Location Sensitivity - Cell Phone GPS
This is basically a system to locate the handheld when making a call to 911. In the mid to late 1990's, many people got cell phones just for the emergency use of being able to call for help almost anywhere. The problem came up when statistics showed that almost 92% of all serious 911 calls, (where the person was just barely able to make the call), they either didn't know where they were or was unable to tell the 911 operator where they were, or they might not have been able to talk at all. This caused a big concern, 911 operators couldn't do anything but listen to the person on their cell phone as they pass away. The Location Sensitivity system still doesn't work if you are in an area that only has an analog signal. (Which is the older cellular system of the mid 1990's and earlier). Most metropolitan areas and all interstate freeways are covered by the newer digital service. It's just when you get out in the middle of no-where, you might end up with an analog signal. Most phones will display the letter "A" in the top right or left corner when using this system. Check your phone documentation, some phones don't even have this capability. Which means if you get into one of these areas, you can't make any type of call what-so-ever.
Soon, the Location Sensitivity feature will probably be offered by the cellular companies as part of their pricing plan. Some carriers like Nextel are already taking advantage of this new technology by giving customers a GPS location service along with their calling plan. If you don't have this option with your carrier, and you have a Smartphone you can always purchase one of the SD slot GPS units that works with mapping software. The program I've really enjoyed is Mapopolis, which works great with most of the popular GPS hardware available. And most even have a voice activation that will tell you where to turn, which is directed through the speaker phone portion of the Smartphones. The ability to have GPS information and mapping on your handheld will be a great plus while traveling.
Back to the Location Sensitivity. I'm just wondering how much the cellular companies are going to charge for such a GPS type service!? I'm sure they're all working hard right now on the new pricing plans that we'll have to pay if you don't have the GPS hardware to install on your Smartphone.
When these services become available, they will only be location based. Another words, most GPS's these days will actually give you your current altitude and most have a pretty fast refresh rate. The refresh rate is the time between position updates. An example; If you have a GPS in your hand that refreshed three times per second, this would be a very acturate reading. Even if you are driving at 70 miles per hour, the moving map on the GPS will be able to keep up with your actual location. That's an issue the engineers are dealing with on the Location Sensitivity system. It wasn't designed to have any type of refresh rate at all. Once a position has been found, it never was designed to refresh that position. (I guess if you are hurt, and you called 911, you aren't supposed to be moving. Hmmm, So if you fell off a bridge, and landed in the back of a truck driving down the interestate, I'm not sure if they would be able to locate you. They would know where you were when you first dialed 911, but as your location changes, they might not be able to find you). Supposedly, the 911 operator can pull a refresh, this would at least tell them the direction the vehicle is moving. But to locate you while you're moving, might be more difficult than anyone had expected.
Another problem with many of the handheld units, the actual speed of the processors within them. Most cell phones operate on around 1 to 2 MHz processor speed. Most Smartphones operate anywhere between 30 to 500 MHz. (Most new home computers are operating between 2 to 4 GHz processor speed, just to give you an idea). This is where the engineers are running into the biggest problem with creating a GPS refresh rate. The processors in all handhelds will just have to be faster than they are today. And like all of our other technolgies, I'm sure this won't be a problem very much longer for the designers.
Hmmm, soon we'll have Pentium 9 cellular and Smartphones running at 8 GHz processor speed! You know it's going to come to this, and it's not that far away.
Robert Lett
http://www.robertlett.com
Let me ask you a question: How much is your computer worth when you or your employees are sitting in front of it? Now, how much is that same computer worth when you or your employees aren't sitting in front of it?
When you're out of the office and that potiential client calls, do you have to tell them that you will get in touch with them when you return to the office? Is that potiential client calling your competition in the mean time to see if they get a better response? What if you could have all your important files with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Hanging on your belt or sitting in your purse, and it wouldn't weigh too much more than the cell phone you are currently carrying.
