GPS on 43
GPS on 43
Hey was on the edge of buying the 43 then realized it didn't have GPS build in like I was thinking for some reason, was one the other Archos' I was mixing it up with. Wondering if there any apps for it that work similiar to GPS or at least allow you to save online directions for later use? Mainly going to use it for music and a few games but having the extra little bit is nice too. Also is it really a big factor not being multi-touch? Kinda worried now too that I might find the screen a little to small, any suggestions to alternatives for around the same price as the 8gb model?
Re: GPS on 43
The A43 will work with an external bluetooth GPS receiver. There are some advantages to a separate receiver as it is small and can be located to best pickup the GPS signals and the A43 located where it is easy to view. I think even Google Maps lets you store some maps on the device. I use Navit which can download worldwide maps from http://maps3.navit-project.org/. Other users like Copilot.
Not being multi-touch has only affected one application I've tried, AutoQ3D. A double tap usually zooms in and out when browsing the internet. That said, the resistive touch screen is a little flaky even with a stylus so text input is haphazard.
My A43 works great for movies, games and web browsing. The pocket size is just right for me. Any larger and you may as well get a great deal on a netbook.
Not being multi-touch has only affected one application I've tried, AutoQ3D. A double tap usually zooms in and out when browsing the internet. That said, the resistive touch screen is a little flaky even with a stylus so text input is haphazard.
My A43 works great for movies, games and web browsing. The pocket size is just right for me. Any larger and you may as well get a great deal on a netbook.
Re: GPS on 43
I have a 43 and picked up a cheap Bluetooth GPS to use with Copilot.
Multi-touch hasn't been a problem for me. Some reason the resistive screens are easier for me to use with a finger nail and than the others where you use the pad of the finger. I can't type as accurately with the others. Probably just
Alternatives: Samsung finally came out with their players. Similar to a 43 and available in 2 sizes. Don't know how it compares or if it has a GPS. Other option would be a used or new cell phone like a Droid X or something that you don't activate. They can't be picked up on ebay and craig's list sometimes.
My 2 biggest complaints with the 43 is lack of app space (limited to about 230 mb but if you go below 30 you have problems) and the camera. I'm about to root for the 1st time to solve the app space problem. The camera is very low quality and won't scan barcodes (UPC) usually. It's a little better with QR codes.
I love the size that it can fit in even a woman's hip pocket. It is small for web browsing but usable.
Multi-touch hasn't been a problem for me. Some reason the resistive screens are easier for me to use with a finger nail and than the others where you use the pad of the finger. I can't type as accurately with the others. Probably just
Alternatives: Samsung finally came out with their players. Similar to a 43 and available in 2 sizes. Don't know how it compares or if it has a GPS. Other option would be a used or new cell phone like a Droid X or something that you don't activate. They can't be picked up on ebay and craig's list sometimes.
My 2 biggest complaints with the 43 is lack of app space (limited to about 230 mb but if you go below 30 you have problems) and the camera. I'm about to root for the 1st time to solve the app space problem. The camera is very low quality and won't scan barcodes (UPC) usually. It's a little better with QR codes.
I love the size that it can fit in even a woman's hip pocket. It is small for web browsing but usable.
Re: GPS on 43
I use my 43 with a USGlobalSat Bt-368i Bluetooth GPS, and CoPilot. The combination works pretty well. Copilot isn't the easiest thing to use, but it's loaded with features, and each update cleans things up a bit more.
The bluetooth GPS also works with my Windows laptop, but you need to use a (free) serial port splitter application for it to work reliably.
The bluetooth GPS also works with my Windows laptop, but you need to use a (free) serial port splitter application for it to work reliably.
Re: GPS on 43
My A43 works ok running Google Maps/Navigator with a DeLorme BT-20 (that I picked up used for $2), and while tethering on my Verzion WinMob smartphone via BT. It is just a bit cumbersome to get those BT connections going - right after a reset is best - and the screen does not show up all that well in daylight in the car. Also, I find G Navigator disappointing in that it does not show the traffic view simultaneously with the navigation mode - either/or.
I also have used my A5IT for navigation with same setup as the A43 with the BT tethering setup, but it has the same issues with dim screen in daylight, and is probably even more unstable with the Android 1.6. And now the battery is swelling, I am done with it - time to cash in my SquareTrade warranty.
Sticking with my dedicated Garmin 1695 for "just works/serious" navigation, and now I have a Dell Streak 5 that does it all and works well for "casual" navigation with a T-Mobile $30 unlimited data/text/100 minutes talk plan - same limitation with Navigator not showing traffic/navigation together, but no fiddling with BT/tethering connections, and the big 5-inch screen shows up much better in daylight. Plus it has an easily replaced battery!
I did have hopes the a43 would be a reasonable replacement for the A5IT with a newer Android (even if no internal GPS), and it does perform much better and more reliably, but it was a major letdown when I found that the higher resolution was not used at the same scaling as the the A5IT - it seems to be set to show at the same LCD density so the text and images are about the same size as on the A5IT, so the overall view is "cut-off", i.e. like seeing just part of the A5's screen (maybe I am using the terms scaling and density with the opposite meanings, but you should get the point anyway I hope).
