I just picked up the new pearl 8110 (AT&T). I liked the fact that it had built in GPS. The sales person said that i needed the GPS service (first month free and then $10/month) to use the GPS. I loaded up the AT&T navigator and it said that it was giving me a month free then it would cost $9.99/month. My question........is the GPS service actually paying for the AT&T navigator or are these two separate payments ($19.99 per month total for both)? If not, then do I really need the "GPS service" to use free apps like google maps?

By the way, the AT&T navigator is pretty nice

It's only one fee of $9.99 per month for TeleNav (ATT Navigator.)

However, you can use the GPS with Google Maps for free.

Thanks! So the sales persons quote "You need the GPS service to use GPS" is totally bogus? The GPS is always "active" since its built in?

That's correct (unless you're on Verizon--Verizon charges to even activate the GPS at all.)

do you need a data plan to use the GPS on google maps? or is it free as well?

also does google maps navigate you to a destination like The navigator would? ( my friends phone told him directions as we drove to a place so we wouldnt get lost. it said allowed "Turn left here" "right here" )

any free programs like that out there?

You do need a Data Plan.

Google Maps does not have voice turn by turn, other apps lik TeleNav do.

damn thats what i was afraid of, so i never used it as im not paying 19.99 a month for data. eff that haha! well thanks guys.

is telenav free btw?

TeleNav is not free... but it rulez the GPS mapping market for BBs... absolutely the best.

well that sucks, i would have to buy data plan as well as telenav. would be a very useful tool, buuuutt.....im broke man! haha

maybe i can get it once im balla status!?! haha

yea maybe.

Wirelessly posted (BB 11020)

I second that. I think it works better than the expensive system in my new Honda.

There are some free apps that provide turn by turn voice instructions: amazeGPS and Nav4All. GPS and Mapping forum is a good place to look for such apps...

link or here

I tried amazeGPS, NAV4all, and TeleNav (AT&T Navigator). TeleNav is BY FAR better, though its the only one out of those that I listed that charge a fee. And in the future, the other two will have fees also.

Where did you find that amazeGPS will charge a fee in the future?

Anyone try Garmin? Not sure how much the data service access is but the cost is a little cheaper overall than $9.99 a month.

Sorry that these are not links but error message says I have to have 10 or more posts before I can post a link ?????????? Whatever !!!
Just add back the first part of the url h**p://


Simply enter the following link in your BlackBerry browser: getmobile.garmin.com/trial]Garmin Mobile[/url])

This 7-day free trial includes everything you need — maps, millions of POIs and easy-to-use navigation software.
One-time Purchase


Only $99.99 — this download gives you turn-by-turn directions to millions of destinations.

With this purchase, download software directly to your BlackBerry for the lifetime of your device. Includes everything you need — maps, millions of POIs and easy-to-use navigation software.

Supported devices: BlackBerry devices that are equipped with GPS. This includes: 8110 & 8130* (Pearl with GPS), 8310 & 8330* (Curve with GPS), 8800, 8820, and 8830*. *Verizon devices are not supported by this trial.
Supported carriers: AT&T, Sprint/Nextel, T-Mobile
Please note: Requires wireless data service access provided by carrier. See service provider for applicable charges. This trial is not currently supported in Canada.

Sorry, that was a misquote on my behalf. Currently, the is no reference to amazeGPS as far as fees in the future.

I have to drive from Atlanta to Baltimore next weekend and was wondering if google maps will get me to my hotel without a hitch. I've used Telenav in other cities, but never Google maps. Anybody have Google maps experience with gps directions?

I have used it on a long trip, and it should get you to the door.

Safe driving!

AFAIK, Google maps will outline your route for you, and you can press "00" to have the application "follow you." You'll then see your "dot" move along the highlighted route (provided you stay on the route) but will show when you deviate from their course as well, as your dot will move off the highlighted course.

It'll be as accurate as the Google driving directions, but will not provide audible driving directions (no turn-by turn.) In my experience, pressing "00" will also cause the back light to stay on.

I understand there is no voice prompt. But, does it provide any sort of indication (say a popup box) when you are approaching a turn?

