1. steven s.'s Avatar
    Why would anyone use anything but VZ Navigator? I mean it does everything that any other GPS programs or devices do and more! The best feature is when my wife is shopping at the mall she can send me a GPS follow me request and then continue shopping. When I get there I can catch up to her using Navigator while she is on the go. Plus it gives you verbal direction directly into my Bluetooth Jawbone. Amazing. For only $10 a month just the Follow Me feature is more than worth it.
    I've used the trial of Navigator before, but a reoccurring $120 a year is not what I want to pay for something when there are plenty of free alternatives out there. If it were a one time initiation fee, then I'd be more than happy to use VZNavigator.
    12-04-08 06:40 PM
  2. tbwilson's Avatar
    I've used the trial of Navigator before, but a reoccurring $120 a year is not what I want to pay for something when there are plenty of free alternatives out there. If it were a one time initiation fee, then I'd be more than happy to use VZNavigator.
    I easily save the $120 a year by using the avoid traffic feature to save gas. VZ Navigator can alert you in real time of accidents or traffic backups then re-route you to the fastest alternative. When gas was $4 a gallon this saved me ALOT of mileage and gas.
    But to each his own but you get what you pay for.
    12-04-08 06:48 PM
  3. howie's Avatar
    tbwilson, ok you are happy spending money on it, we get that. Many of us would rather use the free alternatives, especially since many of us have real GPS devices for the car. But, BB Maps also has a feature to send GPS location to another person. Not sure how it works, since i haven't tried it, but it's there. Don't care about the traffic thing, that's what my real GPS device is for. Not to be negative, but I never understood why people are willing to spend $120 per YEAR for a GPS application over just buying a real GPS device for around the same price with no recurring fees (other than maps which aren't necessary that often).
    Last edited by howie; 12-04-08 at 07:11 PM.
    12-04-08 07:09 PM
  4. tbwilson's Avatar
    tbwilson, ok you are happy spending money on it, we get that. Many of us would rather use the free alternatives, especially since many of us have real GPS devices for the car. But, BB Maps also has a feature to send GPS location to another person. Not sure how it works, since i haven't tried it, but it's there. Don't care about the traffic thing, that's what my real GPS device is for. Not to be negative, but I never understood why people are willing to spend $120 per YEAR for a GPS application over just buying a real GPS device for around the same price with no recurring fees (other than maps which aren't necessary that often).
    The main reason would be that installed vehicle GPS devices cannot travel with you. The other ones out there (ie Garmen ect) could travel with you but why carry a bulky "extra" device when my little Blackberry with VZ Navigator can do everything the stand alone ones do PLUS so much more. It is small enough to travel all over the US. I think convenience is the key.

    Note that built in Vehicle GPS systems run around $1500 from the factory/dealer. They average person doesn't keep there car over 5 years. Break that cost down. (About $21 a month)

    I don't understand why anyone would buy a bulky "stand alone" feature lacking GPS when there are feature rich GPS applications built right into something you carry with you alway. You keep saying "Real" but what make one more "Real" than the next? Both a just GPS chips with a UI.

    But like I said to each his own.
    Last edited by tbwilson; 12-04-08 at 07:34 PM.
    12-04-08 07:23 PM
  5. howie's Avatar
    ... You keep saying "Real" but what make one more "Real" than the next? Both a just GPS chips with a UI...
    Because cell phones do not have a real GPS chip that works "standalone". They depend on cellular coverage to work, hence the name aGPS (a for assisted). They also need the data network to download and update maps. That's why I used the word real.

