[s219]

iOS devices without GPS use trilateration from cell towers and wi-fi hotspots.

iOS devices with GPS can also use cell/wi-fi trilateration in the absence of a GPS signal, and they will use it to estimate position while GPS-lock is being established. However, they do not later combine cell, wi-fi, and GPS together for any sort of refinement. In reality, cell/wi-fi are primarily used to download information that helps speed up GPS-lock, and make it quicker to get position from the GPS hardware. That's the basis of assisted GPS (AGPS) -- it just makes the GPS-lock faster.

More info here:

How the iPhone knows where you are | Phones | Macworld

These are all fairly standard practices used by all mobile device manufacturers. I am sure RIM does the same thing.

[togardergrosse]

iOS devices without GPS use trilateration from cell towers and wi-fi hotspots.

iOS devices with GPS can also use cell/wi-fi trilateration in the absence of a GPS signal, and they will use it to estimate position while GPS-lock is being established. However, they do not later combine cell, wi-fi, and GPS together for any sort of refinement. In reality, cell/wi-fi are primarily used to download information that helps speed up GPS-lock, and make it quicker to get position from the GPS hardware. That's the basis of assisted GPS (AGPS) -- it just makes the GPS-lock faster.

More info here:

How the iPhone knows where you are | Phones | Macworld

These are all fairly standard practices used by all mobile device manufacturers. I am sure RIM does the same thing.

Yes you are correct, RIM also does this. Example: Curve 8520 doesn't have WiFi but able to use Foursquare app or other LBS apps out there. It's not as accurate as having a GPS chip inside.

The problem perhaps that PB OS (not perhaps, but it is as Kevin stated in the first page) isn't able to optimize that triangulation process.

[BSFA2008]

i have a question, will we be able to use the gps without a internet connection like use bing maps as a gps relying only on the gps without a internet connection?

gps only does gps ... gps doesn't download maps, images, reviews, and search for restaurants and movies ... you need data too.

[peter9477]

You can use GPS without internet connection if you have an app that doesn't require a live data connection... simple as that. None of the existing map apps work that way, but there's nothing stopping someone from making one. (It won't use the Google map data, nor perhaps some of the well-known others... they have license constraints that prevent that type of use.)

[Malicye]

Why is it that the first pearl with GPS worked better than this? And I may be mistaken but despite the following press release wasn't that in like 2001?

San Antonio, Texas, April 23, 2008

Waterloo, Ontario � Workers and consumers on the go can now put away their maps but still easily navigate the fast lane.

"AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today announced the launch of the BlackBerry� Pearl� 8110 smartphone, which includes built-in global positioning system (GPS) support for location-based applications and services. Combined with navigation and mapping applications such as AT&T Navigator, the handset provides turn-by-turn voice and on-screen directions with colorful 3-D moving maps that can be used in vehicles or while walking. AT&T Navigator also alerts users through voice and on-screen prompts to traffic slowdowns and incidents along their programmed travel route, and it provides customers with the option to choose an alternative route."

[pacoman03]

Why do you feel the need to make duplicate posts? Anyhow, maybe the Pearl used assisted GPS, which uses cell towers to help in finding your location. The PB can't use aGPS since it doesn't link up with any cell towers.