[fatboy97]

I just purchased a 8900. Short, sweet and to the point: Does the GPS drain the battery when not in use? Also, is there any way of turning the GPS off?

[mobiusp]

... Does the GPS drain the battery when not in use?

Nope no noticeable battery drain when not in use. Not that any application can use the GPS if you simply put them in the background and don't close them down. If you are navigating with GPS you'll get 11-12hrs max from most devices.

Also, is there any way of turning the GPS off?

From memory on the Bold its: Options --> Advanced Options --> GPS --> GPS Services --> Location Off

[fatboy97]

Thanks mobiusp.

[delta_foxtrot2]

Even with the GPS chip active, it doesn't drain my battery.

The display always being on will.
Playing movies, which in part is due to the display being on, and to a lesser extent mp3s will.
The radio being in use will, that is active phone calls, and/or sending or receiving data.

Enabling GPS on the phone doesn't turn it on, an application has to do that.

[Bramsy]

Nope no noticeable battery drain when not in use. Not that any application can use the GPS if you simply put them in the background and don't close them down. If you are navigating with GPS you'll get 11-12hrs max from most devices.


From memory on the Bold its: Options --> Advanced Options --> GPS --> GPS Services --> Location Off

what phone can do this?!?

[sk0tto]

I was using bb maps with gps enabled to find a new client an hour or so away. My battery was about 80% when I started out, and was down around 15% when I finally got to my destination.. I'm pretty sure the screen was left on, but the backlight wasn't kept on.

[Xopher]

If the GPS radio is in use, it will drain the battery faster. Just having it as an active option (not running) won't drain the battery faster. It using a GPS applicatio that keeps the screen on at the same time, then battery usage will also be increased.

I actually use the Comfort Cradle with my 8830 when in the car (also have one on my bike). It charges the phone while in the cradle, so I'm not using up battery power while using my BB as a GPS.

[roadwarrior69]

Does a gps on a bb really serve a practical purpose? I tried to use this maps and google (not at the same time) on my bb and it was hard to drive and look at the little screen. If there was a voice like a real garmin it would be very benefital.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Xopher]

Does a gps on a bb really serve a practical purpose? I tried to use this maps and google (not at the same time) on my bb and it was hard to drive and look at the little screen. If there was a voice like a real garmin it would be very benefital.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

GPS on a phone does quite a few different things.

You can use Tell Me, Poynt, and other applications to find location-based information, like movie theaters, restaraunts, gas stations.

I do agree that BBMaps and Google Maps are a little lacking for use while driving. Text directions and looking at the screen for the map is a little distracting.

That's where better GPS applications really do help on the BB. I use Garmin Mobile on my BB ($99 device lifetime). It gives voice directions and a 3D map display that isn't too distracting (just wish it supported bluetooth audio). It also has location-based searches for points of interest, such as gas stations, restaraunts, theaters and such. You can even look up someplace and call them right from the search results.

Many of the carriers also have their own turn-by-turn GPS applications available through them (usually with a monthly fee).

For me, having Garmin on my BB is a wonderful option. I have a turn-by-turn GPS unit that goes with me everywhere!

[lemos]

Does a gps on a bb really serve a practical purpose? I tried to use this maps and google (not at the same time) on my bb and it was hard to drive and look at the little screen. If there was a voice like a real garmin it would be very benefital.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

try nav4all or amazegps. it's really easy to drive and follow directions with them.

[Tre Lawrence]

I say it is very, very useful. I use TeleNav. It is indispensable now...

[jrod82]

Does a gps on a bb really serve a practical purpose? I tried to use this maps and google (not at the same time) on my bb and it was hard to drive and look at the little screen. If there was a voice like a real garmin it would be very benefital.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

My Google maps came in handy this past weekend on my way home from my family lake house. There was an accident that had the highway pretty backed up. So I whipped out my BB fired up Google Maps and was able to navigate a couple backrounds and routes to get on the highway further north of the accident.

Worked great for me!

[Nikoletta_Windby]

Thank you mobiusp.

I had a Blackberry 8900 and the day after I used to GPS the first time the phone started burning through the battery in about 6 hours and I could not figure out why. I called customer care (it was a brand new phone) and they were useless (which is actually pretty unusual for them)... They had no idea why it was doing it but sent me a replacement. On the third phone when I had the SAME problem and was almost at the end of my rope I found this post. The GPS had been running the whole time and I couldn't turn it off from the maps, had to actually go into the options menu...

So again, thank you mobiusp for showing me how to make my phone work properly, I wish the customer service rep had been half as useful over a month ago.

[drphil1]

I just purchased a 8900. Short, sweet and to the point: Does the GPS drain the battery when not in use? Also, is there any way of turning the GPS off?

GPS drains the battery a lot but it also depends on the app. Some app constantly get GPS and drains batt very fast, some does not and you cannot feel the battery drain.