[skmiller]

I can't seem to get the GPS function of my 8800 working for the life of me.
I have gone into Settings->Options->Advanced Options->GPS and the information is all set to 0degrees for all location and connects to 0 Satellites. When I do a refresh GPS the device Scans for Satellites and never comes up with information. I have tried this both indoors as well as outdoors. I am located in Manhattan so I would assume this should pick up something. Any ideas?

For some further info, I had installed the .alx files from jiibi's post and followed his instructions and now have blackberry maps. The GPS was not working prior to this with Cingular's preloaded handheld OS.

I received my Blackberry on Tuesday night at the launch event.

[evandt]

I'm having the exact same issue verbatim. My blackberry did not come with goodle maps or blackberry maps, is there supposed to be an application already on there for using gps?

[underskybb]

in Advanced Options > GPS you shall be able to read GPS information regardless of installed softwares.

GPS coverage is at its worst in big city due to skyscrapers. Could it be that you are in the middle of two giant buildings?

[skmiller]

I am in the midtown - Grand Central area.
I also tried to get this to work yesterday from my home which is in Northern NJ, Weehawken. Im unable to get a location from there either and I am not between skyskrapers while at home.

[briank555]

I'm also unable to get anything out of the GPS option. It just reports all Zero's then when I go to update, it scans and never responds with anything.

I've never used GPS before so I'm pretty green here. With something like this on a phone, does your phone need a certain side of it to be pointing out a window while you're using it in your car, home, etc? I know its via satellite so I'm wondering how useful this is when the signal is getting blocked by the roof of your car or other obstruction.

Can someone clarify this for me if they wouldn't mind? Thanks!

[atwburns]

Ditto. I tried to locate the satellite with and without BB Maps with no such luck. Can anyone offer some insight as to why the GPS is so fickle?

[greggebhardt]

I have a feeling that people will be dissapointed with the GPS performance on the 8800. I use a built in GPS in my car and an even more elabarate model in my fidhing vessel. I have one of the new Garmin handhelds with super GPS receiver and it get a quick fix in seconds for just turning it on. This is a dedicated GPS device and you will not see this kind of performance in a phone.

At best you might find your location when they get the bugs ironed out but not much more.

[justin.culp]

Don't hate me but it works fine on mine. in fact, better than fine. bbMaps and the internal GPS app. Quick location fix too.

[mmcpher]

Originally Posted by greggebhardt

I have a feeling that people will be dissapointed with the GPS performance on the 8800. I use a built in GPS in my car and an even more elabarate model in my fidhing vessel. I have one of the new Garmin handhelds with super GPS receiver and it get a quick fix in seconds for just turning it on. This is a dedicated GPS device and you will not see this kind of performance in a phone.

At best you might find your location when they get the bugs ironed out but not much more.

The GPS on my 8800 works fine, and so does the software. It probably doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a fish-finder/GPS <G>, but it finds me in less than 30 seconds and pointes the way pretty well so far.

[skmiller]

Im on the phone with a cingular rep(they know nothing about the device by the way) and they are telling me that without a subscription to telenav that the GPS location will not work on the device. Can someone confirm or deny this for me?

[Stinsonddog]

Originally Posted by greggebhardt

I have a feeling that people will be dissapointed with the GPS performance on the 8800. I use a built in GPS in my car and an even more elabarate model in my fidhing vessel. I have one of the new Garmin handhelds with super GPS receiver and it get a quick fix in seconds for just turning it on. This is a dedicated GPS device and you will not see this kind of performance in a phone.

At best you might find your location when they get the bugs ironed out but not much more.

We shall see. As I understand it the 8800 when working correctly will look to both the GPS and the local cell tower. I think they will work for most people once they get them going. The intial lock on can take a bit so please give it a chance. It has to find the satellites the first time and get coordinates.

[greggebhardt]

Originally Posted by mmcpher

The GPS on my 8800 works fine, and so does the software. It probably doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a fish-finder/GPS <G>, but it finds me in less than 30 seconds and pointes the way pretty well so far.

I hope everyone gets their doing the same as yours as a GPS can be a wonderful thing! I remember hiking when I was a younger ladd. A GPS is alot of confidence in the widerness or when 70 miles offshore!

I am sure in time the 8800 GPS will be ironed out for everyone.

[Stinsonddog]

Originally Posted by skmiller

Im on the phone with a cingular rep(they know nothing about the device by the way) and they are telling me that without a subscription to telenav that the GPS location will not work on the device. Can someone confirm or deny this for me?

Wrong. Thats a driving direction program only. Internal GPS works with many programs.


See my tips site.

[BryanHarig]

Originally Posted by skmiller

Im on the phone with a cingular rep(they know nothing about the device by the way) and they are telling me that without a subscription to telenav that the GPS location will not work on the device. Can someone confirm or deny this for me?

deny. Check the GPS forum here for info, I believe all the 8800 GPS threads have been moved there.

[greggebhardt]

Originally Posted by Stinsonddog

We shall see. As I understand it the 8800 when working correctly will look to both the GPS and the local cell tower. I think they will work for most people once they get them going. The intial lock on can take a bit so please give it a chance. It has to find the satellites the first time and get coordinates.

I have no doubt that things will work better, soon. The first lock is hard. Seems the location to the towers could be a hint to tell it which sats to start looking with. <vbg>

I am having trouble finding the "get a fix regardless of software" on my Blackberry. (mentioned above)

[skmiller]

Thanks guys, Ive never had good response from any Cingular Customer Rep when calling for tech support. They seem to not know anything about devices regardless of if they've been supporting it for 2 days or 2 years. Im trying to get transferred to someone that has more experience with the device but they are giving me a hard time in trying to do so. :(

[greggebhardt]

Originally Posted by skmiller

Thanks guys, Ive never had good response from any Cingular Customer Rep when calling for tech support. They seem to not know anything about devices regardless of if they've been supporting it for 2 days or 2 years. Im trying to get transferred to someone that has more experience with the device but they are giving me a hard time in trying to do so. :(

Please share what you find out to spare the rest of us the anguish of the tech support shuffle, too!

[LCC]

When you actually go into GPS mine says zeros as mosts do. However, I can route fine through Telenav, no issues. This is bizarre.

[tcpetersesq]

Just got the 8800 yesterday, in Los Angeles. No problems getting GPS to work, although the first "find" took a minute or two. I have read that some 8800's don't come with BBMaps (do any?) - mine didn't. I had to install it manually, but it works great with the GPS. (I will not pay $$ for Telnav monthly.)

QUESTION in navigating on BB Maps - I can scroll up and down (with the track ball) just fine and the map moves accordingly, but CANNOT for the life of me scroll left or right with the ball - I have to use the number keys for this. Is anyone else having that issue? It's not a big deal, but it doesn't make any sense, particularly in light of the fact that the scroll ball works perfectly in Google Maps. Any ideas?

[Sophist]

I, too, have been unable to get the GPS settings to reflect anything other than zeroes. Numerous attempts at refreshing and waiting patiently have yielded nothing.