Samsung Omnia i910 GPS unlocked by new ROM!
By Will Park on Saturday, April 11th, 2009 at 1:24 PM PST In Announcements, Developer, Hottest Hardware, Samsung, Verizon, Windows Mobile
If you’ve been scouring the interwebs for an easy way to unlock your Samsung i910 Omnia’s GPS hardware to work outside Verizon (NYSE: VZ)’s premium VZ Navigator service, you’ve probably found yourself up a certain creek without a certain paddle.Until now.
Rejoice, ye Verizon customer! A new “unofficial” Windows Mobile ROM for the Verizon Samsung Omnia promises to unlock your Omnia’s GPS receiver from carrier-lockdown.
The new Samsung Omnia ROM has surfaced at MoDaCo forums, and brings with it the power to free your Omnia to use the integrated GPS hardware with third-party mapping applications like Live Search and Google (NSDQ: GOOG) Maps. This “unofficial” ROM beats Verizon to its own punch. As you might recall, Verizon had promised to unlock GPS receivers in the Omnia, Saga and Touch Pro in the first half of 2009. But waiting for Verizon to launch anything these days is like watching mold grow.
In addition to the GPS unlock, this unofficial Omnia ROM offers:
- 5% battery increments!
- Smart Memo
- Opera Mobile 9.5 build 15679
- Favorite Settings, now known as Easy Settings
- Windows Live
- Dialer Touch Lock Settings-Off, 2s, 5s, 10s.
- Disable Threaded Text Messaging via System Settings
- iPhone-esque popup keyboard keys
- Better kinetic scrolling in Samsung apps
- Samsung Volume Control
If you’re brave enough to flash your Samsung Omnia with unofficial firmware, head on over to MoDaCo for the ROM download and flashing instructions. Make sure you back up all your data before hand, because it’s not going to be there after your ROM flash. Remember, this ROM is only intended to be used with the Samsung i910 Omnia – the one with the Verizon logo.
Enjoy all that unlocked GPS goodness!
Has anybody tried this fix on the Omnia ofered by Bell and Telus in Canada?
Works Great! I was scared at first but I just said screw it and did it. I thought if it doesn’t work I’ll just dunk it in the toilet and get a new one through insurance.
But all is good. Completely erases all of your personal stuff; emails, sms, mms, ringtones, well worth the new rom and extras. I have noticed a slight increase in battery life with everything running. GPS works great in google maps.
Do yourelf a favor and download SPB Shell with SPB weather. Also search for ways to erase all the unnecessary stuff, and tweak the registry. All easy if you follow the directions.
Enjoy it.
I’m totally sorry for replying to you Roberto. Mine was done with the VeriZon model. (SCH-i910)
I kept telling myself to wait for the official release before actually flashing my Omnia, but I couldn’t resist. I followed the guide on Modaco to a tee and it works great! No problems so far, and I installed the new ROM last night.
GPS unlock ROM is working flawlessly!!!! Love the new battery increment levels too! BTW…..Running for almost 2 days on i910.
FYI….Using GPS with an older version of Pocket Navigator. Any one else upgrade yet? Chime in….I’m curious how it works for you.
The website says the GPS isn’t unlocked with this rom. Has anyone had success?
it is unlocked!
http://www.theidoctor.org/omnia.html
Your instructions for unlocking the GPS on the Verizon Omnia makes sense to me until I get to step 9:
Step 9: It should be rebooting and you will need to setup windows again.
How do you setup windows again?
i flashed my phone with new rom
but i can’t figure how to get to turn on gps
can someone please tell me?
everyone, it works fine, just let it catch satalite once u turn on ur location setting inthe phone setting, under gps. nothing else needs to be done once u update the rom.
