Are any of our Benchmarking community using a Droid?

[CallawayMT]

I have had an HTC Droid Eris for a month or two and have been trying to get it usable for impromptu benchmark searching. Has anybody in here come up with a good system? I have checked the other forums, but they are too preoccupied with geocache applications.

 

I have loaded both GeoBeagle and Cachemate and have tried them both. I loaded a gpx file with all of the Montana marks which is over 16,000 marks. This is kind of taxing for the droid, but does load.

 

My questions are:

Do any of these apps search to the closest marks near your location?

 

Has anybody come up with an efficient method to search and have their data sheets available for easy access? Cachemate does have the data sheet information, which is very nice, but I have struggled so far trying to search the closest or nearby marks and get at their datasheets.

 

I must admit that I haven't spent a lot of time trying to come up with a system, but these phones have everything needed for searching. 4 megapixel camera, good GPS, database retention and recovery and even direct link to NGS or Geocaching while in phone service. I have been impressed.

 

I was down in Alameda, California last week on business and did not have time to do any research; especially after having my laptop along with 2 other laptops of my co-worker stolen out of the rental car in daylight at an Applebee's in San Ramon before we could check into our hotel. Yes, I do know, NOW, don't leave things in view because people have hammers and rocks and windows don't hold up to either. Whoa!! Got off subject. I was able to pick up just one benchmark due to having my droid and download some data on the fly. I found a bunch of tidal marks which never made it into the NGS database while I was on the Coast Guard base while visiting my nephew, but did not know until after the fact that they were unloggable. I thought I might have some good restricted marks, but it was not to be. Sorry I did not have time to give you a shout Patty.

 

So is anybody else using a Droid?

 

Kurt

[AZcachemeister]

I have an ANDROID powered phone (MyTouch3G, T-Mobile), which is not the same as a DROID phone.

I have toyed with it a bit while benchmarking.

I am using CacheMate, just the same as I was using on my Palm PDAs.

I also have loaded ALL the marks I have yet to find in my state, and I agree it's a bit much.

I will be creating specialized files for individual runs in the future...2-3000 entries doesn't slow it down too bad.

 

As of now, there is no way to download complete BM details directly to the unit.

I have successfully imported the PID and co-ordinates for a mark by a convoluted process involving searching for the nearest Geocache, then searching for nearby Benchmarks, selecting one, and importing via the Google Maps link on the page.

 

By far your best bet/option is to create a file in advance and upload it to your unit.

 

I guess that's just a re-hash of your post, but sometimes confirmation can be good.

 

It doesn't seem as if it would be SO difficult for one of the Geocaching apps be modified to search for nearest BM by co-ordinates just as easily as a Geocache...perhaps if someone contacted one of the developers...

 

Even so, you would still be stuck with just the PID and co-ordinates, with the option to view the datasheet online if you have cell service.

[AZcachemeister]

P.S. I am in the group beta-testing the upcoming Geocaching app for Android.

I don't have a lot of leverage, but perhaps a little gentle arm-twisting could induce them to include a capability to search for Benchmarks as well...worth asking for at least.

[Wintertime]

I have an ANDROID powered phone (MyTouch3G, T-Mobile), which is not the same as a DROID phone.

Do they not both use the same release of Android?

 

I am using CacheMate, just the same as I was using on my Palm PDAs.

Does the Android version of CM let you search for nearest marks? I know that the Palm OS version does. My Palm doesn't have any sort of geolocation capabilities (not even cell-based), so I have to tell it where I am, such as by standing at a benchmark whose location it knows.

 

As of now, there is no way to download complete BM details directly to the unit.

Boy, all of a sudden my cheapie little Palm is looking good!

 

And Kurt, sorry you didn't have time to get together, but I understand. Sorry also to hear about the stolen laptops.

 

Patty

Edited April 18, 2010 by Wintertime

[foxtrot_xray]

A couple people have mentioned - you'd only have the PID and Coordinates? Do none of the Droid apps read GPX files?

 

I had considered an Android phone, but the monthly prices (voice, data) are just not worth it to me.

[Wintertime]

A couple people have mentioned - you'd only have the PID and Coordinates? Do none of the Droid apps read GPX files?

Kurt said he loaded GPX files on his Droid; dunno whether that was with GeoBeagle, Cachemate, or both. But here's what Smittyware's Cachemate for Android page says about GPX files:

 

# Import/export waypoints using GPX and LOC XML files

# User-defined fields with GPX import/export

 

And about searching for the nearest benchmarks:

 

# Distance sorting with GPS support

 

I'd sure be surprised if Cachemate for Android had fewer features than the ancient Palm OS version!

 

Patty

Edited April 18, 2010 by Wintertime

[mloser]

Dumb question, since I don't have a Droid (but have been following the market a bit). Doesn't Droid run Google Earth? If so, and if it can run a KML.KMZ overlay, then Foxtrot_Xray's "tool", a KML file with links to his BM database, for GE would probably do the trick.

 

Edit: some more web research turned up Augment This!, and app that lets the Droid use KML files. So I am guessing that Droid GE does NOT natively handle KML/KMZ but CAN with a bit of help. I don't have one to try this with but if anyone gets this to work I will seriously consider a Droid as my next phone!

Edited April 19, 2010 by mloser

[+billwallace]

If your in an area with service there is the beginning of a mobile version of the ScardyCat benchmark page that uses the phone's location...

[foxtrot_xray]

Dumb question, since I don't have a Droid (but have been following the market a bit). Doesn't Droid run Google Earth? If so, and if it can run a KML.KMZ overlay, then Foxtrot_Xray's "tool", a KML file with links to his BM database, for GE would probably do the trick.

As far as I've heard (been keeping an eye out for this) - not yet. There are plans, but I'm guessing it's about a year/half year off before some form of GE will become available, Because of graphics limitations on the phones, it won't be quite the same.