[stevenma188]

Hi, ive been reading, and its hard to make sense of the answers, but here are a few questions i have.
I just bought a 8820 and will be using it without a data plan. Can I use the wifi to do the following:
1. browse internet
2. check gmail, hotmail, unversity email account
3. use google apps (type up word docs etc)
4. use facebook
5. msn messenger.
6. use GPS (and is there a way to do turn by turn directions without subscribing to telenav? is there a way to somehow save maps so that they can be viewed offline?)

im a university student, and 98% of my campus has wireless coverage. thank you guys for your help.

[Dreamzboy]

Hi, ive been reading, and its hard to make sense of the answers, but here are a few questions i have.
I just bought a 8820 and will be using it without a data plan. Can I use the wifi to do the following:
1. browse internet
2. check gmail, hotmail, unversity email account
3. use google apps (type up word docs etc)
4. use facebook
5. msn messenger.
6. use GPS (and is there a way to do turn by turn directions without subscribing to telenav? is there a way to somehow save maps so that they can be viewed offline?)

im a university student, and 98% of my campus has wireless coverage. thank you guys for your help.

I assume you should be able to do all the above if you can get your wifi to connect. As far as GPS is concern, you can get the map onto your BB with the following link http://forums.crackberry.com/f33/how-get-bb-maps-your-8800-a-254/"]http://forums.crackberry.com/f33/how-get-bb-maps-your-8800-a-254/

[stevenma188]

my understanding is that blackberry maps still requires a data connection to get the maps. can i get a program where i can just dl the maps onto my blackberry so that when im on the road i dont need an active data connection?

[dbltap]

my understanding is that blackberry maps still requires a data connection to get the maps. can i get a program where i can just dl the maps onto my blackberry so that when im on the road i dont need an active data connection?

No. None available. Asked a number of times here in the forum.

You will also need a number of 3rd party apps to replace teh ones that will not be active on the 8820 without a data plan. A browser like Opera mini. The BB e-mail will not work. You'll need an app for that. And any app you load will need to have been written to take advantage of the WiFi port, not just the BB network. Not a lot of apps have been written this way yet. For example, I don't know of ANY Instant Messenger programs that work over WiFi only. The BlackBerry messenger is the only one. However, if you don't have a data plan, it will never be initialized. The G-mail app might work over WiFi. BUt you would have to forward all your other e-mail accounts to G-mail to get them on a 8820 with no data plan. I don't think Google Apps work at all. I haven't seen anyone say that the new Facebook BB app works over WiFi. It's new enough it might.

Can it be done? Sure. But you are going to have to read a lot of forums and do a lot of work yourself to understand all the ins and outs of how to make the 8820 work without a data plan only over WiFi. Not gonna be a lot of hand holding available to do this. Look through what's already been researched on Blackberry Forums and Pinstack.

The 8820 was never designed to work without a data plan. It's pretty integral to it's functionality. You may be able to get a limited number of things to work without it. But you are not going to get the equivalent of a laptop with a wireless card in it.

Good luck and happy reading.

[user0011]

JiveTalk (new beta version, do a google search) now supports a wifi-only connection. My wife runs it on her Curve at home, no data except wifi.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com