tm2fan

Wow, did not know that, thank you....now to find that option on the Casio Commando C811 .... Thanks

Wow, I can't believe that the old Magellan Standalone was that much better than a smartphone....I thought I heard a lot of people bashing them and saying that smartphones are much more accurate...How can that be, when even a dinosaur like the Magellan Sportrak is far better??? Maybe it just depends on each individual geocache's location and some are closer to the coords that others???

Out of the partner apps listed on this page: https://www.geocaching.com/mobile/partners/ (thank you to the moderator for that link) --which one is the best to use for offline caching? For example, here's how I plan to use it: I'm not going to download any huge maps, etc. -- Just enter in the code and save that ONE cache to use offline. Now, I know they can ALL do that, but I don't want to pay for the app, so it must be a FREE app, and which one is going to get me the closest to the cache with it's technology? Example: I used a smartphone with an app and it said I was ~25ft from cache when standing on top of it. I used the Magellan GPS unit and it said ~8ft. Obviously, not all apps are superior to it. So which one will be the MOST accurate? Thoughts?

THANK YOU

No, actually it isn't. That's called censorship and we had a whole thing about that in the 1950s. ;-) To be clear: USING the app = violation of terms. (technically that isn't even a violation, really, because we are not the content owners -- the content owners are violating the policy...but for the sake of argument, I'll just give that to you). But TALKING about it cannot be, and yes, I am indeed covered by 1st amendment rights on this. I have a right to say whatever I want, and they can censor me, sure. But I could always take them to court (not that I would) because that would be considered a violation of my human rights. Trust me, there is no way that TALKING about something is a violation of anyone's terms for a forum. I'm not being mean, or derrogative or infringing on anyone else's rights by hating on them or something. Forum moderators have the right to moderate based on EVERYONE's rights, so if were being a jerk, they could kick me out for that. But not for merely TALKING about a product when no harm is done. Where did you guys hear about this anyway? It seems like more than one of you came to this conclusion, or perhaps one person did, and then evangelized it to everyone else, and so on. But where is this actually said in print? I read the terms page, and there is no evidence that this is the case. I think someone might have taken things a bit too far and everyone else just acquiesced because they didn't disagree....

[OT] Have you actually read the First Amendment? (Hint: Groundspeak is not a government agency.)[/OT] It doesn't have to be a govt agency. There are plenty of cases where the gov has stepped in and ruled that people have the right to say what they want when being censored by private parties. This forum might be owned by Groundspeak, and they can do what they want with it, but they can't control my right to TALK about something. I think that's the point we're missing here. I'm not violating their terms. I am merely TALKING about something. On an mlb forum, for example, I am allowed to TALK about steroids, even though it is illegal and a clear violation of both the law and of the mlb terms. However, I am not DOING anything, and therefore not violating them. If they ever censored me, I could take them to court on the basis of First Amendment rights and I'd win, and they know that. Think about it...if that weren't the case, how could Sportswriters talk about it freely? It's just TALK. It doesn't violate anything. I think you guys might need to go back to law school ;-)

Ok, well the *app* might violate the terms *if* that is true, but I can hardly see how Groundspeak can expect every person, especially newbies, to be held responsible for knowing the technology behind every app in the world...Besides, how am I violating terms? I'm not the app author....they should take it up with whoever wrote the app, right? I'm just a user, and I can use whatever app I feel like. Do we or do we not have free speech in this country? It has been said time and again that our free speech allows you to say that you hate the president, or say racist things or burn the flag (even if said actions put you on some government watchlist). So why can we not talk about using a third party tool, without the website admins slapping us on the wrist and lecturing us about how we all have to be technology experts in the field of mobile applications?? Am I crazy? Or is this madness??? I have never been on a site like this, but if this is how they really are, I have to take issue with that. That's just plain Nazism, IMO. They have no right to tell us how educated we have to be on the kinds of apps that violate their terms. That's THEIR problem, not mine.

GS considers it to violate their terms. In short, if you use it, don't say it here Sorry, I'm a newbie, I just don't understand...how is it that you can talk about all sorts of other apps but not that one? Why does that one alone violate their terms?? And what specific terms would those be??

Cool, I'll check it out....BTW, why is that app considered "unmentionable"???

Ok, so basically, I have to load a bunch of data first, from my home wifi, and then go out looking for the cache? I'm guessing that I need a different app other than the official one, because it totally doesn't work when there is no network connection. Any ideas which apps will work offline? I don't necessarily need to have live cache updates -- I just want it to guide me to the cache that I have selected ahead of time. I heard good things about c:geo...I might try that one... I think I would have been better served to just use a traditional GPS unit (like the Garmin extrex series) because all this overhead is annoying for a newbie to just get up and running with it. I'd much have rather preferred to just write down some coords and then punch them into the GPS unit to help me locate it. I don't need all this 'fancy' map loading and other stuff which requires extra steps and preparation and things that can go wrong, etc. ... I'm a bit old-school, so this all seems like overkill to me to get up and running to find my first cache. Anyone have any other ideas? This is becoming more difficult for me than I think needs to be...

