[GLOCKshooter]

Is anyone using their playbook as a garmin replacement? If so, what kind of mount, and which program/app?

[rbenjami]

not even close yet. the gps hasnt been activated yet.

[mavricxx]

I hope they make a free turn-by-turn guided NAV with coming updates.

[T.roy]

Contrary to what some are saying the GPS does work. No garmin ,TomTom or apps like those out yet though.

[GLOCKshooter]

My playbook's gps works fine. No one has tried any windshield mounts or dashboard mounts?

[n3v3r_kw]

My playbook's gps works fine. No one has tried any windshield mounts or dashboard mounts?

It fits nicely in my window mount I believe it's an iGrip generic gps holder.

I hope a gps app comes along that stores maps locally as I do a lot of travel in areas with no cell service, then I will be able to ditch my Tom-Tom from my travel kit.

[GLOCKshooter]

does the Igrip holder allow access to the charging port? I would like to be able to have it charging while in use. Also wondering about the camera on the back. It is not a big deal, but it would be pretty cool to have the camera running on a video record loop filming out the windshield while driving.

[jessebo8247]

I contacted garmin via email and asked them about an app for the playbook. their response was that they have no plans for a garmin app fo the playbook at this time. they basically stated that they was going to wait until they see how the playbook does in the market before commiting time and resources to creating an app for it. might be a while. bummer...

[Rello]

rim bought a navigation company over two years ago and gas done nothing with them....im hoping for some free software besides bing somewhere down the road.

and yes some peoples gps is working, but for many they are still waiting for a update. mine still doesnt work as it should

[Daniel Ratcliffe]

But since it doesn't store the maps locally, do I have to bridge in to my Berry to download the maps while out on the road?

[FF22]

Paladinleeds:

So far BRIDGE does not work for the gps. So out in the field, the best you can get is your lat/long and maybe speed from the free Compass app. I don't know what the Magellan app does.

Just found a quote on a review of Magellan:

"VERY dissapointed save your $$$$. this does not work unless you have wifi (even if your tethered and bridged). no help or menu.... i mean come on.... basics people...."

[lawguyman]

The GPS in the Playbook will not work as a "garmin replacement."

It will tell you where you are at the moment but that's about it. It does not do that for some people.

RIM has not said when the GPS will have this kind of functionality, if it ever will.

[peter9477]

The GPS in the Playbook will not work as a "garmin replacement."

It will tell you where you are at the moment but that's about it. It does not do that for some people.

RIM has not said when the GPS will have this kind of functionality, if it ever will.

Umm... since when is it the job of the GPS in a device like this to do more than tell you your lat/long/elevation and possibly speed and heading? The PlayBook GPS can certainly do this (although as you note, it's flaky until they fix the software), but the issue is there are no apps that can do the sorts of things that a Garmin does.

There's nothing stopping anyone from writing a good map app that loads, say, OpenStreetMap maps, and tracks your position using the GPS. Add some turn-by-turn software, and you've got what I assume you mean when you say "Garmin replacement". It's not really about the hardware... and it would work on the current PlayBook, aside from the reliability issue (which might be fixed in the next update).

[berryheadsoon]

I bought this one:

Amazon.com: RAM-B-166-TAB2U: RAM Twist Lock Suction Cup Mount & Universal Tab-Tite for Tablets with THIN Cases, Sleeves, Skins (Samsung Galaxy Tab, Dell Streak, BlackBerry PlayBook & Barnes & Noble BOOKcolor): Electronics

Expensive and impossible to adjust while driving but holds the PB very tight, the ports are accessible and it has an awesome suction cup. Never tried a cheaper one so I can't really compare. I'm extremely happy with it!

[Herve5]

I revisit this thread after a month, because I'm considering buying a PB... and I'd love seeing Openstreetmaps on it the way it works on Android for instance.
A PB with OSM would be the perfect large-size, free-map-forever GPS for me...
As far as I can see, there indeed are Openstreetmap applications available, or announced so, for the PB.

