8520 curve -> GPS and newbiee user

[shinra00]

hello all. i am very, verry new to the bb world. i have always used nokia devices and now i just got a bb 8520 curve.

i just oppened this thread cause i want to ask if there are any GPS (road navigation) apps to this device. for me is pretty important to have gps working on my cell phone. so..are there any good app without using wifi connection? 2D graphic display is all i want. free or paid ones (no need to turn by turn voice). ive read that nav4all is pretty good for a 2D graphic display and i think it is free. can you tip me which are the best 2 best paid ones and the 2 best free ones?

since im so very new in bb (got mine lets say..1hour ago) which other apps do you advice me to have or are there any tricks/features i should know?

thank you very much for you time,

best regards.

[HankHowdy]

Google maps always worked well for my 8530. Its free.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk

[californiablackberry]

The 8520 does not have GPS built into the device.

[shinra00]

Originally Posted by californiablackberry

The 8520 does not have GPS built into the device.

so this means the only way i can get a gps display in this device is by being connected to the internet right?

[diegonei]

Welcome to the forums.

Originally Posted by shinra00

so this means the only way i can get a gps display in this device is by being connected to the internet right?

No, it means the 8520 does not to GPS (but yes, the apps I'll soon mention need to be connected to a data plan, BIS to be specific).

The best you'll get is cell tower triangulation which will place you (on a good day) in a 100-1500 meters radius. It is good enough if you just wanna know if you're getting warm, but you get no indication of what heding you are going, nor pinpointed location.

BlackBerry Maps, Google Maps and Telenav will still work, but under said restrictions.

If GPS is a must on your device, consider getting the 9300/30, 9700/80 or if your pockets are stuffed, one of the OS7 devices.

EDIT: You could pair the phone to a GPS receiver via bluetooth, that would also work...

[shinra00]

Thanks you so much for your post.

I´m really well informed by reading this post, seriously ty!

Ona last thing, i´ve read that this device (bb 8520 curve) is really good in the management of multiples email accounts. Are all those models as good (and probably better) as the 8520 curve?

Those 4 models you mentioned, 9000/30 and 9700/80, are the only ones with and gps antenna integrated in the device? So it is possible to get precise curve to curve voice, pinpointing current position.

One more time thanks for the fast response my previous post.

best regards. L

[diegonei]

Originally Posted by HankHowdy

Google maps always worked well for my 8530. Its free.

The thing is... the 8530 does have GPS. The 8520 doesn't.

Originally Posted by shinra00

Thanks you so much for your post.

I´m really well informed by reading this post, seriously ty!

Anytime.

Ona last thing, i´ve read that this device (bb 8520 curve) is really good in the management of multiples email accounts. Are all those models as good (and probably better) as the 8520 curve?

All BlackBerry devices work pretty much the same way, so yes, they all excell at email (if you don't need IMAP folders that is). The devices I mentioned have either more memory or better processors (both in the case of the 9780) than the 8520 so performance-wise, you get an overall better experience. But I had a 8520 and I know what a work-horse it can be.

Those 4 models you mentioned, 9000/30 and 9700/80, are the only ones with and gps antenna integrated in the device? So it is possible to get precise curve to curve voice, pinpointing current position.

Not really, but they are good devices that are going to be on the cheap side not that the brand new 9900, 9810/60 and 9360/70 are out. I forgot to mention the 9810 thou, it also has A-GPS bult in.

The turn-by-turn part if only available throught apps. Google Maps and BlackBerry Maps will give you a 2D map and directions in the very same fashion desktop version of Google Maps does. Telenav thou (and maybe Waze GPS?) will keep on shouting turn here and turn there and you go and show your location and heading on a 3D map.

One more time thanks for the fast response my previous post.

best regards. L

We're here to help!

I never got to try telenav on the 8520, but see if you can get Waze there. You'll need a data plan (and if you want the true powerof BlackBerry you'll need BIS) for them to work.

[HankHowdy]

Why doesn't the 8520 have GPS like the 8530?



Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk

[diegonei]

Originally Posted by HankHowdy

Why doesn't the 8520 have GPS like the 8530?

Back when they were released, the internals used for GSM and CDMA devices were not the same, so the 8520 came out 2G without GPS while the 8530 was 3G with GPS.

Pissed a good number of us back then.

[shinra00]

One more time, diegonei, thank you for the reply =) really well written!

As for me this post can be closed cause i just got all the info i could wish for.