[callmebob]

I went to the Verizon store closest to my office to get on the list for the Storm. While I was talking to the CS guy, I asked if the GPS would be unlocked for 3rd party programs like Google Maps. He told me (and this is a load of crap) that GPS will only work with VZ Navigator, but if I travel abroad the GPS will work there for 3rd party apps. Do these guys just make this stuff up as they go?

[bigbirdlarry]

so how this it work? is it free or what?

[shooptek]

I dont think it's a load of crap. That is how it has been on pretty much all other VZW BB's and it will probably stand true for the Storm as well.

[NFLBlitze1]

I dont think it's a load of crap. That is how it has been on pretty much all other VZW BB's and it will probably stand true for the Storm as well.

i've never heard of anyone saying that the 3rd party GPS apps work when your out of the country. Thats just "ignant dawg". But i think its been talked about and its sort of been confirmed that GPS won't be locked on the phone. but Assisted GPS will be reserved for VZ Navigator

[JRSCCivic98]

Streight out of the Verizon Storm Training Manual... something the moron you spoke with didn't read.


Navigation by Storm
The Storm includes two applications that support GPS based navigation:
�� VZ Navigator
�� BlackBerry Maps

[hal1]

Do these guys just make this stuff up as they go?

This made me laugh out loud.

I am amazed at the number of people who think it is an embarrassment to say "I'm not sure" They should know that I will respect them more, not less. I don't expect everyone to know everything, especially abut a device that few have seen.

They lose all credibility when they just make stuff up as they go a long because they're afraid to admit they don't have the answer

[JRSCCivic98]

That's not as bad as the guy I spoke with today at a reseller store. Get this, the guy had gone to Storm training just yesterday and came back with the news that the Storm won't be released until sometime in December or even January. Ohhh nos!!! Morons I tell ya.... someone better tell Verizon corporate that they need to quickly take down the Nov 21 date off their website. lol

[Five]

As long as it still works with an external puck all is not lost...

[berrydelicious]

Hopefully the puck won't be needed thought .

[dms936]

The Storm has been reported to have unlocked GPS. BB Maps works for sure, I havent seen a confirmation of Google Maps compatability.

If there was going to be a phone that had it unlock, this would be the one. Needs it to compete with the iPhone and Google Phone

[WG]

The Storm has been reported to have unlocked GPS. BB Maps works for sure, I havent seen a confirmation of Google Maps compatability.

If there was going to be a phone that had it unlock, this would be the one. Needs it to compete with the iPhone and Google Phone

I heard the same thing that the aGPS was unlocked and could be used with google maps but you could not use any of those programs to get audible turn by turn directions so you had to use VZ nav to do it.

[jakea]

I heard the same thing that the aGPS was unlocked and could be used with google maps but you could not use any of those programs to get audible turn by turn directions so you had to use VZ nav to do it.

VZ NAv is awesome. I have been using it for over a year, goodbye mapquest. No looking down to read the directions just speaks you to the destination with 99.9% accuracy. I'm not sure why anyone would want anything different.

[NFLBlitze1]

VZ NAv is awesome. I have been using it for over a year, goodbye mapquest. No looking down to read the directions just speaks you to the destination with 99.9% accuracy. I'm not sure why anyone would want anything different.

although VZ Navi is awesome, and the 9.99 a month isn't really bad. But when it comes down to it, signing a 2 year contract, thats around 250 bucks of the 2 years, and as long as your sticking with verizon, it will just be another whole in your pocket for time to come as opposed to just spending around 150-200 on a decent GPS system which has more functionality and bigger screen.

[gbdesai]

I really want it unlocked to use Telenav, I've had this with T-Mobile, then AT&T, it's an amazing GPS app, cost the same as VZNavigator ($9.99/mo), but it is much much much better and more accurate in my usage and experience traveling all over the US...

[Ultrafied]

although VZ Navi is awesome, and the 9.99 a month isn't really bad. But when it comes down to it, signing a 2 year contract, that's around 250 bucks of the 2 years, and as long as your sticking with Verizon, it will just be another whole in your pocket for time to come as opposed to just spending around 150-200 on a decent GPS system which has more functionality and bigger screen.

Well, not exactly true. 1st - hard to get a GPS & Traffic GPS for $150-$200. It is actually hard to get a good GPS & Traffic for $250. Also, 2 years, not bad, but if you want to update maps, well, then you may have to spend another $79 (i.e. Garmin) for updated maps. VzNav comes with Traffic, there maps are always the latest, for $240, well worth it. Also, you cancel VzNav anytime after the 1st month.
I have a Garmin (without traffic 200W - $179) and I use VzNav now. The thing about VzNav is you have the option to pay $2.99 for 24 hour use if you don't want to pay for it by the month, just once in awhile. I used it several times like this and decided it was definitely worth it. Now I pay by the month.
I liked my Garmin, but it was relegated to my wife's car. VzNav (comes with Traffic) is WAY MORE accurate then my Garmin. In the last 3 months of using VzNav, it has not given me one wrong direction. Unfortunately, the Garmin had done it several times. As far as a bigger screen. I use the Voayager, with its car mount. Yes, my Garmin is bigger, but not really where it counts, i.e. my road and my location. If you get a good mount for the Storm, I'm pretty sure you would see what I mean.
Another note is that with VzNav, the verbal directions are better. On my Garmin, they only tell me the street 300' or so before coming up to it. VzNav talks the whole time, jk, but actually warns you father back, identifies up front where you need to be (which lane) and the Traffic is very sweet.
Just my thoughts ....

