Blackberry with GPS
 

Anyone have one of these? AT&T/Cingular says they have a new improved model coming out the end of June. it has an improved keyboard, and they have added a camera. Looking for comments good or bad about their GPS service.

I have a Sprint 8703 with GPS. Been using the TeleNav service for $10 a month. It provides turn by turn directions. (Also messed with Blackberry Maps, which is free, but doesn't do turn-by-turn directions or other nice things.)

Probably going to drop it, though. For a few reasons:

• Turn by Turn directions can't be sent over Bluetooth (Blackberry Software Issue)
• Crashes the Blackberry sometimes. (Known bug on the 8703, I guess. Your mileage may vary.)
• GPS signal sometimes isn't the greatest. Was using it in LA, and couldn't get a signal. Was pretty cloudy out, I guess. The next day, same place, no clouds, worked great.

I have a Garmin GPS V, so I'll just go back to using that.

I have an 8800 with AT&T.

Like the previous poster stated, to use the pre-installed TeleNav software is $10 or so a month.

I installed BBery Maps and Google Maps (best) and both interface fine with the GPS. TeleNav does offer more GPS type functions, like Garmin.

However, for the little I use the GPS, Google Maps and BlackBerry Maps works awesome.

If you're looking for a true GPS solution, get a true GPS. If you're looking for something to help you get somewhere when your lost or look up local business, then I've found my 8800 to be awesome!

What phone is coming out by the way?

Blackberry Curve

Still no HSPDA, just got my 8800 in March, didn't want to kick myself for not waiting :)

Looks slick.

I have the 8800 and 8300 (Curve) on my desk right now.

The 8800 has the built-in GPS, and if you download the latest version of Telnav (v5.1) - it actually isn't bad, better than the one that shipped with the 8800. Unlike some of the others, I have found the 8800 to be pretty sensitive, I'm guessing they use a SiRF chipset in it. A big plus would have been having the voice directions coming over the bluetooth headset, I've had it work by accident a few times, I start a call when the thing is navigating and then it continues to use the headset even after the call is done. In the car over the unit's speaker it is hard to understand what the heck it is saying sometimes.

The 8300 is a smaller form factor, which I like, and easier keyboard for bigger hands. Doesn't have the built-in GPS, which is a bummer, but you can use an external puck, the $99 one they sell at the Cingular store is really good, but then you are sucking more battery out of your unit using bluetooth.

Of course they can't hold a candle to something like a Garmin Nuvi, but the times I've used the 8800 was when I'm out in the car and realize I need to find a place and grab it out of my pocket. Luckily this was before the 8300, as I find I forget the GPS puck frequently if I don't have my work bag with me.

Functionally, they are almost identical, the spell check on the 8300 is nice, keyboard is better for me. I tested the XM radio for the 3-days on the Curve and had lots of problems, even in major cities, keeping the stream stay continuous, it is a great idea, but until 3G comes to the Blackberry, probably not worth the money.

Both are great units, can't go wrong either way. Try the keyboard of the 8800 first, if you can deal with it, probably worth it for the GPS.

Any idea of how long until 3G comes to the Blackberry? From what I've recently learned reading up on it (and its absence from the iPhone), 3G seems like a pretty big deal. Going on that, it seems stupid to spend $$$ on a BB without 3G, correct?

Blackberry with GPS
 

I'm told it's an upgraded version of the Blackberry. I think they have a flip phone with GPS out there now.