Garmin Mobile for BlackBerry USA review

MikeB · Last edited by MikeB on Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:44 am; edited 1 time in total

Garmin Mobile for Blackberry is an innovative navigation system for your Cell Phone which works without needing to install any memory cards or mapping data. Instead a small application is downloaded over the air, with the mapping and route calculation being sent from a central server. This is termed as off-board navigation.

Garmin have created an excellent platform for connected navigation. Time will tell if they can integrate further value added services into that platform as it becomes more mature. As more devices such as the iPhone become available with connected GPS the centralised server based architecture will explode with new Location Aware applications. Garmin have positioned themselves well to meet this upcoming shift towards connected navigation.

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Mike Barrett

Wazza_G · Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2008 6:03 pm Post subject:

Just a reminder to American readers not to take it to Germany!

As they've just declared them illegal, well for use in the car anyway!

MikeB · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:43 am Post subject:

Wazza_G · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 1:34 pm Post subject:

Now't to stop you loading the maps though!

MikeB · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 9:07 pm Post subject:

kwdunn · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 05, 2008 Posts: 8

Any word on Garmin providing maps for Europe?

MikeB · Posted: Fri Oct 03, 2008 11:30 pm Post subject:

The Rudd · Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:34 am Post subject:

I hope that I am posting this in the right place, I do know that Garmin has joined with Samsung to promote the Samsung 780I which will have maps of Europe on. I am toying with the idea of getting one or a Nokia 6110 which is compatable.

Jerry

Metoo · Occasional Visitor Joined: Aug 14, 2005 Posts: 8

The EU version is available, product info at:
http://www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/site/uk/lang/en/garmin-mobile-for-blackberry

The EU 7 day trial is at
http://www8.garmin.com/mobile/carriers/eu/ (download directly from BB browser).

Seems to be a newer version (5.2.2) than the US download I tried (which installs and runs but shows no maps). Has some nice extras such as Google search integration and Panoramio (shows you photos which people have taken nearby to your location, which you can navigate to). Unlike other similar apps which tend to be US-centric (especially on the iPhone) , I was surprised how many popped up close to my home in the UK, some of which look worth exploring!

Maps look really nice on hires Bold screen, but haven't had chance to try the navigation side out yet. Biggest concern I have is the price (GBP22 more than US version) and what happens when you lose coverage (which happens often in my neck of the woods). Shame no one can bring out SatNav program with locally stored maps - after all every other platform bar the iPhone has one and there is plenty of space available on recent BBs.

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