[nycspaces.]

I guess the larger question is will the BB MS relationship lead to a higher quality product for users.

My experience with Bing Maps on playbook has been awful and i by default prefer google to bing search (more out of habit not necessarily for results), but i would imagine ms has to make a play that is broader than wp7 to start to have an impact on their mobile strategy. Google may or may not help out PB in the competive iOS/Android race, however for now GDocs isn't working well on PB (probably rim browser) and i would prefer to get google maps on PB.

There are major usability issues with Bings maps and the PB gps, not sure who should be taken to task but the locations are off by not small amounts, you would be driving the wrong way on one way streets if this were a navigation tool and it is infuriating that every time you have to manually tap the gps dot on BM it zooms out to a predetermined map level. In addition when launching BM in a no-gps zone it doesn't even try to locate you it simply give you error messages like "Finding your location" (does nothing) or better yet "unable to determine your current location" which leaves you with a map of the whole country...at least try to go back to where i was last, use something that would facilitate a helpful starting point, **** they could even serve more ads that way.

Even on a wifi only connection for the BB google will find you within a reasonable distance of where you are or at least where - when it last had a connection.

Not sure what RIM is getting from MS ( i hope it's boatloads of cash) but i really don't see who this is good for users.

Hopefully some of you have some insights into the potential positives, maybe MS should just buy RIM and call it a day and push QNX with bundled MS mobile products. It would help both of them stave off extinction and it would be one big dinosaur to compete with.

[FF22]

MS apparently shoved boat loads of money (mentioned were figures in the very nice Half Billions) to Verizon to make Bing the default "goto Seach Engine" option on newer BB phones (and others???) when it had been Google. And while you can change the search engine to wiki or Dictionary.com, you canNOT change it to Google.

I hope rim did not settle for a lot less (other than in the value of the app itself).

[mavricxx]

I'm with you bro,

I think RIM needs its own Nav the way Android and Nokia does. They need to come up with their own turn-by-turn voice guided Nav. I think instead of that cheap Bing Maps thing, MS can really capitalize on it and turn it into a full fledge Nav and add it to their devices and RIM. But I don't know MS disappoints. Sometimes they look like they know what they're doing others they look lost like the Zune fiasco. RIM on the other had is really looking good, we may not understand it now but they look like they're headed in the right direction and everything will be revealed in due time. Whether adding MS as a partner and wether delaying the current phone line up was a good thing only time will tell. I personally think its not on both of those but we'll see. In the end not having QNX, a front facing cam on the new phones and delaying them will hurt them financially as people keep moving on to Android and iPhone coming to Verizon and later Tmo. They REALLY need to step it up. I do like that they're advertising FINALLY, but they got ways to go before they become popular once again.

[yzf.shaun]

As for the navigation I think any solution should have the maps loaded on the device. You can almost guarantee that when you needed it most you wouldn't get a connection.

As for Rim and Bing as a partnership i'm not sure. I initially resented Bing because of the way its thrust on you when setting up a new Windows machine. By default I am a Chrome user and so often search by typing in the web address bar. With this i have found myself doing the same and I have left it on the default setting of Bing. So far i have been more than happy with it and I have found myself using it periodically on my laptop.