GPS or Not? Still Buy It or Not?

[rboy]

will the 8300 have built in gps?

[IanHummel]

did you read the forum?

[jungleland]

did you read the forum?


apparently not...

[Stinsonddog]

I am betting no, but many others have promised it.

[Brad00111]

From the Boy Genius Report, still not 100% confirmed from what I have heard, but it looks like maybe GPS will still be in play on the "Papa Bear" model, *Fingers Crossed*:

*
8800 (No Camera, GPS)
*
8820 (No Camera but WiFi and GPS)
*
8300 (Camera, no WiFi, no GPS)
*
8320 (Camera, WiFi)
*
83xx (Camera, WiFi, GPS)
*
9xxx (Don't get me started)

[blakeatl]

So help me out here.....I'm very satisfied with my Pearl, but I'm seeing all these blackberry devices coming about with 3G, wifi, built-in gps and camera. Wifi I can do without, internal gps I can do without, video camera is a plus.....but what's with 3G? Is it something that will help with speeding up data services as well as data apps like Telenav? I'm just keeping my eyes open in case I have the urge to change.....which is unlikely for a while.

[jddphd]

none of the 88xx are 3G capable as far as I'm aware.

[blakeatl]

none of the 88xx are 3G capable as far as I'm aware.

Slip of the keyboard...:smile: What I meant to say was....mention of 3G in the near future.

[brucejr]

blakeatl, good article on Wikipedia which explains the whole 3G phenomenon in language that is understandable to the consumer.
Evolution to 3G - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_to_3G)

[H3LLFIRE]

Slip of the keyboard...:smile: What I meant to say was....mention of 3G in the near future.
3G would be perfect with GPS. No more slow map downloads over EDGE. But I still think the processor will be the bottleneck.

[Stinsonddog]

I still can't make sense of why they would have it and release it so close to the 8800?

[Brad00111]

I still can't make sense of why they would have it and release it so close to the 8800?

I think this is next step in the "consumer line". The Government and certain Corporate Accounts who have camera-less phones as a security feature got the 8800, now the consumer gets the upgrade to the Pearl, the 8300. I think it makes sense if you look at it from that perspective.

[hailer]

I think this is next step in the "consumer line". The Government and certain Corporate Accounts who have camera-less phones as a security feature got the 8800, now the consumer gets the upgrade to the Pearl, the 8300. I think it makes sense if you look at it from that perspective.

Doesn't it look like an upgrade (forget the numbers) to the 8700 rather than the Pearl which is not QWERTY?

Crave Blog
Crave: The gadget blog (http://crave.cnet.com/8300-1_105-1.html?search=blackberry+8300)

This article states that reports say the 8300 will be AT&T/Cingular bound and the 8320 will be a T-Mo device. So if you take that into account I'd guess the 8300 would come out first later this year with T-Mo getting the 8320 by end of year or early next year. Just guessing.

[Stinsonddog]

How many would still buy it without the GPS as an upgrade?

[Fungineer]

I think this is next step in the "consumer line". The Government and certain Corporate Accounts who have camera-less phones as a security feature got the 8800, now the consumer gets the upgrade to the Pearl, the 8300. I think it makes sense if you look at it from that perspective.
Kinda sorta - I think the 8300 is going to be targeted as a "QWERTY Pearl", and more specifically as a plausible upgrade to your Treo 650 or Sidekick - if you're migrating as a "prosumer" from a 7290 or 8700 it makes sense too.
If you're a corporate user who can't have a camera, then the 8800 provides the upgrade path to your existing QWERTY device.

[hailer]

How many would still buy it without the GPS as an upgrade?

No GPS is not a major factor for me. I'd buy it if the other functions are upgrades I am looking for.

I thought about buying the 8800 but didn't. I think I'll wait it out until the 9xxx series is released which hopefully will finally become the true "All-In-One" device we all have been sugar plum dreaming about. HOPEFULLY it will run 3G.

[rambo47]

I'd buy it without GPS, but if they leave out any other features that are promised/dreamed of, then I might wait. Perhaps a future revision will have the omitted features.


Must have:
camera - still photos
wifi
GPS

Nice to have:
camera that takes video.


Any one of the "must haves" being omitted is not a deal breaker, but it will make me look longer and harder at alternatives, plus I will become much more price conscious. Drop 2 and I'm on the beach. I'll wait for the next revision and see if features are added.

