javascript geolocation on android doesn't work

I am developing a website that relies on pulling the geolocation data of a mobile user. I am doing it the typical way via:

function initialize() {
   if(window.google && google.gears) {
        var geo = google.gears.factory.create('beta.geolocation');
        geo.getCurrentPosition(useLocation, errorOnLocate);
   }
   else if(navigator.geolocation) {
       navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(useLocation, errorOnLocate);
   }
   else {
       alert("no geo found");
   }
}

function errorOnLocate(message)
{
    alert(message);
    zoomTo(-34.397, 150.644);
}

This always fails with [object PositionError] in to the errorOnLocate function, even if I switch the geolocation method order.

This is on an HTC Hero with android 2.1 using whatever browser is built in. My gps is on and I have instructed the browser to allow websites to view my location. The "location" feature on the google map native application that comes on the phone picks up my location just fine

Further more if I visit my site using FireFox 3.5 on my personal computer it will find my location correctly.(I believe it uses a combination of ip and ap data points). Either way, it uses the same javascript.

EDIT: This is html/js in a browser, not a native app. Also the exact error message is 'The last location provider was disabled'

Solution

Is this being accessed from a WebView or from the Android Browser app? If from a WebView, you may need to enable geolocation via a Java call. See the WebView reference for that.

Otherwise, I'm not sure precisely what's wrong with your JS, but here's HTML+JS that I know works with the Android browser:

<!DOCTYPE html> 
<html> 
<head> 
  <script type="text/javascript"> 
function watchLocation(successCallback, errorCallback) {
  successCallback = successCallback || function(){};
  errorCallback = errorCallback || function(){};

  // Try HTML5-spec geolocation.
  var geolocation = navigator.geolocation;

  if (geolocation) {
    // We have a real geolocation service.
    try {
      function handleSuccess(position) {
        successCallback(position.coords);
      }

      geolocation.watchPosition(handleSuccess, errorCallback, {
        enableHighAccuracy: true,
        maximumAge: 5000 // 5 sec.
      });
    } catch (err) {
      errorCallback();
    }
  } else {
    errorCallback();
  }
}

function init() {
  watchLocation(function(coords) {
    document.getElementById('test').innerHTML = 'coords: ' + coords.latitude + ',' + coords.longitude;
  }, function() {
    document.getElementById('test').innerHTML = 'error';
  });
}
  </script> 
</head> 

<body onload="init()"> 
  <div id="test">Loading...</div> 
</body> 
</html>