[PaulOBrien]

As you probably know from this thread our very own 'encece' (Nick) has been out splashing his hard earned on a shiny new AT&T Blackjack II. It's a great looking device with a few decent spec bumps over the original Blackjack, specifically the inclusion of a SiRF III GPS chip.

Upon starting to use his device however, Nick came across the problem that every Blackjack II owner is facing... the GPS implementation on the device is, er, interesting.

As some of you may know, when Microsoft designed the GPS Intermediary Driver for Windows Mobile 6, they created a user interface to configure it for Pocket PC, but not Smartphone. The GPSID is a driver that sits between the GPS hardware and the application that is using it, providing access to the GPS hardware and doing clever things such as allowing multiple applications to use the connection. All good, but there is a problem with the implementation on the Blackjack (and in fact the Moto Q9H I understand, a device I believe this patch will help with too). The problem is that although the GPSID is configured and applications such as the built in Telenav and Windows Live Search can use the system fine, there is no COM port exposed to allow the vast majority of applications that use this connection method to use the GPS. DOH! And with no UI to configure it, you quickly hit a brick wall.

Nick was obviously quite annoyed at this (what with the GPS being the most significant upgrade to the old device, and the one he particularly wanted), so I set to work on solving the problem, and i'm proud to present my 'MoDaCo Smartphone GPS Activator'

Available as either a 'over the air install' or a PC based install or an on-device CAB install (choose one or the other to suit), the activator provides the all important missing COM port for GPS access. After installing (and rebooting), you'll find you have a new COM4 port, and you can use any GPS application you like to your hearts content. Nick has tested it on his Blackjack II and it works a treat, i'm keen for someone to give it a go on their Q9H.

I'm at a loss as to why the feature wasn't in there in the first place (I'm guessing to try and tie people into Telenav?), but i'm real glad i've been able to fix the problem in this way.

Enjoy people, and spread the word to fellow BJII owners!

P

PS As a little bonus, this package also application unlocks your device, letting you do things like reorder the Start Menu how you like, etc!
PPS I've also just created a Blackjack II device discussion area, online now at http://i617.MoDaCo.com!

Over the Air Install: Enter 'http://modaco.com/gpsactivatorbj2' in your device browser!

On device Install (registered members):  MoDaCo.SmartphoneGPSActivator.COM4.CAB (745bytes)
Number of downloads: 10302
On PC Install (registered members):  Setup.MoDaCo.SmartphoneGPSActivator.COM4.EXE (55.78K)
Number of downloads: 6743
On device Install (mirror): http://Content.MoDaCo.net/MoDaCo.Smartphon...ivator.COM4.CAB

On PC Install (mirror): http://Content.MoDaCo.net/Setup.MoDaCo.Sma...ivator.COM4.EXE

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[encece]

Works GREAT!!!! Remember to use COM4! Thanks for all of your work today Paul! Now AT&T wont be getting my phone back!

[jvanliew]

Wow...thanks for fixing the problem before I knew there was one.

I am just about to get (as soon as they have them at our local ATT store) one for my son. And of course he is very interested in the GPS.

Well done!

[cagrino]

Paul,

Thanks for the quick work. I'll give this a try. Could you explain why the GPS kind of works with Google Maps without the change you made? It took a really long time, but then it worked. How does your modification assist other software? Sorry, I'm not that familiar with this; My first GPS phone.

-Cagrino

[Mechanicaldan]

So, is this going to allow the S730 GPS to work?

Or, is this a fix for trying to install TomTom 6 on the S710?

This post has been edited by Mechanicaldan: 24 November 2007 - 09:42 PM

[PaulOBrien]

Mechanicaldan, on Nov 24 2007, 21:38, said:

So, is this going to allow the S730 GPS to work?

Or, is this a fix for trying to install TomTom 6 on the S710?

Er, no.

P

[PaulOBrien]

cagrino, on Nov 24 2007, 21:34, said:

Paul,

Thanks for the quick work. I'll give this a try. Could you explain why the GPS kind of works with Google Maps without the change you made? It took a really long time, but then it worked. How does your modification assist other software? Sorry, I'm not that familiar with this; My first GPS phone.

