[Terminatorbob]

Will Blackberry ever get a digital compass such as the Iphone or Droid? Thats one feature I REALLY wish it had as it makes for some really cool apps.

[wojotiger]

I second this!! I do like the compass apps and wish we had one, I wonder why we don't?

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[FF22]

Check out the gps subforum. At least two programs, Blackstar and gpslogger, provide a compass, although, they may not function unless you are moving.

Unless tech has changed though, on my real hiking gps, using the compass consumes lots of battery power.

[wojotiger]

But what about a stand alone compass?

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[Xopher]

GPSLogger has that built in. Works very well.

You just have to remember there isn't a full compass built into the BB (maybe int he Storm), so the way it sets the compass is by tracking your movement.

[fabuloso]

Wow. A compass? We must really be bored to care about a compass on a BB with all the apps out there, like Google Maps. A compass, rolf.

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[sdmcwilliams]

Check out this site Welcome to blueinc

I am beta testing it on my Bold and it works great.

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[pkcable]

What about this...

Compass - Travel BlackBerry Apps - Crackberry BlackBerry Apps Store

I'm moving this thread to 3rd Party Apps


EDIT: It's on sale right now for 2.99

[Terminatorbob]

Why was this moved to 3rd party apps? Im talking about physical built-in hardware.

[Terminatorbob]

Wow. A compass? We must really be bored to care about a compass on a BB with all the apps out there, like Google Maps. A compass, rolf.

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If you played with a Droid or Iphone you know that it can be used for much more than just a compass.

[wojotiger]

Wow. A compass? We must really be bored to care about a compass on a BB with all the apps out there, like Google Maps. A compass, rolf.

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Yeah, we r talking about a compass, heaven forbid, lol. I mean seriously, I surf this site daily and here numerous posts that ask the same questions like "when is 5.0 coming", "tour vs. Droid", etc, etc. So yes, we the OP asked about something that isn't a daily question, that other platforms have and they were just curious about. I'm all for something refreshing, so yes, how about a stand alone compass app, no maps, nothing else, just a stand alone compass. But I guess that is not allowed? Oh wait, nevermind, I don't see anything in forum rules about it so I guess its cool. If u don't like it, don't read it and don't post. And sorry for the rant, but I don't see the point in the attitude about a simple and harmless question. If it was asking about the when 5.0 was going to drop for this device or that then I could understand, but not over a question about a compass, lol, come on ppl

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[TheScionicMan]

Blackberry Maps has one, sorta. like the others, if you get a GPS lock and start moving it will show the direction you are heading.

[Terminatorbob]

Ok I guess what it is actually called is a magnetometer. Thats what im talking about. Nothing software related.

[fabuloso]

Yeah, we r talking about a compass, heaven forbid, lol. I mean seriously, I surf this site daily and here numerous posts that ask the same questions like "when is 5.0 coming", "tour vs. Droid", etc, etc. So yes, we the OP asked about something that isn't a daily question, that other platforms have and they were just curious about. I'm all for something refreshing, so yes, how about a stand alone compass app, no maps, nothing else, just a stand alone compass. But I guess that is not allowed? Oh wait, nevermind, I don't see anything in forum rules about it so I guess its cool. If u don't like it, don't read it and don't post. And sorry for the rant, but I don't see the point in the attitude about a simple and harmless question. If it was asking about the when 5.0 was going to drop for this device or that then I could understand, but not over a question about a compass, lol, come on ppl

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lol, yeah, i guess its cool if your trying to get lost and find your way home or something. You know well a compass is useless now a days.

[Xopher]

Maybe the Storm series would have this, but I doubt it would appear in other models.

[cd36]

lol, yeah, i guess its cool if your trying to get lost and find your way home or something. You know well a compass is useless now a days.

For those of you that never leave the city, then yes a compass is probably useless. When I'm out in the bush hiking, hunting, quadding, snowmobiling, etc. they can be priceless. Theres been a few times where I would be lost when pushing bush hunting if it weren't for having my compass on me. And until Google maps has a layer that shows game trails, there isn't much other alternative.

