[TravelinGal]

We got the 1 month free of the VZ Navigator but looking at some other threads here it sounds like we don't have to use THEIR program, right?

Can anyone expand on this for me. I have never used one before, so talk to me like the newbie to this that I am.

OK - not a complete newbie - my car has the one that reads off a disk, but it stinks big time. a good 75% of the time it can't find the address I'm trying to enter (numbers grayed out so I can't enter the true address - forcing a specific number range only etc)

I would LOVE something that can actually know where I am and where I'm going!

We used the VZ Navigator on our trip this past week and had a few problems -- one time it sent us 8 miles (16 round trip) out of our way and then the voice navigation was not always working and that was tedious having to keep looking down to see what the next turn was.

(re the wrong directions - our hotel was right on the highway in a small town - VZ Nav put us on the interstate to the next town! and then redirected us back to the person's house on a back road... ugh My first thought was that there was a new exit for the town and that it was saving us in town driving, but NO... no exit for 8 miles. We were stuck once we got on the interstate. -- tried the address from the hotel the next morning and it showed the correct directions...)

Thanks for any help y'all can offer!

[imann101]

Well google maps works really well for directions, however, they have not completely set it up for the storm yet. While you will get your general location, it isn't exact until google sets up their coding for the storm. I have heard nav4all is a good program, but that too isn't optimized for the storm yet, it just works in compatibility mode. Try those two out though. nav4all speaks to you and gives turn by turn directions where google does not. Most turn by turn directions use aGPS (assisted GPS) which is locked by vzw so it's harder to get a program that will give you turn by turn. GPS is unlocked which allows you to use all other types of gps programs

[troutseth]

most phone based GPS applications do not use disk but rather they connect to the internet to get their maps. The upside of this is that are generally Very up to date. The downside is you need to be in a service area to get the map. So the GPS chipset in the phone works with the maps to show your location or track your route. In the past, Verizon will lock the GPS to only work with their program. This is not the case on the storm.

You can use something other than VzNav. BB maps is installed on the phone and works very well. However, you will not get audible noise when a turn is coming up or re-routing if you take a wrong turn. It will show you route highlighted and your location. Up to you to stay on path.

There are other software packages out there like Windows Live search and Google for free; also some paid applications for BB. However, not sure any of them have been updates to work on the storm yet.

[Accidental Post]

Gps is not an exact science yet. Vznav is ok but not great I have it on my 8830 work phone and it gets the job done. Bbmaps uses the internal gps on the storm you might give it a try but if I am correct it doesn't do turn by turn voice nav

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[TravelinGal]

Thanks for the information and suggestions! I'll look into them.

I'll probably keep the VZ Navigator for a little while though until the other programs are set up (better) for the Storm

[AngelDamien]

I've been using nav4all since I got to play with my storm on friday. It's working great, the inputs are just a little long, but after that, ultra accurate turn by turn directions