WoD

I get this every time I use geocaching.com/map, I'm dying for a way of getting all that data into the Map application so it can be easily searched but, alas, you can't just point Maps at an XML file and watch the sparks fly!

That's odd, I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the server on the whole! I really wish Safari could better handle geocaching.com/map, that's the one thing that's really missing from the iPhone. And Geocaching.com REALLY need to offer .vcard downloads or an "email me this as a .vcard for the iPhone" option... although iPhone users are a niche!

You have some profound points there sTeamTraen and I cannot argue with them. My fear is also that such promotions will do more harm to Geocaching than they would do good for dedicated and serious Geocachers. I am thinking in new directions and will make this work somehow. I am in discussions with an online retailer who sell quite a few Geocaching related items about the production of laminated discount cards for their store. Their discounts do not take the mickey; they're £10 off £20+ which is astoundingly generous although many of their products are very high value. I would then be able to seed these laminated cards into Geocaches throughout the UK and would not even need to promote them for them to be effective. This would avoid harm to the community and reward Geocachers by giving them the option to obtain money off a new GPS, storage card, batteries or anything else that they desire. Because the items themselves; laminated cards, have no intrinsic value and a very minimal setup cost it doesn't matter if they're destroyed by our frustrating weather or simply never used.

See my article here for how to wrangle Geocaching co-ordinates, web URLs, clues and names into the iPhone contacts App so that they can be searched from within Maps: http://www.gadgetoid.com/2008/08/26/geocac...ith-the-iphone/

I do sincerely hope that people adhere to that principle; I've not yet done more than sign log books but I am pessimistic when it comes to believing everyone will respect caches. I guess the steps would be: 1) Source shiny, compact goodies from willing consumer electronics PRs 2) Send out for seeding into existing caches big enough to fit them (not too hard if we're talking memory cards) 3) Publicize the caches which are seeded on Gadgetoid UK, linking to Geocaching.com for more information. 4) Publicize further on Groundspeak forums for existing cachers? Hopefully this will result in: 1) More interest in Geocaching and more recognition of the sport 2) Some nice goodies for the next people who happen upon seeded caches 3) Promotion of the brands supplying the goodies and of the goodies themselves I believe that Sanyo Eneloop batteries are a good candidate as they are both rechargeable, come pre-charged and have effectively zero power loss when left on the shelf. I'm not sure if many geocaching accessories require AA batteries however. Secondly I would try sourcing various memory cards. I believe SD would probably be the most important. And thirdly; if I can get some laminated prize cards made up I can offer things bigger than the cache itself to people who pick them up; but perhaps I am getting ahead of myself there.

Yes, it's absolutely absurd that I haven't taken up Geocaching sooner but a combination of lack of transport and far, far, FAR too much work has kept me from it. I guess I've got a lot of time to make up! Hopefully I can do this more by using my experience to add to the community rather than simply hunt down caches.

I was thinking of doing exactly that; however as I mentioned above I think it would be infringing upon others' caches. If it is cleared with the cache owner (does anyone really own a geocache after it's placed?) I don't see any reason why it wouldn't be a good idea. It would certainly make it a lot easier and if I promote the caches in which items are placed on my own site Gadgetoid.com then it will additionally attract more people to the sport and hopefully they will take it a little more seriously than just a chance to pick up some free swag.

1. Thanks for letting me know, I shall look over the document asap! 2. Whoops. I think I managed to post this in categorically the wrong forum.

I've dabbled in games and technology journalism for many years as a hobbyist and have established some good industry connections which I hope to leverage to create some interesting sponsored/promotional Geocaches with great caching related prizes. My goals are both to promote the products of my contacts and to promote Geocaching itself whilst additionally benefiting Geocachers with some highly rewarding finds. I would love to know if anyone believes this is a good idea or even a bad idea. I don't want to be seen as exploiting Geocaching by tying it in with such promotions so I believe I must respect existing caches and not place such items in them. As I am new to Geocaching I would appreciate help in setting up new sponsored caches; first local to my area and then Nationally. My current ideas for goodies include pre-charged rechargeable batteries and various types of solid state storage; USB Flash, SD cards, etc which I believe are robust enough to perhaps even circulate caches and let people fill them up with photos. This all, of course, hinges on the understanding and co-operation of my contacts. Cheers.

.vcard contact downloads for the iPhone 3g that put Cache locations and links back to cache pages into the contacts database would be nice. Maps on the iPhone desperately needs to support some sort of XML interchange of co-ordinates allowing a whole archive of local caches to be dumped into it and browsed offline at ones leisure. I can dream, right?

I am new to Geocaching but spend this bank holiday Monday hunting down some local caches with my fairer half and baby daughter. We had a hoot and, as I was using the iPhone 3g, I thought it prudent to give it a bit of a write-up on performance and drop a few tips and tricks in the process. http://www.gadgetoid.com/2008/08/26/geocac...ith-the-iphone/