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Groundspeak application for the iPhone released!


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Works great if your in an area you haven't been before. However, if your somewhere you've been, it's completely worthless since it doesn't allow you to sign in. Therefore, it will show nearby caches but unless you have a really good memory you won't know if you've already been there before.

 

A prior forum post eluded to the fact that the App may have been released prematurely due to demand and will have improvements with future updates. Hopefully this will be one of those improvements

 

The App has a lot of future potential. I was anxious to buy it as soon as it was released but if I knew it's limitations, I would have held off since I will still be accessing geocaching.com from safari before using the Geocaching App so it doesn't have much ease of use over existing Apps not made by Groundspeak.

 

I just hope Groundspeak will listen to user input. I'm new to geocaching but my forum experience here leaves little to be desired. That is mostly due to lack of respect from moderators and unwillingness to let users have their own respectful opinion without threats of limiting access.

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Downloaded app while on vacation. I knew going in I would have to filter my finds in my head. Being in Florida with very little finds I see it as a GREAT app. When I get back home I will just have to use Geopher along with this app. I have no intentions of replaceing any of my recievers( I use magellon and garmin) with this or any other multi use devise. Geocaching is a GPS tool and best enjoyed with a dedicated reciever. Although you can dig a swimming pool with a shovel it is better to use a back hole.

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Kind of disappointed and buggy app

 

I have the new 16-gig iPod touch and was hoping to use this app to going paperless caching. I’m able to retrieve cache listing using my wifi at home. Some of the cache details, such as hint or description aren’t included for other it is. I’ve saved the info for some of the caches to my Touch and when I click on the Saved Items tab the program Crashes! Again I only wanted to use it for paperless caching along with my Garmin GPSr. I want to praise this app. For I was looking forward to it, but until there is an update…It’s a waste of 9.99$ for me.

 

:)

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After a quick test of the application sitting home in front om ny computer it seems fairly okay. I found one annoying little bug, not really a huge thing but annoying nevertheless..

 

When viewing a cache listing from the "Find caches" view everything is ok (image 1). When I save the listing and view it from there, the "international characters" are displayed wrong (image 2).

 

IMG_0001.PNG

 

IMG_0002.PNG

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I’ve saved the info for some of the caches to my Touch and when I click on the Saved Items tab the program Crashes!

 

I have the same issue as Levidan and I also own an Ipod Touch (8GB).

Also if you answer No to the question if the App should pinpoint your location, the question is repeated everytime you do someting in the App.

 

Let's hope they fix these two things soon and the App will be even better.

Edited by Jeroen_SuperJay
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I have problems like other (international fonts in saved caches, very big font if in listing is large pictures) sometimes not function slide listing screen( restart aplication needed). To developers: please add filter "my founds", add log function"found it" and option "see old logs" in logs menu.

After apply this function will Groundspeak app applicable for hunt, in the meantime i must use geopher.

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Found my first cache with the iphone application today, but the application was a huge dissapointment. The idea is good, and when the bugs are fixed it can be a great tool, but the main problem was that the tracking page did not work at all, the 'compass' pointed in the right direction, but the speed, distance to the cache and the accuracy was never updated (so when I was at the cache, the application still wanted me to go on for 1 Mi). Used a iphone 3G 16Gb.

 

If you in the settings choose Metric, the tracking page still uses miles....

 

I've been using the Symbian application for finding geocaches with my Nokia phone, the potential of the iphone application seems to be better, but until a bugfix comes I need to go back to the Nokia app.

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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 doesn't.

 

I hope the update will address these issues and some improvements 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 :D from ATT. Got my current phone on Feb. 14th this year :blink:

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I also posted this in the other topic...

 

I think it strange that you don't need to login to use the app.

 

On the website you don't get coordinates when you are not logged in / no account.

 

iPhone users that install the app (9,99 is not that much) and are not familiar with caching will get all the coordinates without an account on geocaching.com

 

Are we attracting mugglers.. Or new born cachers that will visit the cache from the app, but never log over the website.

 

They can start caching, without having to read the website, accept the terms because they never made an account..

 

Is it just me being worried for 'unwanted' app users that are not familiar with the website and the general terms of caching

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I d/l'ed the app for my iPhone and have been loving it ever since. Unlike many of the other posts, I've had zero crashes. I'm hoping the developers are monitoring this thread. I've listed some ideas I have for the next revision of the app below. If anyone knows of a better forum or way to email these suggestions please let me know. I'm still fairly new to geocaching and Groundspeak's forum.

 

1) Allow user to log in using member's user ID.

2) When viewing the details of a cache, below "Recent Logs" add a button to make a log entry for this cache.

3) Under Navigate, allow the user to view the Lat/Lon coordinates as well as the compass.

