Paperless Caching with a Smartphone

[+JeepXguy]

I have been using GSAK for sometime now. Organizing the caches has become pretty easy. I have been using a laptop, lugging it around in the car to find the caches though and it is time for me to move on to a more portable solution. I would like to hear from those of you more familiar with Smart phones as to what you are using and what the pros and cons are. Seems like there is a lot of diversity out there, I am using Verizon as my cell provider and wondered if any of there SP would be useful in doing the paperless Caching.

 

Thanks Jeepxguy

[+XopherN71]

Since you have Verizon there's a good chance your smartphone GPS (if it has one) will be locked to only Verizon applications, if it doesn't have one then there's a good chance your Bluetooth will be blocked from accessing a GPS device.

 

That out of the way. My Bluetooth GPS works incredibly well, (something like Widcom G-Rayz 2). I haven't however found any good software to use with it yet, although there are some that would work such as Google Maps, Windows Live Search and gpsVP.

 

I guess I prefer my handheld GPS enough to not worry about it, but I'll be interested in hearing what you decide to go with.

[+LightHouseSeekers]

I mostly use my Palm 700p for looking up found travel bugs and logging those that I only wish to mark as discovered. Sometimes I will check for up to date log entries on caches. Most everything else I do on my Colorado or at home when I've finished my field work.

[+geoSpartan]

As far as the Paperless part... I've recently started using my Smartphone for paperless caching and it works great!!

 

http://www.smittyware.com/wmsp/cachemate/

 

Cachemate works great for paperless and its free if you dont use the GSPr part of the software. So just carry your phone and GPSr and your off. It imports GPX files fine.. I havent tried LOC but it says it will. Its really easy to use, it has the cache page, logs, hints, pictures.

 

I have T-mobile's Shadow, its running Windows Mobile 6 but it doesnt have GPSr capabilities. ... so I just use it for paperless caching.

[+Dryphter]

Are you talking about using the phone for the paperless aspect? Or using it with a internal/bluetooth GPS?

 

If your goal is to be able to organize caches, look up logs, info, etc and not have a laptop to drag around, then look at a Palm PDA or a Windows Pocket PC. Both have several options that will allow you to have the cache details with you in the field and not have to use your laptop.

 

My personal experience started with a Treo650 (palm) with Cachemate. Works great. I now have a Sprint Mogul which is windows PPC and I use GPXsonar with good results as well. GSAK will allow you to export to both very easily.

[+StaticTank]

Before I got a Colorado I used a Verizon XV6700 PocketPC with GPX Sonar. It works really well! I could see all of the information I need to see. I used GSAK to export the caches I wanted to find. You cannot use the GPS on this phone but I don't think that was your intent. I know Verizon has a newer 6800 out now.

 

My dad uses GPX Spinner and another program which I cannot recall the name of on his Palm. That also seems to work pretty well.

Edited April 4, 2008 by StaticTank

[+JeepXguy]

Are you talking about using the phone for the paperless aspect? Or using it with a internal/bluetooth GPS?

 

If your goal is to be able to organize caches, look up logs, info, etc and not have a laptop to drag around, then look at a Palm PDA or a Windows Pocket PC. Both have several options that will allow you to have the cache details with you in the field and not have to use your laptop.

 

My personal experience started with a Treo650 (palm) with Cachemate. Works great. I now have a Sprint Mogul which is windows PPC and I use GPXsonar with good results as well. GSAK will allow you to export to both very easily.

 

Thanks for the info. Seems like the Treo's are compatible for what I'm wanting to do. Unless of course I can find a cheap PDA. The options and capabilities can be pretty overwhelming when you step out of your comfort zone.

[+Dryphter]

You can always check on eBay for older Palm based PDA's. Much cheaper than buying a Treo or other high end PDA-phone. For caching, it will do the same thing.

[+Genoist]

The current VZW PDA lineup can all be used for paperless caching. Here they are by operating system and what software I've tried on each OS (not necessarily each phone, but as long as it is designed for the OS the phone runs, it should work).

 

Palm OS - CacheMate

Treo 700P: (discontinued, but still available)

Treo 755P: (good choice if Palm OS is what you prefer).

 

Windows Mobile Professional - CacheMate or GPX Sonar

HTC (VZW) 6700: discontinued and sort of a piece of crap, but this phone is still around in the back rooms of many stores.

Treo 700wx: This one is an old dog, can't see it staying around much longer.

HTC (VZW) 6800: This phone, with the help of some hacked firmware, can actually use the internal GPS. This may be handy for use with CacheMate.

Samsung i760: This is my personal favorite WinMo Pro phone from the current lineup.

HTC 6900 (Touch): This phone seems like a pretty sweet choice, and will be out soon hopefully.

 

Windows Mobile Standard - CacheMate

PN-820: This was never very popular, but the people who bought it seem to like it. Good choice if you want a WinMo Standard flip phone.

Motorola Q9M: Avoid this phone. The original Q was bad enough, but this one pretty much has the same hardware, but it stuffed into a different casing (which does happen to have a better keyboard than the original Q) and running the more resource intensive WinMo 6.0 OS.

HTC (VZW) 5800: Best of the WinMo Standard phone VZW has right now.

 

BlackBerry - CacheBerry

BlackBerry 8703e: On the way out soon, get it while it lasts if you want an old fashioned scroll wheel BB.

BlackBerry 8830: Excellent phone as long as you don't need a camera.

BlackBerry 8130 Pearl 2: Good BlackBerry if you can get used to SureType.

Edited April 7, 2008 by Genoist

[cowboyshootist]

SNIP

Windows Mobile Standard - CacheMate

PN-820: This was never very popular, but the people who bought it seem to like it. Good choice if you want a WinMo Standard flip phone.

Motorola Q9M: avoid this.

HTC (VZW) 5800: Best of the WinMo Standard phone VZW has right now.

 

SNIP

 

Why do you say avoid the Motorola? I have the ATT version of the Moto and it appears to be more than capable of handling paperless caching. I do know there are differences between the Verizon and ATT models but I am not sure what they are.

[+Genoist]

The VZW device has an anemic 64MB of memory and the q9h (the at&t version) has 256. Also a quick look at the phonescoop pages for both didn't say what processor each had, but I think that the q9m is slower than the q9h. All in all the q9m is an underpowered device. Also, working at VZW, I always hate dealing with someone who comes in for issues with the Q9M. Of all PDA's the original Q, the Q9M, the Treo 700wx, and the HTC 6700 make up 90% of all PDA woes and warranty issues that I see on a daily basis. There are just so many other choices that, statistically at least, should have far fewer issues.