1. nycspaces.'s Avatar
    Google's bb app is nice on all bb phones, but wow their maps site is impossible on PB. I thought the Bing Maps was crap until i started trying to use the google maps site.

    Hopefully this will be rectified soon but they are all tough without gps working still for me on 1710.

    Hopefully there is a fix that doesn't keep pushing us through the worm hole to canada. At least they should be able to use some info on the phone and give us pseudo gps like functionality.

    Something should be done to make the gps work because that's a valuable feature to not have implemented correctly.
    04-23-11 06:55 PM
  2. mickrg123's Avatar
    Are you saying there is a mobile app for PB or are you just using webbased goolge maps?
    04-23-11 07:06 PM
  3. chiniki's Avatar
    Google's bb app is nice on all bb phones, but wow their maps site is impossible on PB. I thought the Bing Maps was crap until i started trying to use the google maps site.

    Hopefully this will be rectified soon but they are all tough without gps working still for me on 1710.

    Hopefully there is a fix that doesn't keep pushing us through the worm hole to canada. At least they should be able to use some info on the phone and give us pseudo gps like functionality.

    Something should be done to make the gps work because that's a valuable feature to not have implemented correctly.
    The GPS works fine on the playbook. You just have to leave Bing maps open for at least 20 minutes and the PB must have a clear view of the sky. It will lock on eventually just be patient.
    04-23-11 07:40 PM
  4. kuni1987's Avatar
    LOL... if we all waited 20 mins to get our GPS going we wouldn't get anywhere. At that rate I might as well drive to the gas station, buy a map, plan my route and still get there 10 mins before using the gps!

    My GPS still isn't working, but im holding out and being patient till it gets sorted! For now im still just using the Google maps GPS app on my 9780...
    howarmat and 1812dave like this.
    04-23-11 07:47 PM
  5. JDukeOSBB's Avatar
    web based maps work well here. especially when u hide that annoying info pane on the left

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    04-23-11 07:48 PM
  6. howarmat's Avatar
    gps should lock within 10 seconds, 20 maybe...if not there is something wrong
    04-23-11 07:48 PM
  7. kuni1987's Avatar
    So yours is working howarmat?
    04-23-11 07:50 PM
  8. howarmat's Avatar
    i dont have one but, but GPS in general shouldnt take that long. It every phone i have owned and tablets i own its not more than 20 seconds

    I did not test the GPS on the PB but others seem to have many problems. it seems that the most recent update help for several people. It was not working correctly in the 1690 build though
    04-23-11 07:57 PM
  9. Rudee66's Avatar
    LOL... if we all waited 20 mins to get our GPS going we wouldn't get anywhere. At that rate I might as well drive to the gas station, buy a map, plan my route and still get there 10 mins before using the gps!

    My GPS still isn't working, but im holding out and being patient till it gets sorted! For now im still just using the Google maps GPS app on my 9780...
    Agreed! A proper functioning GPS should lock in under 1 minute, and doesn't require line of sight to the sky. Just like a smartphone. The GPS on the Playbook is not working properly.
    Last edited by Rudee66; 04-23-11 at 08:04 PM.
    04-23-11 08:01 PM
  10. Category 5's Avatar
    My GPS worked perfectly, until I upgraded to 1710...
    04-23-11 08:09 PM
  11. Mojoski's Avatar
    A bit of a clarification for everyone who's not familiar with non-network assisted GPS.. The first time you crank up a GPS device, if it is not a network assisted GPS device, it will have to download some information from the satellites that takes a long time to download. It is basic positioning info and the bandwidth at which it comes down is pretty slow. This means your first lock takes a long time to get. If you have an older GPS device that isn't a smartphone, you'll be familiar with this longer wait the first time you try to use it. Also, the positioning data you are downloading gets out of date after a while, so if you leave a GPS turned off for a few weeks, you will have to go through this process again.

    Having a network assisted GPS, like most modern smartphones including Blackberries, enables you to download this info from the network connection instead, which is much quicker and makes for a faster first lock.

    Once this data is download the first time, whether network assisted or not, your GPS locks should come much quicker. And if you use your device regularly, it will keep this data up to date while you're using it, avoiding the long lock times.

    Since the Playbook is not network assisted, it is a bit of a pain in the *** to lock the first time since you have to let it download all of this positioning info before it can make it's first lock.. That might take a while and it is doubly annoying because the two apps that most of us have that use GPS, namely Bing Maps and Poynt, both time out very quickly.. That means you have to exit them and restart them a lot in order to get that initial download done.

    Once you have done that and made a successful lock a time or two, you'll notice that the time to lock is much faster...

