GPS does not always start.
Since updating my Acer Iconia A500 to Honeycombe 3.2, I am still having trouble with the GPS. The symptoms are, start a program such as Google Maps and the indication is that it’s connecting to the GPS and waiting for a fix. When in fact the GPS is not connecting and does not appear to be active.
How did I determine that the GPS is not active, well if I wait a few minutes we do not get a fix, so I then start up the GPS Status application from the Android market. This starts the GPS and after 3-4 mins (the satellites start to appear) I get a fix. If I now go back to Google Maps it will connect and I get a map fix in 20-30 seconds. This seems to happen with other GPS applications. I have no idea why some applications do not start up the GPS but I suspect they connect via an internal serial port which may monitor the state of DTR (data terminal ready) to turn on the GPS. By running the GPS status application this turns on the GPS an then other applications will connect OK. This may not be a problem with the A500 but with the Application not making the correct assertions when requesting a connect to the GPS.
Work around to help with GPS issues.
Help work around these problems, try installing the GPS status application and running that first this will start up the GPS.
I have noticed that the GPS once started seem to remain running since Honeycombe V 3.2 was installed. Well the little Icon on the status line keeps flashing once started. It would help if Acer came out with a good User Guide for all the inbuilt sensors. Like the Gravity sensor. Yes I know I could Google, but I spend all day looking and that’s if i can come up with the correct search string! If we had the device types we could get the data sheets. No I am not going to open up my Iconia!
Google Maps still decides to die from time to time so do other applications but in general Honeycombe 3.2 is more stable and maybe the apps.
Oldtimer.