Stinsonddog’s Blackberry GPS Review

(Note my pre - May 2007 GPS page can be found here now.)

October 2007 - Windows Live Search available and it's really good. You can download it here. http://wls.live.com

I think it will compete with Google Maps in some ways. The application features local business search and directions (no voice) and also covers traffic, movies and maps very well. You can call phone numbers from the app. Give it a try. You can use an internal or BT GPS.

Mapping on my 8800 is incredible. I was skeptical when I first tried it on my 8700 but I was very impressed. With the 8700 I needed a separate BT GPS puck. The 8800 has built in GPS chip, and that was a major upgrade reason for me. The 8100 and 8300 to date don't have built in GPS chips and in my opinion will not ever have them. My 8800 locks onto satellites very quickly as it also uses cell towers to triangulate location. With the 8800, I don't need the puck and that is one less item to keep track of with yet another charger. The 8703 has a built in GPS chip too, and Sprint allows its full use while Verizon has crippled it, making plenty of their customers upset. I will bet the same happens with the upcoming 8830 on Verizon and Sprint.

If you need a puck, I was using a Royal Tek 2001 BT receiver with my 8700 which you can get from Seidio. The puck is the GPS receiver (don't confuse it with a GPS antenna which goes on a receiver to give it better reception, if needed). I have also heard good things about the Holux 236 Slim, and the Globalsat 359 looks cool since it is so slim. The Verizon 8703e can be paired with one of these GPS receivers, but what a waste since the GPS chip is built in.

Once you have the receiver or 8800, you will need the software to use it with. For the Blackberry, there are six different software programs discussed here: Telenav, Blackberry Maps, Google Maps, Wayfinder, Spot, and Mapquest. The one thing all these programs have in common is that the maps are not stored on the BB, so they use data and possibly lots of data for those not on an unlimited plan. This also means that if you are out of a coverage area for your carrier, these programs won't pull down new data. Wayfinder and Telenav do provide directions where you have obtained a route within your carrier's coverage area and then move outside of it; however, you won't get an route updates if you go off course. BBMaps is RIM's native mapping application. Wayfinder provides driving directions and points of interest. Telenav is also a driving direction program and for US users is without a doubt the preferred one. Telenav uses NAVTEQ for its maps and points of interests, while Wayfinder uses TeleAtlas and InfoUSA, the same provider for BBMaps. For an interesting article on NAVTEQ and TeleAtlas read this article. One note here is that with any of these don't give up your Google Maps application (GMM), and with version 1.5.1 it also uses GPS both on the 8800 and with a BT puck with other models. GMM offers real time traffic and favorites. GMM seems to have the best ability to find an address and business, and these addresses can also be used with these other GPS applications. Note that there is a new player called CoPilot that apparently has a similar product coming although it's not on their website yet. Rumor is that they will also have a version for the microSD cards in the 8100 and 8800. I suspect that TomTom might jump in also. In order for that to happen, RIM may have to open up access to the microSD card for applications. So what's on the wish list for these applications - Routing maps with user selectable POI's? Say I have directions to a pet store programmed and I am also hungry. Wouldn't it be great to be able to see where I am on the route and be able to select a category of POI's (places to eat) to show up. Telenav has this in their 5.1 version, and is now available for the 8800. Version 5.1 also has traffic reporting.

Spot is another type of program that provides positions information, waypoints, WMS maps, and elevation information, and for information on a few other providers you can read more at Brent's page. If you want to read about a few old applications like Caffinefinder and FastFoodFinder, Berryvine Companion (European navigation), Trimble Outdoors and Naggie you can read this summary. Want to know more about the US Map makers and who is relying on their products and POI's, then read this article. What if you just want to start your device, log your travels, blog your thoughts, share it with friends and family and keep a record, then you need to sign up over at Chronicle Road, and start traveling.

So to sum up you need hardware - a Blackberry with a GPS chip built in or a separate receiver, and you need software on your Blackberry, AND YOU NEED A BLACKBERRY DATA PLAN.

Here's the big picture: BBMaps is excellent as a free application for going to a place you know or that is your address book. BBMaps also has the fastest maps and zoom function as explained below. If you want to find a business or find cheap gas that you are not aware of, and you want voice prompts, you should try Telenav or Wayfinder. BBMaps includes driving directions but neither voice prompts nor a turn by turn navigation screen. For driving directions with voice prompts, Wayfinder is the product of choice for Europe with traffic in various cities. For the US, the point of interest database is weak but they are searching for new content. I like their easy ability to switch the routing views, explained below, and to see where you are on the map in the middle of a trip. Telenav has the best points of interest for the US. Both Telenav and Wayfinder have very effective turn by turn directions. They use different mapping databases so detail on local streets in the US varies. Telenav is also a monthly fee while Wayfinder is a one time fee, and BBMaps is free. I have not tried Telmap, and for now Garmin should not be considered due to the horrible customer service. I have tried a version of Mapquest Navigator which is a branded Telmap product. I think there 3.0 version may compete with Telenav. Wayfinder is also due out in June 2007 with an 8800 product update.

