Google Maps the 8830 and GPS
 

Hey everyone. i downloaded Google Maps Mobile to my BB8830 today. Seems pretty cool but I have one major problem with it. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I figured with the GPS enabled 8830 that when I search for something, say "Gas Stations" for example; that the Google Maps Mobile would check where I am via the GPS on the phone and then give me the closest Gas Stations in relation to where I am according to GPS. That would make sense... that's the point of GPS and POI.. or at least I thought.

Well to test it out tonight. I searched for "Wheel Alignment". It found a bunch but they were all over the nation... 1 in Cali, One in Mass, One in St Louis. DUH!! Hello. The GPS says I am in Miami, FL. Why is it picking places all over the country. I realize I can enter "Wheel Alingment Miami" but that defeats the purpose of GPS. What if I am planning a trip accross country like I am next month. I'm in the middle of somewhere in some state that I don't know. I can't enter "Burger Joint, Podunk" because I don't know if i'm in podunk. It should just located the closest burger joints to where the GPS says I am.

I can't believe Google intends it to work this way. Am I doing something wrong.

I figured maybe try Beyond411 hoping it would use the GPS to find closest POI's to me but I haven't figured out how to set it up yet.

Thanks,

Brian

try infospace findit

works well with gps

Thanks for the info. However, is it something I'm doing or can Google Maps not search via GPS? Do you have any experience via Google Maps mobile. It doesn't make sense to even have GPS show where you are in Google Maps if it doesn't use for it anything.

Yes, Beyond411--life has never been so good, and within finger tip reach.

Wow, I think that's incredibly incredibly stupid and out of character for Google. "Hey lets put a cute little blue dot on a map to show you where you are and then not search for stuff by the dot" BRILLIANT GOOGLE, BRILLIANT.....

note to self


Uninstall Google Maps, configure Beyond411 immediatly

I didn't say Google Maps did not work for this purpose, it does, quite well. For instance, I just searched "coffee" and found the 9 closest independent coffee shops and Starbucks in my immediate area.

I would mention that the one closest to me, four blocks physically from my home and where I sit at this moment, was listed as #9 in the list.

Using the same paramete "coffee" in Beyond 411 yellow pages (and the gps option), that very same Starbucks is not listed within the first 72 choices, lol.

If I use Stabucks as the search, in Beyond 411, that same Starbucks is the #1 choice.

In Google Maps, using Starbucks as the search, that same Starbucks is the #4 choice.

Very interesting.

So, I keep both loaded on my 8800, there's room for both.

Yeah but in Beyond 411 you just search for Starbucks and it will see where you are located via GPS and give you the closest locations.

In Google Maps if I'm understanding it correctly. You have to tell Google maps where you are in your search. For instance you have to search for Starbucks and enter a city or zip code in there. This makes Google Maps 100% useless if you in unfamiliar territory. Bad Google bad! LOL
I would love to know what Googles rational was for adding GPS to maps but then ignoring it when people search for "Starbucks". At least give us the option!

Use pocket express free version. The 411 option uses your GPS to find locations close to you. You also get news, sports, weather, and a lot of other stuff for free.

I think you should retry it, as it is supposed to find close to the GPS first. Maybe it lost the GPS signal. I just tried it and it found all sorts of shops close to mine.

I use GMM most, then B411 then infospace find it. All have good features. Also use Y2Go sometimes.

Hmmm, I'll try it again. It REALLY REALLY doesn't make sense that it just searchs randomly for things when it finds exactly where I am within 7 meters.



Man, I hated my Tmobile phone call quality and the speed, and how the back would fall off all the time. I really miss Windows Live Search. That thing was nothing short of amazing. I hope they get on the blackberry soon.

Smartphones: Windows Live Search For Mobile vs. Google Maps Mobile - Gizmodo

Good article on them both.....

Ugh. So I tried it again. Fired up Google Maps Mobile. Hit "0" to go to my location. Click "Find Business" Entered Starbucks, hit OK, it's starts searching. Guess what result #1 was Starbucks in Seattle Washington!!!!!!! I live in Miami!!!! LOL Oy Vey! Could it have found one further away! LOL It didn't find a Starbucks within 1000 miles of me. :(

Something ain't right, as that is not normal. Are you sure your GPS is working. I am thinking its not.

Yeah the blue dot is literally on top of my house if I change to sattelite view or zoom in on the map.

For what it's worth, I agree with Stinson....something's funny. Google mobile maps works more or less like you expect it should for me. Don't know answer to your issue, but know it isn't google, per se. Sorry can't be more help.

In my (lengthy) example above, GPS was enabled on both, and in neither did I need to tell it where to look as in zipcode, etc.

In google maps, when you start up, hit 0 first to tell it where you are. Once it finds you, do the search. That is all I did.

Hmmmm, I must be doing something wrong. I can't figure out what though. There are no settings or options anywhere that I can find.

Wirelessly posted (8700g: BlackBerry8700/4.2.1 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/100)

Perhaps, try hard reset, then try again outside where your device can clearly see the sats. Sure sounds like maybe you got a position fix but then lose it.

OMG Google Maps Mobile is starting to pissssss me off. No matter what I do it finds just random stuff I search for all over the country. I searched for flowers. Got one in Bangor, Maine one in San Diego, one in St Louis!!! Arrrrggggghhhhh! What am I doing wrong and why does Google not have any support forums!

is your GPS on?

What version of GM do you have running?

GPS is on. It finds exactly where I am. I have a trial for Sprint Navigation (which is friggin top notch BTW) and it works the way Google Maps is suppossed to. It searchs for stuff near my "Current Location" and returns the results closest to me. Problem is unlike Google Maps Mobile it isn't free.

I'm using version 1.5.2 which I downloaded today.

Does anyone know where you go to get tech support on Google stuff. I know they have forums in Google groups but none of the support group posts have any replies so....