Would You Rather Your BlackBerry Have GPS or WiFi?

by Robb Dunewood on October 10, 2007 · 21 comments

I don’t doubt that eventually RIM will come out with a BlackBerry that has both GPS and WiFi, but, for right now, you have to choose.

Would you rather your BlackBerry have GPS or WiFi?

{democracy:2}
Opinion

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  • http://www.rimarkable.com Robb Dunewood

    GPS seems to be running away with it at the moment.

  • Nic

    People must not know where they are going…..j/k. I will save more money with Wi-Fi than GPS personally.

  • http://www.rimarkable.com Robb Dunewood

    If it weren’t for the fact that I am afraid of spy satellites tracking me from space, I would go with GPS as well. I honestly can’t think of what I would use the Wi-Fi for as any BlackBerry that I would buy would be 3G or have EVDO.

  • hellno

    WiFi is cheaper and faster than any 2.5G or 3G technology. GPS is a good feature but if it’s one or the other GPS will not work indoors, and outdoors in large cities with tall buildings the accuracy declines if it works at all. WiFi IMO is a much more must have, desirable feature. WiFi can be used 24/7 to support and add to the cellular network, GPS seems to have a more limited usefulness. There is nothing like the speed and usefulness of WiFi working on and making quick work of email and the web.

  • scott

    I dont really care about either – the huge win would be to replace EDGE with 3G. EDGE is painful.

  • bluehorseshoe

    Its all based on what you’d use it for. For myself, I’d prefer wifi for making calls in areas that have poor reception, plus the unlimited plan that TMO offers for 10 bucks. I don’t use GPS enough, google maps is good enough if I’m in a pinch.

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  • http://rebelology.blogspot.com/ Kai

    wifi offers more in terms of the different things it helps you do. Wifi means more range on calls, and faster data transfer when surfing. GPS does absolutely nothing for me.

  • Ned

    Unless I misunderstand how it works, wifi is only useful if there is a signal you can use. Most wifi is protected with WEP or WPA incryption. So unless you are in Starbucks or maybe the NY Public Library, I don’t see wifi as a particularly useful feature. If there were a larger free wifi footprint, I would be behind wifi because I don’t often need the GPS (I usually know where I am going), but since I suspect wifi would be useless to me (outside of my own home — where I rarely use my cell), I have to go for GPS.

  • http://www.rimarkable.com Robb Dunewood

    I can tell you from my experience with the iPhone that free access wi-fi is not all that common.

  • http://bigjim.org/ Jim

    I have an 8820 so I have both :) BUT, if I had to give up one it’s be the WiFi since I can still use EDGE if I didn’t have WiFi. WiFi is like a feature upgrade, not a new feature. I don’t use the GPS as much as I do the WiFi but as a new resident of Dallas, TX it comes in very handy when you do need it.

  • Nikolaus

    In regards to Jim’s comments, I am also a newcomer to the Dallas area,and with my 8320 the Wifi feature is pretty sweet. I got it for the @Home and Hotspots feature. At home I have Wifi, and at my Office there is open Guest WiFi, so where I am 85-90% of the time I have UMA calls and data. Google Maps is all I need to get around, even not knowing the city well. My boss has the 8830, and yes GPS does not work indoors, nor in the Car, and it takes sometimes a long time to acquire your location. Using Opera Mini on UMA is MUCH faster. Tmo EDGE is not great, so UMA makes up for that. I keep the default profiles for “linksys”, “netgear”, and “d-link” in my list, and you’d be surprised how often I look down to see I’ve connected to somewhere. Yes I’d like both, but I won’t give up my Wifi.

  • hellno

    Nikolaus,

    “You are correct sir!” Most wouldn’t believe how many open WiFi access points one comes upon in a normal day. Again even with locked WiFi access points, if you have a right to use them you have the passwords for them. WiFi being cheaper and faster than any carrier signal currently used is without a doubt the more practical technology for most. GPS is D E A D in buildings and when there isn’t a a very good view of the sky. The verizon pearl has GPS because there is NO way verizon would allow its consumers the freedom of WiFi, and verizon already has the crippling ready for the GPS, they used it on the 8830.

  • Richter

    From the comments posted, it sounds like WiFi is our winner, but not from the voting results. Are people just voting without considering these issues? I also have an 8320 and use the app Compass. If I really need know where I am, then that + GMaps and I know exactly where I am and how to get where I want to be. “InfoSpace Find it!” (free) has spoken directions so if you’re driving just let it speak to you the directions. I highly recommend it.

  • Michael

    GPS is only crippled on the VZ device because they crippled it. I fully use GPS on my Sprint 8830 with BB Maps since Sprint allows it.
    Given the limitations of the BB processor and browser the WiFi speed factor is a limiting advantage.
    I’ll stick with GPS but that’s juts my $0.02.

  • Jim

    Answering Richter, it appears that most pollsters are Verizon customers, whereas the authors of the above posts are largely not. Verizon’s customers, while lagging in good phone selections, feel (from experience, not because of the “can you hear me” guy ads) that Verizon’s network is indeed superior. Thus we don’t feel the need for WiFi as do customers of other networks.

    If you’re often in the same location that has WiFi, like Nikolaus, WiFi could be seen as the winner. But for the roaming professional who has Verizon/EVDO, there’s no need to search for a WiFi signal; you basically have it. The GPS presents a new feature that, again, the roaming professional could use.

    The answer is therefore dependent upon your personal needs including the quality of network you’re on in your locale.

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  • hellno

    Jim speaking for more than yourself? Making up status words such as “roaming profeesional” please…. Making excuses for fellow brainwashed vealot sheep?

    “from experience, not because of the “can you hear me” guy ads) that Verizon’s network is indeed superior.”

    verizon’s network is NOT superior, and WiFi is still quicker and cheaper than evdo will ever be, so you dont have “it” at all, other than a kool-aid stain, and a crippled handet. But keep believing the “can you hear me now” guy ads, thats exactly what verizon expects of you.

  • bluehorseshoe

    For those of you who debate the better service, whom do you believe is numero uno? I’m a TMO user with a Pearl and have to admit that Verizon is the.best service from a call and data prospective of the top 4 vendors. TMO has the best customer service and plans, but in my opinion, VZW has the most reliable coverage, and fastest data. I’ve had all the services in various parts of the country to offer my opinion.

    When it comes to choosing between wifi and GPS, it’s wifi for me. I use wifi more often, it can be used for making calls (TMO offers a plan), and allows you to set up a location for areas that don’t have coverage (a wireless router makes this all possible if you have high speed bandwidth). Most of us use our phones to make calls, not to figure out where we’re going (although nice when needed).

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