Comments on: Review: Nav4All – Free GPS Navigation Software

By: Nav4All专为你的蓝牙GPS | BlackBerryInsight - 中文

Nav4All专为你的蓝牙GPS | BlackBerryInsight - 中文 — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:25:37 +0000

[...] 我们过去已经对这款软件做了测评，同时推荐这是一个很好用的免费软件. 之前的测评:Review: Nav4All – Free GPS Navigation Software. [...]

By: Nav4All now talks to your Bluetooth GPS device | BerryReview.com »

Nav4All now talks to your Bluetooth GPS device | BerryReview.com » — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 13:01:02 +0000

[...] have reviewed this software in the past and can recommend this as a great free application. Review: Nav4All – Free GPS Navigation Software for [...]

By: Louis

Louis — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:54:20 +0000

Oops, meant to say that GPS is not 2 way comunication.

By: Louis

Louis — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 18:53:08 +0000

GPS is 2 way communication, the gps receiver receives signals from the GPS satelites and calculates its location using this info, no 2 way communication is required. Only form of communication required is normal internet traffic to and from the server containing maps, but this does not have anything to do with GPS. This is just normal internet traffic. For this reason use of the GPS module should be free, but internet traffic generated to receive maps etc, from the server must be billed under normal internet traffic.

By: Where can I download maps for pearl 8100? - BlackBerry Forums

Where can I download maps for pearl 8100? - BlackBerry Forums — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:24:12 +0000

[...] Reviewed 18, April, 2008. Link: Review: Nav4All – Free GPS Navigation Software | BerryReview.com [...]

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 00:27:11 +0000

David, GPS is two way communication so you have to pay for it. Other carriers allow you to access it for free with their BIS or other data plan and that’s their choice, but Verizon is more cautions about third party aps largely because allowing them access to the GPS chip gives your location away. Weather you or I agree with it or not that’s a legitimate concern for a business class smart phone.

I agree that they should leave it up to you with all of the usual disclaimers like BB does when third party attempt to access a network connection for the first time, etc. I’m more interested in seeing the BB version of VZNavigator get updated to version 4.1 like they have done for their other phones. If they did their would be no need for third party aps.

The class action lawsuit that you posted on one of these reviews a while ago apparently didn’t go anywhere, nor did it sound like tha exec you talked to was that concerned about it, so somehow I doubt you posting everywhere you can find online about your dissatisfaction. Since going to another carrier is not an option for you you can either take the GPS puck idea and use whatever app you want for free OR continue to complain and accomplish nothing. The choice is yours my friend.

By: John

John — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:16:16 +0000

I think a more accurate metaphor would be someone buying an automobile from a dealership, without comparing said dealership with all the other dealerships in the area, and then getting upset that the dealership that they decided to buy from, is going to charge them for a service thay all the other dealerships offer for free. If I were this person, I would stop whining; admit that I, as a consumer, maybe made too hasty of a purchasing decision, sell the damn car and buy from another dealership… Also, if you think that commenting on some obscure, free, third party’s software review page about all your woes with Verizon is somehow going to get their attention, and sway them to change their policies, then I think you are sadly mistaken. But, then again, you did type their name in all-caps on your first comment, so maybe someone there did hear you…

By: DavidB

DavidB — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:10:21 +0000

Brian, you’re being just as disingenuous as John. XM (and Sirius) are not free services (and are thus NOT a valid comparison John, despite being satellite services). AM/FM radio is a free service, as is GPS. Verizon marketed Blackberry smartphones as having “built-in GPS”, no caveat, no footnote, no mention anywhere that in order to USE what is supposed to be a free service (and ONLY use it with THEIR program) you would have to pay them extra every use/month. Despite your commentary on my metaphor John, it is not “skewed” in any way.

By: Brian

Brian — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:50:56 +0000

David, cars are sold every day with XM Satellite radios installed that you need to subscribe to in order to use. This is not always an add-on. Sometimes it is standard. It’s no different than Verizon marrying the GPS to VZNavitator.

By: John

John — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:32:08 +0000

By my logic, what’s “disingenius” about the whole issue, is that this thread is supposed to be a review about the Nav4all software, and you have somehow managed to turn it into a discussion, (or whining session), about Verizon’s policies, and you’ve even resorted to using some skewed metaphor about car-stereo… (by the way, if you’re going to use the whole radio metaphor, at least make it XM or Sirius; that way, we are at least staying with satellite signals…)

By: DavidB

DavidB — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:22:52 +0000

That’s pretty disingenious John. By your logic, if the car dealer blocks me from using the manufacturer provided AM/FM radio to receive the free AM/FM signals, I should just “drop the measly 50 bucks” and buy a boombox? I would accept if Verizon wanted to charge a “measly 50 bucks” to remove their unwarranted and baseless restriction on the hardware they supply (I MIGHT even be willing to pay a monthly fee IF it was then unlocked to ANY application), they’ve made no indication they’re willing to do any such thing (and it wouldn’t be RIGHT anyway).

If disaffected customers like me (and I am not alone by any means) don’t exercise our freedom of speech and “piss and moan on every thread of every blog or review”, just exactly what market force do you propose COULD change a corporate giant like Verizon’s position on such a matter?

