It seems these days you hold your breath when getting a gadget - will it work? How many times will I have to get replacements? Will 14 days be enough to find out if it's spunking out on me?
Kind of takes the fun out of getting a new phone. :-\
My very first smartphone was a Blackberry Curve 83xx. I was all set to buy the Verizon model, then found out that Verizon had intentionally blocked the GPS from being used for any application but "TeleNav". I had to discover this little gem on online forums, because the ad print clearly stated that the phone had a GPS, and when I called and asked Verizon flat-out if the GPS worked with Google Maps and other third-party applications I was told "yes". I very nearly ordered the phone, re-read the problem descriptions, and called Verizon back and had (paraphrased) the following exchange:
Me: "So, I called the other day and asked this question, and wanted to confirm it. I'm considering purchasing a Blackberry 8300 from you folks, and it has a GPS, and I was told that the GPS works with Google Maps and other third-party applications."
VZ Rep: "Correct, the GPS works with all applications."
Me: "So I could install, say, Google Maps, and the GPS would work with it?"
VZ Rep: "Absolutely. It will work just fine."
Me: "So within a few minutes, the little dot will tell me where I am, and I can use it to track my location on the little dot as I drive around?"
VZ Rep: "No. Sorry. You'll need TeleNav for that, it's only $9.95 a month and allows you much better mapping than Google Maps."
Me: "Why won't Google Maps have my location if the GPS works with it?"
VZ Rep: "Because the GPS only provides LOCATION information to TeleNav, which is a paid service. You don't get to use the location services for free, sir."
Me: "But you said the GPS works with Google Maps."
VZ Rep: "Of course I did, because it does. It just doesn't provide location information."
Me: "If I purchased TeleNav, would the GPS provide location information to Google Maps?"
VZ Rep: "Why would you want Google Maps if you had TeleNav?"
Me: "Let me ask this another way. There's a third party application called BlackStar that does Geocaching. If I purchased TeleNav, would the GPS provide location information to that application?"
VZ Rep: "No, the GPS is designed to provide location to TeleNav only. It works with everything, but we can't afford to give the location away to just any old application, that costs us a lot of money you know."
Me: "(long pause), OK, Thanks for your time. Have a nice day."
So releasing phones without the features promised and advertised is not a new phenomenon.
I hesitated for a LONG time before getting my Thunderbolt and going back to Verizon.
I later found out that Verizon eventually unlocked the GPS for use with Google Maps, but they never did turn it on for other third-party apps, even though "GPS LOCATION SERVICES" remained in the adverts until the phone was discontinued.