I would like to use the built-in GPS receiver in my Blackberry Curve 8310 tethered via Bluetooth with my brand new N800 upgraded to OS 2008. I have managed to pair the phone with the N800 and both the Maps and MaemoMapper applications see the phone but when I try and pair them together to use the GPS receiver, it just returns an error saying that the connection has failed. Does anyone here have any experience with this? Is it even possible?

Thanks much,
Mervoid

Mervoid,

Since I use an external, separate bluetooth-enabled GPS unit to connect to my N800, I would have to say that unless somehow you are able to see the GPS as a separate BT device, you aren't likely to use its functionality. I'm not sure if you're stating you can see this or not.

The reason I say this is that you are connecting to the BT functions of the BB itself, not the GPS unit. If somehow you did a search from the N800 for BT devices and found both the BB and a separate one for its GPS unit, then I'd say you should be able to pair with it explicitly and have access to its functionality.

I don't currently have access to a Curve to look at its options, but at best you could look at the GPS options and see if it has a means to make itself "discoverable" as a unique BT device.

Are you on a BES? (Blackberry Enterprise Server) By default the Bluetooth & GPS functions should be wide open from the BES, but if your organization has somehow tweaked its IT Policy for those features, it may somehow be restricted. However, these days the software is smarter and will notify you what has been restricted by policy.

I wouldn't hold my breath at this point. I can try an 8110 at work next week and see what gives, but it's not entirely apples to apples. Even so, I don't expect the built-in GPS to be available on its own from another BT device such as the N800.

Did you get this working? I am trying the same this with no luck.

You just brought this thread to my attention, ch_...

More than likely he would have had to establish a Virtual Serial Comm Port on the tablet that could be configured to accept what the phone is pushing out via it's Serial Port Protocol.

On my phone the parameters are:

-Bits per second: 4800
-Data bits: 8
-Parity: None
-Stop bits: 1
-Flow control: None

Whatever app is used by the tablet would then have to use NMEA-0183 formatted data from this Virtual Comm Port...

When I go to "GPS Location" in Control Panel on the tablet I can select the phone from the list of devices and then go to "Location".
However, when I hit "Refresh" the tablet queries the phone, the phone grants the connection but... whatever the phone sends back the tablet must not recognize or respond properly to, then the phone drops the connection like a fat kid in a game of dodge ball.

Other BT connections with the phone work like a charm.


That's all I got, dude.