-Cagrino

Those apps use the GPSID directly, rather than using a COM port. This enables the all important COM port access.

P

[Jnowak1981]

Ok I installed the CAB file. Question - am I supposed to see something new on my Blackjack? Some kind of new program/shortcut? I see nothing new.

The only new thing I found was Windows/AppMgr/MoDaCo Smarthphone GPS Activator

The above mentioned folder has one file in it ----> 1001.tmp

Anyhow - installed it - ran Google Maps - chenged the port to 4 didn't change anyhting in the numeric value window. Just left it blank. Pushed "Show my location". After about 40 seconds I got a message saying that GMaps cannot connect with the GPS unit - or somethign like that.

Am I doing something wrong? Am I missing something?


You mentioned "After installing (and rebooting), you'll find you have a new COM4 port, and you can use any GPS application you like to your hearts content"

Where do I check for this? How do I know that I have a new COM4 port?

This post has been edited by Jnowak1981: 24 November 2007 - 11:51 PM

[Soulful1]

Hold Up!!! lol

Can't we install TomTom on here and it's used as a standalone since it does have the SiRF III chip or are we limited to telenav and things of that nature?

[johncody]

Hey Paul,

Great job - my friend was wondering if the GPS in the BJII could be used with any app - now I can tell him "Yes"

This post has been edited by johncody: 25 November 2007 - 12:07 AM

[Jnowak1981]

johncody, on Nov 24 2007, 18:03, said:

Hey Paul,

Great job - my friend was wondering if the GPS in the BJII could be used with any app - now I can tell him "Yes"

Can someone who has done this and got it to work look at my post and tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks.

[encece]

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!
Dont forget to restart your device after applying the cab.

No, you dont see anything change anywhere on the phone.

You simply install your GPS app of choice and in the GPS ettings...set it to COM4.

Voila!

[encece]

Soulful1, on Nov 24 2007, 18:08, said:

Hold Up!!! lol

Can't we install TomTom on here and it's used as a standalone since it does have the SiRF III chip or are we limited to telenav and things of that nature?

Yes...any GPS application.

[Jnowak1981]

encece, on Nov 24 2007, 18:13, said:

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!
Dont forget to restart your device after applying the cab.

No, you dont see anything change anywhere on the phone.

You simply install your GPS app of choice and in the GPS ettings...set it to COM4.

Voila!

LOL. I did that. I've restarted it a few times. Should I reinstall Google Maps and Windows Live over?

Also in Gmaps in the settings there are two windows one for the port - ok we choose COM4. And one with some numerica values starting with 0 and ending in 2*****. Do we change anythign in that second window or do we leave it blank?

[encece]

I dont use Google Maps...I'll install now though. Before I do...is it the Baud Rate you're talking about? If so...set it to auto if yo can. Either way I'll install now and post back.

[Jnowak1981]

encece, on Nov 24 2007, 18:34, said:

I dont use Google Maps...I'll install now though. Before I do...is it the Baud Rate you're talking about? If so...set it to auto if yo can. Either way I'll install now and post back.

Yah baud rate. No option for auto.

[Jnowak1981]

Jnowak1981, on Nov 24 2007, 18:40, said:

Yah baud rate. No option for auto.

yah i cant get it to work.

gmaps says it cant connect tp gps and windows live keeps on "geeting gps location..."

[encece]

GoogleMap = COM4 and 19200 Baud
Works fine with a quick signal grab undr those settings.

[Jnowak1981]

encece, on Nov 24 2007, 21:26, said:

GoogleMap = COM4 and 19200 Baud
Works fine with a quick signal grab undr those settings.

Tried that. Kept saying "Initializing GPS...." for about a minute. Then "Ypur GPS receiver does not appear to be responding....."


****!!!!

[Jnowak1981]

Still nothing.

However this thing is supposed to app unlock the phone as well right?

What's Policy#1005 supposed to be 16 or 40?

Mine is 40

but I pulled the file that was installed and opened it up in notepad. This is copied and pasted straight from it:

"HKLM\Security\Policies\Policies" cfgnodetype="characteristic">


so which one should it be 40 or 16?

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