Google Maps... What a Joke.. BB Maps Is Sooooo Much Better

So as you all know that 8330 Curve GPS doesn't work. I got the GPS to work with a Garmin dl. Not a problem. BB maps now works great with the GPS functioning.

So I keep hearing all the raves abot Google Maps. So today I decided to dl it. It all went well. Opened it up, still doing good. I hit find my location and told me that You location within 10500 meters!!!!!! wtf is that all about? Umm yeah no where close to where I live. :mad::mad::mad::mad:

So how can I make google maps as accurate as BB Maps?

BB Maps works PERFECTLY, not one problem just wanted to see what all the rave was about

USCellular's GPS performance is intermittent at best. There have been a number of posts about it in the last year or so. You might get some help from this post: http://forums.crackberry.com/f41/rea...v1-0-a-192999/

The problem is Google Maps not recognizing the GPS chip in the 8330m - it's a known issue that Google is aware of (but taking their sweet time fixing). It's been reported here many many times.

The fix JeffH makes the 8330m GPS respond quicker (sounds like you already looked at that thread, as well as the Garmin Mobile fix). It won't make Google Maps work with the 8330m.

One of these days, Google will update their software to support the 8330m better. You might change your mind once GMaps can access the internal GPS chip. I think Lattitude is kewl, but it won't work with my wife's 8330m until they update the software.

Thanks for confirming the issue with the 8330m and GPS. Is the problem with all 8x30m devices? Are there others, like an 8130m, for example? Google Maps works with my 9630, which is an MEID device. I'm wondering if Google will update to support the older devices.

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Thank You both for the great info :)

Google maps is working with my 8330m just fine.

Originally Posted by redsoxnation17

Google maps is working with my 8330m just fine.

hmmmmm not me.. Let me open up Gmaps and let me tell you how off it is from my location LOL

Your location within 6700 meters :cool: :rolleyes:

EDIT: how did you get yours to work? I too have an 8330m Curve with US Cellular.

I did the garmin mobil GPS dl, that fixed my BB Maps.. But google is fuxored :(

Originally Posted by redsoxnation17

Google maps is working with my 8330m just fine.

The question is not whether Google Maps will run on an 8330m (it will) but rather whether it can use the internal GPS. How accurately does it locate your position? If you press 0, do you get a circle that indicates your position to within, say, 1700-m, or do you get a dot that locates you to within 3-m? If you get a circle, Google Maps is using cell towers to approximate your location. If you get a dot, it is using the internal GPS in an 8330m. And you'd be the first person (that I know of) to confirm that.

Originally Posted by JeffH

The question is not whether Google Maps will run on an 8330m (it will) but rather whether it can use the internal GPS. How accurately does it locate your position? If you press 0, do you get a circle that indicates your position to within, say, 1700-m, or do you get a dot that locates you to within 3-m? If you get a circle, Google Maps is using cell towers to approximate your location. If you get a dot, it is using the internal GPS in an 8330m. And you'd be the first person (that I know of) to confirm that.

I get a blinking blue dot...that good or bad?

If i open google maps while outdoors, i'm usually found within 6 meters of my location.

Originally Posted by redsoxnation17

I get a blinking blue dot...that good or bad?

Press 0. What does Google say for the accuracy of your location?

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Originally Posted by JeffH

Press 0. What does Google say for the accuracy of your location?

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3800 meters

Originally Posted by redsoxnation17

3800 meters

3800-m accuracy means Google is using cell towers to approximate your location because it is not using the internal GPS. Google Maps CAN use the internal GPS in the Storm and Tour. That's why the Storm user above can get 6-m accuracy or better, and why I typically get accuracy better than 10-m. Verizon blocks the internal GPS on 8x30 devices for all apps but BBMaps and VZNav. It may be that your carrier blocks it as well.

I'm not sure about the 8130m, but the 8330m is a known issue with Google Maps. The only option Google Maps shows within the software is to use an external GPS device (it doesn't recognize there is an internal GPS chip within the 8330m). It doesn't have a problem with the ESN version, just the MEID version.

The Tour and Storm don't have that problem. Either the software recognizes the aGPS chip, or the dual-mode GPS in those devices gets around the problem in the 8330m.

Currently, there is no fix for Google Maps and the 8330m other than tower approximation or external GPS. There are several threads over on the Google Mobile support forum about this. Google has known about this since the MEID device came out (almost a year ago), but no update has been made to the software.

Google Maps works great on my Tour. Most people feel BB Maps is a joke, too bad you arent able to use GM to its full extent. I just traveled from Oregon to Utah and Google Maps worked like a charm, it pinpointed my location without fail. The search function was very valuable when trying to find food/gas/rest stops along the way.

Google Maps and BBMaps aren't really competing apps. Google Maps is a great mapping app, but not so good for nav for two reasons. Its maps don't rotate to show direction of travel up, and it doesn't show your speed. BBMaps provides both those key nav functions, but its maps just aren't as detailed as Google's. I use both apps regularly. I wouldn't characterize either as a joke. If Google would add the missing nav functions, it would be a slam dunk.

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If i travel, I use my Garmin Nuvi for that ;)

But I always take my Garmin out of my car everyday. Only use it if I go on long distances

Originally Posted by torchd

If i travel, I use my Garmin Nuvi for that ;)

But I always take my Garmin out of my car everyday. Only use it if I go on long distances

I'm the same - my TomTom remains home unless I believe I will specifically need it. I'm pretty good traveling around my own City (Seattle) and hitting most places where I want to go in the state. If going to another City I might take it. But then, hopefully, the BB can serve. My TomTom was great over in Europe this past summer for 3 weeks in Italy, Austria and Germany. It really was a great aid driving in and around Munich, the only big City were were in.

Which program do YOU use on the BB? (sorry, if I missed your mentioning it above) I am considering the Garmin for my Tour but have held off. I've had garmin's for outdoor adventure for years but the TomTom at a Costco price a few years back was terrific.

The only issue I'm having with googlemaps is that it disappears when I am using the weather network theme on my 8310. Otherwise, it works perfectly. Since I'm on AT&T, I don't get the BBmaps option (AFAIK). I've not noticed any difference in accuracy between my BB and my handheld gps units that I use for geocaching. But if you're inside, then you most likely won't see that "accuracy within 2 meters" that I see on my BB outside. LOL

you have to go to advanced options and go into gps and click emergency911 and change it to "location on"