Acer W3 and GPS?

TC93
TC93 Member Posts: 2 New User
in 2013 Archives

Does anyone know if the Acer W3 has a built in GPS?

 

Its hard to find info about this tablet.  Just the short Youtube videos.

 

Answers

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    The answer is I do not think so. In fact I do not think any of the Clover Trail devices have a real GPS (a-GPS and e-GPS do not count). It would be nice but suspect the power consumption would put small devices over budget. For example an active GPS uses about 140 mw while a typical CPU uses under 100 mw Of course WiFi pulls cloe to 700 mw so is the real killer but is not an option to leave out.

     

    (ref. http://static.usenix.org/event/usenix10/tech/full_papers/Carroll.pdf)

     

    Keep in mind that the probable reason the USB is 2.0 rather than 3.0 is because the 3.0 spec calls for nearly double the power (500mw ws 900). When going for 8-10 hour life from a one pound device evey mw counts.

     

    Not saying the e-GPS cannot do something but is not very accurate (W510 was about 3 miles off with lotsa local cell towers).

     

    That said my W510 works just fine with the USB GPSs included with Microsoft Streets and Trips and Delorme Street Atlas on my powered hub.

     

    This is part of the reason I need to build a mobile docking station for the W3 when it arrives to provide a vehicle powered USB hub for

    GPS

    CD/DVD

    Smart Card access control

    120 GB SDD expansion

    Rear view camera.

     

    In otherwords everything I do with the W510 but in a more dashboard friendly form factor. Just hope they take the long view and have filtted a standard docking connector (USB, HDMI, ethernet, power) or even just a normal power connector.

     

    Do think the BT keyboard for $90 is brilliant for a passenger to use. 

  • TC93
    TC93 Member Posts: 2 New User

    Oh ok.  I was hoping it did.  I found one foreign website that I had to translate, that mentions it having GPS.

     

     

    Here is the translated link

     

     

     

     

     

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    I found several "other" sites that wtalk both ways. What I have not seen is any Clover Trail tablet (Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 3679 , Samsung ATIV Smart PC 500T , HP ElitePad 900 G1, Acer W510, Dell Lattitude 10) that includes a real GPS. Have seen some non-factory sites clim they do but is not on the manufacturer's sites.

     

    Intel Z2760 specs say it can support GPS but not a single instance of it being included have I found.

     

    Since this is a really dumb omission I have to wonder if there is a different reason (too much shielding in ventless case, too much power consumption, needs more cooling, too costly for price point) but my Samsung Galaxy Tab 2.0 7 has GPS and so does my smart phone, wonder if there is a way to link GPS info over BlueTooth...)

     

    I am seeing that the W3 will include Windows 8 PRO instead of the home edition of the W510 and will include Microsoft Office (but no Outlook) but since have not seen the one I ordered yet, cannot be sure.

     

    Expect Win 8.1 to be a free/low cost upgrade & may be why the W510 price is now over $100 off MSRP, is Acer dumping ? Apparently they are bundling what I had to reprogram (e.g. boot to desktop no longer requires a task).

     

    Still seeing a 3 July delivery date, wond what is happening.

  • gunggu
    gunggu Member Posts: 33

    Tinkerer
    @padgett,
    what do u mean real gps? My w511 is using gnss, which is basically a gps mate.

    gps is an exclusive to us navstar systems, while gnss includes gps, glonass, qzss, and sbas satellite constellation.

    if u r talking about a-gnss, it is still a gnss but combined with a location based setvice and network gnss module, similar with a-gps, it is still using the satellite gps with assisted network so the lock can become faster.

    lets say your device support a-gnss,this means it will connect to gnss satellite (gps,glonass,qzss, or sbas) simultenaously it will also connect to a cell tower near you that has already a gps module with a locked gps position. By using both data, your a-gps will lock your current position faster compared to only satellite gps only data.
  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    I can only speak to my W510 but there is no GPS mentioned in the owner's manual. No GPS module found in Device Manager, and the location in MAPS was about three miles off (think it got it from the wireless connection).

     

    For my Sat-Nav programs to work I have to add a USB GPS sensor

     

    It is possible that a W511 with G3/G4 connection can receive location information from the cell tower but I do not have one so do not know.

  • rouge1
    rouge1 Member Posts: 15 New User

    All Windows 8 tablets with a mobile broadband modem (Like the W511) must have aGPS per MS certification requirements.

     

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    Interesting, looks like I was in error before and AGPS (assisted GPS) uses additional features to assist a real GPS receiver in making resolution.

     

    This makes me wonder just what Bing Maps in my W510 was using to find a location about three miles away. Anyone know ?

  • rouge1
    rouge1 Member Posts: 15 New User

    Widows 8 has a build-in "Windows Location Provider" that uses WiFi for location.

  • gunggu
    gunggu Member Posts: 33

    Tinkerer
    Second to rouge1,

    I also have a w510 and already compared the bing maps, clearly the w510 is using the wifi location service because its way off my location but my w511 gave me a correct location. Its also tracking me when i move unlike the w510.
  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    OK so for a Clover Trail Windows tablet without G3/G4 figure you will need to add a USB GPS to get an accurate location.

     

    Also when I added a good GPS module, Bing Maps refused to use it so figure on needing a good mapping program (e.g. Street Atlas or Streets and Trips) that can.

     

    No big for me since working on automotive applications where a powered hub is not an issue but is for true portable use.

  • denywinarto
    denywinarto Member Posts: 21 New User

    Only the 3G version supports GNSS i think,

    so you're gonna have to wait for w301 (?)

    The problem is that Broadcomm based GNSS is not supported yet by alot of Maps software...

     

    It has a different architecture IIRC,

    So either we will have to wait for the compatible version, or use usb gps...

    Same thing happen with asus vivotab smart (both use broadcomm chip)

     

    http://www.eightforums.com/tablet-touch/19389-asus-vivo-tab-smart.html

  • cookrd1
    cookrd1 Member Posts: 1 New User

    If you have an android smart phone, use a free app to send its GPS info via BlueTooth. An iPhone requires either a paid app or jailbreak. Any of these alternatives work great. i use Delorme Streer Atlas on my W3 because i need custom POI's.

  • padgett
    padgett ACE Posts: 4,532 Pathfinder

    Is there an Android app that Delorme can recognize that you could recommend please ?

     

    Personally, I prefer Delorme (plug) partly because have been using since SA6 from the last millenium (and still use that version often because is much faster than later ones). That said I have SA 2013+ on the W3 mainly because I like the Nav screen a lot better than Streets and Trips for automotive use.

     

    ps be aware that the older GlobalSat BU-353s are not supported by the PL2303 drivers with Win8 (they code 10 when the GPS is plugged in). There are some workarounds (v170) that work sometimes however a BU-353-S4 works just fine with the same driver.

     

    pps everything has pros and cons. A BU-353-S4 has a magnetic base that can be attached to the roof of a car for maximum reception but needs a wired connection. There at some BT receivers out now but I have not tried on. I'd be concerned about battery life though, from what I have seen a typical GPS receiver pulls about 700mw.

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