[John Clark]

It's been reported that there is an issue with the TMo 8320 and Bluetooth GPS pucks. In previous OS's there have been issues with them being intermittent. Now it seems they aren't working at all. It may be a question of having wifi and BT GPS at the same time or it could be a bug in the software preventing it from working at all.

If you have an 8320 and a GPS puck please post what you have and if it's working or not.

[segeln4me]

Originally Posted by John Clark

It's been reported that there is an issue with the TMo 8320 and Bluetooth GPS pucks. In previous OS's there have been issues with them being intermittent. Now it seems they aren't working at all. It may be a question of having wifi and BT GPS at the same time or it could be a bug in the software preventing it from working at all.

If you have an 8320 and a GPS puck please post what you have and if it's working or not.

As I mentioned in the other thread, I have this problem. I can set up the bluetooth and it seems to connect, but never really does. I noticed that this is a problem with the latest OS on the 8300 as well. It connects for a moment, then disconnects. Very frustrating. I don't want to call T-Mobile, since I don't think it is a Network problem, how can I get to talk to RIM and let them know of the problem? Anyone have connections? I really need GPS!

[segeln4me]

Originally Posted by segeln4me

As I mentioned in the other thread, I have this problem. I can set up the bluetooth and it seems to connect, but never really does. I noticed that this is a problem with the latest OS on the 8300 as well. It connects for a moment, then disconnects. Very frustrating. I don't want to call T-Mobile, since I don't think it is a Network problem, how can I get to talk to RIM and let them know of the problem? Anyone have connections? I really need GPS!

Just to give an update, I have been playing/messing with this all day. I have an older 8300 and now neither of my GPS sticks work with the older device as well. I even went back to the old O2 4.2.2.67 OS and still, no luck. It worked before for google maps and BB maps and just intermittendly on my Golf software (intilligolf). And still nothing non of them are communicating with the 8320. If I can't get to work this out, I will have to get the 8310 and unlock it, since GPS is more important to me than wifi.

[Stinsonddog]

Originally Posted by segeln4me

Just to give an update, I have been playing/messing with this all day. I have an older 8300 and now neither of my GPS sticks work with the older device as well. I even went back to the old O2 4.2.2.67 OS and still, no luck. It worked before for google maps and BB maps and just intermittendly on my Golf software (intilligolf). And still nothing non of them are communicating with the 8320. If I can't get to work this out, I will have to get the 8310 and unlock it, since GPS is more important to me than wifi.

Do you know how to reset the sticks to factory settings? I saw this issue with another GPS app changing the settings on the pucks. See if you can figure that out.

[harveyjc_2001]

I have this working with an 8320 and a Holux GPSlim 240. I have not tried Telenav, only Google Maps. It seemed to acquire a signal faster when I set the connection to be Trusted and disabled encryption.

[boobybabymommy]

Ok, here's the deal:
I will be buying on Monday 2 BB Curve 8320's from Amazon and i know they have Wi-Fi but no GPS, so i was wondering if you could install GPS on it, download it from somewhere, buy it, or how do i do this. and if i do do i have to pay for it??? Please let me know before i buy them. Thanks

Jen

[John Clark]

You have to buy a GPS receiver (referred to as a puck.) They usually run around $100. They use bluetooth to connect to the device and work. This thread talks about the issues with the 8320 and the use of bluetooth pucks. Many are not working with the 8320.

[xploit]

Im planning on getting this one in about 2 weeks. I gotta do some research first

--> Freedom Input Ltd - Freedom Keychain GPS

[John Clark]

That's the one I have. I really like it. Small and convenient.

[xploit]

Originally Posted by John Clark

That's the one I have. I really like it. Small and convenient.

u havetn had any issues? I heard nothing but good things about this GPS.

[John Clark]

I've had no issues with the puck itself. There are issues with the OS's from 4.2.1 and up. The issues cause the apps to not connect to the GPS information. The 8320 issues are posted here in this very thread.

[Stinsonddog]

Originally Posted by John Clark

I've had no issues with the puck itself. There are issues with the OS's from 4.2.1 and up. The issues cause the apps to not connect to the GPS information. The 8320 issues are posted here in this very thread.

Finally something you don't have issues with. Now I can go to sleep!

[John Clark]

No issues here

[segeln4me]

Originally Posted by Stinsonddog

Do you know how to reset the sticks to factory settings? I saw this issue with another GPS app changing the settings on the pucks. See if you can figure that out.

You know that did the trick. Somehow I needed to reset the divices. I tried resetting the Holux puck, but could not do so, but I had better luck with the Freedom Mini GPS, I opened it up and quickly shorted the battery connection, closed it up, charged it again for a moment, and now it works. I do have a problem getting it to get a constant connection with Intelligolf software, it works for a second and is off for 40 seconds, works for a second and off again. Oh well, it least it is better. I just ordered a different puck and will try with that.
Thanks,
Dan

[John Clark]

Where did you come up with the idea to open up the puck and "short" the battery connection?

Your connection with Intelligolf could be related to the Bluetooth Stack issue in 4.2.1 and 4.2.2 OS's.

[segeln4me]

Originally Posted by John Clark

Where did you come up with the idea to open up the puck and "short" the battery connection?

