Has anybody else drawn the conclusion that an aluminum case (like this one from PDAir) interferes with the internal GPS of the N810? I've run tests both with & without & I definitely get a faster lock without. I could only find one post where the poster assumes it would, which does makes sense, but I'd just like to know if there was a consensus before hunting for a new case.

It's too bad. I _really_ like the case otherwise . TX

The antennas of the N810 are hidden behind the plastic part above the battery door at the back of the device. If you cover this with metal, you will not have good reception indeed.

I stopped using the metal case & ordered a book-style leather one off ebay. Been using the factory pouch, it's ok but I look forward to getting a proper case. Thanks.

I've lived with the leather case a while now & am getting a little disgruntled. It's fallen off my belt a twice now & gets in the way. I've also found that the plastic sheet of this case that covers the keyboard is quite a hindrance & most of the time I take it out to type.

So I tried the aluminum case again, and the interference with the GPS is of course still as bad as I remember it, which leads me to my new question. I don't suppose anyone knows of a non-metal case that's similar to the Pdair/Boxwave aluminum one? Leather, plastic, whatever, but still with a clear screen covering like the aluminum cases have? I've searched around both on & off ebay, but no luck.

tx

Metal will definitely block GPS signals, as will water. But if you want protection, metal is superior to leather or plastic. You could remove the NIT from the case when you need to use the GPS, but I realize it's a PITA. I have no other case suggestions.

Thanks for the reply. I've resorted to using an external bluetooth GPS for now. Seems like a waste, but then again, most of the time I do get quicker locks . I'll stick with this until I get tired of carrying around the bluetooth GPS. At that point I'll probably revive this thread again & complain about it some more .

If you really need GPS, an external bluetooth unit is the way to go. You can put it wherever you like, and where it gets good reception. There are keychain models available that reportedly work well. When using the internal GPS, remember where the antenna is, and that the water in your thumb is enough to completely block the GPS signals.

How bad is the interference? If you get a fix before putting the n810 into the case, will it have trouble keeping it? I've been thinking about getting one of these to turn into a bicycle mount, but since GPS would be the main use, it sounds like I might have to look for something else.

N810's internal gps antenna is the poorest one I've seen. Hardly believe that it works. That's IMO the cause of all gps related issues. Covering it with any metal can degrade it's (hard to spell in this case) "performance" a lot.

I would be surprised if the GPS worked at all inside an aluminum case.