iPod location awareness now working
I previously blogged about the location feature of my iPod Touch not working, and Skyhook Wireless allowing you to add your WiFi access point to their database. I added one of mine on 11th July, and a couple of days ago noticed while browsing Maps that my iTouch now recognises its location when I am at home.
The screenshot above shows the view that greets me when I use the ‘find my location’ button in the bottom left of the screen. Basshead Towers is in the middle of the blue circle, so all Maps knows is that I am somewhere within connection range of the access point. This now opens up a category of iPhone apps using the location awareness feature for local content.
I spoke to another iTouch owner last night who has a strange problem with the location awareness feature. If he is in his back garden the Maps app thinks he is in Farnham. If he moves to his front garden, Maps uses the correct location of Southend-on-Sea. I can only think there is a WiFi access point nearby that was mapped by Skyhook Wireless in Farnham and has since moved to Southend-on-Sea either by the owner moving or selling the hardware. This raises the question of how often will Skyhook Wireless update their database.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.
I had the same experience. I moved my wireless router with me from one city to another. Skyhook updated my information in their own databases between one and two weeks after I submitted my new location (based on using their location widget on their website). My iPod touch started recognizing my new location about a week after I noticed the Skyhook website recognizing it.