[bollar]

Originally Posted by Sophist

I, too, have been unable to get the GPS settings to reflect anything other than zeroes. Numerous attempts at refreshing and waiting patiently have yielded nothing.

If you're outside and can't get a fix within a minute, I think there's something wrong with the device. Sitting inside my house, I usually get a fix within 15 seconds. (this is selecting refresh gps from options: advanced options: GPS (menu) refresh GPS

[skmiller]

Ok so after being on the phone over an hour with Cingular CSR, I have concluded that they are essentially worthless. They do not want to get past the fact that you do not have Telenav and want to begin billing you for the app. I finally got someone from their Data support team who was of not much more help as they told me that the only documentation they had on the GPS features of the device was the Telenav book and the info in there so they also want bill me for Telenav. They finally gave up and conceeded that their data teams knows absolutely nothing about the device other then supporting it in the same fashion as if it was an 8700, and had to get me someone from RIM on the phone to go over things with me.
The person from RIM basically came back with the same info everyone on BBF has told us, that the device has a standalone GPS that will work independantly of the Telenav software or any other software. He recomended that I wait til a clear day and go outside in an area with no skysrapers or trees and try to refresh the signal. They are leaving my ticket open for 3 days and if they do not hear back from me by then will consider it a closed case and working device.

After listening to the CO CEO of RIM at Tuesdays launch party and how hyped he was about the device having GPS, that im a little disappointed with the failure of it so far on my device as well as the support of the GPS function from both Cingular as well as RIM.

[bollar]

Originally Posted by skmiller

Ok so after being on the phone over an hour with Cingular CSR, I have concluded that they are essentially worthless. They do not want to get past the fact that you do not have Telenav and want to begin billing you for the app. I finally got someone from their Data support team who was of not much more help as they told me that the only documentation they had on the GPS features of the device was the Telenav book and the info in there so they also want bill me for Telenav. They finally gave up and conceeded that their data teams knows absolutely nothing about the device other then supporting it in the same fashion as if it was an 8700, and had to get me someone from RIM on the phone to go over things with me.
The person from RIM basically came back with the same info everyone on BBF has told us, that the device has a standalone GPS that will work independantly of the Telenav software or any other software. He recomended that I wait til a clear day and go outside in an area with no skysrapers or trees and try to refresh the signal. They are leaving my ticket open for 3 days and if they do not hear back from me by then will consider it a closed case and working device.

After listening to the CO CEO of RIM at Tuesdays launch party and how hyped he was about the device having GPS, that im a little disappointed with the failure of it so far on my device as well as the support of the GPS function from both Cingular as well as RIM.

The "clear day" comment is a red herring. This receiver will work fine in all but the very worst conditions -- i.e., I can tell you from experience that all recivers I own work in a CAT-5 hurricane.

Otherwise, doing a cold start in the middle of an open field away from obstacles and your body is good advice. If for some reason the GPS receiver thinks it's on the other side of the world, a fix could take a long time (that should not happen with the 8800, but hey, their advice does remove the variable).

[Sophist]

Originally Posted by bollar

If you're outside and can't get a fix within a minute, I think there's something wrong with the device. Sitting inside my house, I usually get a fix within 15 seconds. (this is selecting refresh gps from options: advanced options: GPS (menu) refresh GPS

From what I've been reading here and elsewhere, it seems that some (if not most) people are able to get a satellite fix while sitting in their offices or living rooms. That's what I was trying to do. On the basis of the advice provided here, I stepped outside, hit refresh several times, and finally got a signal. Now if only I had a use for it....

Thanks for the help!

[skmiller]

Ok, well I finally was able to get the GPS to pickup on my blackberry. What I ended up doing was going to the roof of the parking deck by my gym here in the North Jersey suburbs, reseting the device: Ctrl, Num, Delete. Once reset I went into advanced options->GPS and refreshed. After a few minutes it was able to pickup the GPS location from 7 satellites.

The area I was in when I went to the roof of the deck(4 floors) is not filled with sky scrapers and the largest buildings around are 3 floors high. Not sure why it wouldnt pick up on the street, but just glad that going to the roof did the trick.

Thanks all for your help, especially Stinson.

[Stinsonddog]

Originally Posted by skmiller

Ok, well I finally was able to get the GPS to pickup on my blackberry. What I ended up doing was going to the roof of the parking deck by my gym here in the North Jersey suburbs, reseting the device: Ctrl, Num, Delete. Once reset I went into advanced options->GPS and refreshed. After a few minutes it was able to pickup the GPS location from 7 satellites.

The area I was in when I went to the roof of the deck(4 floors) is not filled with sky scrapers and the largest buildings around are 3 floors high. Not sure why it wouldnt pick up on the street, but just glad that going to the roof did the trick.

Thanks all for your help, especially Stinson.

Wow now I am going to have to have an extra drink at the SF launch tonight. Congrats. Maybe I can get a night job at RIM.

[tcpetersesq]

Did anyone see the recent press on BlackBerry Cool - they are reporting (from a tipster) that the 8800 does NOT support BB Maps. The story suggests that this info is coming right from the horses mouth (a Cingy rep). I've got mine up and running just fine (thanks to tips from others...) Yes, it takes some tinkering, but it's well worth it. Works like a charm. Still doesn't have the "new" features yet (like POI, etc.) Maybe that will be coming soon?

[WorldIRC]

Works for me within a few seconds!

[mas90guru]

I used BBMAPS the last two days -- with the 8800 GPS. Followed the instructions to install it (the product was not on the device by default) and it worked by a charm.

Am travelling into NYC today and will check GPS coverage in and around the Grand Central Terminal.

Every other phone I've had with GPS capability was slow to lock onto a signal as well. In some instances (cloud covers) other non-dedicated devices have through getting a GPS signal. I think this is just normal for this type of device, after all they are not sold as full out GPS replacements.