Select LA-area iPhones insist they're in Boulder, Colorado

The iPhone's iteration of Google Maps has been shown up time and time again by Google Maps Navigation on Android, but a quirk this big just has to be linked to some Skyhook database issue. According to a new report coming from the LA area, select iPhone users in Southbay cities near Los Angeles are seeing their GPS software linked to Boulder, Colorado, and the issue has been going on for around a week now. What's curious is that the erroneous positioning affects other third-party iPhone GPS apps as well, and an ABC report notes that a "spokesperson at AT&T said the problem is with Apple." Pass the blame much, AT&T? So, have any of you LA-based iPhoners found yourself navigating to Folsom Field when trying to find your way to Rodeo Drive?

[Thanks, Charles]

[N900 Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:10PM]

@to86 DO you really think Engadget is on a mission to spite Apple and ONLY Apple at every angle? Stop taking this so seriously. "Liek OMG, Engadget is making fun of Apple again, bawwww".

[N900 Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:11PM]

oh, they deleted his comment quickly.

[gmac Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:11PM]

Butthurt appleboy? Its stating facts, they report of anything . Including the short comings of android or vzw's lack of 2.1... all fair game. Calm down we all know you love your iphone.

[gmac Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:46PM]

Well in the mean time, you can either /exclude apple, since you get so upset. OR get a nice RSS feed app, and don't include engadget if it bothers you so?

[N900 Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:53PM]

@to86 You see that's your problem: You keep assuming that Engadget is has lost some credibility or is biased in order to please other people. The whole assumption is completely untrue and only the most complete paranoid of paranoid could ever believe such an assumption. Engadget reports tech news and any other news relating to tech. And this article doesn't fall short in any way. If Android were to have such a problem, or any other company, you bet your ass that Engadget would make an article about it because it's relating to tech; with sarcasm and humorous wit to boot. Engadget is not out to please or piss off a certain group of people, and if you feel that way, there's the door.

[DarrenMurph Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:57PM]

@N900 to86 got himself banned, but I'd just like to point out that N900 has hit the nail on the head. Thanks for being mature enough to state the truth.

[Mikeserena Posted Mar 21st 2010 5:11PM]

@N900
Theres good and bad with the iPhone, Droid, Nexus 1, Palm Pre or any phone you care to name, We can argue all day but no phone or OS without fault.

[sirphunkee Posted Mar 21st 2010 3:49PM]

2 bars, and EDGE....classic lol

[knife Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:16PM]

@sirphunkee I don't even get 2 bars in Cupertino, CA ._.

[DoctarPeppar Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:48PM]

@sirphunkee LOL Epic observation.

[west10r Posted Mar 21st 2010 7:23PM]

@sirphunkee
I live in Lawton, Oklahoma and I can't fall below two bars of 3g within a 50mile radius. Just sayin.

[Valicore Posted Mar 21st 2010 9:35PM]

@west10r Oklahoma is pretty flat right? I don't think there are a lot of hills mountains buildings or trees interfering with signal.

[sirphunkee Posted Mar 21st 2010 10:21PM]

@sirphunkee

HEY!! They changed the picture!! Now it has 3 bars and 3G!! And Johnny Depp in place of the Hard Rock!!


SHENNANIGANS!!!!

[asfdsad Posted Mar 21st 2010 10:37PM]

@sirphunkee
The picture shows three bars and Wifi. What are you talking about?

[sirphunkee Posted Mar 22nd 2010 12:11AM]

@asfdsad

ok wifi, wtfever, I don't even have an iphone....my point was that when the pic first went up, it showed two bars, and EDGE. A few hours later, it changed. s'cool?

[gargle Posted Mar 22nd 2010 6:42AM]

@sirphunkee Engadget!!! you changed the picture.. it was Edge with 2 bars as sirphunkee said.. tsk tsk

[sirphunkee Posted Mar 21st 2010 3:50PM]

maybe the phones just WISH they were in Boulder

[MacBandit Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:05PM]

@sirphunkee

That was my first thoughts as well.

[TheSeventhSon Posted Mar 21st 2010 9:17PM]

@sirphunkee
True that, I love Boulder! And it doesn't hurt that it's about 20 minutes away from me :)

[felipedeeznuts Posted Mar 22nd 2010 4:51PM]

@TheSeventhSon I live in Wheat Ridge. Colorado rules. And, we have the only 850 MHz AT&T 3G in the nation (world?). Which is why while everyone else is bitching about their iPhone's coverage, I'm laughing it up with 5 bars of sweet HSDPA.

[N900 Posted Mar 21st 2010 3:54PM]

Well, Bolulder, Colorado is a nice place.

[Processing Posted Mar 21st 2010 3:56PM]

@N900 that may be, but what about Boulder, Colorado?

[N900 Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:06PM]

Lol, just realized my spelling fail. =P

[sideways8 Posted Mar 21st 2010 8:48PM]

@hated one Clearly.

