External GPS receiver for Ipad Wifi

nava

Hi

I wonder can anyone recommend any external GPS bluetooth receiver for an Ipad Wifi only to use with Navigon app.

Been searching around and looks like they will be about €100 so looking for something cheaper, much cheaper if there's such a thing.

Thanks

ironclaw

A bluetooth tethered iPhone will send GPS data (At a slow rate) to the iPad. I'm not sure if any standalone Bluetooth GPS module will work with the iPad.

smurfjed

We use the XGPS 150, costs about $90 plus delivery charges, capable of picking up a signal even in the middle of the atlantic, battery life is about 10 hours.

smurfjed

coylemj

There are several matchbox size models on Dealextreme, go to dx.com and search for 'gps bluetooth receiver'

Shortcut: http://dx.com/s/gps+bluetooth+receiver

Can't guarantee that the iPad will talk to one though.

nava

Hi

Thanks for the suggestions, I cannot do the tethered Iphone as it will be abroad and cannot use data.

I have the Holux Receiver (M-1000B) that I bought a few years back in DX but doesn't work with the Ipad, as is not found, I checked some of the others in DX but will be hard to know what models will work with the Ipad

coylemj

nava wrote: »

I have the Holux Receiver (M-1000B) that I bought a few years back in DX but doesn't work with the Ipad, as is not found, I checked some of the others in DX but will be hard to know what models will work with the Ipad

I have that Holux M-1000B as well, it works with older Nokia phones which did (E55) and did not (E51) have built-in GPS. As far as I'm aware the GPS receivers all function in the same way and if the Holux doesn't talk to the iPad then in all probability neither will any of the other GPS Bluetooth receivers on the market.

I also have this Globalsat BT368 model, it's thinner than the Holux but the battery isn't removable. It functions in exactly the same way and like the Holux has three lights and a mini-USB port for charging.



I have a 4th generation iPod Touch which does not have built-in GPS yet it won't talk to either the Holux or Globalsat so I wouldn't hold out much hope that the iPad will work with that technology either.

I find it crazy that a device with a mapping app and no built-in GPS isn't capable of accepting a GPS feed from an external device but that seems to be the way Apple has decided it will be!

smurfjed

The Holux M-1000B wont work with the IPAD as there is no APP for it. Be careful of buying a GPS without doing research.

smurfjed

coylemj

smurfjed wrote: »

The Holux M-1000B wont work with the IPAD as there is no APP for it. Be careful of buying a GPS without doing research.

smurfjed

Your XGPS150 device has a switch which controls whether the device outputs NMEA or Apple protocol. NMEA is the 'esperanto' of GPS devices, it's supported by most GPS devices designed to output data and allows them to feed data to a wide range of navigation devices and apps.

The OP's Holux and my Globalsat are NMEA only so you are correct, they will not work with Apple devices.

OP, hope you got all that. Here is the product data for smurfjed's device, you can see in the specifications section that it supports Apple and NMEA protocols.

http://gps.dualav.com/explore-by-product/xgps150a/

In this review it states that there is a switch to select which mode you want...

The Mini USB plug is on the side protected by a plastic cover. There is also a mode switch there. For iOS devices, the switch needs to be on one side. For other devices, the switch needs to be on the other side.

http://www.iphonelife.com/blog/5811/review-dual-xgps150-universal-bluetooth-gps-receiver

So that clears up a mystery that has been bothering me for a while and the explanation is that Apple have invented their own GPS protocol - so much for open standards

coylemj

According to discussion threads I can see elsewhere, the two most popular devices for providing a GPS Bluetooth feed to Apple devices are the XGPS150 and the GNS 5870 MFI

If you search on Amazon for 'gps bluetooth receiver', the ones that support Apple devices are identified in the product title, the GNS 5870 MFI is priced at £66 ..............

http://www.amazon.co.uk/5870-Bluetooth-Receiver-iPhone-iPad/dp/B004289ZW0/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1369173563&sr=1-9&keywords=gps+bluetooth+receiver

Here is the manufacturer's product webpage....

http://www.gns-gmbh.com/index.php?id=237&L=1

smurfjed's XGPS150 device is the one with the red centre in the Amazon page above.