 

I'm having blast. In fact, I'm not sure who is having more fun, me or my kids. We just came back from hunting and found 5 of 6. The one we couldn't find was in a neighborhood. I could tell I was being watched by a muggle so I decided to leave before he called the police.

 

Thanks again for a great app!! :laughing:

 

Mike//KD6FTR

A.K.A. HAM Hunter

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Good cache application, I was using SEEK CACHE app, but it was not getting good positioning before spitting out a list of caches on the Safari Browser, but this Groundspeak App, I can wait for the updates to it. At least it is a nice start, and hopefully there will be an option of logging into the app, and linking to the Safari browser from the Groundspeak App.

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Thanks so much for the feedback here on Groundspeak's Geocaching iPhone application, and thanks also to those who have uploaded reviews to iTunes. An update will arrive to address your concerns.

 

Some of you may not have seen our iPhone page yet, so I'll link to it again just for easy reference. http://www.geocaching.com/iphone/

You'll see a list of features, supported devices and screenshots. There is also a direct link to the iTunes App Store where the application can be purchased.

 

iphonemain.jpg

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Thanks - some notes- first the bad

 

1) Like many others, I found that saving more than a few (say, ten) caches locally crashes the program.

2) Because you can't log in to gc.com on the app, Member Only caches do not download and are not searchable.

3) There's no way to load queries.

4) There's no way to add and save a waypoint.

5) Searching trackables is cool, but really, why is that a priority before implementing saving waypoints?

6) Does not show all logs.

7) Doesn't link directly to Safari so you can log a find (or look at other cache info). You have to find the cache manually in Safari. Big time waster. Again, why trackables before this?

8) The only filter is basic (traditional) or Advanced (everything else). You can't even filter out your own finds, again, because the app doesn't log you in to gc.com.

9) If you haven't saved caches (or hit bug #1) you cannot use it offline (no cell or wifi), as there is no way to access the navigation screen except from a cache page - and if you can't view a cache page, you're done. Plus, the navigation screen does not show current coordinates? Did I miss something?

10) Wifi location (I have an iPod Touch) is iffy at best. 50% of the time it dumps me in Portland, Oregon. Getting really tired of seeing "Goat Mountain Cache" popping up in the cache list!

 

Now the good-

1) The search function is great when traveling. I downloaded it on vacation in Cody, Wyoming and was able to grab four caches in minutes around our hotel without having to break out the laptop or even fire up safari on the iPod. Mucho nice.

2) Lists cache inventory.

3) $5 cheaper than the competition. :rolleyes:

4) It's released.

 

Thanks for putting up the thread, I appreciate it!

 

Tony

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When you uninstalled and re-installed did you have to pay for the program again, or does Apple keep a record of your initial purchase?

 

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 doesn't.

 

I hope the update will address these issues and some improvements 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 :laughing: from ATT. Got my current phone on Feb. 14th this year :yikes:

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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 doesn't.

 

I hope the update will address these issues and some improvements 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 :)

 

When you uninstalled and re-installed, did you have to purchase the program again, or does Apple keep a record of the purchase and allow reinstallation?

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FYI:

In iTunes, if you go to Applications, and right-click an app (I have a two button trackball on my Mac) you can "view folder" or something--go to the folder where the app files are.

 

Having that, you can copy them off to back them up. This is a way to store old versions or, if you feel you need to delete one and leave it off for a while, you have a way to put it back. You can just drag it from your backup folder into iTunes, then sync.

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Thanks for the info. Yes, deleting and reinstalling solved the problem. In the process of reinstalling, the saved files are no longer there, but the basic saved function now works again. Looking forward to getting the update that has been submitted to apple.

 

 

FYI:

In iTunes, if you go to Applications, and right-click an app (I have a two button trackball on my Mac) you can "view folder" or something--go to the folder where the app files are.

 

Having that, you can copy them off to back them up. This is a way to store old versions or, if you feel you need to delete one and leave it off for a while, you have a way to put it back. You can just drag it from your backup folder into iTunes, then sync.

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roqric,

By using your current location, our application gets you much faster and more convenient results compared to using the web browser. Further, with the app you can save cache information for use when/if you no longer have wifi (no more browser) at the cache location.

 

Also, your browser doesn't have built-in compass navigation.

 

ipcompass.jpg

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Version 1.1 update is now available.

 

New Features:

  • Filters prior hides and finds with a Geocaching.com login
  • New "more" option on the search results page to return more than 20 geocaches (up to 100)
  • Saved items now sort by distance

Bug Fixes:

  • Navigation screen correctly shows miles/km based on program settings
  • Fixed crashing bug when adding certain saved items
  • Coordinate format corrected
  • Issue with some caches near 0 degrees longitude corrected
  • General stability improvements

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After updating, I tried to run the application. It crashed. Tried again. Crashed again.