[Steve B Posted Mar 21st 2010 8:56PM]

@hated one
I don't believe you. If you were, the phone would have corrected "iphone" to iPhone.

[felipedeeznuts Posted Mar 22nd 2010 4:55PM]

@Steve B Busted..."hated one" may be a little strong, perhaps "inconsequential one" is more descriptive.

[Voxer18 Posted Mar 21st 2010 3:57PM]

I'm not in So-Cal, but I'm in North TX and we just got 3G with AT&T this past week, but now my Current Location in Maps shows I'm 120 miles away in Flower Mound. Not quite as far a discrepancy, yet still unhelpful...

[project109x Posted Mar 21st 2010 9:45PM]

@Voxer18
I was in Joplin Mo the day AT&T turned on 3g and when I went home to Kansas City it still showed me there for several days- it'll refresh and work itself out- ps I did send a note to engadget but I suppose there are a couple less peeps to verify in Joplin!

[d889 Posted Mar 22nd 2010 2:50AM]

@Voxer18

a very big side note but my verizon tour using google maps it thought i was in the middle of the desert in arizona for a couple days... today getting a correct signal was been dicey

[first name Greatest Posted Mar 22nd 2010 2:26PM]

@project109x
Kansas City in the house!
...that is all lol

[gmac Posted Mar 21st 2010 3:59PM]

Funny cause I get 3 baars of 3G in my steel office with vzw. Go droid

[Midnitte Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:27PM]

@gmac

Why is your office made of steel? lol

[gmac Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:33PM]

Uh, steel frame?

[papplay Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:00PM]

wow..i am surprised..Iphone have issues

[coolbho3000 Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:05PM]

@Kunta Kinte I have not experienced any 3G or touch screen issues on my Nexus One (besides some spotty capacitive buttons - but the iPhone lacks these). Have you ever used one?

[Alexpeegs Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:06PM]

@summerboy18 Yeah get ready for an awesome 3.7in amoled and custimizability of android OS that you won't regret

[mr88 Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:08PM]

One time I was driving somewhere in the middle of Connecticut and my BlackBerry said I was in the middle of nowhere in south Jersey. I saw it first on Google Maps but also tried BlackBerry Maps and it said the same thing. I was moving at about 70mph but it said I was sitting still.

[Alexpeegs Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:09PM]

Dude just get a nexus one.
What's so hard? You can't go wrong.

[Smart People Play Tuba Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:18PM]

@Alexpeegs
If AT&T is the only carrier who has decent service in your area, it's kinda hard justifying $529 for a phone, since there's no downside to buying a subsidized phone on contract (since I can't go anywhere else anyway).

Such is my case anyway.

[onlymyrailgun Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:50PM]

@Alexpeegs
Unfortunately, Android doesn't have the apps that I need, so yeah, I can go wrong. I love Sense, but, you know, what I can't use, I can't use.

[etwashoo Posted Mar 21st 2010 5:06PM]

@Smart People Play Tuba

We've been over this before, buy your subsidized phone...sell on craigslist...buy nexus one. Now...wasn't that easy.

[The Geek Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:10PM]

@summerboy18 2 steps ahead of you...and loving it

[deej Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:10PM]

Somebody probably moved from Boulder and their WiFi access point(s) went with them... Since Skyhook uses MAC addresses of WiFi access points, if an access point moves the system breaks down until somebody corrects the data.

When my parents moved from one city to another my iPod Touch thought it was in the first city when I'd visit for several months until the Skyhook database got updated.

[Steve B Posted Mar 21st 2010 9:02PM]

@deej
Good theory, but some of the comments are implying that this is a pretty big problem. There have been issues from LA to SF so I don't think this is the case.

[mabhatter Posted Mar 21st 2010 9:49PM]

@deej I'd also venture that they are using GeoIP to collect the information from WiFi hotspots. This almost sounds like a group of neighborhoods got their CO switched. When I track my IP on Comcast, the first hit is always an office 70 miles away where Comcast connects to the Internet. I'd venture the same thing is going on here. The GeoIP data "lost" their connections so responds with the next connection closer to the Internet.. some "brown brick" in a Boulder industrial park.

[mazer75 Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:11PM]

It's not just in SF. Many people in the South Bay (Torrance CA) are having the exact same problem. Including me. And my friends in this area. There is a discussion already going on here about it:
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=878836

This has been going on for nearly three weeks now. And it sucks.

[Poot Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:39PM]

@mazer75 ya I've seen this issue in the inland empire... Socal... As well.

[Springdaddy Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:13PM]

Man, some of you folks and fanboys are lame ... this sounds like a glitch in the servers or something. But then again, my degree is in PR so I have no idea how this tech stuff works.

[onlymyrailgun Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:55PM]

@Springdaddy
Use your PR skills to calm the mob down! We must prevent them from switching to SkynetPhone!

[CJ100570 Posted Mar 21st 2010 4:15PM]

My Droid has shown me in Colorado a time or 2 moving along at over 200 miles an hour even though I was sitting on the couch in my apartment in Houston.