[Bruce-YVR]

Looks like a winner... tempted to get it... but got a question!! If I buy it... what if I switched to a different Blackberry a year later?? You see... I bought the Curve in 2007, and after a year, when the Bold came out, I changed to the Bold. So.... when I change to another Blackberry later on... what happens to the Garmin software? I assume its stored in the BB or in the sd card?? so I can transfer to the new BB device?

Thanks

Bruce

[dwella]

I have it on my bold and I am not sure what would happen but my guess would be under a year you could maybe transfer over a year new. You might email garmin and ask.

d

[Bruce-YVR]

Originally Posted by dwella

I have it on my bold and I am not sure what would happen but my guess would be under a year you could maybe transfer over a year new. You might email garmin and ask.

d

Thanks... how do you like it??

[dwella]

I love it. Best 99 bucks I have spent in a long time.

d

[Dubdub]

Originally Posted by Bruce-YVR

Looks like a winner... tempted to get it... but got a question!! If I buy it... what if I switched to a different Blackberry a year later?? You see... I bought the Curve in 2007, and after a year, when the Bold came out, I changed to the Bold. So.... when I change to another Blackberry later on... what happens to the Garmin software? I assume its stored in the BB or in the sd card?? so I can transfer to the new BB device?

Thanks

Bruce

Have you checked out the GPS Section?

[MisterEd]

You're SOL:


Question: How can I transfer my Garmin Mobile for Blackberry license to a new phone?

Answer:
Garmin Mobile is offered as a one time purchase for your Blackberry. The license applies to the first phone on which the application is activated. If upgrading to a different Blackberry, the license expires and must be re-purchased if continued use is desired.

If a phone is replaced by its carrier because of a malfunction, Garmin can transfer a license to the replacement device. This transfer must occur within the first twelve months of activation and is at Garmin's sole discretion. Garmin allows one transfer of this type for each license. In order to transfer a Garmin Mobile license, please contact technical support.

To find out more about the Garmin User Terms, view the Garmin Mobile for Blackberry EULA.

Last modified on: 12/17/2008

Originally Posted by Bruce-YVR

Looks like a winner... tempted to get it... but got a question!! If I buy it... what if I switched to a different Blackberry a year later?? You see... I bought the Curve in 2007, and after a year, when the Bold came out, I changed to the Bold. So.... when I change to another Blackberry later on... what happens to the Garmin software? I assume its stored in the BB or in the sd card?? so I can transfer to the new BB device?

Thanks

Bruce

[Nismo3]

Ouch!

[acmegumbo]

Originally Posted by Nismo3

Ouch!

The cost of Garmin's servide for the lifetime of a BB is $99 whether you keep it one year or three. The cost of Telnav is, I think, $9.99 per month regardless of the time you use it. I did not try Telnav because I was familiar with the Garmin interface and liked it. The Garmin service does as represented. That plus the math worked for me. No ouch here.

[Nismo3]

well, for someone who may have purchased the phone new and found they did not like the phone, it is ouch for them. For those who hold on to phones for a while, it's a great deal obviously.

[dstrauss]

What about downloading maps? Their site indicates that you don't - you rely on internet access like Google maps - but tat's my complaint because you don't have broadband access in many places you'd like to use the maps - what then?

[btdown]

broadband access in many places you'd like to use the maps - what then?

I'll tell you what then...you will continue to navigate until the map needs to "move" and download a new image, at which point it will freeze up and after a long period eventually tell you it cannot authenticate with the server and to contact your provider--and it will just sit there. -- forever.

I was driving in the middle of nowhere near Perry, Florida at midnight, and had this happen to me. It sorta defeats the purpose of having a GPS if you need to be in coverage in order for it to work.

I LOVE Garmin stuff and have had 3 or 4 of their handhelds, but the routing on this program is absolutely screwy. You'll be driving down a major highway (if you're lucky enough to have it route you on one), and it will tell you to get off an exit, drive like 5 miles on some side road to the next exit, then get back on the same highway you were on. I dont think I'll ever use this solely as my primary navigation device, as the routing it provides is neither the shortest or the fastest.

[acmegumbo]

Originally Posted by dstrauss

What about downloading maps? Their site indicates that you don't - you rely on internet access like Google maps - but tat's my complaint because you don't have broadband access in many places you'd like to use the maps - what then?

I get a mix of 3G and Edge where I am and do not notice a problem with downloading maps on my Bold. In any event, wouldn't the only other option to be to have the maps on your device, assuming you had the memory to store them?

[dstrauss]

Originally Posted by acmegumbo

I get a mix of 3G and Edge where I am and do not notice a problem with downloading maps on my Bold. In any event, wouldn't the only other option to be to have the maps on your device, assuming you had the memory to store them?

Yes, and that is the way i should be. You can get a 16gb SDHC card for $50 +/-, and then use data services for updates. What good is a GPS device that can't map for you? For example, I've used the MS software on an old HP PDA and the stored maps worked great with the tethered GPS puck. Just think how awesome that would be an all-in-one device.

[MisterEd]

Palm Treo and a couple others phpnes had TomTom which stored it's own maps on the SD. It was great except it was $100+ every year to update the maps. Maps were less then 1gig. I wonder why TomTom never came out with a BB version. I guess they were more intersted in developing freestanding devices.

[jimfraser]

I use the Garmin on my Bold and it works very well for me. Somewhere on another section (gps?) there is a discount code to get $20 off. I used it and it cost $79.
As noted above, none of the maps are stored on the blackberry, but downloaded as needed over 3g - 2g, so as also noted, it will not work if you do not have cell service.
Also, one more caution. You are using your data plan for the maps. I first used Garmin on my Bold while in Florida last October. While I have a fairly generous data plan while in my home base, Canada, I was paying raoming charges for data while in the US. That is not normally an issue with e-mails, which use relatively little data, but data for images is much larger (google maps with satelite view on the Bold is a killer). Roaming data charges were +$100 where normally for e-mails only it would have been $15 - $20 for a week. Not too practicle if using outside your home base if you have to pay roaming charges for data.

[WebSurfer]

I have switched through 3 blackberry's since buying. Garmin helpdesk asks each time what the original device was (that is what is listed in the profile) but the activiation code has worked fine in the new device. I do not believe there is anything in the software that tracks the specific device or generates a specific code unique to that phone. Garmin helpdesk has been very good to work with. I have used both Telenav and the Garmin, but the new Garmin software is the one I use every day. The interface is the same as many of their high end units. There is a trial version on their site.