 

I restarted my iPhone and tried to run the application. It got as far as the "Would like to use your location" dialog box before crashing. Tried for a fourth time. Crashed immediately again. (I've never had this problem with the Geocaching app or any other app ever before.)

 

I deleted the 1.1 app and re-installed 1.0 from the backup on my computer. 1.0 ran fine, and I tried updating again. No errors were reported, but 1.1 still crashes within a couple seconds every single time.

 

After several more tries, and restarting the iPhone a few times (man, that really kills the battery!), I gave up. I deleted the 1.1 application from the iPhone and put the 1.0 version back on from the backup on the computer. I was planning on a long caching run tomorrow, and I need the Geocaching app to work, even if it's the "old" version.

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After updating, I tried to run the application. It crashed. Tried again. Crashed again.

 

I restarted my iPhone and tried to run the application. It got as far as the "Would like to use your location" dialog box before crashing. Tried for a fourth time. Crashed immediately again. (I've never had this problem with the Geocaching app or any other app ever before.)

 

I deleted the 1.1 app and re-installed 1.0 from the backup on my computer. 1.0 ran fine, and I tried updating again. No errors were reported, but 1.1 still crashes within a couple seconds every single time.

 

After several more tries, and restarting the iPhone a few times (man, that really kills the battery!), I gave up. I deleted the 1.1 application from the iPhone and put the 1.0 version back on from the backup on the computer. I was planning on a long caching run tomorrow, and I need the Geocaching app to work, even if it's the "old" version.

 

I am in the same boat. Nothing I do will get it to work. It crashes right after asking if it can use the location services.

 

I was already disappointed with this application and what you get for what it costs. This just exasperates the situation.

 

I have to see if I can locate the previous version so I can go back to that. I just hope I made a backup since purchasing the application.

 

--Chris

Edited by cwkraft
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After updating, I tried to run the application. It crashed. Tried again. Crashed again.

 

I restarted my iPhone and tried to run the application. It got as far as the "Would like to use your location" dialog box before crashing. Tried for a fourth time. Crashed immediately again. (I've never had this problem with the Geocaching app or any other app ever before.)

 

I deleted the 1.1 app and re-installed 1.0 from the backup on my computer. 1.0 ran fine, and I tried updating again. No errors were reported, but 1.1 still crashes within a couple seconds every single time.

 

After several more tries, and restarting the iPhone a few times (man, that really kills the battery!), I gave up. I deleted the 1.1 application from the iPhone and put the 1.0 version back on from the backup on the computer. I was planning on a long caching run tomorrow, and I need the Geocaching app to work, even if it's the "old" version.

 

I am in the same boat. Nothing I do will get it to work. It crashes right after asking if it can use the location services.

 

I was already disappointed with this application and what you get for what it costs. This just exasperates the situation.

 

I have to see if I can locate the previous version so I can go back to that. I just hope I made a backup since purchasing the application.

 

--Chris

 

Me too, instant crash (It took 10 tries just to download it too!) I was excited, I NEED this for Saturday!

 

I thought Apple tested these apps?

 

I just ran "Fix Dir Permissions" and still nothing.

Edited by Elric77
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After updating, I tried to run the application. It crashed. Tried again. Crashed again.

 

I restarted my iPhone and tried to run the application. It got as far as the "Would like to use your location" dialog box before crashing. Tried for a fourth time. Crashed immediately again. (I've never had this problem with the Geocaching app or any other app ever before.)

 

I deleted the 1.1 app and re-installed 1.0 from the backup on my computer. 1.0 ran fine, and I tried updating again. No errors were reported, but 1.1 still crashes within a couple seconds every single time.

 

After several more tries, and restarting the iPhone a few times (man, that really kills the battery!), I gave up. I deleted the 1.1 application from the iPhone and put the 1.0 version back on from the backup on the computer. I was planning on a long caching run tomorrow, and I need the Geocaching app to work, even if it's the "old" version.

 

I am in the same boat. Nothing I do will get it to work. It crashes right after asking if it can use the location services.

 

I was already disappointed with this application and what you get for what it costs. This just exasperates the situation.

 

I have to see if I can locate the previous version so I can go back to that. I just hope I made a backup since purchasing the application.

 

--Chris

 

Me too, instant crash (It took 10 tries just to download it too!) I was excited, I NEED this for Saturday!

 

I thought Apple tested these apps?

 

I just ran "Fix Dir Permissions" and still nothing.

:D

 

Exactly the same here crashes all the time not worth the amount charged for this as lets face it its a premium price for a poor app and now its a poor app that doesn't work

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Same thing for me.

 

Crash. Crash. Crash.

 

Right after the location services prompt.

 

I have un-installed/re-installed 3 times and still no luck.

 

I am excited about the new features, but still disappointed in the price we had to pay for what was delivered.

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I'll look into this. My guess is that the update to the mini database that uses the application is causing the trouble, so in the meantime just delete the application and "repurchase" it.

