will the 4.2 OS upgrade add GPS functionality in these devices? Or do they need an actual PHYSICAL gps chip (meaning it's not something that an OS upgrade can address)?

would be nice to have. did you see this on a release somewhere? I would take it even if it required a GPS module attached.

Wirelessly posted (8700c: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.0) BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

You still need the BT puck. Might have BB maps so won't need other software though.

that's the case now (with OS 4.1)....OS 4.2 might enable the GPS functionality though, that was my question..

well from what i am told by RIM, there is already an GPS chip in the 8700 and all you will need is the 4.2 OS to unlock it...thats what RIM has told me...

so, that being said, an external GPS receiver would not be required (network dependent of course)???

Umm. You talked to the wrong people at RIM.

OS 4.2 does not enable some secret GPS functionality built in to the device. It does not have such a chip, aside from 9-1-1 LBS functionality (which 100% of the phones produced for consumption in the United States within the last 3-5 years has this same "chip"). It still requires BlackBerry Maps and a BT puck for GPS to work.

Is this functionality really already available for OS 4.1 on the 8700? I may have missed it, I suppose (or really just didn't care). I was under the impression that BlackBerry Maps was for OS 4.2 and above, but I could be mistaken.

When you open up BlackBerry Maps on an 8700 running OS 4.2 and click on Start GPS, it says the following:

"You must pair your BlackBerry with a Bluetooth enabled GPS device."

Hope that spells it out fairly clearly on it's support for the functionality.

No such deal, 8800 will be the first.

hmmm welll thats good to know ....maybe it was non N America units that have some more extra parts in them? who knows...only the full OS 4.2 will tell im suure

Still wrong.

Jibi does.

That's what he's running. As are a few others. It doesn't work. In the future, please just admit that you're wrong and/or aren't sure what you're talking about, as opposed to fueling speculation and nonsense about something that's not true.

There's no mystery behind GPS and the production 8700-series. Please stop swirling rumors that it "might" have that capability. It doesn't.

well shizzle my nizzle...you just ruined my morning...

People come here for good information. I'll never have an issue with a question asked, so long as when good information is given, and the question is answered, people leave it as that. Just because it's not the answer you want, doesn't mean it's not true.

Bad information sucks, and ruins the integrity of the forums.

well i wasnt trying to ruin anything...and i do know what a few people are running 4.2....just voicing that i was told by a top level programer with RIM. i very much love the fourms but this kinda beating ppl over the head beacuse other people including MODs think that we should all be a perfect poster is realyl stupid and if you ask me that ruins the forms.!...again just voicing my thoughts thanks!

You won't hear me argue with your point...I DO feel the MODS and other board members are VERY VERY critical of others. They do not use great tact when pointing out something, they are very direct and very insensitive at times. That being said, they often do have points, they just need to work on the delivery.

very true, i have never seen a post really were i really disagreed but just wow how they say it is not the best way to, and makes you wonder why they feel they need to be so heavy handed

For the record...

Please don't confuse brevity for lack of appropriate delivery. We're trying to get to as many posts as possible, as fast as possible...something that has made this forum great. Quick, reliable information. Sorry if we can't always sugar coat every response. Sometimes, I just post as quick as possible so I can answer a question and get back to work. I don't really have time to make my post pretty all the time.

Maybe if I put a bunch of cool smilies n stuff, that will make it look like I'm nicer...



^^^That last part was a joke. No need to take it personally.^^^

Stupid question but is OS 4.2 available then? If not, when?

Nice thread. Going straight to the point like Pizzle:

Does anyone have a link for 4.2? Direct enough

- Not yet.
- Soon...probably before the end of the year.

It's not available for public consumption yet. It's still in beta. And believe me, you don't want it yet. It's messy.

Folks, please don't turn this into a "when's 4.2 coming out" thread, or we'll need to close it. There are already a zillion of those, and trust me when I say that when it's released, it will be all OVER the forums. Thanks.

With all due respect, that IS the name of this thread (8700c, 8700g, 8700v to OS 4.2 (GPS) ), but since you are the super moderator.....

I will no longer ask the question and wait for an answer. Thanks amigo.

just an idea but shouldnt the person whos thread it is decided what ppl talk about in it? otherwise why do we start threads?

No need to get testy...The thread I started was specifically about 4.2's fucntionality as it relates to GPS, nothing more..

no no im not testy just saying what i think....

Wow, and here I was thinking I was both respectful and whitty. The was "no testy" implied.

The consistent implementation of JSR-179 in BlackBerry OS 4.2 gives the developer and user transparency in using a GPS receiver. From now on it doesn't matter whether you have a BlackBerry with a built-in GPS or one that needs a Bluetooth GPS receiver. (With the one difference that you should pair the BT GPS first)

However, a program just connects to the JSR-179 API and it will be connected to the GPS receiver - no matter it is built-in or an already paired BT GPS. That's just nice for the programmers and also more convenient for the user.

A program that does exactly this is "Spot"

Especially for the 8100 Pearl

An excellent point, and exactly why I said what I did. As Jungleland (the thread starter) pointed out, the thread was specifically asking about 4.2 as it relates to GPS. In addition, there's no point in having a topic titled one thing, only to have it change mid-stream consistantly. My intent was to keep it from getting off-topic.

For those that use the search button, keeping topics on-topic is an immense help to them.

You're welcome to paint me with the "you're a dick" brush, but I'm doing my best to not only answer your questions, but keep to the integrity of the original post. Typically, random "when does 4.2 come out" threads are simply deleted to reduce clutter.

With all due respect, that ISN'T the name of the thread. It's specific to OS 4.2 and GPS functionality.

Hey man, why not drop the attitude. I wasn't being disrespectful and neither were you. I guess you just have to have the last word. I am out of this thread. In case you haven't noticed, there are enough threads started about this new O/S. Later everyone

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So, now that a few months have passed,any change of status? For a newbe, cld smeone explain BT puck? Any suggestions for a small compatible GPS receiver? Thanks.

if you ask me gps is going to be slow if your going over the air, until 3G's is out i wouldnt bother although i must admit google maps has helped me in more then a few situations

No change of status, what Jibi posted above is (as usual) 100% correct. Still no hard facts on when os 4.2 is coming other than 'soonish'.

a BT puck is a way of referring to an external GPS receiver that uses Bluetooth to communicate to /from a mobile device..choose you fave online reseller and search for GPS receiver and away you go.