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Geocaching.com App for Blackberry


Nikon-Guy

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My apologies if this has already been discussed in a previous posting somewhere.

 

But someone could point me to the thread, it would be good as well.

 

I'm was surprised that Groundspeak released an iPhone Geocaching.com app. But I'm definitely suprised that they released an Android App, but haven't yet thought about releasing an app for the Blackberry. :)

 

Even though Blackberries have been around longer than both iPhone and Android.

 

I was playing with a friend's iPhone and the Geocaching.com app, is exactly what would be good for the Blackberry as well.

 

The GUI is quite nice and it's quite neat.

 

I don't really want to change over to an iPhone, because in my eyes, it is a lesser phone (cough! antennagate!)

 

Can anyone answer if Groundspeak is even thinking about a Blackberry App?

 

I know there are quite a few of us that would gladly pay for this...

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Check out the free trial of Geocache Navigator by Trimble. It's a fantastic caching app for BlackBerry. I used it to find over 300 caches on my VZW 9630.

 

**Geocache NavigatorTM – Find hidden treasure anywhere, anytime you want**

 

Whether you are a seasoned geocacher or you are doing it for the first time, Geocache Navigator lets you instantly become a treasure hunter directly from your BlackBerry® smartphone. There is no preplanning, mapping or writing down clues – everything you need is at the touch of your hand.

 

**Do something active and fun as a family**

 

Geocaching can make road trips, family vacations or just the average day that much more fun. Geocache Navigator is an easy and affordable application that helps make fitness fun for your family. There is no special equipment needed and everything is instantaneously accessible so you can have fun on your schedule – whenever and wherever you want. Simply start the application on your BlackBerry® smartphone and begin finding treasures – the clues and maps are all right there. You never miss an opportunity to spontaneously find hidden caches

 

Geocache Navigator provides you with robust online resources to help you:

 

*Search for geocaches in your area on-the-go

*Read logs, descriptions and hints on your phone

*Connect wirelessly to caches

*View cache locations on a map

*Navigate to the cache using a digital compass or unique radar-like display

Edited by SeekerOfTheWay
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I have used BlackStar which is a great free app. You can create Pocket Queries on geocaching.com (PMs only), the attachment comes as an email to your BlackBerry, download the file onto your BlackBerry and then import it into BlackStar. It gives you waypoint details, hints etc. Works great. You can also show all caches on BlackBerry Maps. You can show one cache at a time on Google Maps. With both options you can get turn by turn directions right to the cache. The ability to load PQ and Routes onto BlackStar makes it worthwhile. Compass Modeutf-8BQ2FwdHVyZTZfMTlfMjguanBn.jpgWaypoint Detailsutf-8BQ2FwdHVyZTZfMTlfMzcuanBn.jpgWaypoint List From Pocket Queryutf-8BQ2FwdHVyZTZfMjBfMTIuanBn.jpgShow All Waypoints on BlackBerry Mapsutf-8BQ2FwdHVyZTZfMjFfMTUuanBn.jpgGoogle Directions to cacheutf-8BQ2FwdHVyZTZfMzFfOC5qcGc.jpgShow Terrain on Google Mapsutf-8BQ2FwdHVyZTZfMzJfMTguanBn.jpg

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Hi guys, thanks for your responses, but I have already tried those apps... and compared to the Geocaching.com app from Grounspeak for iPhone and Android, the GUI, just doesn't really compare.

 

:laughing:

Wow. I'm surprised to hear that. I have geocache navigator and it does everything I could possibly want, with one exception: you can't see a map with more than one map on it.

I mostly use it when I am in the field looking for caches I have downloaded onto my eXplorist 500. I will turn on TGN to see if there are new ones or if I have missed any. I also use it for cache page, logs and hints if I am having trouble with a cache. And finally, sometimes the compass pointer seems more accurate on the phone than the one on the gps.

A tip for others considering this app if you have AT&T: Buy from the Blackberry store rather than from AT&T.

One time $19.99 vs monthly $6.99

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I toggle between both BlackStar and Geocache Navigator. The main difference for me is that I use Blackstar when I've planned ahead and have uploaded a pocket query. I use Geocache Navigator when I want to on-the-fly search for a nearby cache.

 

GeoNav

LIKES:

You don't have to plan ahead, you can search on the fly, and it's quick to search. You can see the hints, the recent logs, the description, etc. You can look at it on a radar view, compass view, or map view (where you can select background of terrain, street map, or satellite). You can log it as found or not found directly from the app, and it goes to your field notes to easily add logs later.

 

DISLIKES:

You can't filter the finds much, and you can't save the filters you can set. I want to eliminate all micros, for example .. or search by a specific size. The results are limited to the closest 10-25 caches, so when you can't eliminate things you don't want, sometimes those things will take up the whole search results.

