Anyone get location to work in new Google Maps?

[jdawson]

Anyone ...
Really like to also know if anyone in Canada had luck with it.

[bhauke]

I'm in the U.S. and it hasn't worked for me yet.

[westiedog]

I am here in Knoxville and the google map locator was right on target. It found me.

[goodkd]

Question about the map app. Can you download a map or directions while you have a wifi connection (say, at home) and then take the "file" or screen shot with you in the car where you will NOT have wifi?

[mach_zero]

I think it depends on where you are. Probably the closer you are to a major population center, the more likely it is to work. I live in BFE and I haven't gotten it to work either. Google and Skyhook are doing all the hotspot mapping for this feature and I'm willing to bet they only concentrated on the major cities and their outlying suburbs. Hopefully they'll continue on to the less populated areas and it will expand over time.

[redbridgeroad]

it works fine for me, but only when i am connected to an unlocked wifi hotspot with an internet connection.... i was under the impression that i didn't need to connect to the internet for this to work, for example, i have a strong signal of 4 different hotspots but they're all password protected, i thought the maps locator could find me anyway... I'm a little annoyed

[Allocentric]

Canada? Haven't made it over to Ontario, yet (I'm in Michigan), but it should work if you're within the coverage area.

Skyhook Wireless is providing the location information, and according to their press release on Google Maps for iPhone/iPod touch (http://www.skyhookwireless.com/press/skyhookapple.php), they indicate that, "Skyhook has built a database of over 23 million Wi-Fi access points with their locations," and, "Skyhook's location coverage today includes 70% of the U.S. and Canadian populations, the top metropolitan areas of Europe and expanding coverage in Asia." Keep in mind they cover 70% of the population (where people live), *not* 70% of land area. They also provide a basic coverage map (http://www.skyhookwireless.com/howitworks/coverage.php), which should answer most coverage questions.

And yes, you do need to be connected to at least one Access Point (AP) - you can't simply have them "visible," but not logged into any of them. The database of location information is stored on Skyhook's servers (as opposed to being stored directly on your iPod touch), and since the "Where Am I?" request need to access those servers, there needs to be some way for the iPod to communicate with those servers. If you're not connected to an AP, that obviously isn't able to happen.

This also means that you need to be successfully logged into the AP (even if it's an open AP). For example, the T-Mobile Hotspot service at many Starbucks locations requires you to log in before you can do access anything else through that AP. That means that if you're not logged in, "Where Am I?" requests to Skyhook can't happen. Once you've logged in, you'll be good to go.

[Allocentric]

Can you download a map or directions while you have a wifi connection (say, at home) and then take the "file" or screen shot with you in the car where you will NOT have wifi?The Maps application caches maps for previously viewed areas, so those *should* be available if you browsed around that area of the map ahead of time. Keep in mind, though, that you'll need to do all the zooming in/out of areas, too, if you need that information. Additionally, viewing the cached maps is all you'll be able to do... doing a search for a business (or even pinpointing an address from someone in your contacts) requires a data connection.

Unfortunately, I don't know long the Maps application caches that information, so if you need a map area for a particular trip, browse around right before you're planning on heading out. To make sure you've got what you need, shut off WiFi on your iPod touch *before* you leave and test the Maps application without the data connection. If you find you're missing an area, you can quickly re-enable WiFi and get those map sections cached before you're out of range of an Access Point.

[tarkin]

Windsor, Ontario area here. Have yet to have it find me.

[Sparkee]

It hasn't found me any where in Saskatchewan yet.

[Touchmyipod]

I have had no problems. I live in Los Angeles and just used it over my private wifi, and public wifi at the coffee bean store. Both times it was pinpoint!

Posted from iPod Touch