Good question

I am in India, and the original blackberry maps which comes loaded on BB's does not have indian maps.

I now use google maps as they have the indian maps. But I prefer the BB maps interface and usability to that of google maps.

Is there some place I can download indian maps?

Man I knew it couldn't be a pay service. I was about to order a new pearl and the t-mobile lady said that I couldn't use the GPS without paying a 3rd party service. I told her I wanted the phone for the GPS and wasn't going to pay for it and she said "well its a 3rd party service." Right... So i canceled the order. GPS is free, I'm not paying for it. Maybe I'll order now.

HarleyHog,

I am just coming back from a vacation in Park City, UT. I used amAzeGPS, Nav4All, Google Maps and Garmin Mobile (Trial) along the way and back. I live in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, so the trip provided me with an opportunity to see how the apps work from Alberta, through Montana, then Idaho, then Utah then back to Alberta across the same states. As you know, of the four apps only Garmin Mobile is a pay-for-service app (post-trial). Having said that, Garmin Mobile for me is without a doubt the best of the four GPS applications. I cannot use other GPS applications like TeleNav because my carrier (Bell Mobility) is not one that they support.

For me, Garmin Mobile has three things that put it above the rest: its text-to-speech capability, its quick route recalculation and its POI search. As you know, text-to-speech is the ability to say the street names that you turn into, and route recalc is the ability to provide an alternate route to the same destination should one (either accidentally or deliberately) choose not to follow an app's recommended turn. Both of these came into play for me many, many times during my trip as I would sometimes miss an interstate off-ramp or a street turn (bad lighting, bad signage, bad eyesight, machinery blocking signs, etc.). However, I was confident that, with my eyes still on the road and fully aware that I am now "lost", Garmin will immediately recalc and provide me updated directions, which it always did. One really appreciates Garmin's text-to-speech function when one is lost in a small town at night with the only lighting coming from your headlights and a faint street lamp.

During my vacation I used the POI search feature dozens of times and it never failed. Where's the nearest outlet mall, gas station, grocery, chinese restaurant, Carl's Jr, KMart, etc?? Fire up the Garmin app. I entered the hotels and major places I planned to go to as Garmin Favorites. Where's the nearest Carl's Jr.?? Garmin. From Carl's Jr, how to get to the nearest KMart? Garmin. From KMart, how to get back to the hotel? Garmin. Where's the nearest gas station AND how much is the gas there? Garmin tells you where, how to get there, the gas price AND how old the gas price is (as of yesterday, two days ago, four days ago, etc.).

When I went to Garmin's website, the app had a 30-day free trial period, and that's what I'm on now. I will really miss this app after the trial period ends. I am starting to wean myself off Garmin by forcing myself to use Nav4All.


Elrohir59

You should be able to use TeleNav on Bell Mobility. Just download from another carrier's section when you download it. I used TeleNav on TMobile long before it was listed under the TMobile downloads.

John,

Thanks for the tip. I will try that.

Elrohir59

I just rememberd another reason why I did not try Telenav. It's free trial costs $10.00.


Elrohir59

HarleyHog,

More random impressions on amAzeGps, Garmin and Nav4All:

1. Nav4All: Under Start Menu, Settings there is a sub-menu named Speed Options. Here the radio button choices are (1) Never show, (2) Only if too fast and (3) Always show. There is also an Audio Warning checkbox. I though that if you choose Always show Nav4All will always display on your phone your vehicle's speed. Not so. The actions done are obvious, but the "speed" displayed is actually the "speed limit" for the stretch of road you are travelling on. For instance, the entire I-15 from the Alberta-Montana border, past Idaho and into Utah has a speed limit of 75 mph. If you're on this stretch and you're using Nav4All and you choose the second option "Only if too fast" AND you check the Audio Warning checkbox, if you're travelling at or less than 75 mph then your cell display will just have the Nav4All arrow and other distance and time data. If you put the pedal to the metal and go to 76 mph your phone will suddenly say "Pay Attention!". Then on your display you will see the number 75 encircled and the number 1 above it, in red. As you go faster, the red 1 will increase to however much you are above the speed limit of 75 mph. The "Pay Attention!" warning, though, will only come at the beginning. If you keep on driving past the speed limit the red number above the encircled speed limit will stay there but the audible warning will not come back. If you slow down to the speed limit or less, the numbers disappear. And if you punch it again, the warning and the numbers come back. As a side note: the speed limit is not dynamic in the sense that if the speed limit goes down for a stretch of road due to, say, road construction, Nav4All will still use the "default" speed limit and will prompt you based on that speed accordingly. In which case, you are speeding and Nav4All will not warn you! Also, this feature appears to be only available on US roads and not on Canadian roads.