[takeshi]

3G would be perfect with GPS. No more slow map downloads over EDGE. But I still think the processor will be the bottleneck.
Have you actually used Telenav? It's not lightning fast but I wouldn't call it slow either.

I wouldn't bother with a BB without GPS personally but its usefulness is going to vary greatly form one person to the next. I've found it incredibly useful and convenient when traveling (or even in town in unfamiliar areas). Infospace's app and othe LBS-type apps are also incredibly convenient though you could do pretty much the same thing without GPS.

I still can't make sense of why they would have it and release it so close to the 8800?
They're different product lines. Non-camera corporate users will still buy the 8800. Somehow people keep forgetting that this is a significant portion of RIM's user base. The consumer market is still new to RIM.

[IanHummel]

I won't buy it without GPS. The camera isn't that important to me and neither is WiFi. If anything, I'll buy a Cingular 8800 and unlock it just for the better form factor and the GPS. I'm not going to get any T-Mobile branded blackberry unless the release the model with everything.

[blakeatl]

My wife is eyeing the blackberry after she sees all that I use my Pearl for. I actually let her use it this weekend and seeing her bumble through the suretype made me snicker. I might go ahead and get her the 8300 when it's available on T-mobile (hopefully).

[takeshi]

I think my wife is expecting to get the 83XX with GPS...

[Outrigger]

GPS is actually not useful for me as I already have GPS on my i880 and i580, but most importantly, I already have a GPS in my car. I was going to use my Treo until the 9xxx comes out having just returned the 8800. I'm going to try the 8300 when it comes out in Apr/May hopefully and see how that goes. the 8800 wasn't comfortable for me to hold and its a tad too long and it certainly did not feel solid.

[rboy]

it took you smart asses so long to reply i forgot i even asked this question!

[rboy]

i read the boy genius report; but i didnt see anything about gps. i'll buy it anyway if it doesnt and give my wife my 8800.

[mymitsu3kgt]

I will definitely buy it without GPS. I don't want to look at a tiny BB screen while driving or have all the maps load OTA. If the maps were available on and SD card, that could swing it for me. I'll keep using my car GPS unit in the meantime.

[joespys]

GPS is actually not useful for me as I already have GPS on my i880 and i580, but most importantly, I already have a GPS in my car. I was going to use my Treo until the 9xxx comes out having just returned the 8800. I'm going to try the 8300 when it comes out in Apr/May hopefully and see how that goes. the 8800 wasn't comfortable for me to hold and its a tad too long and it certainly did not feel solid.

8800 not solid - you must be joking. It is a very sturdy and well-built BB. It has a great weight to it as well. 8-)

[KyleKatarn9812]

So am I the only one who is a little disappointed that there is no camera and GPS combo, I can really do without the jacked up price wifi is going to add to said model I would like to purchase. Also a pearl form factor would be nice but dare I ask too much. I'd settle for the 88xx or 83xx form factor for a camera and gps. I don't know maybe its just me but I am favorable aesthetics of the 8100 and 8800 over the new 8300. I just like the sleek black and silver. Oh well, no ideal phone for me on the horizon.

[winste]

So am I the only one who is a little disappointed that there is no camera and GPS combo, I can really do without the jacked up price wifi is going to add to said model I would like to purchase. Also a pearl form factor would be nice but dare I ask too much. I'd settle for the 88xx or 83xx form factor for a camera and gps. I don't know maybe its just me but I am favorable aesthetics of the 8100 and 8800 over the new 8300. I just like the sleek black and silver. Oh well, no ideal phone for me on the horizon.

I agree. I would like just GPS and camera. Wi-fi is certainly my least favorite choice of the big three. I just can't imagine there being a whole of value to wi-fi, but that's my personal preference. I never thought I would use a camera on a phone as much as I do until I actually got one. Now it's pretty important to me.

As far as the pearl form factor, it would be nice but I would prefer a qwerty.

[takeshi]

How do you know that there won't be a camera and GPS? According to BG the 8300 and 8320 won't but the "Papa Bear" will. Where have you read otherwise?

[winste]

How do you know that there won't be a camera and GPS? According to BG the 8300 and 8320 won't but the "Papa Bear" will. Where have you read otherwise?

I think the assumption is the initial release will be baby bear and mama bear. Hopefully this will in incorrect.

Since BGR's reports, I've seen unconfirmed posts that Tmobile will get the 8320 and the 8350(?) which we would assume is Papa. But again, unconfirmed.

Who really knows until actually released.