Garminfone

[+UtChaz & Family]

We just got the new Garminfone this weekend and the manual has exactly one word on Geocaching.

I know it "should" be able to do what we want, download queries and other similar caching tools, but haven't got a clue as how to go about it.

You'd think with it being a "Garmin" product they'd have figures some of us nuts would want to use it to cache vs. find our way around in the big city.

With that in mind it shouldn't have to have an app; again this is how I think and not how someone else might...

 

Anyone else out there know already?

[+power69]

We just got the new Garminfone this weekend and the manual has exactly one word on Geocaching.

I know it "should" be able to do what we want, download queries and other similar caching tools, but haven't got a clue as how to go about it.

You'd think with it being a "Garmin" product they'd have figures some of us nuts would want to use it to cache vs. find our way around in the big city.

With that in mind it shouldn't have to have an app; again this is how I think and not how someone else might...

 

Anyone else out there know already?

uhmmmm yet another smartphone with 50 to 100 foot accuracy

[+NYPaddleCacher]

We just got the new Garminfone this weekend and the manual has exactly one word on Geocaching.

I know it "should" be able to do what we want, download queries and other similar caching tools, but haven't got a clue as how to go about it.

You'd think with it being a "Garmin" product they'd have figures some of us nuts would want to use it to cache vs. find our way around in the big city.

With that in mind it shouldn't have to have an app; again this is how I think and not how someone else might...

 

Anyone else out there know already?

uhmmmm yet another smartphone with 50 to 100 foot accuracy

 

I haven't been able to confirm it but I would think that the Garmin Nuvi phone would use the same chipset they use in their handheld gps units.

 

I've also heard the Garmin was going to disccontinue the Nuvi phone. I looked at them when they first came out and the major complaint was that app support was limited. It came out about the same time as the Droid and the navigation app on the droid was superior to the one available on the Nuvi phone.

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Moving to the GPS and Technology forum.

[+user13371]

Gizmodo review was pretty much echoed by everyone who tried one. Which explains why Garmin is thinking of dumping the thing. Edited October 4, 2010 by lee_rimar

[+northernpenguin]

 

uhmmmm yet another smartphone with 50 to 100 foot accuracy

 

Smartphones are getting better. My HTC Touch Pro 2 easily gets 3M accuracy, and so does my iPhone 4. My 4 year old HTC Vogue does the 50 foot accuracy thing.

 

Mind you, my (original, blue, serial port) eTrex Legend is nowhere near as accurate as my Colorado 400t is either.

 

Don't knock a device just because it's a smartphone. Feel free to knock individual smartphones, as per each device's individual merits.

[+northernpenguin]

Gizmodo review was pretty much echoed by everyone who tried one. Which explains why Garmin is thinking of dumping the thing.

 

Yeah, Garmin pretty much got Pwned in the smartphone (hardware) market. They should get back to concentrating on maps and software.

 

Garmin Mobile XT is a great app for Windows Mobile (pity Windows Mobile failed as an OS).

 

I'd like to see them come back to address TomTom and Navigon on the Android and iOS platforms. The Android based Nuvifone was in trouble the second Google Navigation was announced. There's still plenty of room for Garmin to succeed without having to design or adapt a mobile OS, and take all the heat for that.

 

Other companies have tried that route and got clobbered too. Look at the Microsoft Kin.

[+Wienerdog]

Garminfone or Nuviphone?

 

The Gizmodo review cited above is about the Nuviphone. The Garminfone is a totally different unit and works on the Android platform.

 

As for accuracy it is spot on. In a side by side comparison with a co-workers iPhone G4 the location accuracy is around 15 feet with the Garminfone, as viewed in Google earth, INSIDE the building where I work. The iPhone G4, at 25-50 feet, never came close as we walked around inside the factory.

 

The Garminfone probably deserves a smackdown for running with Android V1.6 but when it comes to GPS accuracy it is no wallflower. In fact it appears to be in the same league as the 60Cx or the 62s.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I agree, it's biggest downside is being stuck on Android 1.6. The OP should look and see if there is a GPX or Garmin/GPX flder and drag a pocket query there.

[+user13371]

Thanks, I didn't realize nuviphone and garminfone were different creatures. While the Gizmodo review I cited was about the nuviphone, the press item about Garmin not having much luck in this phone+gps market (and possibly giving it up) was fairly current and not specifically about any one of their models.

 

Actually, it wouldn't surprise if a Garmin gps+phone (regardless of naming) was a good/accurate GPS. The scathing reviews have all hit at user interface and expectaions of what how well its other features stack up against other smartphones.

Edited October 5, 2010 by lee_rimar

[NordicMan]

Did Garmin include that wireless location-sharing technology with the Gaminfone that it has in various handheld GPSr's? If they didn't then they REALLY dropped the ball there.

 

That would be so-freakin-sweet to able to do the android paperless cache/scanning that smartphones are so good at to get me near a target, then BEAM the coordinates to an Oregon (or other capable Garmin GPSr) & go seek out the cache!

 

"That" ability will be so awesome to have if/when a(ny) manufacturer decides to try merging the two systems.

[+UtChaz & Family]

Garminfone is not Nuvi...

The Garminfone is new and recently released on T-Mobile G3 system; as per the T-Mobile rep said it is right up there with the other android system they sell. Additionally they said it has a GPS receiver that combines with the Phone to provide more accuracy.

 

The original post was far from the attempts at bashing though.

Do I need to download an Android App or does Garmin actually put some of their own tech into it.

 

I’ve searched the phone for a GPX folder but no luck; hence my question about another app or perhaps a new add on to GSAK for uploading queries.

 

Does anyoen know about this question minus the bashing?

[+northernpenguin]

The original post was far from the attempts at bashing though.

Do I need to download an Android App or does Garmin actually put some of their own tech into it.

 

I’ve searched the phone for a GPX folder but no luck; hence my question about another app or perhaps a new add on to GSAK for uploading queries.

 

Does anyoen know about this question minus the bashing?

 

Does MapSource or BaseCamp recognize the device? Perhaps you could use one of those to send waypoints to it?

 

If the Android OS is exposed though you'll prolly have a lot less pain if you just load up the official Geocaching app on there (plus you get the goodness of live data). Though I can understand the strong desire to get Garmin's routing software to take you there.

 

What about putting a "Garmin" folder with GPX files on a memory card (does it even support memory cards?)

 

I did find one bit of interesting info on a review site while trying to see if the unit has a memory card slot. Apparently the GPS is Qualcomm's gpsOne architecture so this will perform about the same as an HTC Touch Pro2 or EVO for GPS (and hopefully the carrier doesn't do boneheaded things to it).

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

Maybe this will help...

 

http://forums.t-mobile.com/t5/Garminfone/bd-p/Garminfone

[+UtChaz & Family]

Thanks Redwoods Mtn Biker.

That is some decent reading and info.

 

I went ahead and downloaded GC's app lastnight though.

It works, I guess. Without some sort of an owners manual or instructions with the app I guess I'm going to be "lost in the woods" with a GPS Phone combo...