BlackBerry Cool

I’m a Verizon Customer and an considering moving to a new carrier in March when my contract is up.
My question is:
Which carriers are the most “open” in the respect of giving the customer the most of what the Blackberry was built to do?

I downloaded the updated software patch for the BB8830 from Verizon’s website, updated my phone, activated VZ Navigator for $9.99 (ouch, gouge, gouge), only to discover that VZ Navigator *STILL* doesn’t Frickin’ work!

After speaking with 6 people last night, 2 network engineers, 2 tech support people, 1 customer service, and 1 supervisor no one could figure it out.

I think Verizon has handled this very poorly from the get go. I was promised GPS would work on this phone when I bought it this past JULY. I’m still waiting. And every excuse for *TESTING* and *SECURITY* is worth crap – and is just that, an excuse.

They had this phone in development prior to July for how long? Now, almost 6 months later VZ Navigator is DOA. I am righteously ticked. I pay for an unlimited data contract $99/mo and now I have to fork over another $10 a month for something that AT&T, Sprint, and (shudder, gasp) T-Mobile offer for free since BB’s ship with GPS active and working?

Verizon ain’t no software company, they should leave to the pro’s – or better yet open source community. Verizon’s recent announcement of ‘opening’ their network not withstanding, open? Unlock my friggin’ phone for Cripe’s Sake – It ain’t rocket science – Oh, and stop treating your customers (with 25 years systems’ experience) like morons.

Get a clue Verizon. I’ve been promised *something* by Friday afternoon and have already discovered that Verizon now has even another *corrective* software release. It just never ends with Verizon. If you’re getting a Blackberry, don’t go with Verizon.

The new google maps has a locator that serves as a gps. It’s kinda nice. Check it out.

The new google maps has a locator that serves as a gps. It’s kinda nice. Check it out.

Got VZ navigator working and attempted to get the trial version of telenav working as well (to no avail). When the VZ navigator works it is pretty good. Here are a few early observations for version 2.9.8 build 220:

Pros:
Voice prompts are loud and concise.
Large map graphically displayed.
Rerouting function occurs relatively quickly after passing turn, missing step, or ignoring directions
Being self contained in the BB8830 is awesome… tired of multiple devices to carry, power, and lose

Cons:
GPS loading can be pretty slow (10+ seconds)

Address searching from contacts is very slow and clunky.
Address searches from contacts has bug where it sometimes locates the address, other times asks to retry
Map of San Francisco’s Bay Bridge is outdated and does not take into consideration a road closure
An annoyance from a BB user perspective is the BB’s hold to make letters capital function is disabled
There does not appear to be a way to import contacts as a “favorite” address (will dig deeper into the ap)

All in all, I am pleased as this is my first self contained GPS (had a palm m515 w/ docking GPS that was useless).

In an attempt to avoid purchasing a stand alone GPS, I will be happy to help beta test software for Verizon.

Tech support (Steve in the Orange County office) was fantastic with step-by-step instructions on installing the necessary firmware, and his patience and perserverance are to be commended.

This is a new feature for Verizon and I hope they will continue to support and improve the VZ Navigator.

Best wishes,

Gino

Hi, I have had every service out there in the past 3 years. I have had 900.00 gps units as well as Telenav on my bb 8800 on AT$T now i have the Verizon 8830 and used the navigator and in my opinion it beats the Telenav service hands down. It too cost 9.99 per month and having used both I would much prefer the vzw over any of them. Google maps is nice, I would like to have that unlocked as well but the point is so many people complain about vzw’s cost for navigation and I don’t believe it is warranted. Just my opinion.

Hi, I have had every service out there in the past 3 years. I have had 900.00 gps units as well as Telenav on my bb 8800 on AT$T now i have the Verizon 8830 and used the navigator and in my opinion it beats the Telenav service hands down. It too cost 9.99 per month and having used both I would much prefer the vzw over any of them. Google maps is nice, I would like to have that unlocked as well but the point is so many people complain about vzw’s cost for navigation and I don’t believe it is warranted. Just my opinion.

I managed to get Google Maps “My Location” working after the verizon patch. My Navigator works as well. I had to go into Advance Settings and changed my GPS location from 911 only to “location on”. Google Maps works now. I wonder what other GPS application will work now? Are there any free application besides the Navigator?

Joe,
You do not see that it is warranted? Lets look at it in this light. Say it is not a GPS but the actural car. You buy this car say a mustang. It come from the factory with built in head lights. Then at the dealer they disable those headlights to and tell you that if you wish to use them then that will be $10 every month. The electricity that powers those headlights does not come from the dealer. All the dealer did was place in an additional switch that they use to control the headlights that only they can use.

Now aply that to the 8830 from blackberry and there dealer Verizon.

James

There are several free downloads for any RIM blackberry that would use the internal GPS if it wern’t disabled:
BLACKBERRY MAPS
GOOGLE MAPS
YAHOO! GO?
BLACKBERRY 411
NAV4ALL
BLIP

Some but not all Blackberries are now capable of executing the VZNavigator which apparently is exceptional. I will be switching from Verizon at some point if they don’t enable the GPS although I know I will miss the good reception I get in buildings. I understand however the competition will be catching up and are already providing faster internet access as well via 3G and 4G.

The last excuse I heard is that the problem has to do with Blackberrie’s security. I don’t think this is actually a lie, rather that RIM provides a security switch which enables Verizon to disable access to GPS.

I have heard and have found instructions which make it possible to load in a competitor’s Blackberry OS and the GPS will be enabled but of course it won’t work with VZNavigator.

Verizon is wide open for a lawsuit. They defend the decision by assuring the 911-GPS function is still working. Unfortunately, the places where you need the GPS most if lost do not have cellular service. One person found dead in the wilderness with a GPS disabled blackberry in their pack will bring an end to this problem.

@Robert:
If you’re still following this thread, can you advise what “competitor’s OS” you loaded and the GPS became functional? I have Sprint’s device software for the 8830 but have not yet tried installing it, and since Sprint does not block GPS location access by applications I guess that might do it? What “instructions” did you find and use?

@Jason:
There already IS a class action lawsuit about this in US District Court. Unfortunately the first action won’t be until some mandatory preliminary settlement conference in January 2009!