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Advanced Users: Possible Solution For Google Maps On Storm & CDMA Devices

by Ronen Halevy on Feb 3rd, 2009 at 6:15 pm EST
7 Comments »
 

NOTE I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO YOUR PHONE IF YOU TRY THIS OUT! PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Sadly I do not have a CDMA device like the Storm or 8330 to test this out on. Scott let me know that there is an interesting thread going on HowardForums detailing ways to get around the AGPS restrictions on TELUS and other carriers. What I mean is that until now users would have to start up BBMaps and wait for a GPS lock and then close that app and quickly fire up Google Maps to get it to work. Now it looks like there may be light at the end of the tunnel…

Using a combination of QPST, UNIcdma, & Hexworkshop users are reporting some success in fixing the GPS issue that is stopping you from using Google Maps on your BlackBerry. This is definitely not an elegant solution so you might just want to leave it to the experts until details are hashed out…

Definitely worth checking out this thread if you like to live on the wild side and want Google Maps GPS to work on your CDMA BlackBerry.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009 and is filed under Advanced Topics, GPS, News.
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7 Comments to “Advanced Users: Possible Solution For Google Maps On Storm & CDMA Devices”

  1. Posted by: DavidB
    February 3, 2009 at 7:10 pm EST

    I think I will hold out for official support.

    • Posted by: AlanY
      February 4, 2009 at 8:34 am EST

      Good luck waiting for official support (especially from Telus), I can’t see any of the carriers doing a firmware flash to fix this for current phones. I did the fix to my Telus 8330 and it works flawlessly.

  2. Posted by: Derek
    February 3, 2009 at 9:06 pm EST

    I didn’t know anyone was having an issue with this. I carry a CDMA BlackBerry (Sprint 8830 WE), and I’ve never had any issues with Google Maps. My sympathies to those of you missing out, it beats the pants off of the native BlackBerry Maps…

    • Posted by: mscooley
      February 3, 2009 at 10:25 pm EST

      Derick, but sure that you are not confusing GPS with Google Maps ability to base your location on cellular towers. If you’re not sure what im talking about, if you open google maps and it shows your location within a certain radius then it is not using true gps.

  3. Posted by: DavidB
    February 3, 2009 at 9:24 pm EST

    You’re on Sprint, who permits access to the GPS. Far more of us have a CDMA Blackberry on a carrier (Verizon/Telus/etc.) who DOES restrict GPS access. Until those carriers permit an application like Google Maps to access the GPS data, hacks and workarounds like this are the rule.

  4. Posted by: ShvartzBerry
    February 4, 2009 at 4:01 pm EST

    I tried this on my Verizon Curve 8330 after much difficulty. But everything I needed to know was ultimately in that HowardForums thread. Unfortunately, though, it was not able to make my Google Maps work – not even v 3.0. Oh well :-(

  5. Posted by: DavidB
    July 17, 2009 at 9:46 am EST

    Storm (and now Tour) work fine. It was Google that had to fix GMaps for the Storm.

    As for older 8×30’s on Verizon, the LBS API works by letting an app make a call for location. That request is sent to the carrier who has what is called a PDE server. The PDE server can either permit or deny an app. Under OS 4.5 on Verizon the only apps that can authenticate are VZNav, TeleNav (corporate liable accounts only), and BBMaps. People have tried to hack the authentication credentials for VZNav into other apps and that has NOT been successful.

    For the Storm and Tour with OS 4.7.x either the PDE is allowing any app or Verizon has become far less restrictive of what apps are allowed. I suspect the former but we will probably never know for sure. The good news is Storm and Tour on Verizon seem totally unrestricted. I know I’ve tried at least a dozen apps on each and all get a true GPS fix. I haven’t been tracking the state of the 8230 Pearl Flip with OS 4.6.x on verizon so not sure if it is similarly unemcumbered. Tour is so nice though (and avail with or without camera to meet your needs) that anybody still suffering an 8830 on Verizon at least really ought to upgrade! You won’t be sorry!