Telenav 5.1 is the product to have in the US. Google Maps also uses NAVTEQ data and it allows you find business and locations, with driving directions, and traffic information in some areas. So by now you are confused and so the following chart compares the driving direction applications. Spot is different, as it is the only BB program you can geocache with. Spot does not give you driving directions but it can show you where you and follow you if the WMS maps (see below) are working. I have not had consistent success with the WMS maps, and therefore recommend that Spot work on obtaining a consistent map source. The Topo map works often which is great for the geocaching. See the details below.

←↑→↓

Feature↓ Product →	BBMaps	Telenav My Favorite	Wayfinder	Google Maps	Garmin-AVOID THEM	Telmap Mapquest Navigator (in the US)
GPS Enabled	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Where you are on the Map, Entire Route, and Turn by Turn Views	Yes - use space bar to change	Yes - use menu key to change	Yes - use # to change	No - route view with turns identified	?	Yes
Next Turn	Scroll to read-doesn't update	Icons for next two turns plus rerouting	Icons for next two turns plus rerouting	Push number to read-doesn't reroute or update	?	Icon for next turn plus rerouting
Voice Prompts	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
POI finder	No	Yes-Best in US	Yes-Best in Europe	Yes-Best in US	?	Yes, from Mapquest
Scaleable Vector Maps	Yes	No, bitmaps but small maps	No, bitmaps	No, bitmaps	?	No
Data Source	TeleAtlas	NAVTEQ	InfoUSA through TeleAtlas	NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas	NAVTEQ	NAVTEQ and InfoUSA
Cost	Free	$9.99 month	$99 one time	Free	?	$9.99 month (free trial)

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Telenav - BEST OF CLASS FOR DRIVING AND POI's IN THE U.S.

Telenav is a true driving direction program. This review has been updated in May 07 for version 5.1 on an8800. Version 5.1 has outstanding enhancements including traffic, map summaries and search POI's along the route. As mentioned above it uses NAVTEQ for its data and it works really well as a direction program. I have become a real fan for use the US due to its extensive POI database from NAVTEQ and its integration with the BB address book and phone. See my tip below on using the address book. Telenav allows you to look up addresses in your book and to call a business that you have found. Note that it is a monthly subscription at $9.99 vs. the one time Wayfinder fee of $99.

When you start it up you will see the DWT (driving while texting) warning followed by the main screen after your acknowledgement. Ironically the one key safety feature, a menu item to Switch Applications, is not available as RIM has not made that choice available to third party developers. Instead if you need to get to another application you need to Alt-Esc which is more distracting.

As you can see you have a choice of the Drive To a destination via GPS navigation, using the Directory to find a business, looking up a location on Maps and getting traffic information. You can also use Tools/Extras. One of the key preferences set in Tools is backlight on at turns (not shown below) and Turn Icon. The Show Next Turn can be set to Always or When Nearby. The choices for Tools/Extras looks like this:

Within the Tools, the compass gives you basic location, speed and GPS signal strength information. You can also Record Location and save it as a favorite. After reading the location you can give it a name and save it.

The key to this application is a very strong set of search tools that enables you to find business and locations. Once you enter the Drive To screen, you have a choice of using My Favorites (well your favorites really) , Recent Places, an Address or Intersection, a Business or Airport, and your Address Book. The latter is a really nice feature and it will allow you to pick from Business or Home. One BIG Trick is if you are picking from your address book, don't start Telenav first, but go to your address book, find the contact and click Drive To or Map It. That is faster than having Telenav search your address book. If you are doing a route, you can choose Start from Here or Set a Different Origin. You can also find places to go by using the Maps function. As you can see the menus are quite similar.

Above are the choices for Recent Places and Intersection. The Address Screen is similar except you don't have two street lines, and if you click the trackball you have the option of typing in the address or calling it in. The call in menu is cumbersome but arguably safer and it works quite well. One thing I don't like about 5.1 is if you choose My Favorites it always goes to the server to synch first which takes time. Why favorites if there is going to be a delay in getting there?

If you choose business, the Search For dialog comes up, and you can limit the search to categories.

