Verizon smart phone GPS puck, best one?

[+stinkyju]

I have a Blackberry phone 8330 from Verizon that I need to purchase a small GPS bluetooth receiver for. Verizon locks their phones so I can't effectively goecache with it. LAME!!!!! I can't seem to unlock it so I want to buy a bluetooth receiver for it.

 

Does anybody have a suggestion on what one to buy?

Looking for small and accurate.

 

Thanks!

[NordicMan]

I heard just by upgrading the firmware on some Blackberry's will unlock the locked GPS(?)

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Not on the Verizon 8330. The GPS receiver only works with BBMaps, VZNav and maybe BING (all provided by Verizon).

 

The Freedom Keychain 2000 is a popular Bluetooth GPS puck for the BlackBerry.

 

Alternately, the Storm1, Storm2, and Tour all have GPS receivers that are not locked.

[+Mosaic55]

I think a GPS puck is more accurate than a phone's built-in GPS anyway. I use a GlobalSat BT-359 with my Treo. It seems to be very accurate out in open areas. Less so in heavily wooded areas, but still OK. SiRF Star III chip.

 

It isn't as small as the keychain types, but it has a bigger battery. My phone's battery will give out long before the GPSr will. They go for pretty reasonable prices on ebay.

[+stinkyju]

I have done all of the firmware updates and messed with it just about all I care to. I don't want to upgrade to the storm just yet. I am kind of interested in the droid. But I am mostly looking for cost effectiveness. New phone, expensiveish, VZ crapigator too expensive. Puck just right I think. Couldn't I use it with my bluetooth lap top as well? Just a thought.

 

Thanks everyone for the help so far! ;p

[+Entropy512]

I'd reccommend against getting a SiRF III-based puck, as that chipset is old and dated. There are newer better performers right now.

 

So far in other forums (GPS Passion seems to be a good place for "puck" reviews and comparisons), the "top dog" appears to be the MTK v2 chipset.

 

I have an i-Blue 747A+ that was purchased from semsons.com - USB, Bluetooth, AND datalogging all in one. The MTK2 chipset in it is very sensitive - it practically instalocks when outdoors, and even inside my apartment, it locks faster than my Oregon 300 or AT&T Tilt 2 lock outdoors.

 

There are slightly cheaper versions without the logging capability.