Verizon GPS unlock

[Goon]

Someone just mentioned in a GPSr Nav forum that Verizon is releasing firmware to unlock the GPS chip in May

Any rumors to confirm?

[rbf2000]

It's already unlocked for the VZNav app and BB Maps. I don't think they'll ever get it working for other applications on the 8330. It's completely unlocked on the Storm, so I'm guessing there is some sort of hardware issue - it doesn't make sense that they would allow it to fully work on the Storm but not the 8330 if it could be changed with a simple firmware update.

[Goon]

I know it works with the BBmaps and VZNav. It's locked because it doesn't work with anything else.
Since the 83XX gps chip works on other networks then the 8330 has the hardware to work with all apps. The firmware has crippling it. A firmware upgrade could release the GPS chip to associate with other apps.

[gtstang462002]

Originally Posted by Goon

I know it works with the BBmaps and VZNav. It's locked because it doesn't work with anything else.
Since the 83XX gps chip works on other networks then the 8330 has the hardware to work with all apps. The firmware has crippling it. A firmware upgrade could release the GPS chip to associate with other apps.

It isn't a limitation of firmware. The 8X30 series phones use aGPS. The a stands for assisted. The assist comes from the cell phone towers. Verizon at this time is not allowing the towers to assist for anything but VZnav(paid of course) and BB maps(comes preinstalled on the phone). That might change later on but I wouldn't hold my breath. They just recently opened it up for the 8X30 series to allow BB maps to work with the 4.5 upgrade. The Storm(9530) has a GPS chip that doesn't require the assistance to get primed.

[roeod4]

Originally Posted by Goon

Someone just mentioned in a GPSr Nav forum that Verizon is releasing firmware to unlock the GPS chip in May

Any rumors to confirm?

They may have been referring to a possible May release of the Tour/Niagara. That will more than likely have unlocked GPS. Then again, when the 5.0 OS comes to the Verizon curves it may unlock it.

[zyiro]

the internal GPS in the VZW curve works with Amaze GPS.... the software is kind of buggy but it will give you turn by turn directions.

[bx2md]

when i use bb maps with amaze i have to use my bluetooth puck

[ncbell13]

I use google maps. It uses the GPS just fine. Accurate to 3 meters it says.

[dasbeav]

Originally Posted by ncbell13

I use google maps. It uses the GPS just fine. Accurate to 3 meters it says.

Storm and Curve/pearl/8830 are in different situations. Can't really compare the two. The GPS chips are different.

[chainsaw1972]

I have a 9530 I got from Verizon the last month and a half, and the GPS does appear to be locked. If I go to google maps it gives me a "within 1100 meters" circle, and its not even correct with that, its more like a mile off.

[BlackObsidian]

Originally Posted by chainsaw1972

I have a 9530 I got from Verizon the last month and a half, and the GPS does appear to be locked. If I go to google maps it gives me a "within 1100 meters" circle, and its not even correct with that, its more like a mile off.

You've probably got an older version of Google Maps. You need version 3.0.2 for the GPS to work properly. Also you need to be somewhere you can get line of sight to the GPS satellites, if you are in a building you will only get the cell tower approximation.

[chainsaw1972]

Originally Posted by BlackObsidian

You've probably got an older version of Google Maps. You need version 3.0.2 for the GPS to work properly. Also you need to be somewhere you can get line of sight to the GPS satellites, if you are in a building you will only get the cell tower approximation.

I am using 3.0.2. I found the issue...

I had to go to Options -> Advanced Options -> GPS and turn off Location Aiding, now Google Maps works like a charm. I'm sure thats been posted before, but I didnt find it out right away.

[Suefnp]

I know this isn't exactly along the same thread, but it does concern phones and GPS. My husband is a firefighter and was teaching a GPS class to others in the special rescue team. He climbed up a small mountain and called 911 from his Verizon cell phone to get the location that they could find for him by tracking his phone. When his buddies joined him using their real GPS, they found the cell phone 911 lock quite a bit off from their gps. He tried to ask Verizon which format they use for gps(he said something about different ways to measure locations?) and could not find anyone to help. I thought I would check with the brains on Crackberry as I visit often.
It would be a bad thing if you are stuffed in a car trunk in a parking lot and the gps locator on your phone is off by hundreds of feet. Which car are you in? Which alley are you laying hurt?
Thanks for any help
Sue