Stinsonddog’s Blackberry GPS Review
This version of
my GPS review covers applications before May 1, 2007
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 unit 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.
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 may be the preferred one. Telenav uses NAVTEQ for its maps and points of interests,
while Wayfinder
uses TeleAtlas, 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, and the big news
is that they have enabled GPS for WM5 and Palm, so I am hoping that GPS for
Google Maps on the BB isn't far behind.
That application offers real time traffic and favorites. Plus it you can find addresses and
businesses for use 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 applicatons. 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. Wow Telenav has this in their 5.1 version
for Sprint,
and apparently it will be on the 8800 at some point. Version 5.1 will have traffic, real
time, or so I hear.
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.
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
←↑→↓
|
Feature↓ Product → |
My
Favorite |
Garmin-AVOID THEM |
Mapquest Navigator (in the |
|||
|
GPS Enabled |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No -rumored |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Where you are on the Map, |
Yes - use space bar to change |
No - turn by turn and intersection maps
only |
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 |
Yes-Best in US |
? |
Yes, from
Mapquest |
|
Scaleable Vector Maps |
Yes |
No, bitmaps but small maps |
No, bitmaps |
No, bitmaps |
? |
No |
|
Data Source |
InfoUSA through
TeleAtlas |
NAVTEQ
and Tele Atlas |
||||
|
Cost |
Free |
$9.99 month |
$99 one time |
Free |
? |
$9.99 month
(free trial) |
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Telenav
- BEST OF CLASS FOR DRIVING AND POI's IN THE
Telenav is a true driving
direction program. This review has been
updated in Dec 06 for version 4.7 on a Cingular 8700. Version 4.7 has outstanding enhancements
including 3D maps but Version 5.1 (coming in April or so) adds traffic, map
summaries and search along the route.
These are a map of your entire route and the ability to search for POI's
along the way. These are more
outstanding improvements from Telenav.
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 the
When you start it up you will
see the following start up screen and then the opening screen.
As you can see you have a
choice of the routing via GPS navigation, finding a business, finding a map of
a location, some tools, preferences and support. Two of the key preferences are backlight
on at turns (not shown below) and Turn Icon. With Turn Icon, you can set if for 2 min
before the next turn or right after the last turn. If you use the former sometimes it will
show you a straight arrow if you have a bit to go before the next turn. The choices of tools, preferences and
support look like this:
Within the Tools, the compass
can lead you to a waypoint. If you
have entered one you can find your way there, but since you need to enter them
as streets you can't really use it for geocaching, or at least I have not
figured out how to do so even though you get coordinates on the compass view as
shown below. The relative location
shows you, well, where you are relative to a location you have chosen.
The key to this application
is a very strong set of search tools that enables you to find business and
locations. Once you enter a Search Point
screen, you have a choice of using the current location via GPS, recent
addresses or Favorites (both of which can be managed in Tools), Key in a new
address, Airport, or the BB 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 It. That is
faster than having Telenav search your address book. If you pick Current Location, the GPS
will start and find the location.
If you are doing a route, you can choose Start from Here or Set a
Different Origin.
Once you set the location you
can get a choice of finding a business or cheap gas. If you choose to find a business, then
you can type in a name and search everything or a variety of categories. Gas stations can even be searched by
brand. When you have found a
particular business you get various choices as to what do including drive to
it, map it, call it or set it as a waypoint (favorite).
If you are going to look for
driving directions, then you get an extra choice of calling in an address. I have not yet tried that feature, but it
seems really handy and is covered in the manual
for 4.7
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.
You can see the little blue car icon as I am getting off the
freeway. I see my destination
street at the top and the current one at the bottom (the same in this case) and
my distance to next turn and direction of turn in the upper right. I see my GPS strength and a compass
showing the speed and direction. On
the left I see an intersection map (see preferences above where I turned it
on), with the remaining distance and time below it. The lower view on the right sometimes
changes for an immediate follow on maneuver. Once you have set you route, you
will see second shot below as Telenav determines your route. You will have a choice of previewing the
various steps using the O and P keys (on an 8700). The following set of screen shots comes
from Version 4.4 and is the same in 4.7.
However you get extra options in 4.7 as shown below.
When you are not near an
immediate turn the map turns to larger view of how far you have to go. You can also see that it is easy to
change the volume using the Trackwheel.
Telenav does have a preview
view and this is very important. If
you have saved a map while in your carrier's coverage area, you can use the
preview view to continue on your route if you lose coverage. You will no longer get voice
instructions, but you have the turn by turn directions to guide you. You can use the O and P keys on an 8700
to move forward and back through the preview.
Below are some views from
version 4.7 which is available on some carriers. The Turn Arrows view is what you see
above and the Route Summary is below.
Version 4.7 catches up to Wayfinder as it has a map of where you are in
the route and your progress. The one drawback on Telenav is they did not provide a
shortcut key to change these views.
You have to use the Trackwheel.
In 3D Map and 2D Map, you can use the enter key to call up the
menu. I hope they add a
shortcut.
3D view (first shot below) is
what you would see if a bird was flying 50 feet high and 2D view (second shot
below) is what you would see if you were a cartographer. When you approach a turn you can see it
in red. See the red arrow in the 2D
view below.
Here are the control options
for these views on the 8700.
If you are going to use
Telenav just for maps, I must say they make navigation and zooming a
breeze. Check this out. Again you pick what you want to map, and
it sends the request and shows you how to navigate. The navigation reminder is at the bottom
of the screen too along with the latitude and longitude. Telenav does not follow your route like
BBMaps does.
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.
______________________________________________________________________
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
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
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."
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
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 when I get one.
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
________________________________________________________________________________________
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.
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
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Wayfinder
- Great in
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.
You can see your current
satellite information if you are wondering about your GPS coverage.
If you choose Find ("the
magnifying glass"), then you can find items by address, company, category
or directory (Eniro is a leading directory for
the Scandinavian countries only).
Wayfinder is a Swedish company.
They hope to add a
You can also use Wayfinder to find places that are
Close-2-You by either using your GPS position, the find tool, your favorites,
or a position on the map.
You can save favorites for
use in routing and discover details.
From the favorite menu you can select one and set it as the start or
destination and other choices as shown in the menu below. The synchronize feature allows you to
enter favorites on your PC at your Wayfinder
account and then they are added to your application when you start it up. This is a nice feature for planning a
trip.
The heart of the application is the Route Planner where you get your driving directions. You have four icons to choose from: graphical turn by turn, the navigation map, the route on the map, and the detailed route description. The Route Planner main screen shows the estimated time and the distance for the entire trip. That is the total estimated time and distance. The time or distance on the detail screens is usually