GolfLogix/iPhone question

Hendrix · May 30, 2011

Its pretty hard to play golf in Hong Kong unless you're a billionaire, so most of us non-billionaires have to leave the country to play - Macau, China, occasionally Thailand etc. Unfortunately, once you get outside your home market, data roaming charges are murderous.

My question is, does the GolfLogix iPhone app access the internet DURING a round? Will I be able to load a course before I leave home, and be able to use the app, with data roaming turned off, later in the day? Once a round is complete, will it still be loaded for next time I go out (for example, if I play 36 in a day)?

If yes, the next question is will this loading of a course into the phone survive a plane ride - ie, if I have to switch it off or put it in airplane mode, will a course I loaded at home still be loaded in to the phone at the other end?

I've had a bit of a read around various forums and the answer is not immediately obvious.

Thanks

Hendrix

PlaskiGolfer · May 30, 2011

The problem with this is that for the GPS to be accurate in a cell phone it needs to use data to triangulate its position between towers. It may work without data enabled but it will be less accurate. I believe the courses loaded save to internal memory so you should be ok to switch it off during your flight

Hendrix · June 1, 2011

[quote name='PlaskiGolfer' timestamp='1306800027' post='3273353']
The problem with this is that for the GPS to be accurate in a cell phone it needs to use data to triangulate its position between towers. It may work without data enabled but it will be less accurate. I believe the courses loaded save to internal memory so you should be ok to switch it off during your flight
[/quote]

Thanks Plaski. Guess I'll just have to wait until my next round - not anytime soon - and see what happens.

Vendetta7 · June 1, 2011

I can't tell you exactly what will happen, or how the app that you're using works. But, I can tell you that the iPhone can use GPS to determine your location without the use of a data connection via the cellular network. For many typical applications of GPS, this is useless because it is pointless to have you're phone show you your location without any relative positioning to get your bearings. For example, using the Maps application, it will plot the pulsating blue dot, but it will be just be on top of a grey grid if you don't have a data connection, because the phone is using the data connection to retrieve the relevant maps. However, if the app you're using has preloaded maps (the one I use does), I'm not so sure the data connection is necessary.

Next time I go out, I'll remove my SIM and see if I can still use the app.

Hendrix · June 2, 2011

[quote name='Vendetta7' timestamp='1306970953' post='3278508']
I can't tell you exactly what will happen, or how the app that you're using works. But, I can tell you that the iPhone can use GPS to determine your location without the use of a data connection via the cellular network. For many typical applications of GPS, this is useless because it is pointless to have you're phone show you your location without any relative positioning to get your bearings. For example, using the Maps application, it will plot the pulsating blue dot, but it will be just be on top of a grey grid if you don't have a data connection, because the phone is using the data connection to retrieve the relevant maps. However, if the app you're using has preloaded maps (the one I use does), I'm not so sure the data connection is necessary.

Next time I go out, I'll remove my SIM and see if I can still use the app.
[/quote]

Thanks V7. The reason I asked is that I read somewhere - maybe on these forums, maybe elsewhere - that the GolfLogix (which I'm leaning towards as it logs and saves club distances, which none of the others seem to do) app only loads part of a course at a time and updates it as you move through the course....which obviously won't work if I have roaming turned off. I'm not due to play for a while (waiting for the new clubs to arrive - 4-6 weeks - you guys in the US don't know how good you've got it), so was just wondering if anyone knew the answer.....I can obviously test it out myself (they give a couple of free trial rounds before you have to start paying the yearly subscription) eventually.

Vendetta7 · June 2, 2011

[quote name='Hendrix' timestamp='1307024816' post='3279801']
[quote name='Vendetta7' timestamp='1306970953' post='3278508']
I can't tell you exactly what will happen, or how the app that you're using works. But, I can tell you that the iPhone can use GPS to determine your location without the use of a data connection via the cellular network. For many typical applications of GPS, this is useless because it is pointless to have you're phone show you your location without any relative positioning to get your bearings. For example, using the Maps application, it will plot the pulsating blue dot, but it will be just be on top of a grey grid if you don't have a data connection, because the phone is using the data connection to retrieve the relevant maps. However, if the app you're using has preloaded maps (the one I use does), I'm not so sure the data connection is necessary.