Hey Ohgood, I bought the model you suggested: Casio Commando C811. I have been using it (without a SIM) and don't need to have a service (e.g. Verizon) for it to work on my home wifi, etc. just like I use my iPad. However, the problem is that once I leave my home network, and wifi is no longer available, the geocaching app does not work. It has a 'no network service' screen, and is locked up. So the app appears to need a valid signal from either wifi or your service provider to function properly. I have no doubt the GPS receiver works, as I also installed the Waze app and it was able to track my location as I drive (although the other functions such as live traffic would not work, obviously). So I now have a smartphone with a GPS receiver and an app that does me no good unless I happen to be geocaching near a free wifi hotspot So, is there something I'm missing here? This was what I originally said to you when I asked if this would work, as I had my doubts. How can this process work without a SIM??? I thought that was pretty clear that I did not intend to subscribe to a service provider and install a SIM on it... Am I missing something, or was I correct that this solution simply won't work in my case? (Anyone else have an idea? please chime in if you have something useful to suggest). Thanks

Thanks, but yeah, I tend to stay away from the 'crapshoot' unless I am willing to gamble about something I am very familiar with....and I'm not... yet Thanks though.

I like watches

Those are good points. I'm well aware of the GPS accuracy thing. I think the idea is, as long as it can get me to the general area, I can do the rest. I don't need something to pinpoint it to within a fraction of an inch (now what fun would that be?) I have heard a lot of people slamming the eTrex models (all of them) and I don't know if that is because they are being snooty or if those models actually make life totally miserable I'd like to hear more about the eTrex and similar models as to this point: Why do people bash them? Are they just snobs because they have superior models? Or is there are real drawback to using them to even the most green newbie of geocachers??

1) That's a phone? 2) Does that work without a carrier? 3) I don't think that would work for me... 4) I think I'm looking for a standalone GPS unit here, preferably without a touchscreen, too. 5) I actually like the button models better... 1- yes 2- of course, all smartphones with a gps antenna will work without cellular service 3- really ? why not ? 4- touchscreen is pretty nice for caching, try entering text to a field with a non querty keyboard, and two buttons. it's tiresome. 5- got it. Thanks but some of those questions were rhetorical

Interesting...ill have to look for some used ones on eBay. Meanwhile, I'd like to see what the Sportrak can do. I'm not looking for overkill, so as long as it gets the job done, I don't think I will care about bells and whistles...just yet...

That's a phone? Does that work without a carrier? I don't think that would work for me...I think I'm looking for a standalone GPS unit here, preferably without a touchscreen, too. I actually like the button models better...

Thanks, I was looking at the Etrex models but people were complaining about them a lot on this site...And yeah, I think that other person missed the $75 max part -- no way I'm putting down $300 for a device that I have never used and don't even know if I'll keep or continue to use... Basically I bought the Magellan as a "throw-away" device for $10. Seemed reasonable to me. If I find that I need a better device then I can go on these boards and start asking about upgrading it, etc. But for now, my intent was just to get my feet wet. I figured I would use the Magellan just to go and find one local cache in an area of my town that I am very familiar with. If I can't even find it with this device, I think I wouldn't bother continuing on....but something tells me that this device will be good enough to start with. Are there any opinions out there that this thing won't do what I just described? It's a cheap burner...that's it....no need to tell me all of the great features of other devices (yet), right? I mean, if I was a newbie to computers and wanted to start learning MS Word, and went to a Best Buy, would you try to upsell me on the greatest hardware known to man? Or tell me that the $200 notebook won't have enough memory to do what I need to do? If I'm just getting my feet wet, don't I just need advice on a good starter model, and nothing more? Thanks for all your feedback. It helps. I'm interested to hear your opinions on this....

Thanks for your input. What's your take on the Magellan SporTrak Map ATV? I picked a used one up on eBay for cheap money so if it doesn't work out I can go get another one. Thoughts on that model? I don't mind the buttons...I think I actually prefer them over the touchscreens....

test

Hi, I'm new to geocaching (haven't started yet), and want to purchase a GPS online (probably eBay). There are a TON of models and features to choose from, and the price range is very large. Some background about me: I am an avid outdoorsman, expert hiker and camper (not survivalist, but with minimum equipment), and am no stranger to technology (I have a couple of college degrees in tech fields). I use a GPS (TomTom) for my car, but have never owned/used a portable one for hiking (yes, I know my car GPS is portable too) ... I'm looking for an all-around GPS model that has the following features (in no particular order): - Weatherproof/waterproof - durable (If I drop it I don't want to have to buy another one or be lost in the woods) - fairly inexpensive (I've seen a few used on eBay from about $40 -- Magellan eXplorist 200, but probably won't pay more than $75) - B&W or color -- I don't care (I've read that color drains power quicker, so I'd probably go for B&W if it lasts longer, unless it's miminal) - long lasting (battery life should last a few hrs). - easy to use (I'm a newbie so I don't want to have to jump through a ton of hoops to use it, and I might want someone else to navigate for me, like my wife, so it should be fairly intuitive) I guess that's it....If I missed something that is an important feature, please let me know. So, what do you guys recommend for models to search for online? Thanks in advance.