 

Blackstar

LIKES:

You can use pocket queries and see lists of exactly the caches you want to include in the filter. You can view multiple caches on a map at one time (using the blackberry map not google map)

Oh .. and it's FREE! :laughing:

 

You can save multiple different pocket queries .. and then whenever you want to see a different list, you clear the current one and import the next one. This lets me better organize my query results to meet what I'm currently looking for.

 

DISLIKES:

Unless you've planned ahead with a pocket query, it's hard and slow to search, because it basically just gives you a web link to geocaching.com to search for nearby. The maps also just seem to send a link to the external application, which makes it slower and (at least it seems to me like it) hogs more blackberry bandwidth/cache/memory (again, not scientifically proven, just what it feels like to me).

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My apologies if this has already been discussed in a previous posting somewhere.

 

But someone could point me to the thread, it would be good as well.

 

I'm was surprised that Groundspeak released an iPhone Geocaching.com app. But I'm definitely suprised that they released an Android App, but haven't yet thought about releasing an app for the Blackberry. :anibad:

 

I know there are quite a few of us that would gladly pay for this...

 

As a previous BB owner, I also found it kinda odd that they released an app for the number 3 selling platform (iPhone), then after some time the number 2, although it may have bumped up a spot since that info is around a month old, selling platform (Android) and never for the number 1 selling platform (Blackberry).

 

I know at one point the reason may have been that the dominant carrier, Verizon, had their GPS's locked so you could only use proprietary apps however that has long since passed.

 

Since the development of the Android app was not the smoothest, they may have a bad taste in their mouth for a while, however now that both apps are relatively stable and they brought development back in-house it may be that it is time to get a BB one in the works. Don't see RiM devices disappearing anytime soon. This might change somewhat when Verizon starts selling the iPhone this January, however it is unlikely to affect it.

 

EDIT: Oops, may have spoke too soon. Saw this right after posting. Looks like Android bumped BB to #2. Surprising with the amount of business clients out there.

Edited by baloo&bd
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Hi guys, thanks for your responses, but I have already tried those apps... and compared to the Geocaching.com app from Grounspeak for iPhone and Android, the GUI, just doesn't really compare.

 

 

You're right, however your choices are to change phones or settle unless something unforeseen happens. If you are a CostCo member, right now they have what is arguably the best Android phone on the market, Droid 2, for $99.

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A tip for others considering this app if you have AT&T

 

Given that this months Consumer Reports lists AT&T as the worst network in the US my tip would be get Verizon.

Except that my Verizon BB Curve has the GPS unavailable for apps other than the BB maps. Darn nuisance. I will soon be transitioning away from BB for that reason. If you are going to use any of the suggested applications on a Verizon phone, be sure that the GPS is unlocked for non-BB apps.

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another thing that might be helpful in the battle of getting us blackberry users a little help would be a mobile site. I just got a curve 3g, running a leaked version of OS 6, and while i am now able to search for a location from the home page it is very glitchy still an improvement over my 8520. All we want is a little love so we can use both of our well techno toy habits together.

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Except that my Verizon BB Curve has the GPS unavailable for apps other than the BB maps. Darn nuisance. I will soon be transitioning away from BB for that reason. If you are going to use any of the suggested applications on a Verizon phone, be sure that the GPS is unlocked for non-BB apps.

 

That was a Verizon decision, not BB's, to lock the phone GPS. At that time all Verizon phones from all makers had locked GPSs. Just want to make sure you are blaming the right company for the way your phone is set up.

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I have a Blackberry 9700 and found the Trimble software constantly gave me random App Error 539 (or 529) issues - and would freeze upon restarts. I wiped and restored my phone about 6 times before I worked out it was the Trimble software. I ended up getting my money back on it, so obviously was a bug, and the errors never came back after I uninstalled it. (didn't like the interface much anyway!)

 

I have CacheSense on my BB now - much nicer, but have just upgraded my GPS device to a Garmin 62s - so don't know how much I'll continue to use my BB for caching!

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I just finished two years using the Storm 1 from Verizon with the Trimble app. I never had any problems except when I was in some remote area and couldn't get a signal (my frinds with their AT&T iPhones stopped working much earlier). True, the interface isn't as fancy as the iPhone but it worked like a charm. I recently upgraded to the Droid X and am using the free "c:geo" application. Went out to eastern Colorado last week for Christmas and took a day to go caching. With no cache notes at all I was able to locate and find caches all day long.

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Maybe the guys at froggie HQ could see the future. BB has slipped to number 4 with Android currently holding a significant (33% of total sales) lead over all others. RIM down to 15% and sliding. With Nokia number two maybe they should look there.

 

4th Quarter 2010

 

Dumping my Storm 2 for the Droid X was the best thing I have done in years.

Edited by Walts Hunting
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