Next time I go out, I'll remove my SIM and see if I can still use the app.
[/quote]

Thanks V7. The reason I asked is that I read somewhere - maybe on these forums, maybe elsewhere - that the GolfLogix (which I'm leaning towards as it logs and saves club distances, which none of the others seem to do) app only loads part of a course at a time and updates it as you move through the course....which obviously won't work if I have roaming turned off. I'm not due to play for a while (waiting for the new clubs to arrive - 4-6 weeks - you guys in the US don't know how good you've got it), so was just wondering if anyone knew the answer.....I can obviously test it out myself (they give a couple of free trial rounds before you have to start paying the yearly subscription) eventually.
[/quote]

I really hope I remember to try this out the next time I play, because I'm genuinely curious at this point.

RRFireblade · June 3, 2011

Not an I phone but.... I can use my GPS without tower input. In fact for some reason if I don't turn that function off golflx tells me something is wrong.

The one issue tho is if the app shuts down it seems to reload from scratch so I don't think you'd make it all the way to the course from home. The other is based on the data exchange up front I'm pretty sure it must load the course or some of the data in increments.

Hendrix · June 3, 2011

[quote name='RRFireblade' timestamp='1307073724' post='3281524']
Not an I phone but.... I can use my GPS without tower input. In fact for some reason if I don't turn that function off golflx tells me something is wrong.

The one issue tho is if the app shuts down it seems to reload from scratch so I don't think you'd make it all the way to the course from home. The other is based on the data exchange up front I'm pretty sure it must load the course or some of the data in increments.
[/quote]

I think from home (car or ferry) would be OK - the iPhone has (or seems to be able to have) apps running in the background, so as long as I didn't quit the app or turn the phone off, I'd be OK. Taking it on a plane would probably be a whole 'nother matter though.

Vendetta7 · June 3, 2011

[quote name='Hendrix' timestamp='1307097763' post='3281783']
[quote name='RRFireblade' timestamp='1307073724' post='3281524']
Not an I phone but.... I can use my GPS without tower input. In fact for some reason if I don't turn that function off golflx tells me something is wrong.

The one issue tho is if the app shuts down it seems to reload from scratch so I don't think you'd make it all the way to the course from home. The other is based on the data exchange up front I'm pretty sure it must load the course or some of the data in increments.
[/quote]

I think from home (car or ferry) would be OK - the iPhone has (or seems to be able to have) apps running in the background, so as long as I didn't quit the app or turn the phone off, I'd be OK. Taking it on a plane would probably be a whole 'nother matter though.
[/quote]

Airplane mode.

RRFireblade · June 3, 2011

[quote name='Hendrix' timestamp='1307097763' post='3281783']
[quote name='RRFireblade' timestamp='1307073724' post='3281524']
Not an I phone but.... I can use my GPS without tower input. In fact for some reason if I don't turn that function off golflx tells me something is wrong.

The one issue tho is if the app shuts down it seems to reload from scratch so I don't think you'd make it all the way to the course from home. The other is based on the data exchange up front I'm pretty sure it must load the course or some of the data in increments.
[/quote]

I think from home (car or ferry) would be OK - the iPhone has (or seems to be able to have) apps running in the background, so as long as I didn't quit the app or turn the phone off, I'd be OK. Taking it on a plane would probably be a whole 'nother matter though.
[/quote]

The plane and overall time was my thought. I have a galaxy and run multi apps too but I've fired up golflgx at home to check a course and sometimes it still reloads later when I get there. Not sure why.

I mean you never know tho.