subscription to this network is therefore not necessary. The A-GPS chip built into this model is perfectly able to acquire satellites in the GPS constellation without the assistance (the "A" in A-GPS) by the cellular network. This assistance provides only acceleration of time to first fix, or accelerated location recovery if lost after passing through a tunnel, in example, through the connection on a dedicated server providing real-time ephemeris of the satellite constellation.
Having crossed France from one end to the other by truck and car, with my iPhone as well as with my iPad (using CoPilot software), with Wi-Fi and 3G network disabled, my position has been lost only in rare places in the midst of narrow alleys, as in La Rochelle, in the old city. At sea, I never lost my GPS location with iPhone again, even less so with iPad.
So do not hesitate to confront the sellers and to teach their job, this will help all users.
Happy New Year 2011 to all !
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(¹) iPad , a Chartplotter Killer ?
(¹) iPad 3G : Initial information about built-in GPS
(²) http://www.francis-fustier.fr/gpsnavxhard.html
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Bonjour,
Personally, it's the opposite way that I was fooled, When I bought on Applestore I understood that the basic iPad had integrated a GPS !
Is it possible to connect the USB GPS I have for my MacBook? (I have no illusions…)
No. The only solution to date, is the one cited In this article.
Otherwise MacENC on the MacBook and TCP/IP connection data with iNavX.
Thank you for this comment, which perfectly answers the question I asked you this morning on Facebook.
So I have entered the club of those who are outraged by the incompetence of Apple sellers and more especially by the lack of information (Desired???) that they have from their manufacturer.
I'm going to dive into Francis Fustier's blog today.
Good luck to you for February.
Jacques Boulan "Saxo"
Last point I make my non-3G wifi IPAD work by putting my HTC PDA in wifi router mode, the consumption is reasonable and does not seem to reduce the autonomy of the PDA. You win at least one network subscription ( I do the same thing with my laptop) On the other hand, beware of consumption outside France Cost ++ but it's true for any 3G connection mode
Patrick
Thank you Francis !
I can only confirm : even in Paris at the Apple store of the Carrousel du Louvre, Apple's flagship store, Incompetence is the order of the day. Francis must offer his services.
I just received My iMux, Connection scheduled for the end of January, if the tests on the iPhone prove to be in line with my expectations, I'm switching to the iPad. My SFR package allows me to use the Iphone as a Modem within the limit of 1 Go no need for another subscription.
He m’ Apple has been told that this type of connection is impossible because of the lack of a USB socket.
And the WiFi Mr the seller ?
And BluTooth……..
Hello and best wishes to all.
I confirm the incompetence and self-importance of young Ipad salesmen wherever you are, paradox, especially in Apple Stores. I browse with Inavx and prepare my wifi network (AIS receiver ect ect ect…).
Francis should summon them to inform and train them.
Friendly
I would like to congratulate you on the quality of the information on your site. I can give a testimony. I'm in the process of equipping myself for coastal cabotage with Ipad. After viewing your articles, I chose the IPAD Wifi 32 GB RAM (+ navionics 46 G) and I'm waiting for the availability of the BadElf external GPS, counting on a slightly better performance of the external GPS and in order to be able to switch from one IPAD to another or for my son's Iphone. The case is therefore not hopeless for people who have been misinformed (Indeed I knew much more about the subject too than the salespeople) and who end up with an iPad without internal GPS !
By the way, the cost differential IPAD 3G/IPAD Wifi + External GPS seems weak.
Thank you again for your information and advice,
Patrick
Bonjour, Best wishes and thank you for your site (and blog!)
I have an iphone with inavx and the 46X, I just bought a 3g 64GB ipad with a 2GB plan from Orange…
I confirm that the sellers are of a rare incompetence on the subject…
Fortunately, There are people like you ! thank you again.
Daniel
I totally agree with your article and the lack of knowledge of sellers about the difference between 3G and Wifi …
I took the liberty of leaving the contact details of your site at the boat show at the iAIS representative …
Thank you for your site and best wishes
Jean-Baptiste DOUCET