Google Maps for BlackBerry has been updated to v4.0.1 and now includes a Buzz layer. If you're a Buzz user (is anyone actually using it?) you'll be able to get some more cool features in Google Maps with this new version. You can turn the layer on or off from the standard map, and also have the ability to search by voice and use synchronized starring. The update is a pretty big jump from the previous version, but we're not sure if any other updates are included in the release. To download the update head to m.google.com/maps from your device.
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Google Maps Updated to v4.0.1 - Now Includes Buzz Layer
This feature disappeared from by BB Storm about the time some of the other apps like Bing and NFL showed up on my screen. When I try to download now I get a Gateway Timeout Error message right away - it says contact my service provider. Maps was an app that I ACTUALLY used!
Looks good! :]
It's already been observed as such, but I was not pleased to see that rename favorites was gone. I understand that it syncs with bookmarks.google.com so that allows you to backup favorites online (sort of like Opera Mini syncing bookmarks with your Opera account) but I often-times add new favorites in the field, & I rename them in the field too. I rolled back to 3.2.1 as a result of this.
Everything is working great with 4.0.1 on the Bold 9700 w/ AT&T...I had a problem with the permissions needing to be changed every time i started it up, but once I manually changed them in the Options it starts up smoothly every time. I must say, I'm in Los Angeles and the Voice Search is unbelievably accurate considering how many choices it has to search through. A+
Don't use Buzz but the app certainly seems faster. Less clunky.
Did anyone else notice that there is no way to use the new 4.0.1 on a touch screen? No pan/zoom can't even navigate the menus by touch. Must use keyboard for any movement on screen or menus. How could Google kill the touch screen version?
Reset browser to BB and deleted and reinstalled from m.google.com/maps. All touch screen functions working on Storm 9530
Have the most updated OS and Google Map on S2. Google map will freeze up with search function. It starts fine then menu option will freeze things up. Anyone else with the same problem? I tried all tweakings to no avail.
Interestingly, the most updated Bing software does the similar thing with lock up. Maybe it is the OS issue.
Appreciate all comments and solution. Google, where are you!
No turn by turn? BLAH!
Google... you're supposed to be everyone's favorite online company!
So far, I've had no problems with this new updated on my Tour. I love the new voice search. I'm so happy that my favorites finally get saved going from one version to the next. (Although it's annoying that their position in the list keeps changing.) And labs- I can finally view a scale on the map! I even think the app is running faster on my device. Super!
Not working on my S2 9550 either. It locks up the phone and I have to perform a battery pull. Is there a 3.2.1 OTA still available?
I tried all the suggestions and Google Maps continues to freeze when I open the menu. I can not even get the program to close without having to pull my battery.
I'm also having problems on my Storm2. It freezes on the search screen.
Works perfect on my 8900 running Willyboy's v3.... Fast!! Loads maps faster and acquiring location.... Have lots of apps and still have lots of memory....108.1mb on boot up lol!!!!
on my 9550 running on .607. It locks up on me too.
I love this update, the street view ie awesome and I don't really care about turn by turn...I have navigation system in my car.
"I just hit the phone button and the window comes up for SPEAK NOW and I said "Dave and Busters" and it actually showed the results."
Had absolutely NO idea that's how the speaker function was activated. Where did you find that out?? Anyway, thanks for cluing me in!
9550 fix in ?
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to download some portion of the maps to your SD card so that you didn't need a constant connection? Imagine being able to pull 512MB worth of location data (i.e., your region) and then simply firing Google Maps up... all searches would still need a connection, and so would traffic, but at least you wouldn't be pulling map data constantly... dare to dream.
I can actually see my car park in the driveway....Sweet...
I went back to the HTC Hero after I couldn't get Google sync to work properly on my 9700; I was also having some trouble with getting Google Talk to work- but this might just make me want to test out Buzz on the BB and switch back!
Mine works pretty well. Had to reset the permission to allow everything and the it worked. I will keep it!
Quicker loading, sharper imaging in satellite view, shows the location of the bus stops on the map (this may just be updated for my city). Highly recommended upgrade.
After the install googlemaps is not finding my location after 5 min of waiting. Keeps telling me GPS unavailable. Any ideas?
