GPS Navigation on your PlayBook for free? Thanks to Android Player, heres Google Nav

**HaTaX** · 07-22-2011, 01:32 AM

We've been looking for a nice GPS application for the PlayBook right? Well how about Google Navigation for your playbook?

Simple, just load this APK up like any other, make sure you have a GPS lock in Bing just to make sure and then go into the Andoid player and launch Navigation!

Here's the APK to get you going:
google_maps.apk

Post back here with your results if you try it out, I can confirm the GPS does work just fine through it and it appears to work quite well. Speed is very acceptable as well.

Hope this helps some people out.

EDIT:

Here's a newer version of "Google Maps" that includes navigation as well: http://www.mediafire.com/?3skqbi7xyuhqg90

Also, if you do not have the wifi power on it looks like the Android player stumbles and falls. I'm thinking tethering isn't going to be an option for people because of this and it might be a little down the road before there's any type of tethered connectivity to it.

**skyscraper04** · 07-22-2011, 01:33 AM

but you need the internet connection for navigation right?

**SCrid2000** · 07-22-2011, 01:33 AM

Originally Posted by skyscraper04

but you need the internet connection for navigation right?

That's exactly what I was thinking. But the newest gmaps lets you download the map data.

Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk

**HaTaX** · 07-22-2011, 01:39 AM

Correct, you do, but I think you can have a tethered connection and still have it work. I'm testing that portion right now.

I have a MiFi device so it's not too huge a deal for me if tethering doesn't work with it.

**skyscraper04** · 07-22-2011, 01:42 AM

i can only use internet through bridge because i dont want to pay for tether plan.

**Guyzer** · 07-22-2011, 01:49 AM

any confirmation it works? ive read on other bb sites about others side loading android apps such as netflix. it appears there will be no limitations on what we coukd put on our playbooks. i wonder if the android trojans and malware will also run nicely?

**skyscraper04** · 07-22-2011, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by Guyzer

any confirmation it works? ive read on other bb sites about others side loading android apps such as netflix. it appears there will be no limitations on what we coukd put on our playbooks. i wonder if the android trojans and malware will also run nicely?

probably thats why i keep away from installing it.

**HaTaX** · 07-22-2011, 01:55 AM

Well, starting the Android player with wifi doesn't seem to go over real well. I've noticed if I disable wifi while it's open it will force close and not come back until a reboot.

Going to do a little more tinkering and report back in a few minutes.

Also, I uploaded a newer version of google maps and edited my OP.

**HaTaX** · 07-22-2011, 02:04 AM

Well, I can get the Android player started without a wifi connection, but it doesn't seem to see the tethered connection. Probably the fact they have the wifi piped into the app, but not tethering.

So this would really be for users with a wifi hotspot with them or on their phone. It's going to leave the BB + PB users out in the dark.

Still though, we didn't have much of an option before and now there's at least a WAY to get some decent navigation on our PBs!

**BaconMunch** · 07-22-2011, 02:04 AM

THIS is intense. I've been watching all the Android Player action from the sideline with ALOT of interest. This may be the app that gets me into the sideloading action. Thanks for putting this out there OP!

**HaTaX** · 07-22-2011, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by BaconMunch

THIS is intense. I've been watching all the Android Player action from the sideline with ALOT of interest. This may be the app that gets me into the sideloading action. Thanks for putting this out there OP!

Whatever it takes to get you here, this is one case where the grass is much greener on the other side of the fence.

I'm super excited about all this, mainly just because I am an Android nerd and have spent considerable time with hacking and slashing Android in a past life.

**prez87** · 07-22-2011, 02:10 AM

Can Bridge be used as a data connection for apps? A lot of data apps do not work unless they are either in a wifi zone or are tethered. Will we ever be able to run data apps simply through bridge?

**Schlymer** · 07-22-2011, 02:43 AM

I think the OP should get on the RIM payroll as well as the other OP from the other thread relating to sideloading android apps. I know RIM will get there eventually and nothing will compare to native apps, but this is a nice workaround in the meantime to add more function to the playbook.

**HaTaX** · 07-22-2011, 02:56 AM

Heh, all RIM would have to do is reach out the the developers at XDA or something and they would have a whole host of people willing to work on getting Android all happy on our PlayBooks. I just don't have enough time to get this all done, but I've already fired up my Android OS VM that I use to build OSes...