Order now at the discounted price for reading this article at http://www.robertlett.com/order.htm
For a free copy of our ebook, email a blank email to: mailto:ebook@robertlett.com Want more information? Take a look at: http://www.robertlett.com/whatisit5.htm Get our free monthly tips and updates newsletter, email us at subscribe@robertlett.com
Phone Resources:
Cellular Phones – Things to Consider When Buying a Phone
Staying connected with a cell phone has become a way of life for most people. As a result, there are many types of cell phones on the market.
Get a "Virtual Phone Number" - Eliminate Long Distance Charges with VoIP Phone Service
There's a revolution brewing in the telephone industry. But it's not the recent demise of AT&T or the failure of Worldcom.
Sprint PCS Cellular Phones
Almost everyone, in regards to phone services, is familiar with the name Sprint. Founded in year 1899 in Abilene Kansas, by a man named Cleyson L. Brown, Sprint telephone company was then called Brown Telephone Company. Brown Telephone Company underwent a quick growth spurt due to its technical advances, and became great in the telephone industry by the year 1976. However, it wasn't until 1989 that Sprint International emerged as a worldwide name. Sprint's sudden success was in part because of its series of technological advances such as the first nationwide fiber-optic transmission, as well as the first fiber-optic transatlantic phone call.
Take Advantage of Internet Phone Calls (VOIP)
Voice Over IP (VOIP) is a relatively new technology. Voice Over IP allows people to leave behind the old and very traditional analogue phone networks and now adapt in favor of the very new and very progressive Internet-based calling system infrastructure.
Free PC to Phone Calls: Shrink The World With VoIP
Does the thought of phone bills gives you creeps? Do you still dread the post which may bring your phone bill? Then you surely need the VoIP telephony remedy as it is known to have given relief to numerous others like you smitten with communication expenses.
Free PC to Phone Calls: The Computer is Now The Free Call Making Phone
The technology that is perhaps making headlines in the mediums being used by human beings is VoIP in the present era and the improvements that are being provided with this technology are wonderful enough to entice users all over the world to shift their tools of making phone calls using the VoIP technology.
Advantages Of VoIP Broadband Phone Service
There are many advantages of VoIP broadband phone service. Over the next couple of years phone over Internet will be the norm for most homes and businesses.
Telephone Options: Cell Phones, VoIP, And Standard Phone Lines
Ah, the almighty telephone?if only Alexander Graham Bell were here to see what has become of his wonderful invention! If it wasn?t amazing enough to be able to communicate by phone in the first place, now we?re doing so wirelessly from practically everywhere.
Oxygen Phone Manager Series: Bringing Access to a Cell Phone by Means of PC
It has become much easier and cheaper to register for Oxygen Phone Manager Series since the introduction of Software as a Service offer (5.95 Euro a month).
What's Your IQ on Basic PC Phone (VoIP) Knowledge
Short T/F quiz1. T / F You can save a significant amount of money using VoIP rather than traditional telephone/cell phone calling methods.
PDA Cell Phones - the New Generation of Wireless Phones
It's time you know what the latest technological gadget is. In fact, this new toy is buzzing everywhere nowadays.
VoIP Broadband Phone Services Explained
VOIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol and it is the technology which makes it possible to make telephone calls over your broadband internet connection instead of through the traditional telephone network. There are a variety of telecommunications companies now providing VOIP phone services which allow you to make cheap or sometimes free telephone calls through your internet connection.
The Fruits of Telecommunication and Smart Phone Labour: Blackberry vs IPhone
For those of us who can?t leave the office behind, the new range of smart phones for business are making it increasingly easy to be a workaholic For telecommunications the two models are fairly evenly matched, you can make and receive calls but with these multimedia devices you?ll want to be doing a lot more than that
Worldwide Phone Services Launched for Fixed Phones, Mobile Phones, and VoIP
NAVEGO, Inc. announces the global launch of NAVEGO Worldwide Phone Services, providing flexibility and low rates for fixed and mobile phone lines, as well as dial-up and broadband voice-over IP.
Cell Phone Terminology - The ABCs of Cellular Phones
If you are planning to take a trip overseas and want to know if your present cell phone will work, you will need to know the meaning of a variety of cell phone terms Most of these definitions deal with cell phone networks and the types of phones that can be used with them