[ridesno159]

For those of you that never leave the city, then yes a compass is probably useless. When I'm out in the bush hiking, hunting, quadding, snowmobiling, etc. they can be priceless. Theres been a few times where I would be lost when pushing bush hunting if it weren't for having my compass on me. And until Google maps has a layer that shows game trails, there isn't much other alternative.

Now don't get me wrong, a compass would be cool for a BB. I could have a lot of fun with one. But if there was one pre-installed on my phone, I would still be bringing a real compass along. If Google added many more layers to their maps, I would still have one. Even when I have a GPS with all the maps and usability they provide on it, I still bring a compass and a real map.

I would like a compass on my BB, I would use it a lot just for the fun of it. But a electronic device would in no way replace the real thing, ever. Companies will still sell plain old compasses in a hundred years, there is nothing that will ever replace a compass. No person in their right mind would venture into the woods without a real map and compass, even if it's only a back up and never gets used.

[cd36]

I was more defending the fact that he said compass's are useless. My phone is in no way going to replace my Silva Ranger compass, but thats not to say that one on a phone may not be useful. I was just trying to prove that compass's are still necessary.

The google maps layer was a joke, I hope you didn't actually think I was hoping for a game trail map to be implemented on Google Maps. I was pointing out that while in the city google maps does a fine job, but when you're in the bush tracking a deer there obviously isn't a map for that, you have to rely on a compass/sun/trial/etc. to get you around.

[ridesno159]

cd36. Sorry if I came across like that, I maybe should of quoted "the compass is useless" post. I was just trying to make the point that a compass would be fun, but in no way would it ever replace a tool that has been around for hundreds of years and still will be far in the future. I love to spend as much time out in the woods as possible, and a compass is one of the most important things you can bring on a hunting trip. Sometimes even more important than a gun. I realize that a person who spends any time outdoors knows that too.

[w_bovine]

lol, yeah, i guess its cool if your trying to get lost and find your way home or something. You know well a compass is useless now a days.

I'd love to have a compass on my BB. There are programs that will emulate a compass, but as BusaB pointed out, the device would need a magnetometer to have a "real" compass function.

Just because something would be useless to one person doesn't mean it would be useless to everyone.

[PhilipC]

Compass - Travel BlackBerry Apps - Crackberry BlackBerry Apps Store

[jhughes96]

The augmented reality apps (e.g. Layar) available on the iPhone and Android show how powerful a built in compass can be (using a "magnetometer" as W_bovine says).

Please note the key difference of a built in digital compass and an emulated one. With a built in digital compass you can stand on a spot, move around and the device is aware of your direction - an emulated compass means you HAVE to move for it to 'know' where you are.

An emulated compass is no good for augmented reality apps - and these things are going to be massively important imho


Joel

[phone9]

Unless I've missed something,

1. There is no hardware that supports a compass function,

2. There is no API that supports a compass app.

GPS provides latitude, longitude, altitude, and time references. The Storm's accelerometers provide the direction of gravity and motion references.

By tracking GPS movement over time an app could determine the compass heading of the movement, but how with the sensors available would it determine which way the device is pointed, unless there were a starting reference?

i.e. If you pointed the arrow on the screen due North and clicked a button to establish that as the reference bearing, then an app could use the accelerometers to track the changing bearing as you move, but there would be drift -- I don't think the Storm's accelerometers are accurate enough, so as you move around it would gradually lose the correct reference and become misleading, then useless.

The only magnetic sensor I see in the sensor set is the holster detector, and that sure isn't going to detect the Earth's magnetic field .

[FF22]

Yes, this topic does not really belong in SOFTWARE/3rd party apps. He wants a physical compass in the BB and that needs to be a suggestion to RIM.

I'm just curious about the iphone's compass - is it always ON? As I mentioned earlier in the thread, my Garmin gps with REAL compass eats batteries if you leave it on. Maybe there is another form now-a-days.

[arch64]

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