What's the best cell phone for geocaching?

[+PawPawGreybeard]

I'm getting ready to upgrade my cell phone, I have AT&T service, and would like to get one with geocaching capabilities. Outside of the iPhone, what phones are good for geocaching?

[+SkellyCA]

Blackberry

[+Davensocal]

I recently picked up an AT&T Fuze (HTC Touch Pro)..

 

I really like this phone.. I added Geoscout to it, and am very happy with it.. The Fuze also has 802.11 support which is really nice for taking advantage of Geoscout mapping capability.

 

I think any Windows Mobile phone will accept several programs, I just happen to be partial to GeoScout.

 

I also really like the service HTC offers on their phones (I called 3 times, and each time a human being answered! Wait, there's more.. They knew what they were talking about )

 

Make sure the phone actually has GPS capabilities.. I think some try to use the phone network to locate you, as kind of a GPS..

 

I would warn you that this phone is really for a gear head. I had to modify it a fair amount to get what I wanted out of it. I guess you have to ask yourself if you are the type that is typically happy with a technology product right out of the box, or do you tend to buy multiple version until you find what you like..

 

If you are OK with a little tweaking, I would recommend this phone. I have had a blast tweaking it to do all kinds of cool things (like recognize when I am holding it to my ear in a call, and then recognize if I put it down face up, so it will switch to speaker automatically).

 

I'm getting ready to upgrade my cell phone, I have AT&T service, and would like to get one with geocaching capabilities. Outside of the iPhone, what phones are good for geocaching?

[+Agent_H]

I would recommend the Black Berry Storm with Cacheberry installed. Works great for me.

[+AZGeek]

Since you have AT&T - if you want a Crackberry (and have a use for the Blackberry services, etc. ), go with a curve and Blackstar Navigation (http://www.blackstarnavigation.com/). Hands down, the best for Crackberry and Geocaching.

 

The Nokia E71x is good, too.

SmartGPX (coinware) (http://smartcaching.de), if you don't mind a nav compass planned, but not yet implemented (it will send GCs to Landmarks which Googlemaps views as Favorites, however).

Or Efficasoft GPS Utilities (shareware) (http://www.efficasoft.com). Convert GPX files to Garmin POI databases (csv files) and you have a waypoint database, gps nav & compass.

 

If you go with a Nokia, stay clear of any Java GPS - they won't work as S60v3 requires apps be signed to access GPS and java apps can't be signed.

 

I have a Nokia E71x and I use a SmartGPX and GPS Utilities together:

 

SmartGPX to view the caches & find nearest by GPS coords. Then open it up in GPS Utilities to get the direction, heading, all that.

 

I slacked recently w/ my hunting, but interest renewed (found one close by on the way home from work tonight, but the darn bus came and it was the last run...I have to wait til tomorrow before work)

[+jotne]

If you use a phone that supports Garmin Mobile XT, you can then use the famous Nüvi macro and get a great GeoCaching phone.

 

I do use Nokia 5800 that has a large touch screen and built in GPS with only 5 sec to fix.

[Jake - Team A.I.]

If you use a phone that supports Garmin Mobile XT, you can then use the famous Nüvi macro and get a great GeoCaching phone.

 

I do use Nokia 5800 that has a large touch screen and built in GPS with only 5 sec to fix.

 

I'm using at Palm Centro with the Garmin Mobile XT and Bluetooth GPS. The only thing you may want to consider is getting a phone with the Windows OS, it will also run the XT software and that way you can load the Wherigo app too.

Edited July 9, 2009 by Jake - Team A.I.

[wfcrawford]

I have a Blackberry 8820 and AT&T service. I'd like to be able to just use my Blackberry as a backup GPSr should my main unit fail me. The free Blackstar Navigation software was noted above as being a good match to the Blackberry. Can you use this combination without paying a monthly fee to AT&T for GPS service? I'm locked in to the BB/AT&T combination through work so it's not an option to do this part differently.

 

Thanks.

 

Bill

[+CookCrew]

I have a Blackberry 8820 and AT&T service. I'd like to be able to just use my Blackberry as a backup GPSr should my main unit fail me. The free Blackstar Navigation software was noted above as being a good match to the Blackberry. Can you use this combination without paying a monthly fee to AT&T for GPS service? I'm locked in to the BB/AT&T combination through work so it's not an option to do this part differently.

 

Thanks.

 

Bill

I recommend calling your service provider and asking them. I am not aware of AT&T charging for the use of the GPS, but since I don't have that carrier, it is an uninformed answer.

[+CapeDoc]

If you are looking for amazing free geocaching software primarily, and then want a phone that can run it, I would suggest a windows mobile device. With a WM phone you will be able to:

Generate PQs (in the phone's browser)

Receive zipped PQs via email.

Unzip PQs

Import gpx PQs into a amazing geocaching app (ie have all descriptions, hints, logs,)

Have the ability to download spoilers and photos in the logs

Have all info available off-line

Geocache with compass and google maps, both online and off-line.

Write either fieldnotes (for upload later) or log directly from the app immediatly online.

.....all you need geocaching.com for is PQs!

PM me if you want to know more.

[+kermitkills]

i use a blackberry pearl 8110 & trimbles grocache navigator works great normally gets me to within 6 ft of cache only down side is you need to be in gprs area to retrive caches from geocaching.com the upside is you can log findes to your field notes on geocaching directley from your phone

[+Geo-Indy]

Something also to consider is that some apps (especially for the BB and iPhone) require a monthly or yearly subscription fee. On top of GC.com premium membership, you could be looking a upwards of a hundred bucks or mor a year in xtra costs.

I use a HTC Diamond Windows mobile phone with several different apps installed. All freeware.