    edit: I just turned off the "mobile network" for voice and data on my 8330, then went to use the GPS... cannot find any satellites. It's not that cloudy out there, which is another big concern for some. Regular GPS devices are much more sensitive to the signal than cell phones . Then I turned the network back on, turned on the GPS in maps and found 9, while it was running turned off the network and it went back to "searching for satellites" never finding any. Just pointing that out as to answer your question of what makes a "real GPS".
    Last edited by howie; 12-04-08 at 08:10 PM.
    12-04-08 07:55 PM
  6. patrick.butler's Avatar
    vzw unlocked the GPS and we still argue about VZ navigator.....
    12-04-08 08:57 PM
  7. John Yester's Avatar
    lol ain't that the truth..........
    12-04-08 09:03 PM
  8. tech42er's Avatar
    "And Verizon shall loose the bounds of the GPS"
    "And there shall be much rejoicing"
    12-04-08 09:14 PM
  9. tech42er's Avatar
    Why would anyone use anything but VZ Navigator? I mean it does everything that any other GPS programs or devices do and more! The best feature is when my wife is shopping at the mall she can send me a GPS follow me request and then continue shopping. When I get there I can catch up to her using Navigator while she is on the go. Plus it gives you verbal direction directly into my Bluetooth Jawbone. Amazing. For only $10 a month just the Follow Me feature is more than worth it.
    It's a great program, but I'm not paying $10/month.
    12-04-08 09:24 PM
  10. jamesuc's Avatar
    I was reading on another post (unfortunately, I don't remember where I saw it) that hinted VZW may have unlocked the GPS for BB Maps because RIM required it to be allowed the sole source for the Storm.
    12-04-08 09:31 PM
  11. steven s.'s Avatar
    Does anyone know if GetItBack will work now for Verizon users? (The GPS feature)
    12-04-08 10:07 PM
  12. watermouf's Avatar
    just a fyi i am running 4.3 software and my google maps shows a gps location altho its accuracy is only 1000meters lol dunno what good that is
    12-04-08 10:24 PM
  13. jamesuc's Avatar
    I haven't been able to get it to work with GoogleMaps, just BB Maps.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    12-04-08 10:33 PM
  14. steven s.'s Avatar
    just a fyi i am running 4.3 software and my google maps shows a gps location altho its accuracy is only 1000meters lol dunno what good that is
    That's not GPS, it uses the cell towers and triangulates an approximate location.
    12-04-08 10:33 PM
  15. John Yester's Avatar
    Does anyone know if GetItBack will work now for Verizon users? (The GPS feature)
    Get It back work and detects phone but not GPS, even tested with BB maps running.. via web page nothing...
    12-04-08 10:35 PM
  16. TH3JUICEMAN's Avatar
    The Blackberry Maps now works like a charm for me. I had VZ Navigator on my Voyager and I will admit that it was great but for the amount I use GPS the free Blackberry Maps fits my needs.
    12-04-08 10:49 PM
  17. watermouf's Avatar
    So any idea if nav4all will eventually work or will this be limited to BBmaps ?

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    12-04-08 10:58 PM
  18. steven s.'s Avatar
    Get It back work and detects phone but not GPS, even tested with BB maps running.. via web page nothing...
    I want to buy the program so bad, but the main feature I want is the GPS. Figured it wouldn't, thanks for testing though!
    12-04-08 11:00 PM
  19. Namji's Avatar
    I easily save the $120 a year by using the avoid traffic feature to save gas. VZ Navigator can alert you in real time of accidents or traffic backups then re-route you to the fastest alternative. When gas was $4 a gallon this saved me ALOT of mileage and gas.
    But to each his own but you get what you pay for.
    Why pay for a service when most other gadgets offer this for free?
    My car's navigation offers traffic reports along with turn by turn instructions for free. And so does most other portal navigation units.
    12-05-08 01:43 PM
  20. Orio's Avatar
    I have VZ Navigator. I started up BBmaps, with news that VZW has released it's GPS grip. I was disappointed to see how archaic BBmaps seems...I could use Google maps without GPS and get the same basic turn by turn visual directions that I saw on BBmaps. VZ Navigator is worth the 10 bucks, in my opinion...when you compare it to BBmaps. If I was lost, I guess BBmaps would be a little better than nothing. Not impressed
    12-05-08 03:25 PM
  21. doctorlove316's Avatar
    It's still not working for me. But it's not that big of a deal to me for now. I can wait a little longer. It just keeps searching for satellites.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    12-05-08 03:26 PM
  22. rangerdavid's Avatar
    works for me. it located me in the car wash this afternoon.
    12-05-08 03:37 PM
  23. John Yester's Avatar
    It's still not working for me. But it's not that big of a deal to me for now. I can wait a little longer. It just keeps searching for satellites.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    Please post all spec's and options you have set.
    12-05-08 03:39 PM
  24. kjt817's Avatar
    wow, i had been checking in for this exact thread to pop up for months... can't believe it but
    .
    .
    .

    I have GPS on my PHONE!!! yeaaaaaaah VZW nice move
    12-05-08 04:29 PM
  25. kkaluger's Avatar
    I activated VZ Nav on our corporate account and they pay for it. I do use it while not in my car becuase my Garmin was stolen from valet at a hotel in Honolulu...still pretty pissed about that.

    My main issue is that it takes so loooooooong to provide any remotely useful info. At least GM gets you close right away and the search is unbeatable. I just got BBM up and running with OS4.5 and its pretty cool, but no GM.

    anyway, to the point, I think if you pay for VZNav you should be able to access the GPS data for aynthing you like. I mean who the **** really cares as long as you give them your money, they should allow it. Send out a firmware unlock code tied to the PIN or something like that. it wouldn't be terribly difficult to set up.

    VZW...thoughts on that?...maybe?...
    12-05-08 08:37 PM
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