I can't seem to get the touch version downloaded for my S2. I keep getting the trackball/pad version. Any ideas?
WILL GIVE IT a go!
I just hit the phone button and the window comes up for SPEAK NOW and I said "Dave and Busters" and it actually showed the results.
But Im seeing a problem where for some reason i hit the Menu button and I keep hitting EXIT and it does nothing, I can select other things in the menu but it does nothing either, so basically seems stuck now, cant get the menu to get off the screen either.
Tried it and it works better than old. The speak to search seemed to work on a busy street in the middle of the day and graphics seem to be updated.
Voice doesn't work on my Storm I. No green 'voice button' which I guess is necessary to access that function...
The "green" button is your phone button across the bottom. If you're missing that, take your Storm back to VZW and get it fixed.
It nailed my location. The blue dot is literally right on top of my house.
I'm having issues with this on the 9550. I'm running .607.
Ooooh! The labs features are kind of cool. Terrain, scale bar, and direction/heading for latitude and search items.
Confirmed update of Mobile App, going to restart now and test it.
the only thing I'm not finding is the ability to edit my favorites. I used to be able to rename favs to something other than the address. Seems this functionality is gone now...lame.
It seems they removed the ability to edit favorites direct from the app and from the google maps website. But if you go to bookmarks.google.com when logged in, guess what, yip, those stared/favorite places are added to google bookmarks and can be edited from there, whether you ever heard of google bookmarks or not!
Why don't they add all their applications in AppWorld ? Would be much easier for updates.
My Location now works with 3G radio on the Bold 9700. That fix alone is worth this upgrade!
Not working yet on BB 9550.
that's what they get for not coming out w/ all devices at once. a-holes.
just downloaded it... it's way faster and it fixed the location problems the older version had w/ the 8530! i love it.
Downloaded it and running smoothy on my 9530, OS .419. Installed right over the old version and when finished downloading, request I restart. Works great. Like the search feature!
Does anyone know if this update helps us 8530 guys? As in will it actually recognize which city youre in. No lie. Once I checked it said I was in Dallas, and I live in Funky Town.
it seems to have helped. my location is spot on and i've tested it all day in different cities to make sure. it's also, way faster now.
Just DL'ed! Its awesome.!!!
I used to get my GPS locked updated every 2 seconds now it Keeps switching from GPS to Cell tower.
This Updates crap.
rely on underlying Google Maps?
Touchscreen OS isn't working for me on my Storm2 (5.0.0.607). Can't scroll, or select buttons within the app.
A good thing just got better. Love the labs features. I'd pit this against any paid app.
Fail. It works again.
Also, Google Mobile App was updated from v. 3.6.13 to v. 3.6.14. Not sure what the change was.
Chris, I installed Google Maps v4.0.1 on my 9530 and its working.
How did you install it?
I tried installing it over my previous version, then uninstalling and doing a battery pull and installing from the BB Browser. Still no luck on using it with touchscreen.
I just went to the Google Mobile Page, clicked through the Google Maps link, hit install, and it was done.
Check your browser settings, maybe try using either the Firefox/Internet Explorer option for it to work
Also, do you have OS 5.0 on your phone?
Is your bb browser set to the default? (not firefox/or IE)
Does not work on my Storm 9530, hopefully this is temporary.
Installs and runs fine. 8900 with 5.0.0.411
and I have no problems what so ever. All the features work and the new voice searching is amazing.
Forget Buzz, the real star of the show is the synced favorites (starred places).
Is the synced favorites (starred places) two way?
Yup!
Search by voice not working on Storm 2 with 5.0.0.607.
It will lock up your google maps app! Don't use it.
Having the same issues with the search function on my 9550.
Love google maps, but the dam spinning clock shows up 50% of the time I am actually using it.
