Blackberry Bold Questions

[Adn4n]

I recently bought a Bold but AT&T sent me one with a broken back cover so I had my upgrade canceled for the time being because the replacement time was too long. Aside from that, the phone was just amazing. I'm really wanting to order another one right away, but I figured I'd try and clarify a few things that almost caused me buyer's remorse.

I have no need for a data plan, which apparently eliminates the awesome blackberry email and messenger apps. But sadly the GPS also does not work w/o the data plan, any way to unlock this?

I know that you can prioritize Wi-Fi over 3G, but as soon as your Wi-Fi drops then 3G automatically kicks in and costs me money. Since you can't turn off 3G w/o disabling calls, is there a way to just turn off data and not the calls? I know that you can call AT&T and turn off all data, but that includes MMS. Can you for example change the ip or other credentials the phone uses to access data so that it cannot access it? This way, I could change them back for MMS w/o having to call up AT&T?

The browser is horrible. Is Opera Mini a huge improvement? Also, is Skyfire my only hope of watching Hulu on the bold?

 

[DeviousTrap]

1) GPS itself works regardless of service or a data plan. What you probably mean if an offline mapping program, which AFAIK doesn't yet exist. If you just want to get your coordinates go to options > advanced > GPS, and the phone will tell you your longitude and latitude.

2) Options > Mobile Network > Data Services > Off

Sorry, can't help with the browser issue. I've found that it works fine for my needs, but I haven't tried using Hulu.

 

[boomhower]

Not to be an ass, but doesn't not having a data plan kind of defeat the point? Anyways I can help on the browser. Yes, Opera Mini is a big improvement and Skyfire is your best bet until someone writes an app.

 

[Adn4n]

No it does not defeat the point since I'm always on Wi-Fi where I work and go to school and enjoy a brilliant screen.

Options>Mobile Services>Data Services>Off keeps the phone working but I can't connect over Wi-Fi either with it. Do I need to configure something else to make Wi-Fi work while 3G is off.

And the GPS did not tell me where I was, it just said 0.0.0 or something to that effect.

 

[DivideBYZero]

The GPS unit in the bold will give you coordinates if you run an app like Instamapper on it, but you need map data and that is almost exclusively done OTA using live data. None of the built in apps will work as the yall need live data (BB maps/gmail, etc)

If you turn data off it also hits WiFi...it's data, after all...

The browser on the Bold needs work and Opera Mini is your best bet.