 

It doesn't actually repurchase the application. It will say you already bought it and it will download.

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Version 1.1 update is now available.

 

New Features:

  • Filters prior hides and finds with a Geocaching.com login
  • New "more" option on the search results page to return more than 20 geocaches (up to 100)
  • Saved items now sort by distance

Bug Fixes:

  • Navigation screen correctly shows miles/km based on program settings
  • Fixed crashing bug when adding certain saved items
  • Coordinate format corrected
  • Issue with some caches near 0 degrees longitude corrected
  • General stability improvements

 

Weird, downloaded 1.1 last evening when I first saw it - no crashes at all! Seems to have full functionality - sifted through a few caches opening descriptions, hints, etc. Saved a cache. Switched to navigate mode (even though I was just sitting on couch at home - not actually out caching). This took maybe 5 minutes - no crashes.

 

BTW, sure glad to see the ability to sort out my finds and my placed caches to only see unfound-by-me caches. Great to have the ability to view more than the closest 20 caches.

 

Disappointed to see that the "Log online" funtion wasn't included. Hopefully that's coming next? Yes?

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I'll look into this. My guess is that the update to the mini database that uses the application is causing the trouble, so in the meantime just delete the application and "repurchase" it.

...

This worked for me.

 

Now to see if this has become a useful app ...

Edited by nicolo
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Also crashing. Deleted. Reinstalled. Still crashing. Not impressed...

 

Are you deleting it directly from your iPhone? If you delete it in iTunes and reinstall it doesn't affect the iPhone unless you synch it (which will remove it from your phone). It needs to be completely off the iPhone to be a true reinstall.

 

I'll add - where does it crash? Does it say "locating" or does it crash before it shows anything running?

Edited by Jeremy
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Here's what worked for me:

 

Went to "Applications" on my iPhone in iTunes, changed to sync only selected apps and unchecked "Geocaching".

 

Sync

 

Went to Applications in my Library and did the "update" to get all new updates which included the GC app.

 

Went back to the applications tab in my iPhone window in iTunes

 

Changed back to "sync all" applications and ran sync which installed GC application.

 

----

 

All is well and it's working great! Glad to see my two most desired features made it into this release -- Members only caches now show up in the list and those caches which I've already found can now be excluded from the list.

 

This app is now wonderful! Can't wait to see what enhancements come next -- like online logging (or at the very least "tagging" finds so you know which caches you've found on a run and the order in which you found them so that you can log them in the proper order later.

 

-jk

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Disappointed to see that the "Log online" funtion wasn't included. Hopefully that's coming next? Yes?

 

Yes. We wanted to incrementally release updates. In the meantime you can still log via SMS. http://coord.info/textmark.aspx has the details.

 

Thanks for pointing me to this, Jeremy. Ran out and tried it at lunchtime. Sent the text while on site - worked great once I realized not to use the [] around the GC number! That isn't isn't real clear in the instructions but then I'm not a "super-texter" so maybe this is well understood among the heavy SMS crowd.

 

Works fine - will do until the feature set is upgraded with live online logging through the app.

 

BTW - still no crashes on my 1.1 install after having it running for a good 30 minutes.

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This application is getting better and better....just what I like to see! I am so happy the login/filter out previous finds functionality is finally here!

 

Here are a list of things that should be up for consideration:

 

* If user decides to still show caches that they have already found in a search, show a checkmark next to the search result like show on the actual website.

* Add functionality to log results as already mentioned.

* Store last few search results. I find it annoying that once I search, I have to retype my search if I ever go back to the main screen.

* Geocaching.com account screen. Give me the ability to view caches I have found.

* Breadcrumb trail system. Give me somewhat of a blank canvas with my destination point and my current position....track my path with a "breadcrumb trail". Show heading, speed, distance traveled, and distance to destination if possible. This not only gives us a better geocache tool, but also gives us users who like knowing how much they have hiked on a geocache.

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Also crashing. Deleted. Reinstalled. Still crashing. Not impressed...

 

Are you deleting it directly from your iPhone? If you delete it in iTunes and reinstall it doesn't affect the iPhone unless you synch it (which will remove it from your phone). It needs to be completely off the iPhone to be a true reinstall.

 

I'll add - where does it crash? Does it say "locating" or does it crash before it shows anything running?

 

I am having the same problems.

 

I deleted the app from itunes and did a resync. I then clicked buy on the app in iTunes and it re-downloaded. I ran sync and installed the app on the iPhone and it still crashes.

 

It crashes every time. Almost immediately after requesting permission to use my current location. Actually it just crashed on me again and this time I didn't even get to click OK. If I wait a bit while the prompt is on the screen it will just crash without me doing anything.

 

I really hope I have a backup of the old version. This really sucks.

 

--Chris

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