I’m a little tripped up I got version UMDL_OMNIA_v2.3 though the pdf file I look at for the so called instructions ask for version UMDL_OMNIA_v1.7.exe. I’m a little lost as the box to load the .img file is named differently. Also when I click DETECT some how my phone does not get DETECTED
which should run the program and away I shoul go? I can only assume I’m running my self in circles…maybe some day even though FU verizon I came across a cheap gps car navigation system any ways BOOO verizon. Would be nice though to have benifits of the firmware 
F Verizon…
Has anyone tried or now if this works on the Bell Omnia….?????
Yeah. It would be great to have just one person give a solid confirmation that it is safe to flash to the verizon i910 ROMS on a Bell samsung omnia.
Has anyone now if this works on the Telus Omnia? need help! please/thks
who did you unlock your omnia i910 for verizon
what am i doing wrong? I did everything idoctor has on his website, and i got all the cool new widgets and a new game called dice, but when i try to use google maps it tells me it cannot find gps signal, I have the Verizon Omnia
Confirmed working on Verizon Omnia i910. Benny if you are seeing the Dice game you flashed it right….for those stumped with the GPS function, you MUST first open the phone dialer, go to MENU-OPTIONS-SERVICES tab, choose GPS, and then switch to ‘Location On’. You should be OUTSIDE when you start any GPS software and NOT DRIVING (I notice it’s hard for the device to find a satellite lock when you are moving). Once it locks in on 4 or more satellites you shouldn’t lose connection again. Works great with Garmin Mobile XT, Google Maps, and Windows Live Search.
You’ll also enjoy the many little tweaks in this ROM as mentioned above, such as the popup letters on the Samsung Keyboard.
John,
I flashed my phone this morning and everything is working great but I can’t get google maps or the live search maps to work. I get a gps error. I have gone in and turned on Location. Can you give any advice or help?
Without knowing the exact error you are getting it is hard to help. I did a registry hack to unlock “External GPS” settings on the phone hardware:
How to get “External GPS” to show up in settings in new rom:
Perform this registry change
HKLM-> Control Panel-> GPS Settings-> delete “Redirect”-> soft reset
Then when you go to ’system’ settings through the Today screen you will have additional GPS settings available. Mine are set to COM8; GPS hardware port: none; Baud rate: 4800, and “Manage GPS automatically” set to yes.
To edit your registry install the free registry editor PHM Registry Editor (just Google it).
Be sure that you are outside and you allow ample time (up to 10 minutes) for a satellite lock once you open any GPS software on the phone. I still can’t get a satellite lock sitting outside in my driveway, but once I hit the streets it catches a signal and once it lock in, it will stay locked on the signal. Post more info if this doesn’t help you.
where do you go to get the download? (website). also can you do it from a computer? email me the answer.
I have it installed and the GPS is unlocked. However, the applications are very slow to open??
Official unlock by Verizon
http://www.gearlog.com/2009/07/verizon_unlocks_gps_on_samsung.php
Tried the update on a Bell Onmia.. It DOA’d the phone.. The cell thought it was a Verizon phone.. No connection, battery was not recognized anymore, etc.. Bell could not correct or send their own Firmware version. Had to get it replaced.. Advised Bell about the fact that the GPS is locked to GPSNAV and that Verizon corrected the situation with an updated firmware.. Didn’t seem to bother them very much. At that price, you would expect to have full functionality of the phone you purchase.
Mick
HELP PLEASE!
Is there any way to reverse this install? I installed it (VERY STUPIDLY) on my TELUS omnia, and it doesn’t work. I can’t use the phone at all, will a hard reset fix this?
Any help is appreciated thank you very much!
i have the same problem to you
i have a verizon rom on my telus do u have fix the problem
thx for reply
my phone is off
will the new rom still have my contacts in the phone when i install it?
I just put a replacement Omnia into service due to a “hardware” malfunction on my older device. Apparently, the newer software has been updated. I now have the Google Maps GPS turned on and the new “Dice” game, along with several other updates.
The “hardware” issue was the explanation given to me for the always full memory problem so many of us fight with.