Did anyone try for instance "Ultimate Maps" or "GPSMid" (this one a JavaMe application)?

Having a return on this would be precious for me, specially about how easily one can update the OSM map...

TIA!
Herv�

[robsteve]

GPS World Map is the best of the apps I have tried so far. I had bought it thinking it was a GPS app with the maps included, but it is like the rest and requires an internet connection and uses Open Street Maps.

As of a few days ago there was a recent update which makes it probably the most useful of the GPS apps because it now shows GPS status info on the top of the screen. For example it can display how long since the last update, which gives you a good idea if it is still communicating with the GPS. The current display items are Position/lat//long, altitude,accuracy,speed,last update, and status.

Robert

[FF22]

I revisit this thread after a month, because I'm considering buying a PB... and I'd love seeing Openstreetmaps on it the way it works on Android for instance.
A PB with OSM would be the perfect large-size, free-map-forever GPS for me...
As far as I can see, there indeed are Openstreetmap applications available, or announced so, for the PB.

Did anyone try for instance "Ultimate Maps" or "GPSMid" (this one a JavaMe application)?

Having a return on this would be precious for me, specially about how easily one can update the OSM map...

TIA!
Herv�

I have (had?) Open Maps. But it appears that it no longer works. I get a BLACK screen when attempting to open/use it. When I tap on it in Appworld/MyWorld, I get an error. I also could not find it when searching - so, I guess, it is gone from Appworld. I had written the developer a while ago, asking about offline maps (so you could use it without wifi) but never heard back.

[Herve5]

My (outside) perception is that both Ultimate Maps and GPSMid do feature offline maps handling.
The question is rather, are they correctly ported to the Playbook...
Not having one at this time the only thing I know is from screenshots on UM site ( http://www.blackberryblip.com/blackb...ook-12188.html ), but I can't try anything in the App Market...
Herv�

[steve911]

I tried the Magellan app over the weekend and it does work just fine for me. I have it tethered to my Torch. It also gives you your current speed. Accuracy was just about perfect.

[evolutionPlaybook]

Hardware is there, software is still not there, if it will ever be given RIM's history. I would love to have preloaded maps that we can download and use as Nav while playing music at the same time.

[FF22]

My (outside) perception is that both Ultimate Maps and GPSMid do feature offline maps handling.
The question is rather, are they correctly ported to the Playbook...
Not having one at this time the only thing I know is from screenshots on UM site ( Ultimate Maps for BlackBerry PlayBook - BlackBerry Application ), but I can't try anything in the App Market...
Herv�

Ultimate Maps does NOT seem to exist. I have tried scanning their code, searching but nothing shows up. Hmm, their "last update for pb was FOUR months ago. There was NO pb 4 months ago.

[blackmoe]

I would be totally happy with a PB version of Blackberry Traffic which has a great GUI for turn by turn instructions.

[Herve5]

Ultimate Maps does NOT seem to exist. I have tried scanning their code, searching but nothing shows up. Hmm, their "last update for pb was FOUR months ago. There was NO pb 4 months ago.

Thank you F2!
Indeed this is a piece of information... and a worrying one...
Thanks again!
Herv�

**edit: I sent a message to the developers of Ultimate Maps and got an almost immediate reply: the have been trying to get the app published for months now, and keep receiving refusals announcing the application is "unsigned" while it is... so in the end they renounced!
What a horrid story!

[teamfoster03]

Bb traffic would be great on the Playbook. Add turn by turn voice prompts and it would work as a good gps replacement. But like most things on the pb its hurry up and wait.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[FF22]

Thank you F2!
Indeed this is a piece of information... and a worrying one...
Thanks again!
Herv�

**edit: I sent a message to the developers of Ultimate Maps and got an almost immediate reply: the have been trying to get the app published for months now, and keep receiving refusals announcing the application is "unsigned" while it is... so in the end they renounced!
What a horrid story!

That does not sound very promising. So they have given up trying to release it for the Playbook? Disappointing. Maybe I could send an email, too. I did not see a contact - do you have an email for them?