Apps for Droids?

[+dkhiker]

Hello All!

My husband and I have been discussing geocaching for several years now. So! this year I bought him a membership with this site, and the book "GeoCaching for Dummies" (sort of my way of letting him that we should quit talking and start caching <g>.) He has a Droid and I was wondering if there are any apps out there he can download onto his phone. He's the techie not me - <g> I'm the tree-hugger of the family <g>

Anyhow! we have two kids (age 6 - age 3 turning 4 in the spring), a wonderful blue merled cattle dog (Britches), and a young pack goat in training (Not-Her). We are super excited about getting started, but don't want to rushing in head first, only to find ourselves hanging off a cliff with no life line.

Looking forward to any advice or groups we can tap into.

Right now, I am especially interested in any Apps that are compatible with a Droid.

We live in Washougal WA (which is near Vancouver WA - across from Portland OR.)

ThnX! and Merry Christmas - dkhiker

[+MountainRacer]

The official Geocaching app for Android is good. It's been improved a great deal since it first came out. It costs about ten bucks to download through the Android marketplace, which you pay once and never have to renew. There are other apps out there, but none of them are Groundspeak-sanctioned.

[jholly]

The ones that are not Groundspeak sanctioned are because they violate the terms of use for the site. If you come here for help on those apps your forum post will be deleted. You can also plan on a day or two of downtime every time the site goes down for the monthly maintenance while the authors of these applications fix them so the work with the site again.

[+niraD]

Not all third-party apps violate the Groundspeak TOU. For example, GeoBeagle and GeoHunter respect the Groundspeak TOU. These apps are free, although you'll need to load Pocket Query data for them to be most useful.

 

With that said, I prefer the Groundspeak app. Given what you're paying for the device and for service, the $10 for the Groundspeak app is very reasonable.

 

Keep in mind that your phone's battery life, durability, and satellite reception will be much worse than the battery life, durability, and satellite reception of a dedicated handheld GPS receiver.

[+LukeTrocity]

Not all third-party apps violate the Groundspeak TOU. For example, GeoBeagle and GeoHunter respect the Groundspeak TOU. These apps are free, although you'll need to load Pocket Query data for them to be most useful.

 

With that said, I prefer the Groundspeak app. Given what you're paying for the device and for service, the $10 for the Groundspeak app is very reasonable.

 

Keep in mind that your phone's battery life, durability, and satellite reception will be much worse than the battery life, durability, and satellite reception of a dedicated handheld GPS receiver.

 

Geobeagle works well. From my personal experience the geocaching app doesn't work as intended but I think I'm in the minority. When I run the app, it never closes and continually drains the battery. There is another app named c:geo that exists, its the best out there but violates geocaching.com's TOU. Although this may change since I hear they may be opening their API.

 

So in short there are tons of apps!

 

Edit: Also I find my Droid Incredible to be as accurate as my GPS. It def isn't as durable or good on batteries though.

Edited December 24, 2010 by LukeTrocity

[+WRASTRO]

I have been using Cachemate on my Motorola Droid for about a year now and have been very happy with it. I already owned Cachemate for my old Palm M125 and was able to port it to my Droid at no additional cost. I think it is only $10 regardless. Most days now when I am out and about I use my Droid when hunting the random cache and I do not have my trusty Garmin 76cs. Other than the sturdiness factor I have been quite pleased with the performance of my Droid and Cachemate. Of course I can't expect my phone to be as sturdy as my hand held GPS.

[+dkhiker]

Not all third-party apps violate the Groundspeak TOU. For example, GeoBeagle and GeoHunter respect the Groundspeak TOU. These apps are free, although you'll need to load Pocket Query data for them to be most useful.

 

With that said, I prefer the Groundspeak app. Given what you're paying for the device and for service, the $10 for the Groundspeak app is very reasonable.

 

Keep in mind that your phone's battery life, durability, and satellite reception will be much worse than the battery life, durability, and satellite reception of a dedicated handheld GPS receiver.