If you choose the Address Book, it will first read it which takes a while so my trick above works much better.

Once you have a location by using either the map or looking something up above you can get a route, and apply different styles to the route.

After you ask for the route it will be downloaded, and thus you need to be in coverage area. If you go off track a new route will download. Volume controls are at your fingertips during your route.

Once your destination has been set, the driving directions will start, and I must say they have implemented this very well. I keyed in an address and started up the freeway. The choice of views is impressive along the way. Let me show you some of the choices. They include a 3D Moving Map, Turn Icons, Route Summary, Traffic Summary, and Map Summary. You can also Search Along the route for POI's.

3D view above is what you would see if a bird was flying 50 feet high and 2D view (below) is what you would see if you were a cartographer. Notice the ETA and Distance alternates and you have a turn arrow. Your current street is shown in 3D view. With either view you can get Traffic and if you want you can just have the Map follow you. Also if you don't want a 3D or 2D map you can just have the turn arrows as shown below.

Traffic reporting and rerouting is available on 5.1, along with the choice to avoid a segment or minimize all delays.

2D map below with Traffic

Telenav does talk to you and you can press the space key to replay the last message. I noted that rerouting is done very quickly.

And when you are done, it will ask you if you are done. There are actually an number of confirming dialog boxes, some of which are more helpful than others.

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Blackberry Maps

RIM has decided the mapping is an important feature, and the 8100 Pearl is the first Blackberry to have BB Maps. You need to use the Blackberry Browser to download it over the air (not Opera or any other browser). The application can be used with a BT GPS puck or without. You can see maps and get directions without it, but you need the GPS device to track where you are. BBMaps is now available for the 4.1 OS system BB's with color screens at www.blackberry.com/maps. The application uses Tele Atlas' map data and scalable vector maps to provide driving directions via an external Bluetooth puck. Scalable vector maps are smaller data hogs. Scalable vector images convert the graphical information on a single image that is downloaded once and then uses mathematical equations and geometry to describe the map. If the map service uses bitmap images the device must download additional bitmaps as you zoom in and out of different areas. The BB Maps application offers the ability to find directions to a location from where you are currently and the ability to map to an address in the address book, which is a nice feature, but you have to have the country in the address (US or Canada). What BB Maps does not do is provide dynamic directions. Once the locations are set you can see where you are and you have written directions at the bottom of the screen. Integration with the BB is very good. You can zoom in and out using I or O, and if you use the trackwheel you get a Google like scroll bar. Panning is a breeze with the keyboard button. You can toggle information at the top of the map with the U key. You can also email the location points to anyone in your address book. You can easily switch views using the space bar between GPS (track your movement), Map (location of a place) and Route Preview. You can save locations to favorites and they display on the maps. You don't get voice instructions and if you go off course it doesn't reroute you.

Here is my current location with the U key pressed so that the info bar at the top shows. Another press of the U and it goes away like in the following two screen shots. Notice how if the GPS is active you see a satellite and it also tells you which view you are seeing. If you click Pan in the menu, you get instructions on how to pan using the keys. You can also pan up and down with the trackwheel or right and left by using the trackwheel with the Alt-key. If you click Zoom, you get a Google like zoom bar that is activated with the scrollwheel and it works really well with the vector maps. You can also use I and O for shortcuts.

Below are two screen shots of the full menu. You won't get a GPS view unless you Start GPS. You can have the application Go To location you type in or map a location in the address book. If you have a home and work address you will be given a choice. If you have the GPS on, you can choose from Center of Map to a Location you define. Zoom to fit is used with routes to see the entire route, and Zoom to a Point zooms to a location on the map that you have moused over. See the cross hairs below. You can also get details on any part of a route or a destination.

In the screenshots below you can see the two views of GPS and Route Review screens (the Map view is above). In the GPS screen, black street letters indicate it's the street that you are "currently on" and red street letters with a + is the street that you are "coming up on." You can see your current direction and speed, plus an arrow showing you where North is. If you are connected, you see how many satellites you are connected to, and the view you see is listed at the top information bar (U toggles this on and off). Space bar toggles between the views of Map, GPS, and Route Review. In the second route review below, I "Zoomed to Point" and instead of showing me the starting point marker (red balloon with the 1), it takes me to the red arrow which is my current location. Note that in GPS view the map is a bit compressed, but zooming is the easiest and quickest of all of these applications. To start directions from your current location, when you begin to enter the directions use the Trackwheel to select "Use Map Center."

Note that these Route reviews are no longer present in version 1.1.32. They are shown on a separate screen and I have not updated the screen shots.