    Now that I have my GPS all properly initialized, I can get a lock in Bing Maps in around 5 to 10 seconds, but that is only after my GPS chip is all warmed up and updated with the latest info from the satellites.. In order to get that first lock it was a bit of a hassle, honestly..

    I think RIM can (and will) improve this some with software. At a minimum, they need to implement the network assisted GPS whenever something asks for a location and you have a valid network connection (whether it be Wifi, tethered or bridge).

    The way you can tell if you GPS is working or not is by watching that blue location icon in the upper right corner of the Bing Maps app. When you first start Bing Map up, you will see this icon is blinking, alternating between greyed out and solid. If it stops blinking and remains greyed out, that means that the initial 30 second timeout was passed without the GPS getting a lock. Shut Bing Maps down and restart it.. The first time you make this work you might have to do that 10 or 20 times to let that data download properly.

    When it finally stops blinking and isn't greyed out, that means you got a lock! Tap the icon and it will show you on the map where you are..

    That bring me to yet another issue and that is the fact that Bing Maps doesn't seem to be too accurate at plotting your location on the map. I can take the same lat/long values that Bing Map shows on the left when it gets a lock, and type those into Google Maps on my web browser on my PC, and it will come up exactly where I'm standing with my Playbook. On the Bing Maps, however, it always shows me over on the other side of the neighborhood.

    Since the values are correct, I think it is a problem with Bing Maps, and not an issue with the actual GPS hardware not being accurate.

    Anyway, hope this info was helpful. It took me a while to figure out what was up with the GPS, but once you understand what is going on, the Playbook GPS hardware is actually not bad at all, considering it is not network-assisted yet. I have had smartphones in the past that got network assisted GPS added in a software update, so I'm hopeful that the Playbook will be the same way. In the mean time it is still usable, if you know what is going on..

    gps should lock within 10 seconds, 20 maybe...if not there is something wrong
    04-23-11 08:22 PM
  12. chiniki's Avatar
    LOL... if we all waited 20 mins to get our GPS going we wouldn't get anywhere. At that rate I might as well drive to the gas station, buy a map, plan my route and still get there 10 mins before using the gps!

    My GPS still isn't working, but im holding out and being patient till it gets sorted! For now im still just using the Google maps GPS app on my 9780...
    Sorry I meant the first time it locks it takes a while to find the satellites. After that it will lock on much quicker. Most GPS devices are the same.
    04-23-11 08:24 PM
  13. Mojoski's Avatar
    Here is some more info on network assisted GPS for anyone who is interested..

    Assisted GPS - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    The data I was describing that has to be downloaded is called the "GPS almanac and ephemeris"...
    04-23-11 08:26 PM
  14. eds817's Avatar
    I haven't any GPS issues. The first time I tried Bing and tapped the Blue circle it found my house and I was inside.
    04-23-11 08:46 PM
  15. nycspaces.'s Avatar
    A bit of a clarification for everyone who's not familiar with non-network assisted GPS.. The first time you crank up a GPS device, if it is not a network assisted GPS device, it will have to download some information from the satellites that takes a long time to download. It is basic positioning info and the bandwidth at which it comes down is pretty slow. This means your first lock takes a long time to get. If you have an older GPS device that isn't a smartphone, you'll be familiar with this longer wait the first time you try to use it. Also, the positioning data you are downloading gets out of date after a while, so if you leave a GPS turned off for a few weeks, you will have to go through this process again.................

    ...........Anyway, hope this info was helpful. It took me a while to figure out what was up with the GPS, but once you understand what is going on, the Playbook GPS hardware is actually not bad at all, considering it is not network-assisted yet. I have had smartphones in the past that got network assisted GPS added in a software update, so I'm hopeful that the Playbook will be the same way. In the mean time it is still usable, if you know what is going on..
    Thanks for the detailed info, it's really tough to get the gps going in Manhattan high rises but I did take it to the park on Friday and figured after 10 Minutes it was just another non-functioning feature. I will let it cook for a while longer and report back. I had no idea it took that long to update the chip with coordinates.

    It is great to have a community of users who actually help!
    04-23-11 09:05 PM
  16. hackerguy's Avatar
    Anyway, hope this info was helpful. It took me a while to figure out what was up with the GPS, but once you understand what is going on, the Playbook GPS hardware is actually not bad at all, considering it is not network-assisted yet. I have had smartphones in the past that got network assisted GPS added in a software update, so I'm hopeful that the Playbook will be the same way. In the mean time it is still usable, if you know what is going on..
    I am not disputing what you said, but it did not work for me. After 30 min of restarting Bing, the GPS had still not located me. At the same time my BB Curve using network assist located me in 30 sec. I have ver. 1710 so maybe my GPS is not working after all. But thanks for the info anyway.
    04-23-11 10:38 PM
  17. Mojoski's Avatar
    I'm sorry to hear it is still giving you issues, hackerguy.

