windows 10 maps and GPS

Hello Dave,

What do you mean by GPS integration? The Windows 10 Maps app has turn by turn navigation support for any device with an integrated GPS (or a GPS device that works with the Windows Location Platform).

'Fraid not. A previous MS answer here said GPS didn't work and it doesn't in Windows 10 for me. Now Maps crashes out on load anyway and deleting and reloading it and all the maps has no effect. It doesn't load.  Blue screen, black screen, crash.

I've reported that up here and had no answer, except being told to reload it, which doesn't make any difference.

I know what you mean about not being able to find a GPS Receiver that works with Microsoft Maps in Windows 10. I had to install a little program called GPSDirect on my Stream 7 Windows 10 upgraded tablet in order to get my Bluetooth GPS Receiver to work. Its all playing together well now but why oh why Microsoft couldn't just maintain support for standard Bluetooth version 1.1 NMEA0183 Receivers I'll never know. Maybe someone from Microsoft can throw some light on this?

Microsoft are also missing a major opportunity by not making the GPS Receiver in their Band 2 compatible with Windows 10 tablets and laptops. This would enable those who have such hardware that's missing GPS Receiver hardware (even the premium Surface models come to mind) to at last fully utilise Microsoft Maps.

The problem is that it is difficult to move on to design flaws in the product with such an obvious bug causing problems. The absence of way points, the lack of the ability to mark roads as closed (MS have never heard of the recent floods in the UK) and the inability for the user to say "all of the suggested routes are rubbish, lets try again" is irritating. An example of MS know best?

I don't know how up to date the Maps are for the USA, but the detail in Europe is poor, verging on inadequate. Furthermore, when I travel down a motorway for many miles which 'Maps' says does not exist, you would think that at the next internet connection during update the 'Maps' system might acquire that data for consideration.  

The problem is that it is difficult to move on to design flaws in the product with such an obvious bug causing problems.

Not sure I can see where you're coming from Dave Gayler, surely before adding further detail to the map content (and that includes revisions due to road changes and additions), its worth making sure existing hardware that worked with previous versions of Windows such as my fTech Bluetooth GPS Receiver (which complies with the above Bluetooth and GPS standards), should at least work under Windows 10 natively. This means those responsible for the integration of Microsoft Maps into Windows 10 need to do some bug fixing.

Its all well and good complaining about roads missing from your map data but I've had that problem with other (far more established) GPS mapping providers. At least you are getting some roads showing in the first place!

If you want to know more about how Windows 10 has 'broken' support for many existing GPS hardware receivers (including those that connect through 'non-proprietary' Bluetooth). ask yourself why are there products such as GPSDirect to try and fix the issue. Surely the fact that people are going to the trouble of developing software to get around this common issue should indicate Microsoft has dropped the ball.

I agree with much of your comment. However, once you have circumvented the very real problems with GPS which I accept are a major concern, there is little point in having a voice and image system which indicates time after time that you must take a road which no longer exists, never existed and will never be built. The underlying design fault for me is that not only will the system take you over a road which may be somewhere where you will probably meet a train head on, but it will do U turns ad nauseam and take other circuitous routes which are intended to force you to take a road that does not exist. As soon as you find a road which is useless you cannot trust the mapping system (or many other SatNavs) to give you alternatives.

As far as I can see this system is based on the "it'll do" principle:- it'll do for the accountants so the user can shut up.

I hope after the Vista debacle and all that cost MS that approach to software release is being abandoned. It would seem that in the case of the Maps app it is still alive and well.

Since getting Windows 10 Maps up and running on my tablet using GPSDirect I've not encountered any such errors in my (albeit limited) testing so clearly 'your mileage may vary' depending where you go and which maps you use. About the only improvement so far that I'd like to see (other than fixed support to work fully and natively with my 'standard' Bluetooth GPS receiver) is the ability to display speed on just an ordinary (non-directions generated) map. My old TomTom did this and it's a useful feature.

Any news Analy from Microsoft on why my Bluetooth Receiver doesn't work with the Windows 10 Location platform when its worked with previous OS's and when you'll have this fixed please?

Windows 10 does not have native support for most GPS devices.

For most if not all USB and Bluetooth devices you need a driver that is not in the windows library.

See http://www.turboirc.com/gps7/ for solutions to these and other issues. ($10)

You can use your Android or iOS phone as a GPS source with the turboirc driver plus an app from the Google or Apple App Stores. ($10)

The USB driver works with my Surface Book using Windows 10 and the Windows 10 Map program.  You can download and test the driver for free.  Pay only if it works.

Regards,

Paul L Bristol

Yep Microsoft dropped the ball on this one alright and left out relevant drivers/coding that had worked with previous versions of Windows (with no explanation of why either). As mentioned, I already have GPS direct installed (and paid for) on my HP Stream 7. I also have a Stream 8 tablet with built in GPS/GNSS hardware and that works natively with Windows 8.1 Here Maps and Windows 10 Maps so at least Microsoft got that right.

Just like my Tablets and home PC, my phones are all Windows ones and the only Android device here is a Tablet one of my employers provides for work purposes. Its pretty much similar hardware to my Stream 8 but without cellular data capability and with Jellybean installed - I don't like it but its essential to use the software my employer relies upon.