module?
Link for iPhone and iTouch users here.
Just recently, a GPS plug-in for the Maps.app was released by xWaves. The video above shows how my GPS module also works with that software.
The source code for the software was released as well and can be found here and checked out with regular svn. All credit for this software goes to the people at xWaves.
Below is some more information on how the software works:
- The software currently talks to the GPS module directly through the serial port. The standard baudrate is 19200 which I had to adjust to match my module. It will be best if the software is updated in the future to automatically check what baudrate the GPS module is running at. Another option is to add in functionality to work with a gps daemon.
- The xGPS program is a daemon that runs in the background and is started through a plist file in the Launchdaemons directory. This deamon talks to the Maps.app and the serial port and tells the Maps.app to update its location with the data obtained from the serial port.
- The software currently needs to connect to the internet to update the map as it calls the Google website to update its location. It would be nice if someone figures out how to circumvent this and have the Maps.app update its location directly from its database without having to connect to the internet. In that way you could upload your own maps to your iPhone/iTouch and use those while on the road.
Then finally one comment on the video. I stated: "...the GPS module is charged through the USB..." What I actually meant to state is that the iPhone is charged through the USB. If you look closely, you can see the charging sign in the video.
Then lastly, before signing off for tonight, I also wanted to let you know that I am currently working hard on the housing design and getting manufacturing for the boards set up.
10 comments:
@GPS : Now I understand your lqst comment ! You had it all done already ;-)
Clearly, the next step for your project to meet success, will be that a third party dev releases a nice guidance app, otherwise I'm afraid many people won't find use to it.
Let's hope that tonite's keynote will shade a bit of light on that matter ! (either an Apple app or a big GPS player like NavNGo thru the AppStore). And after that, testing compatibility with you module...
Hurry!
Well... iPhone v2 will be out on July 11 and will have GPS inside.
No words regqrding software yet... Just Google Maps ! :-(
really crazy , the new iPhone just 199USD.
that's no point to add GPS to iPhone 1.0 anymore.
using near 100USD to buy the GPS module plus cannot get official support
while pay 199USD can get the iPhone 3G + built in GPS + better battery life + official iphone GPS application + GPS application in App Store
@chris chan:
"that's no point to add GPS to iPhone 1.0 anymore."
I don't agree. Especially since it's not clear that existing iPhone users get to have that $199 price. The Keynote specifically said it was for NEW contracts.
Moreover, this is still a HUGE boon for iPod touch users.
now after the iphone 2.0 release, paying even a $ for anything related to iphone makes me feel stupid and ridiculous...me buying ur module or no depends a lot on the pricing...also i dont see it useful w/o any 3rd party voice guided gps..
the price for the 3G iphone is even lower than the price of ipod touch ..
...and iPhone v2 will have A-GPS, that will speed up the Time-To-Fix significanly. Does the chip in this module support Assisted GPS (i.e. is it able to update the ephemeris on-the-fly?)
Hi,
I tried the xwaves svn link in your post withou sucess. There is an annonimous user to connect? I tried they website but there is no info about their SVN repository.
Thanks in advance !
Regards,
Rafael
@simba: I will address A-GPS in an upcoming post. B.t.w. will you be releasing the source code for your Hike.app anytime soon? It's a great app and it would be nice to add a few things to it.
@rafael: I just tried it out and it looks like they added password protection to it :( That wasn't there before.
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