I was in the same boat with the old version but I have yet to see the spinner! Very snappy. (9550.607)
Just deleted Google maps form my S2. I simply found it worthless.
but at least in spanish, when you are loged in with your google account, you exit the app with the "salir" option, but you also "log out" with another "salir" option...
they are one on top of the other, you can only guess which is the correct one...
anyone has it as cod/alx or jad/jar
i cant downloaded ota
help needed
ohad129@gmail.com
thx
eli
i have a storm and the screen is unresponsive. I cant move around in the map. When i click the screen the menu appears. I tried this with the compatibility mode on and off. Did i download the right version for the storm? I set my browser to firefox and went to the link to download. Can anyone help
Thanks
updated to this as well. having the same issue. click screen and the menu comes up. i can only use my touch screen to navigate the side menu. nothing more.
going into your blackberry options>Applications>highlight (dont click) Google Maps>disable compatibility mode. This happened to me before with the maps download... I cant remember if it was that, that fixed it tho. good luck...
i did. it didnt work.
ok it works now. I uninstalled google maps then reset. then downloaded it again with the browser set to blackberry. and now it works. weird.
When downloading a file from a link like that, you must have your browser set as the bb browser, so the download file can recognize your phone.
A few other additions. Google Labs features - scale bar, terrain layer, distance and heading on places and friends. They also added street view with directions, I haven't been able to test if it follows or if you would have to select the next street view. Not sure if the options under "More Layers" are new or not.
Pretty sure about 5 people in the entire world care about Buzz... But they may as well include it I guess. I don't care either way.
Rebooting berry now with updated GMaps
I have been waiting for this , I am Buzz user :) Yay BUZZ
Is this working on the 9550?
...BOO BUZZ...
Ever since I upgraded my Storm 2 to the latest OS 607 it locks up google maps when I search the map feature others in the forum have this problem also.
Search by voice freezes up G Maps on my S2.
This happens on mine as well
i'll stick with 3.2.1 not wasting 200k for Buzz something i dont even use
It's probably more for voice search than buzz. The app is a LOT faster now too.
If you are worried about 200k you should really consider upgrading to a modern BB. GPS location is much quicker this time around.
you also get "starred stuff" syncing (old gmaps for bb favourites are gone).
and other stuff i think :P
it's unfortunate that BB Maps never had turn-by-turn directions. Now google uses it as an exclusive selling point on android phones, RIM never pushed that on BB.
how sad...
Not sure how well it would work on most Blackberrys anyway. The Storm 2 supports open GL which is really required for smooth graphics in an app like turn by turn. Google developing it for only the few 100K people with a compatible device doesn't really make sense. Plus, BlackBerry could of course revamp their entire OS (much needed) with the new devices coming out this year and break compatibility, so I really don't think the platform is worth developing for at this time.
good point for open Gl.
Rim keeps fractionning their platform by offering different hardware, and this shoots developers in the foot. on the other hand I had decent turn by turn on an old HP iPaq with no openGl at all...
For BB maps, I am sure they had the best map app 5 years ago, and instead of doing like google (updating, multi-platform) they let it die slowly. this is so sad. Who knows, they could have make advertising $ from offering paid advertisement in BB maps on BB and other plateforms.
google wont stand still....
It won't start for me due to permissions issue. The only thing I've customized is the 'Security Timer Reset' which is set to Deny (I guess due to BIS policy.
I am having the same problem but now cannot find the previous version to revert back to. Any suggestions?
Did some more research and found it here: http://m.google.com/maps/download/maps.jad?dc=gorganic&ver=3.2.1
I used it for a couple of days and didn't see the point of it, so it's disabled. Is that the only update to Google Maps? Or is there more?
Just tested, works very well. Great new feature.
I use Buzz. Why is it cool to diss buzz? I'm just glad I don't have to use twitter, and can share with already established friends - not the world. Nearly none of my friends have twitter accounts - but nearly all have google accounts and google softwares on their devices.
try this out yet?
I wish they included the "Save to Contacts" feature with this update.
Turn by turn is exclusive to the Google phone. It's a selling point in itself to keep it only on their OS.
Does anyone know whether google will release turn by turn directions for blackberry also? I know it's already available for droid.....
Google does that , id love it forever ... and ever.
...Of this update borking something? ;-)
yijaaaaaaaa
I bet you feel like an idi0t rite now...
I have Garmin , I wish that program and Google would mate. ill give this a go however
( yes i know Gamin uses Google maps for the map , im talking Features)