bugbbq
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Posts posted by bugbbq
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Just want to let you know that there is already an application in the works for the iPhone platform that does just what your looking for called Geode. ...
Take a look at our site and tell me if this was something you were looking for (at least for the iPhone side of things)
Hi,
I am very excited about the upcoming Geode app - it seems to have all that I am looking for in a geocaching app for the iPhone. I bought the new 3G phone and love it. I am anxious to get paperless geocaching on it. Last week I was in FL in the Ocala National Forrest and found I was out of cell range the whole time. Luckily I had already loaded the waypoints in to my Garmin 60csx, and the caches were easy finds. But I'd like to load and easily be able to search a large query. One concern is battery life on the iPhone - it seems to go low quick when using the internet/GPS/mapping. At this point, I feel I have to rely on the Garmin for the walk to GZ and then use the iPhone as needed for logs/hints and maybe taking a photo or making notes.
Is conserving battery power a consideration in the development of the app?
The website for Geode says it can sync photos and notes back to the computer - does this mean it will also have a companion program for Macs?
Everything we are doing for the app is in effort to conserve battery power. I too have taken my 3G out for geocaching, and I have noticed a considerable power drain when using the 3G, GPS, and high brightness. We'll have the ability to turn off GPS for time when you want to just browse caches, and our map cachings will allow limit the amount of downloading needed for map updates.
Taking cache photos and notes are options we are planning to incorporate into Geode for syncing to a computer for later. We will also provide a live windowed link to geocaching.com's website so you can add notes in real time. But that will use up battery time, of course.
Hope that answers your questions. :-)
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You should still be able to browse geocaches, but you won't be able to to use GPS, naturally.
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I checked out your website. Geode looks like it has most of the features necessary to be a useful geocaching tool. The only additional feature that would be desirable, in my opinion, is the ability to give turn-by-turn directions for driving to the cache area. This would likely require loading something like Garmin's MapSource.
My goal would be to have all the functionality I have with my current GPSr/PDA combination PLUS the ability to access the geocaching.com website and download cache info while I'm away from home. Unless I can have all that, I'm not willing to take on the extra expense.
CeltsFans
We'd love to have turn-by-turn as well, too bad Apple's TOS doesn't allow for that. Hopefully they'll be able to change that rule, because if they do, it's a feature I know a lot of application writers would want.
What type of GPSr do you have? I've got an eXplorist 600, and have found the iPhone's GPS capability's on par with it. In fact, day after launch of the 3G, we took the phone out to find a geocache nearby and it was dead on.
Come to think about it, that was the event that made us realize we could make a decent geocaching app :-)
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I bought my iPhone 3G the day it came out, and one of the first things I thought of was geocaching! I have been a member of this website for years, and have looked at various caches, really only dreaming of one day being able to play this game, as I have never had a GPSr before. Now, with my iPhone 3G, I am super stoked, because I think I will venture out today and find my first cache! Geode looks amazing. I'm wondering what it will cost. Geopher is $1.99 right now, but seems to be very much in beta. I'm going to find my first cache just using gc.com and google maps on my iPhone, then see what I would like to improve. I know, I'm spoiled starting out with something as convenient as an iPhone...
I can't wait... I'll let you guys know how it goes.
Hey, we all start from somewhere :-)
As of right now, we're discussing the price point for Geode. More attention is put towards building a finished product, of course. I'll let you know we're aiming for the 5-8 dollar range. We think with the features put into this app, that should be a fair price range to shoot for. Considering there are similar apps for mobile devices that charge more than that (on a monthly basis), we hope it will be an agreeable price. I also want to keep the price down to give everyone a chance to play without breaking the bank.
That being said, we also plan on releasing a free "light" version for those that don't want to make the plunge immediately and want to kick the tires a bit. This version will have limited features of course :-)
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App looks really nice. Quick question though, I don't currenty have an iphone. Does gps features work if you have no phone service signal?
Thanks for the compliment!
As for the iPhone...yes, it does. The iPhone has a dedicated GPS chipset (Hammerhead II), so you can get a GPS lock without a data connection.
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I noticed this post, wanted to add my 2cents.
I am a recent newcomer to Geocaching, only doing it now for about 2 weeks. My first solo geocache I went with paper printouts and my BlackBerry 8800 with GPS and GoogleMaps. Went ok, but I felt the 'live' interaction with the site was lacking - I hated the paper printout thing. I mostly do geocaching when I go on mountain bike rides, so I don't like the idea of paper stuff on me.
I then discovered the Geocaching Navigator from Trimble, which for $4.99 per month let's you interact with the geocaching.com website and your account. So now, I use just my BB 8800 and that one app. and i'm off to the races. It's a breeze now to go geocaching as I can view hints, details, a "radar" of my location relative to the known coordinates of the cache, mark as found, etc. all live as I am hunting for caches. So the immediate solution to the iPhone and Geocaching situation is to port this app. immediately to the iphone and you will have all you need.
The thing I am most interested in, is creating an open source project and re-write the similar geocache navigator on an open platform, that could be run on the iPhone or any other mobile platform - JavaME seems like the best candidate for this since it's the most portable platform. Any thoughts? I would be willing to contribute development and management time if required - I work in open source already for a living.
If you are interested in working on such a project - email me and let's setup a working project location (google groups?) and let's get the ideas going to start and see where it goes from there.
cheers
Hey, welcome to geocaching! I fell in love with it after finding my first cache and haven't looked back since. I'm a gadget geek at heart, so having a mobile device and a GPSr just seemed like the natural activity to me :-)
Just want to let you know that there is already an application in the works for the iPhone platform that does just what your looking for called Geode. I'm currently working on this project as lead UI (and part time Public Relations guy), and as a dedicated geocacher, I can tell you that this is one fun app to use. You can load geocaches on to it, browse from a list and choose one to navigate to, have an interactive map, and a compass that will allow you to change function (north up, track up, or track up with cache pointer). I know I sound a *little* biased as I'm a part of the project, but I wanted to start this project because I was tired of lugging around my GPSr and having to use my iPhone to browse GC's website when I got stuck or needed some more info. This application started off as a list of "You know, if I could create an app" much like what you posted. We're very much listening to the community on features to add, so your input would be VERY much welcomed!
Take a look at our site and tell me if this was something you were looking for (at least for the iPhone side of things)
BTW - I know this is my first post, I've been having crazy account issues with this forum. Bleh :-P
iPhone Geocaching App
in GPS technology and devices
Posted
While you won't be able to use GPS with the 1st gen iPhone nor the iPod Touch, we are planning on releasing a paperless caching only version of Geode called Geode Companion. This app will be geared mainly towards the older units or for anyone looking to use their device as a geocache/photo/log manager. Essentially it will be all that you've seen so far (plus the photo and log management) in Geode, but without the compass or built-in map utility. Geode Companion will allow you to plot a push-pin into google maps app for those who want a visual reference, but do not have a device with GPS. Though if you want to use it on a iPhone 3G, google maps will be able to show your coordinates along with the marked geocache waypoint.
This Geode Companion application will release before the full-fledged version of Geode, which will be able to utilize all the 3G's GPS features (Compass, fully interactive map, etc)