2. Nav4All: The feature to locate your car (ala Neosistec's Carfinder) is pretty much useless. We used it at a WalMart and I parked my car about 100 meters directly in front of the entrance. I told Nav4All to remember the location, which it did. After our shopping we went outside and told Nav4All to point it's compass to where our car was. Suddenly it was like we were in a magnetite pit. The "compass" pointed in all directions and we even got a U-turn arrow, like the car was parked on the other side of the building. We started walking to our car and even when we were almost beside it the directions never converged or stabilized and were all over the place.

3. Nav4All: For some reason Nav4All consistently overestimates the amount of time a computed route takes. It displays the same route as amAzeGPS and Garmin Mobile but takes nearly 2 to 4 hours more. For shorter trips Nav4All sometimes doubles the estimated trip time.

4. amAzeGPS, Garmin and Nav4All: All three applications recalculate if you deviate (deliberately or accidentally) from the computed route. However, there is a slight user-interface difference. Both amAzeGPS and Garmin Mobile inform you when they are recalculating a new route ("Recalculating Route" and "Recalculating" is heard, respectively). Nav4All does not say anything. You just have to trust that it sensed you deviated and that the succeeding directions it says (which are now corrective in nature) are the result of a quick recalculation. If you accidentally deviated from the original route, and if the recalculated route now takes longer, and you were unaware that you deviated in the first place, because Nav4All does not tell you otherwise you may get the impression that you're following the original route but somehow is now taking much longer than originally estimated (which may actually be an overestimation: see 3, above).

5. amAzeGPS, Garmin and Nav4All: If you are approaching a street into which you must turn into, amAzeGPS and Garmin tell you to do exactly that: amAzeGPS says "In 200 meters, turn left." and Garmin says "In 200 meters, turn left on Adams Street." Nav4All says "In 200 meters, to the left", which I think is awkwardly said, although I know what it means. On the Interstate where there are eight lanes, I used Garmin exclusively. Suppose the off-ramp exit is on Lane 8 and I am on Lane 2. If the off-ramp exit is still 30 miles away, Garmin does not say anything. If the off-ramp exit is now two miles away, Garmin says "In one mile, keep right." Now I know that I have to move lane-by-lane to the right. When the off-ramp exit is one mile away, Garmin says "In one mile, take exit 123 going North to San Bernardino." By contrast, Nav4All uses the same term ("to the left") to mean "keep to the left" and "turn to the left". Nav4All does not mention the word "turn" when it wants you to turn.

6. amAzeGPS, Garmin and Nav4All: If you're driving from Canada to the US or from the US to Canada, amAzeGPS is the only one of the three apps to mark the point where you cross the international border as a point on your trip. You can then determine how many miles (kilometers) it is before you need to take out your passports and how near the duty-free shop is.


That's it for now.


Elrohir59

Thanks for the detailed review, Elrohir59.

I'm trying to settle down on a good free GPS app. Your review helps a lot. Thanks for sharing...

Elrohir59,

That's a lot of useful information. It would take a huge amount of time to get this kind of information. That is what makes these forums great, lots of people helping other people.

There is talk floating around that Bell Canada is going to stick it to their customers by deliberately slowing down GPS access to non-Bell applications (such as Google Maps) in a push to get people to subscribe to their monthly subscription services.

Wellington Financial Blog - News, Views & Purviews » Blog Archives » Bell to Blackberry users: “Pay us or get lost!” (Literally!)

that is the rumor with Bell...

Bell crippling BlackBerry GPS to make more money? | BlackBerry Cool