iPhone Geocaching App

[+bugbbq]

Will these new applications be able to work with the older iPhones? (Obviously not the GPS part, but the rest)

 

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)

[hostage46]

Geode looks very cool. My only feedback would be please be sure this app can handle inbound calls or email fetches. Seems like to OS doesn't like to multitask....

 

Looking forward to taking it for a spin...

Dan in Dallas..

 

Will these new applications be able to work with the older iPhones? (Obviously not the GPS part, but the rest)

 

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)

[+Young Professor]

Any comment from the Geode people on how this application will play with Apple's Terms of Service for the SDK? Apparently the TOS is what keeps TomTom for releasing for iPhone.

 

Geode looks like it will cost significantly more than the current GPS navigation offerings from the AppStore, and that's ok: if you're doing some soft market research, I'd say $50 is way to much, and I'd feel like I was stealing if I paid $15.

 

I used bought GPS Tuner for Windows Mobile ($34), and that was the perfect price for a high-end geocaching app (although their license no longer worked after I re-flashed my hardware, and I refused to purchase their product again when I bought a new phone from the insult).

 

Also, from how you described Geode, it looks like it has the same problem that GPS Tuner had: you have to plan ahead. Impromptu geocaching is a legitimate use-case. I'm not sure Safari will be able to download GPX files, but if there's some way you can finagle that, it would be clutch.

 

Has anyone tried GPS Kit or gpsCompass? They both look like they have potential.

[+naviguesser74]

I can't wait for this app. I hope it works as advertised. GPS Kit also looks good. I need a few non-geocaching attributes on iPhone before I switch -- voice dialing, turn-by-turn voice navigation, remote wipe for a lost phone -- but it won't be long when apps like this coming out!

[+Photo_gal]

Hey, I have been following the development (via a yahoo group) of another geocaching native app for the iPhone. I don't recall seeing it mentioned before in this thread...but I may have missed it. The iGeochacer app is going native for off-line use (i.e. paperless) geocaching. It also integrates to the 3G's GPS. The developer has just submitted his 1.0 version to Apple for their review. He has lots of enhancements planned, but from the demo videos that he has posted, I know I will find it very useful now. The developer's website is:

http://www.ayefon.com/geo/index.cfm.

He is very responsive and open to suggestions.

 

I personally find the Geopher Lite app very handy when I am in a new area and have a little time to cache and want to quickly locate caches close to me. But the downloading time makes it impractical to do a lot of caches in a row - I spend too much time waiting for the pages to open to read the full cache descriptions and check the google maps for exact location, etc.

[+Green Achers]

I now have the new Groundspeak program (name? iGroundspeak?) and last week got the iGeocacher program. Both are great steps towards a valuable program for iPhones but neither are complete.

 

Looks like iGrounspeak doesn't filter out caches (found caches would be minimally required for a filter) and I'll have to see about the remote use. I read Marky's post above so that will be interesting to see how it works when we loose the connection.

 

iGeocacher requires pre-loading our PQ's and then it's free of the carrier connections.

 

Both programs use the iPhone GPS which means you have limited time before your holding a dead battery and wondering how to get back to your car! At least iGeocacher realized the weakness in the power supply and made it easy to toggle the GPS on/off.

[pergeo]

Hi, I have been playing around a little with the new iphone app Geocaching from Groundspeak. It is a great app and I trust updates will be made soon. One thing I don't read to much about and is annoying a little is that info on caches is sometimes displayed in a huge font and not fitting in the display. At least not in the horizontal boundaries (you have to scroll horizontally). Sometimes this has to do with larger images. Sometimes not. The fonts seem to scale up with the larger images or something else. So this is probabaly a css styling issue. I hope that Groundspeak will look into this. Maybe force the images to show up in the desired width first. Aqua will sample down beautifully.

 

It is a great start Groundspeak already made with this app on the iPhone already. Very handy. Chapeau!

[+levidan]

I've had some issues with the app crashing when I tap the saved items tab.

 

As for the saved items crash, I uninstalled and re-installed the App. It seams to be working...for now. When I downloaded and installed it the 1st time it worked for awhile before it started to crash when I touched the saved items tab. So far so good this time...But can I trust and relie on it?

 

I also had a trouble with searching by GC codes. It works and then doesn't.

 

I hope the update will address these issues and some improvements I'd like to see filtering and manually enter coordinates for searches (for us Touch users), plus be able to return more than 20 results.

 

I know this program works better and was built for the iphone 3G but I have to make do with the Touch, until July 14th 2009 when I can get a iPhone upgrade from ATT. Got my current phone on Feb. 14th this year

[+Lasagna]

When searching for GC codes ... are the ones which suspiciously don't work "members only" caches? The two most needed improvements to the Groundspeak app for the iPhone are the ability to filter out "found" caches and the ability for members to see "members only" caches.

 

I've had some issues with the app crashing when I tap the saved items tab.

 

As for the saved items crash, I uninstalled and re-installed the App. It seams to be working...for now. When I downloaded and installed it the 1st time it worked for awhile before it started to crash when I touched the saved items tab. So far so good this time...But can I trust and relie on it?

 

I also had a trouble with searching by GC codes. It works and then doesn't.

 

I hope the update will address these issues and some improvements I'd like to see filtering and manually enter coordinates for searches (for us Touch users), plus be able to return more than 20 results.

 

I know this program works better and was built for the iphone 3G but I have to make do with the Touch, until July 14th 2009 when I can get a iPhone upgrade from ATT. Got my current phone on Feb. 14th this year