By: John

John — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:55:06 +0000

Well, I didn’t mean to ruffle your feathers, but you, as a consumer, could either continue to piss and moan on every thread of every blog or review about your sub-standard provider and their shortcomings… or you drop the measly 50 bucks on an external reciever, use the free Nav4all software, and review it; which is what I thought this page was for… I don’t know, just a thought…

By: DavidB

DavidB — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:25:25 +0000

@John,
Why should I as a consumer HAVE TO buy a GPS puck when my Blackberry has a FULL GPS receiver already built in? I mean, come on, that’s no different than a car manufacturer putting an AM/FM radio in your car but then the dealership from which you bought it requires that you pay them a monthly or per use fee in order to actually LISTEN to the radio.

And your statement that you CAN use the internal GPS receiver given enough time and clear sky is just simply NOT TRUE. Yes, if you are paying extra for their VZNavigator service, IT can access the GPS chip. But no other application can, and Verizon does not dispute that fact. Applications like Google Maps and such (Nav4All?) CAN use cell tower and wifi hotspot triangulation to get an approximation of your location, but that is NOT GPS and will never be anywhere CLOSE to as accurate as a true GPS fix. AND will never be as universally useful for a broad range of applications as true GPS.

By: John

John — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:52:32 +0000

Also, you can use the device’s internal GPS, it just takes almost 5 full minutes in clear sky to give you a location. It’s garbage when on the move. Go with BT reciever, definitely.

By: John

John — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:50:05 +0000

Why not just buy a BT GPS reciever, and use it? I picked up a 51 channel GlobalTop? unit for 50 bucks, and it works great with Nav4All on my 8330,(within a meter). The only problem I have with the software, is that the voice turn-by-turn directions come out sounding broken and garbled, if at all. Anyone else ran into this and fixed it?

By: Baxter

Baxter — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:43:34 +0000

Just downloaded and love nav4all. That is when it doesn’t crash on me and make me reboot. It has done that 50% of the time

By: DavidB

DavidB — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 21:57:38 +0000

@Kevin:
All bb’s VZW has sold for a couple years now have a GPS chip, but Verizon locks you out of using it for any app other than their extra monthly fee VZNavigator. Ridiculous. Complain to VZW customer service. They give some BS “cistomer privacy” excuse. Tell them its YOUR choice to make, not theirs!

By: KevinP

KevinP — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:26:08 +0000

Well, I have Verizon’s Blackberry Curve 8330 and this software does not use my internal GPS. In fact, it reports “No Reception” even though I’ve enabled it in the Blackberry’s settings.

By: DavidB

DavidB — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:55:54 +0000

I’m not so ridiculous to leave a carrier over GPS. That would be plain stupid. I have MANY complaints about Verizon, but I must have a cell phone and data service. Having tried every alternative, for the call quality and data speed/quality, Verizon (where I need them) is head and shoulders above the rest.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:19:36 +0000

>> If there WAS another carrier that offered the phone and data service coverage I need, I would switch in a heartbeat, but there is none. <<<

Wow, that’s sad that you would abandon an otherwise excellent carrier over ONE little thing like that.

By: DavidB

DavidB — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:01:40 +0000

Tim, you are the ONLY person I can find throughout all the Blackberry sites like Crackberry, Rimarkable, etc. that is saying they have a Verizon Blackberry and GPS works in thrid party apps. Lucky you that yours works somehow, but it doesn’t work for anyone else that I can find. And for SURE hasn’t worked since “last fall” due to the bad publicity Verizon got about it. Verizon simply doesn’t CARE, the extra $10/month is apparently worth it to them versus the number of subscribers that complain and/or leave for another carrier. If there WAS another carrier that offered the phone and data service coverage I need, I would switch in a heartbeat, but there is none.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 03:51:53 +0000

That may be what it says but I can assure you it’s pointing right at my house so it’s much more accurate than that. I think that’s just their “guarantee”. I did it while at my church once and it was just as accurate. Make sure you have Settings > GPS > Location ON set. (default is 911 only)

By: DavidB

DavidB — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:55:00 +0000

5000 feet is almost a mile Tim. GPS would locate within 10-30 feet, not 5000. You are seeing cell tower triangulation, not GPS at best (Google Maps “My Location”).
.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:58:36 +0000

When I open Google Maps on both my 8830 and my curve it immediately shows my position within 5000 feet. I am running the most current software on both units. Yes this is the third maintenance release for the 8830. My red 8830 came with the first maintenance release on it and then I updated to the second shortly after I got it. Then a couple days ago I did the third. I read somewhere online (sorry no I don’t have the link) that Verizon had quietly fixed the issue last fall because of all of the negative fallout from it. As I understand it change logs come directly from RIM so since this was something that Verizon did or made them do it might not make it into those. For the record Nav4All does not seem to work on my Curve, not sure why and haven’t tried it on the 8830. I’ve never loaded someone else’s OS on my unit and I’m not sure I’d recommend it.

By: DavidB

DavidB — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:07:05 +0000

5/30/2008 and 5/7/2008 for sure aren’t “last fall” Tim.
There is also NOTHING in the release notes that would indicate GPS location becoming available (for free or at all) to any app other than VZNavigator.
I will be upgrading my 8830 to the 4.2.2.196 (which Verizon calls Maintenance Release 3) just for general principles, but I have no confidence (or expectation) that it will liberate the GPS chip. I have seen rumors that by loading Bell Mobility device software (delete vendor.xml before running Desktop Manager), but when questioned the people who’ve posted making such claims never respond.