 

We've been considering a handheld GPS device and will be doing more research in this area. My hubby LOVES! his Droid, so I know that even when we do buy the handheld GPS, he will still be playing with the Droid.

ThnX! for all the input.

[the3gmen]

I have a droid tablet that only has WiFi internet access. I have tried cachemate on it and it looks good but I'm wondering about the Goundspeak app.

 

Cachemate creates databases that are stored on the sd card and I can search offline. Can I do that with the Groundspeak app ?

 

edited to add :

 

I just installed GeoBeagle and it looks very good too.

Edited December 30, 2010 by the3gmen

[+niraD]

The Groundspeak app can use PQ data, and can save field notes on the device until you're within WiFi range again and can upload them. The maps won't work, but you'll still be able to navigate to the cache.

 

My concern about using a Droid tablet would be dropping it. My Android phone fits in my hand nicely, and I still put it away when the terrain gets rough. A tablet seems like it would be even easier to drop.

[+Tribe_Of_5ive]

I've downloaded c:geo free to my droid phone. You can download the caches using wifi and store them on your sd card. They appear on googlemaps and gps takes you there. Not sure about the accuracy in the field as I was only doing some initial investigation. Looks impressive though. I have a car phone charger so if I was out and about I'd use that to top the battery up if needs be.

 

As I am into walking I decided to buy a GPS so I could load UK OS maps so I doubt I'll use my phone now.

 

Good luck.

 

Damo

[the3gmen]

I wouldn't be using the droid tablet for navigation in the field, the garmin 60csx is unbeatable for that. I would use the tablet in the car, or possibly have it in my backpack for consultation in the field. Sort of like a bigger version of my palm pilot.

 

The cachemate app and geobeagle both seem to have field notes that can be uploaded when wifi becomes available, and the maps seem to work while I'm sitting here at home but probably won't in the field.

 

Oh yeah, and both of those apps can import gpx files.

Edited December 30, 2010 by the3gmen

[+Garpo1]

I am brand new to caching. I downloaded the c:geo app on my droid. I have been reviewing some posts trying to figure out which one is the best app for me to use. I have no problem paying the $10 for a good app, but is that app better than the free one that I downloaded. Also what is wrong with using the c:geo? I also would like to start out on the right foot with this. I was also wondering if there were any differences in accuracy with the different apps as well? Any help would be great!

 

p.s. If theres anyone in the Monroe, MI are or the Toledo, OH area that would like to help a newbie get started shoot me an e-mail Garpo1@aol.com

[+niraD]

Also what is wrong with using the c:geo?

According to the geocaching.com site's terms of use, "You agree that you will not use any robot, spider, scraper or other automated means to access the Site for any purpose without our express written permission."

 

The c:geo app violates the terms of use by scraping the site.

[+Sol seaker]

can anyone else confirm that the Groundspeak ap drains the phone battery even when not in use??

 

And what if the internet is turned off?

[+LukeTrocity]

can anyone else confirm that the Groundspeak ap drains the phone battery even when not in use??

 

And what if the internet is turned off?

I can confirm this. Doesn't matter what's turned off, the only way to fix it is to reboot the phone.

[+Semper Questio]

I have no experience with the gc.com app, but I've found that most apps stay resident and active even when not using them. Very few have an exit function and fewer still clean up after themselves. That's where you need something like "advanced task killer" which is an app to kill other apps. You can uncheck what you don't want killed, check what you do (be sure to leave the task killer checked so it will kill itself) and forcible shutdown (kill) any apps you don't want running and sucking down resources. You can also kill apps by going into your settings and then into the apps manager (manage applications) and doing forced shutdowns form there. The task killing app makes that much easier.

 

One caveat. Don't use it too often. I generally use it once - at night - but every once in a while I will use it to kill off something I've been using that I know is a resource hog. If you use it too much it can fragment your system memory too much and then you will have to restart your droid device.