The options screen is pretty basic. You pick a GPS device and you tell it if you want the backlight disabled. This is different than Telenav which gives you the option to turn the screen on a turn approaches. Enable Track Up allows the direction you are headed to be at the top of the screen. In the menu you can change that to North if you like. You can also see your data usage for those not on an unlimited plan. Shown below is also the email location screen and the help screen which comes through the browser.

Here is a tip from Steve at BBF on how to use BBMaps effectively with Google Maps by exporting a location from BBMaps to Google Maps.

If you are interested in using Google Maps to locate businesses in the area in question or whatever reason you might have go between programs.

In BBMaps, wherever your cursor is, you can click for the menu and select "Copy Location" in order to save the information to the clipboard. Then go to Google Maps and use "Find Location", "Enter an address" and paste the clipboard contents in. Google Maps can't use it as-is, so edit out the URL information and leave Latitude and Longitude coordinates separated by a comma.

For example:

http ://maps.blackberry.com?lat=43.04588&lon=-87.95956&z=1

Becomes: 43.04588,-87.95956 (Important - don't forget the "-" if there is one). Now, you use Google Maps to locate a business, such as Pizza, if you are hungry after a tour at Harley-Davision HQ in Milwaukee. Once you have found the location, you will now need to click on Find Business and put in the type you want, like "Pizza."

You can download the BBMaps guide here.

New features coming in the version for the 8800 include the ability to search for POI's, bookmark locations, and the following views. I will update this page if they materialize. BBMaps version 1.1.32 does not have these features and that is what is on the 8800. This is so even though the manual says the following features should be present.

Map view:

You can view maps, location markers, routes, and points of interest.

Directions Dashboard view:

You can view location markers, routes, text directions, and points of interest. You can also highlight and move between directions.

Directions List view:

You can view a list of all text directions.

Locations List view:

You can view a list of location markers and location information.

Locations Map view:

You can view routes, location markers, and points of interest on a map.

Navigation Dashboard view:

You can track your movement and view routes, location markers, and points of interest. You can also view other navigational

information such as upcoming streets, your speed, and your compass direction.

Navigation Map view:

You can track your movement and view routes, location markers, and points of interest.

If you don't like BB Maps, go into Options,>Advanced Options>Applications, and then delete LBS. You will also need to delete the following modules, and then do a hard reboot:

The four modules are:

net_rim_bb_lbs
net_rim_bb_lbs_api
net_rim_bb_lbs_int
net_rim_bb_lbs_res

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Google Maps - Keep this Application Handy

Google Maps is a great program for finding points of interest and locations and seeing detailed maps. You can also see a satellite view and navigation is a breeze. You can search for a business, and call one too directly from the application. You can also find locations. When you find a business you can obtain directions to and from your business or location, and save it as a favorite spot. For some places you get a detail screen that you can access by holding down ALT and rolling the Trackwheel. With version 1.5.1 you can use GPS to find your current location (just push 0) and search for businesses at that location. After you start the application if the GPS is on it will automatically update your location. See the screen shots with the red around them.

Mark a favorite with a star and return to it easily by pressing *. Your favorites are stored on your BB in something called the Content Store, so be sure to do backups with Desktop Manager. Press # to see traffic information and call a business you have found. Zooming in and out is easy with the I and O keys, and moving around is also easy. U is up, J is down, H is left and K is right, all on my 8700 of course. Below is a screen shot of traffic on the SF Bay Bride and a satellite view of the SF Wharf.

Routing shows you your start and end point in green and red and you push numbers to advance and get turn directions. In areas where there is traffic information you get the traffic delay in minutes too. Pushing 1 and 3 moves you to the previous or next direction. You can overlay traffic too and your route is shown in purple.

Since Google is using NAVTEQ they have an extensive database of businesses and locations. If you are going to use Wayfinder below because you like the onetime fee, you need to have a good mastery of Google Maps too. The About screen in the Help menu has some interesting info like data used and the version. I recommend that people read the help sections.

If you are having problems connecting (usually if you are not on BES - corporate servers), make sure you can otherwise connect to the internet (sometimes you have enter TCP and APN settings), and try resetting your firewall for Google. Options>Advanced Options>Applications>Google Maps>Edit Permissions>Reset Firewall Prompts

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Wayfinder - Great in Europe

Wayfinder is a great program for driving directions and points of interest. I really like this application and it far exceeded my expectations in terms of usability. I found it easy to use with plenty of detail and great accuracy.

When you start it up, you see the following screen with the options menu if you click the Trackwheel. The choices are Find, Route Planner, Show Map, Close-2-you, Favorites, Options and Services.