GPS Receiver for Vibrant [UPDATED]

Hey all,

I was looking for an external GPS receiver for my Vibrant. Requirements are: Bluetooth connection, USB-charging, turns on and off automatically, cheap, accurate. I intend to use it in my car by putting it in my glovebox and leaving it plugged in constantly.

Upon research, I have decided to get this:
Globalsat BT-359CS Laptop & PDA Bluetooth GPS Receiver (Ebay it or amazon it)
I found one for $23 shipped from Ebay. Found reviews of it working flawlessly and accurately on Android 2.2 and above. I have a Mazda 3 with a little compartment in the center so I put the receiver in that compartment so it is never seen. I run a USB charging cable to it which is always plugged in. I have a Griffin car cigarette adapter which gives me 2 USB ports (1 for GPS receiver, 1 for charging Vibrant). Now, here are the benefits of the setup and its drawbacks.

Benefits:
-I can use CM7 or any 2.3 ROM now with excellent GPS
-EXCELLENT GPS (much better than Vibrant GPS, even when working, 48 sec cold start, locks on within 10 sec usually if it has been powered on in the past 2 weeks, 1.5ft accuracy)
-Less battery drain on phone (phone is no longer using its GPS)
-Hassle free (turns on and syncs with one button on the phone)

Cons:
-Not integrated into the phone
-Preferably used in a car as it only lasts 10 hours on battery (in a car you can use it plugged in 24/7 like me)
-Requires a working Bluetooth
-Price ($20-35) shipped
-CM7 bug: While using Bluetooth, I notice my Wi-Fi connection was SEVERELY throttled...I was testing it at my house, shouldn't be an issue on the road.

Now...I use this GPS with Sygic navigation. I had it download the maps for my state and the total installation is ~300MB and maps are stored on the phone. I am using the latest CM7 with a 1.4Ghz overclock. It runs PERFECT, better than I had wished for.

To use the GPS, here are the steps I need to take:
1. Open glove compartment and turn on the GPS unit (it powers off automatically)
2. Press a widget button on my home screen from the app Bluetooth GPS Provider. The widget turns on Bluetooth, then connects to my GPS receiver automatically.
3. Launch my favorite GPS navigation app-Sygic or Copilot.
4. When done, simply press the widget again...it disables Bluetooth and kills the app automatically.


As you can see, using the GPS receiver is very easy and hassle-free. It is EXTREMELY accurate and stays hidden in my car unless needed.
In short, I love it.

Hey all, I have updated the OP. In short, this is PERFECT for our Vibrants.

This works with Google Maps. Have not tested navigation but I'd assume it does as well.

Google Maps gave me an accuracy of 1 foot. Yes... 1.0 feet lol.

using the gps unit in the OP i am consistently getting <0.8 m accuracy indoors.

How did I miss this?!

GPS is very important to me and I am so disappointed with the poor performance of GPS on my Vibrant (read: it just doesn't work on my phone). I happened upon this thread yesterday and after reading through it all I grabbed my old Delorme Earthmate BT-20 out of my back pack and charged it up a little while downloading Bluetooth GPS Provider from the Market. I bought the BT-20 years ago to use with my T-Mobile MDA (anyone remember that phone?)

Pictures speak a thousand words so here you go:





If you look closely you'll see that the blue arrow is precisely within the lane; exactly where I was.


Check out the "live" picture I took (below). See how close the arrow is to my actual location on the road!


A different intersection:


My Home screen showing the Bluetooth GPS Provider widget:


Here's my phone info (the screen grab is from a while back):


So yes, I am friggin' happy!