There's some real powerful stuff that can be done here if you have Blackberry development keys and can resign the BAR file... Since adb is already enabled, it makes things that much easier.

Really though, it's odd how they just linked in all the underlying resources from the PB, that alone would take a while to sort out. But in the end, it's still Android 2.3.3 with the source code for the OS being out in the open. Possibilities are endless as long as the integration is tightened up with the GPU, camera, and some other network connectivity things.

Thanks for the vote of confidence though! I'm sure RIM has a lot brighter people then I working for them. I think their "release issues" are not related to the technical talent they have there.

**DaveTheA** · 07-22-2011, 06:20 AM

Yay! Now nobody has to bother writing a native Playbook app! And pretty soon, nobody will need to buy a Playbook...they'll just buy an Android tablet!

**lawguyman** · 07-22-2011, 06:42 AM

Everything loads but when I enter an address in the Navigation program it hangs forever on "waiting for location."

**Tre Lawrence** · 07-22-2011, 07:00 AM

Originally Posted by Guyzer

any confirmation it works? ive read on other bb sites about others side loading android apps such as netflix. it appears there will be no limitations on what we coukd put on our playbooks. i wonder if the android trojans and malware will also run nicely?

Since you guys are getting these .apks from unofficial sources, those boogey men might just find you.

**dkingsf** · 07-22-2011, 07:42 AM

Originally Posted by DaveTheA

Yay! Now nobody has to bother writing a native Playbook app! And pretty soon, nobody will need to buy a Playbook...they'll just buy an Android tablet!

LOL that's what I've been thinking. Why bother with all this "side load" etc etc. I remember the early 90's when you could run a Mac emulator on Sun workstations and Windows emulator on Macs. Yea, some things ran, others not, but even those that "worked" were slow and crappy.

I can get a $300 Froyo tablet with wifi, GPS and accelerometer to run all these "apps"

**manofice1** · 07-22-2011, 07:55 AM

Originally Posted by lawguyman

Everything loads but when I enter an address in the Navigation program it hangs forever on "waiting for location."

Same here

10char

**HaTaX** · 07-22-2011, 08:13 AM

Make sure you can get a GPS lock using Bing first. I don't think it matters all that much, but I found if I went and opened Bing while at "Waiting for location" that it sped things up. Once Bing had a GPS lock, I went back to the android player and it was loading the route.

**blackjack93117** · 07-22-2011, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by DaveTheA

Yay! Now nobody has to bother writing a native Playbook app! And pretty soon, nobody will need to buy a Playbook...they'll just buy an Android tablet!

Clever...
That would be funny, if it weren't for the fact that people buy playbooks primarily for the hardware and the OS, not the droidware.....both small little items lacking in android tabs....

**lawguyman** · 07-22-2011, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by HaTaX

Make sure you can get a GPS lock using Bing first. I don't think it matters all that much, but I found if I went and opened Bing while at "Waiting for location" that it sped things up. Once Bing had a GPS lock, I went back to the android player and it was loading the route.

Hey! That worked!

Thanks. Pretty cool.

**ignites** · 07-22-2011, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by DaveTheA

Yay! Now nobody has to bother writing a native Playbook app! And pretty soon, nobody will need to buy a Playbook...they'll just buy an Android tablet!

just because ppl are not writing pb apps doesnt mean they wont buy blackberrys... apps are, for the most part a gimmick and if pb can run andriod apps its going to be the best of both worlds...

admitly.. the UI on the andriod player needs to be fixed. cus its damn ugly

**tprime** · 07-22-2011, 12:37 PM

Ok got to try this. Pretty much this is the only thing left that I use my Galaxy tab for.

For those that keep saying "just buy an android tablet" I have one and it is not at the level of playbook. It "had" a few apps on it I used that were not on my playbook but not anymore.

**laserx** · 07-22-2011, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by DaveTheA

Yay! Now nobody has to bother writing a native Playbook app! And pretty soon, nobody will need to buy a Playbook...they'll just buy an Android tablet!

Ya, you can buy an Android tablet and get the best of the Android world or you can get a Playbook and get the best of the Blackberry World and the Android world. In my (Play) book a 2 for 1 deal works best every time.