I live in Kansas City, the home of Garmin, and saw today in the local paper that Garmin is teaming up with RIM to offer GPS applications for Blackberries. Here's their press release.

I'm not getting too excited. That's just something else for Veri$on to block, then want to charge me for as an extra service.

Interesting. I figured garmin would jump on that train at some point. The approach seems sound, assume you would buy this through garmin vice the device provider? Which will make it interesting for VZW customers.

I have been using the garmin software for about 1 week and it works great. I am using it on an unlocked 8110 with tmobile. I highly recomend it.

I may not be reading correctly but.... it says this is NOT transferable to another BlackBerry device. Now I don't know if they will allow you to change your PIN if you upgrade your device, but at first glance it would appear not.

"Garmin Mobile for BlackBerry’s $99.99 one-time purchase is available directly from Garmin at Garmin | Garmin Mobile. The one-time purchase plan for Garmin Mobile for BlackBerry is not transferable between BlackBerry devices."

Looked at this option when I first got the 8830 and recall that if you were with Verizon you needed to buy a puck for it to work

so maps are downloaded or stored on the device?

The Garmin website lists the fee as $99 per year, not one time.

I do not think that is the case...

Actually if you read my quoted text above, it indicates this is a one-time fee, not an annual fee. Which still leads me to believe you'll have to pay another $99 if you upgrade your device.

Where does it state this?

Everything I've read says that the $99 deal is one-time. There is a higher priced deal that includes a GPS puck and a subscription to a "server-based" version (which is paid on a yearly basis).

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Garmin International - Press Release says "one time" over-and-over-again.

What's really nice about this offering is that it loads the maps on the device.

Note that there IS a yearly subscription model, which is server-based (i.e., maps not stored on the device). But that's a different offering.

Cannot wait to see the respond from TELENAV

Wow !!

This is fantastic !!

Wonder if it will work on an Alltel 8330 ??

They only list the 8830 ...

I don't believe this is the case.

Tried it last night while in Rochester, NY, worked great, good thing because I had no idea where I was going. I am on the 30 day trial but will be buying it should it keep working this well. Goodbye TomTom, why carry two devices if I don't have to?

This was talked about, I think on Engadget, it's a one time fee for the life of the device, so when you change BB you loose the license.

Garmin to BlackBerry owners: a hundred bucks and you'll never get lost again - Engadget Mobile

how do i buy this in uk without having to buy addtional gps?

So there is a trial, can you provide a download link.

Where did you find a TRIAL version? I'd like to give it a test.

in your bb browser
Garmin Mobile: Built for BlackBerry

did any body get to the end of the trial yet?does it ask for a key??

Found the link a bit earlier - downloaded it - ran it and BOOM!!!!! The basic message from the software was this does not run on a Verizon unit! I then had to REMOVE it. Why not screen verizon users out a bit earlier in the process?

Also, blackberry's mobile home page has a link to it.

For what it's worth, my only complaint about the Garmin application is it seems to me you can't get directions to a street without a street number (kind of useful if you don't know the exact address of your destination).

Well, being curious, I just called Garmin support, mobile, blackberry, etc. Spoke with a TechSupport guy who spoke with a specialist. They apparently don't really know the 8830/verizon but at the end, said there was NO trial and that I could purchase the software and THEIR gps-device and try it. They did not know if it would work with my Freedom puck. We both chuckled as I said I would be willing to test it for them. NO GO!

I am not currently in the mood to waste $99.00.

Someone want to be the first on the Verizon 8830 block?

Haven't tried just a street address directly on the BB yet but you can do it thru Mobile Manager on their website which you can then access thru Where To? > My Locations > Mobile Manager in the BB application. A bit awkward and useless if you don't have access to a PC when you need to put in directions.

I'll have to try just a street name directly on the PC tomorrow.

From your BB, go to mobile.blackberry.com

You should be able to find the 30 day trial under Applications>Navigation & Mapping

That's where I got it, anyway.

The DEMO does NOT work on the Verizon 8830. You can waste time downloading and installing it but then the software, once run, says it canNOT run on the verizon phone.

If it wouldn't run for you w/your Freedom puck (the same one I have) then it sounds like they are blocking on Verizon...or maybe Verizon is blocking them?

Garmin's page (Garmin | Garmin Mobile for BlackBerry) lists two offers, for those with and without GPS:

Appears Garmin offers a one-time $99 charge for internal GPS, but an annual subscription for no internal GPS and using a Garmin puck. It shouldn't matter to the SW whether I'm using an internal GPS or a puck - it should be transparent to the software...no idea why Garmin thinks this is a good market strategy.

BTW...there is a link to the 30 day Garmin trial on the BB mobile site. As FF2 noted, it does not run on Verizon phones...got the same message on my Pearl.

I wonder if they have hired a support person yet. If you search my threads or see my site, you will see that I have been consistently unimpressed with their support. Hard to evaluate them without anyone answering on their end. Yes make sure of the device upgrade policy.

I have had to call them a couple of times over the last few days. No problem at all. 2 or 3 minute wait before a very pleasant, friendly, and helpful rep came on the line. I was even told the approximate wait time. With all the competition maybe they have changed their ways.

No option to map contacts from address book- telenav and copilot both do this. I cant even find a way to pull up the addres sbook when in the app.

I found the app to be very basic with no frills or extras (like a compass, car finder, etc...) I find the Telenav app to be far superior for my needs. Wish they (Telenav) had a lifetime subscription offering though

One way around this is to enter intersection info instead of the end street address. I happen to like the garmin better then telenav only because it is a faster more "light weight" app that is very good at the basic GPS directions and POI info. I'm using an unlocked 8820 on T-Mobile and it works flawlessly.

If you don't have the street number you can just put in any random number to get you to the street. I have found that even "0" works

I thought the application left much to be desired, two thumbs down, very enthusiastically down, Mapquest is so much better.

how does this compare w/ mapquest?

would be nice to have a good comparison between all of them. My wife has telenav... seems to be real nice. Waiting for my bold to install one.... of course want the best

I agree that Mapquest is working out very well in my area (New Mexico). I tried the Garmin trial and was amazed that it couldn't find addresses that both Telenav and Mapquest found with ease. I deleted the Garmin program pretty quickly. I've had a subscription to Telenav for several months. Unfortunately, Telenav got really weird a couple of weeks ago and its accuracy and tracking went down the tubes. Telenav was making so many mistakes, I found I couldn't use it, which is ashame as it has some nice features and it worked with my Bluetooth headsets. I've now subscribed to Mapquest also and it is working great. I'm finding the Mapquest Navigator to be easier to understand, directions seem more detailed, love the "night mode", and it appears to be VERY accurate with addresses and navigation. Much better than Telenav for me so far. Can't get it to work with Bluetooth, and the interface maybe not quite as slick, but overall, seems to be the best bang for the buck at the moment, especially at $50/year.

I seriously recommend that everyone just download and try each one. There's quite a bit of subjective preference that plays in to the decision making process if you can't tell by reading this thread.