Your connection with Intelligolf could be related to the Bluetooth Stack issue in 4.2.1 and 4.2.2 OS's.

I did some searching, like your signature suggests. Found nothing on the Freedom, but in a GPS forum (non BlackBerry related) I found info on the Holux unit and also that sometimes these pucks act up abd have to be reset to "speak satellite" to the main unit again.
So the gps works all the time now with google maps and bb maps, but you think my Intelligolf problem could be the 4.2 OS? Are people with an integrated GPS (88xx, 8310) and the same software having the same problems?

Dan

[Paul Bowles]

Shorting the battery out in some GPS units might reset them but to be honest I'm not sure that will be the case with the Freedom Mini GPS (I'm going to find out but this does invalidate any hardware guarantees so I wouldn't recommend it).

It is more likely to be an issue with the bluetooth software on the BlackBerry and by resetting or repairing the device you are fixing the problem in the short term. Resetting the BlackBerry (pulling the battery) or turning the bluetooth off and on would likely have had the same effect.

You will be able to tell if it is an issue with the bluetooth on the BlackBerry though. If you go into the navigation software on the BB and activate the GPS you will normally see the blue light on the Mini Keychain GPS flash twice per second. This means that it is transmitting data to the BlackBerry.

If you activate the the GPS on the BlackBerry and see the blue light on the GPS receiver flashing only once per second then it means the Bluetooth on the BlackBerry has bugged out and is not talking the the receiver. The bit that causes most confusion though is at this point the BlackBerry wont say there is a bluetooth issue (it think its is still connected) but will tell you there is no GPS signal.

I don't think I have used Intelligolf before so cant be much help. Possibly you just need to go into the settings for it and set the GPS source. Maybe setting the GPS source within the Blackbery might help also (Options>Advanced Options>GPS and then change the GPS data source). I would get a copy and go and test it but I'm not sure I could convince anyone here that spending a day out of the office on the golf course was product testing ;)

Regards,
Paul
Technical Manager at Freedom Input

[segeln4me]

Originally Posted by Paul Bowles

Shorting the battery out in some GPS units might reset them but to be honest I'm not sure that will be the case with the Freedom Mini GPS (I'm going to find out but this does invalidate any hardware guarantees so I wouldn't recommend it).

It is more likely to be an issue with the bluetooth software on the BlackBerry and by resetting or repairing the device you are fixing the problem in the short term. Resetting the BlackBerry (pulling the battery) or turning the bluetooth off and on would likely have had the same effect.

You will be able to tell if it is an issue with the bluetooth on the BlackBerry though. If you go into the navigation software on the BB and activate the GPS you will normally see the blue light on the Mini Keychain GPS flash twice per second. This means that it is transmitting data to the BlackBerry.

If you activate the the GPS on the BlackBerry and see the blue light on the GPS receiver flashing only once per second then it means the Bluetooth on the BlackBerry has bugged out and is not talking the the receiver. The bit that causes most confusion though is at this point the BlackBerry wont say there is a bluetooth issue (it think its is still connected) but will tell you there is no GPS signal.

I don't think I have used Intelligolf before so cant be much help. Possibly you just need to go into the settings for it and set the GPS source. Maybe setting the GPS source within the Blackbery might help also (Options>Advanced Options>GPS and then change the GPS data source). I would get a copy and go and test it but I'm not sure I could convince anyone here that spending a day out of the office on the golf course was product testing ;)

Regards,
Paul
Technical Manager at Freedom Input

Paul,

Thank you for your comments and I agree, I would not recommend doing what I did to anyone. And I am aware that opening my Freedom Mini GPS would invalidate my guarantee, I was aware of that. I did a lot of testing and resetting and believe me, I did all those settings you suggest. I agree that the problem is probably with the software of the BlackBerry. Interrestingly enough, I was able to make it work with Google Maps first and then was BB maps able to find satellites. Google maps works much better with the GPS puck than BB maps, but once I get it to work with Google maps, it works with bb maps. Again, my intelligolf software is still only working for a split second every 45 to 60 seconds. You don't have to play golf to try the software or the GPS function. It is fantastic software that would just be better if the GPS was working better with it. I am bidding on a BlackBerry 8800 with GPS build in on eBay right now to try that unit with Intelligolf, since for me, GPS is more important than WIFI. The 8310 would be my next choice but I would have to unlock it to make it work with my network (T-Mobile)!

Thanks again,

Dan

[John Clark]

Just got my 8320 today. After setting all up for wifi/uma I got Google Maps and TeleNav installed. Freedom Mini (Keychain) GPS works fine. It paired up and worked with everything first time around. Whether or not I'll see the intermittent bluetooth issue is another story. However, it's all working now.

[Stinsonddog]

Originally Posted by segeln4me

You know that did the trick. Somehow I needed to reset the divices. I tried resetting the Holux puck, but could not do so, but I had better luck with the Freedom Mini GPS, I opened it up and quickly shorted the battery connection, closed it up, charged it again for a moment, and now it works. I do have a problem getting it to get a constant connection with Intelligolf software, it works for a second and is off for 40 seconds, works for a second and off again. Oh well, it least it is better. I just ordered a different puck and will try with that.
Thanks,
Dan

Like I said my research on my own puck showed this to be an issue. Some are easier to reset than others. The hard ones require the battery short to reboot them to factory settings.