The A43 is a nice pocketable Android tablet that is great for playing music with Mort Player and TuneIn Radio, quick news/weather, light ebook reading, etc, but the failure to maximize the pixel usage is a big fail for me, so that is when I went looking for a Streak on eBay that just needed a screen repair for cheap (got lucky when I found one for $100 that had the new screen installed, but the owner botched it - all I had to do was re-seat the internal cable connectors carefully
- that 5-inch form factor is my ideal, and the Streak does it nicely. I just have to "put up" with the twitchiness of a capactive screen instead of the better control I enjoy with stylus/fingernal on the A5 and A43 resistive screens - I'm weird like that
I also have used my A5IT for navigation with same setup as the A43 with the BT tethering setup, but it has the same issues with dim screen in daylight, and is probably even more unstable with the Android 1.6. And now the battery is swelling, I am done with it - time to cash in my SquareTrade warranty.
Sticking with my dedicated Garmin 1695 for "just works/serious" navigation, and now I have a Dell Streak 5 that does it all and works well for "casual" navigation with a T-Mobile $30 unlimited data/text/100 minutes talk plan - same limitation with Navigator not showing traffic/navigation together, but no fiddling with BT/tethering connections, and the big 5-inch screen shows up much better in daylight. Plus it has an easily replaced battery!
I did have hopes the a43 would be a reasonable replacement for the A5IT with a newer Android (even if no internal GPS), and it does perform much better and more reliably, but it was a major letdown when I found that the higher resolution was not used at the same scaling as the the A5IT - it seems to be set to show at the same LCD density so the text and images are about the same size as on the A5IT, so the overall view is "cut-off", i.e. like seeing just part of the A5's screen (maybe I am using the terms scaling and density with the opposite meanings, but you should get the point anyway I hope).
The A43 is a nice pocketable Android tablet that is great for playing music with Mort Player and TuneIn Radio, quick news/weather, light ebook reading, etc, but the failure to maximize the pixel usage is a big fail for me, so that is when I went looking for a Streak on eBay that just needed a screen repair for cheap (got lucky when I found one for $100 that had the new screen installed, but the owner botched it - all I had to do was re-seat the internal cable connectors carefully
- that 5-inch form factor is my ideal, and the Streak does it nicely. I just have to "put up" with the twitchiness of a capactive screen instead of the better control I enjoy with stylus/fingernal on the A5 and A43 resistive screens - I'm weird like that -
mplant1999
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Re: GPS on 43
I just picked up a perfect unlocked Dell Streak 5 on Craigslist with EVERYTHING (box, headphones still sealed in bag, manuals, warranty cards, etc.) for $150, and I am very impressed with it. Build quality makes my A5IT feel very cheap and plasticky and the 512MB of RAM and capacitive screen really make it a very different beast from either the A5IT or the A43IT. I haven't tried the GPS yet, but plan to do so tomorrow.
A43IT A5IT Transformer Playbook
Re: GPS on 43
Well, to get this back on topic (since my Streak bit got it off-topic ) - it seems that getting root for the A43 and experimenting with the LCD density (there's an app for that, but it is just a 1-line change in the main properties file as I recall), might get more stuff on-screen, and make the A43 more useful (to me at least).
It seems Chulri's (or something close to that) rooting method is not persistent across boots (?), and changing the density in that props file requires rebooting to put into effect, so might be a Catch-22 situation - anyone know for sure? How about urukdroid as an alternative - are its changes persistent?
BTW, enjoy your Streak (nice CL "score" - I'm envious) - I agree it feels more solid, but it also seems like the pieces, esp the screen, are not as seamlessly put together as the A5IT, which feels more like a "single piece" to me (but mine was taken apart and reassembled easily a dozen times, if not more, by the seller, then myself...).
If I could replace the A5IT battery easily, and upgrade to Android 2.2 (or higher) without losing functions (as the AOS 2.2 upgrade loses the tethering and speaker jack bypass), then I would have been happy to stay with it, but the A43 with higher LCD density setting would be a close second (with decent BT GPS) that would be much more pocketable (there - back on-topic ... sort of ).
<rant>
ARE YOU LISTENING, ARCHOS???? Stick with your customers if you want them to stick with you! I would have been willing to pay (up to $50) for a FroYo upgrade for the A5IT - not interested in buying your products again (at least not full-price, new) to be left behind by planned obsolescence.
</end rant>
It seems Chulri's (or something close to that) rooting method is not persistent across boots (?), and changing the density in that props file requires rebooting to put into effect, so might be a Catch-22 situation - anyone know for sure? How about urukdroid as an alternative - are its changes persistent?
BTW, enjoy your Streak (nice CL "score" - I'm envious) - I agree it feels more solid, but it also seems like the pieces, esp the screen, are not as seamlessly put together as the A5IT, which feels more like a "single piece" to me (but mine was taken apart and reassembled easily a dozen times, if not more, by the seller, then myself...).
If I could replace the A5IT battery easily, and upgrade to Android 2.2 (or higher) without losing functions (as the AOS 2.2 upgrade loses the tethering and speaker jack bypass), then I would have been happy to stay with it, but the A43 with higher LCD density setting would be a close second (with decent BT GPS) that would be much more pocketable (there - back on-topic ... sort of
). <rant>
ARE YOU LISTENING, ARCHOS???? Stick with your customers if you want them to stick with you! I would have been willing to pay (up to $50) for a FroYo upgrade for the A5IT - not interested in buying your products again (at least not full-price, new) to be left behind by planned obsolescence.
</end rant>
Re: GPS on 43
good job.happy everyday please.