[+LukeTrocity]

I have no experience with the gc.com app, but I've found that most apps stay resident and active even when not using them. Very few have an exit function and fewer still clean up after themselves. That's where you need something like "advanced task killer" which is an app to kill other apps. You can uncheck what you don't want killed, check what you do (be sure to leave the task killer checked so it will kill itself) and forcible shutdown (kill) any apps you don't want running and sucking down resources. You can also kill apps by going into your settings and then into the apps manager (manage applications) and doing forced shutdowns form there. The task killing app makes that much easier.

 

One caveat. Don't use it too often. I generally use it once - at night - but every once in a while I will use it to kill off something I've been using that I know is a resource hog. If you use it too much it can fragment your system memory too much and then you will have to restart your droid device.

Actually the way android works task killers are actually not necessary. This is a huge myth. Android does not run like windows, and when you back out of an app it "loses focus" at that point the memory becomes free again. From what I have read task killers do more harm than good.

[tueromanow]

Just found my first cache today thanks to my SE Xperia X8 and the Geocaching App. I'm very much in doubt if it gets any easier. Downloading lists of nearest caches, navigation and logging is just SO easy if you've got a good subscription with flatrate data. I've wanted to start geocaching for a long time now but it's just been to expensive. Now, I've got it all in one package and I love it!!

[+Team BowMint]

Keep in mind that your phone's battery life, durability, and satellite reception will be much worse than the battery life, durability, and satellite reception of a dedicated handheld GPS receiver.

 

I'm still having a hard time being convinced my Droid's GPS isn't every bit as acurate as a traditional GPSr. Perhaps I have only been lucky, but there hasn't been a time in my very young Geo-Career where Ground Zero hasn't been almost perfect, or within 15 feet... Perhaps this will change when I go deep into woods or on very cloudy days, but I used it in the rain yesterday with great results. The battery is an issue, but I plug it in to the lighter while en route to the next cache...

[+niraD]

Keep in mind that your phone's battery life, durability, and satellite reception will be much worse than the battery life, durability, and satellite reception of a dedicated handheld GPS receiver.

I'm still having a hard time being convinced my Droid's GPS isn't every bit as acurate as a traditional GPSr. Perhaps I have only been lucky, but there hasn't been a time in my very young Geo-Career where Ground Zero hasn't been almost perfect, or within 15 feet... Perhaps this will change when I go deep into woods or on very cloudy days, but I used it in the rain yesterday with great results.

Weather shouldn't affect your reception significantly. Where I've noticed the difference has been under heavy tree cover (e.g., coastal redwood forests) and in steep canyons (e.g., where the near wall blocks 45% of the sky and the far wall blocks another 30% of the sky).

 

The battery is an issue, but I plug it in to the lighter while en route to the next cache...

Yep, that works... as long as you're getting from cache to cache in a vehicle with a lighter.

 

A friend of mine says that if he ever gets a time machine, he wants to go back and tell the engineers who designed automobile cigarette lighters that their invention will be used as a power source for all kinds of devices that they can't even imagine, and that they should design a better electrical connection. But I digress...

[+Team BowMint]

Where I've noticed the difference has been under heavy tree cover (e.g., coastal redwood forests) and in steep canyons (e.g., where the near wall blocks 45% of the sky and the far wall blocks another 30% of the sky).

 

 

When I get to the point where I am Caching in Redwood forests and canyons, I'm gonna have the best dadgum GPSr out there! NICE!!!!

[+Lee_Bo]

I have the HTC Incredible with the geocaching.com app and the Seidio Innocell 3500mAh extended battery. The phone actually fits better in my hand with that battery and I can hammer on it hard all day and still be at 50% battery at midnight. I do not use a "task killer" app, and if I look at the running apps when not using the CG.com app it's not showing as a running app, so I cannot confirm or deny that it uses battery when not in use.

[+LukeTrocity]

I have the HTC Incredible with the geocaching.com app and the Seidio Innocell 3500mAh extended battery. The phone actually fits better in my hand with that battery and I can hammer on it hard all day and still be at 50% battery at midnight. I do not use a "task killer" app, and if I look at the running apps when not using the CG.com app it's not showing as a running app, so I cannot confirm or deny that it uses battery when not in use.

Just go to settings, battery, what's using the battery after you close the app and watch it drain away.