[VT_Hokie]

I'm planning to look into Garmin Mobile as far as GPS apps go.

[StayFly]

I went to the vzw by my house and the manager told me that it's only vzn and i laughed then he said a guy came in from corp and was using a 3rd party app and phone wouldn't tell him the precise location he was it was off by like 35 miles. I doubt that but I'm definetly not paying for that wack *** vzn maybe if it was $2 a month maybe.

[WG]

Also If you purchase VZ Nav right now you get 2 months free and that is for existing customers as well as new........

[gtstang462002]

VZNav blows. It does so because it's a money extortion device that VZW uses and lies about the GPS capabilities of their handsets. I personally don't have an issue with VZW selling the service, but when they lie about GPS on both WinMo and RIM devices about not being GPS capable without it, I tend to jump on their isht and stop people from trying to sell the concept to others.

Unlock GPS and then sell VZNav as an option and let the people decide which is better... but VZW would rather not do that because they know they'll loose locked in market share if they do so.

But hey, this has been beat to death enough in the past.

I agree completely but I still let them hear it every time that I call of go into a store.

[JRSCCivic98]

Ya, me too.

[jaydee547]

although VZ Navi is awesome, and the 9.99 a month isn't really bad. But when it comes down to it, signing a 2 year contract, thats around 250 bucks of the 2 years, and as long as your sticking with verizon, it will just be another whole in your pocket for time to come as opposed to just spending around 150-200 on a decent GPS system which has more functionality and bigger screen.

I really want it unlocked to use Telenav, I've had this with T-Mobile, then AT&T, it's an amazing GPS app, cost the same as VZNavigator ($9.99/mo), but it is much much much better and more accurate in my usage and experience traveling all over the US...

Well, not exactly true. 1st - hard to get a GPS & Traffic GPS for $150-$200. It is actually hard to get a good GPS & Traffic for $250. Also, 2 years, not bad, but if you want to update maps, well, then you may have to spend another $79 (i.e. Garmin) for updated maps. VzNav comes with Traffic, there maps are always the latest, for $240, well worth it. Also, you cancel VzNav anytime after the 1st month.
I have a Garmin (without traffic 200W - $179) and I use VzNav now. The thing about VzNav is you have the option to pay $2.99 for 24 hour use if you don't want to pay for it by the month, just once in awhile. I used it several times like this and decided it was definitely worth it. Now I pay by the month.
I liked my Garmin, but it was relegated to my wife's car. VzNav (comes with Traffic) is WAY MORE accurate then my Garmin. In the last 3 months of using VzNav, it has not given me one wrong direction. Unfortunately, the Garmin had done it several times. As far as a bigger screen. I use the Voayager, with its car mount. Yes, my Garmin is bigger, but not really where it counts, i.e. my road and my location. If you get a good mount for the Storm, I'm pretty sure you would see what I mean.
Another note is that with VzNav, the verbal directions are better. On my Garmin, they only tell me the street 300' or so before coming up to it. VzNav talks the whole time, jk, but actually warns you father back, identifies up front where you need to be (which lane) and the Traffic is very sweet.
Just my thoughts ....

Or you could all get wonderful sprint and have free navigation with your 30 dollar/mo unlimited BIS plan which includes unlimited text messages as well....but we dont have the storm, golly gee wiz.

[TXBlade]

VZW are our enterprise account for all staff phone and I asked our account manager about GPS in the storm because our field staff need this functionality for their duties, as we work outside the "Enhanced Network" and this is the reply I received..

"The Storm will have the GPS unlocked, and NO VZNAV does not allow location tracking, just the turn by turn directions. In the near future the Storm is the only device that will have the unlocked GPS. Let me know if you need anything else."

Hope this helps

[hendricksc7]

OK to clear up all confusion, I m a lead tech support agent for vzw ne data support, and just finished up a training about the sweet sweet storm and to clear this forum up the GPS WILL BE UNLOCKED AND BE ABLE TO BE USED ON GOOGLE MAPS TELE NAV BB MAPS AND ALL GPS APPS FREE OF CHARGE

[Crucial_Xtreme]

I've said this for months. ^^^

[Pete6]

I sense the hand of RIM in here. Maybe they were not so keen on Verizon locking up the 8330 GPS so they made the Storm so's it cain't be locked.

Waddya think?