    I'm hopeful that RIM will add a screen in the options that will let you test your hardware directly without having to rely on an app like Poynt or Bing Maps, like they do with their phones.. Then you could tell for sure if the hardware is the issue or not.

    I am not disputing what you said, but it did not work for me. After 30 min of restarting Bing, the GPS had still not located me. At the same time my BB Curve using network assist located me in 30 sec. I have ver. 1710 so maybe my GPS is not working after all. But thanks for the info anyway.
    04-24-11 10:05 PM
  18. FF22's Avatar
    Another issue with gps locking to satellites - if you move a great distance, say NYC to LA, it can take a while since its last almanac/location was 3,000 miles away.
    04-25-11 11:03 AM
  19. urbnimports's Avatar
    my GPS works fine and i have 1710...not sure what you guys are talking about being routed thru Canada...my GPS has worked from the time i took my PB out of the box with no issues.
    04-25-11 01:56 PM
  20. jonty12's Avatar
    i'm in mid-town manhattan on the 9th floor of a high-rise. just opened Bing maps and GPS zeroed in on me with no trouble. Took about 10 seconds. running 1710. It's about 30 yards off in accuracy (based on where the pin is on the block i'm located on (has me in the north-west corner of the building, i'm on the south-east corner).
    04-25-11 02:04 PM
  21. nycspaces.'s Avatar
    i'm in mid-town manhattan on the 9th floor of a high-rise. just opened Bing maps and GPS zeroed in on me with no trouble. Took about 10 seconds. running 1710. It's about 30 yards off in accuracy (based on where the pin is on the block i'm located on (has me in the north-west corner of the building, i'm on the south-east corner).
    not so much at 27th st and 6th ave. After Mojoski's comments i went back to a park in manhattan with a clear line of site, Bing needed wifi, not sure why maybe to download some of the data, got it on 4g with overdrive and it did find me about 150 yards off - on the North East side of Madison Sq park when i was actually on the South East corner of the park - so only off by 3 blocks...maybe it still needed more data not sure.

    Since then it hasn't worked but i guess it will when i am out and about. I always thought a 35th floor apartment would be an ok spot to get gps. My 9700 finds me from the same spot on google maps with the cell radio off, but it may keep the last known location in memory or something because it's not using gps to find the spot.

    I can't wait for google mobile apps i hope they make them for PB soon.
    04-25-11 10:31 PM
  22. flyersfan76's Avatar
    So are some users reporting that the GPS is assisted like our phones or not assisted like a Garmin, in-car device, etc?

    I got a lock this morning while I was standing outside with a wifi connection. When I drove away I get the:

    "Bing maps requires a network connection. Please connect to a Wi-Fi network or tether to your Blackberry smartphone and try again."

    In the grand scheme of things I never expected the GPS to be unassisted but it seemed like some were getting the GPS to work with no network connection.

    (Sorry I can't seem remember how to post a screen shot without an url.)

    And is this really a Google vs Bing question? I know it is probably user preference but if the GPS is assisted the same issues are going to happen.

    To me Bing is more detailed with sat imagery but to each there own.
    04-26-11 07:15 AM
  23. dcscott's Avatar
    "Bing maps requires a network connection. Please connect to a Wi-Fi network or tether to your Blackberry smartphone and try again."
    The reason Bing maps is looking for a network connection has nothing to do with GPS or knowing your location. It is looking to download more map data.
    04-26-11 01:44 PM
  24. flyersfan76's Avatar
    The reason Bing maps is looking for a network connection has nothing to do with GPS or knowing your location. It is looking to download more map data.
    So hopefully I should leave the Playbook in the same location for a little time and then the PB wont need wifi as much anymore.

    Hmm going to try again.

    Thanks
    04-26-11 02:26 PM
  25. dcscott's Avatar
    The reason Bing maps is looking for a network connection has nothing to do with GPS or knowing your location. It is looking to download more map data.
    I may have been mistaken. MOST mapping applications only use the network connection to get additional map data as you move about. They may use the network to get an approximate position (from the cell towers) to make it quicker for the GPS to locate your position.

    I don't think Bing Maps is using my GPS at all. It consistently puts my location several miles from my actual location. About what I'd expect from cell tower triangulation.
    04-26-11 07:17 PM
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