What is your must needed smart phone app for geocaching

[+Headhardhat]

Smart phones really are so integrated in our lives and for many with our geocaching. My question is this, besides all the actual geocaching apps that are out there for smart phones like C:Geo, Geocache Navigator, GC's app, etc. What other apps do you use as well? For example the flashlight app for android or a good compass app. Do you use anything to record your notes or store your photos? Anything above and beyond the actual geocaching programs.

 

I am very interested to hear what you have to say and thanks in advance for all your input.

 

-HHH

[+baloo&bd]

Smart phones really are so integrated in our lives and for many with our geocaching. My question is this, besides all the actual geocaching apps that are out there for smart phones like C:Geo, Geocache Navigator, GC's app, etc. What other apps do you use as well? For example the flashlight app for android or a good compass app. Do you use anything to record your notes or store your photos? Anything above and beyond the actual geocaching programs.

 

I am very interested to hear what you have to say and thanks in advance for all your input.

 

-HHH

 

I have several apps I use in GC, but the following are my go to apps.

 

Android:

 

GCTools which contains many tools to help with multi's and mysteries.

GCWatch. This works like the friends list should.

Camera w/ location enabled. Comes with every phone but I keep it also on the screen where all my GC apps are for quick access.

Edited December 27, 2010 by baloo&bd

[+niraD]

On my Android phones, I used to use GeoBeagle. Unlike c:geo, GeoBeagle respects Groundspeak's TOU and does not scrape the geocaching.com site. Along with GeoBeagle, I used:

• the native Android browser (to download PQ data, to view "nearest caches" search results online, and to view cache pages online)
  
• boulter's Geocaching Basecamp (an online tool that allows me to download GPX files with corrected coordinates for solved puzzles)
  
• GPS Status (which gives a slightly better "navigate to cache" screen than GeoBeagle's native one)
  

I now use Groundspeak's app. I'm a beta tester, and keep both the released version and the current development version installed. Along with it, I use:

• the native Android browser (to view cache pages online)
  
• boulter's Geocaching Basecamp (see above)
  

Other apps that I've used for geocaching (or could use for geocaching under some circumstances) include:

• a flashlight app (but I rarely use it when geocaching)
  
• a rot13 app (mainly because a local CO thinks it's cute to impede automatic decription of hints by putting the encrypted hints in brackets like this: "[zntargvp]")
  
• Blackmoon AttachSave (which makes it easier for me to save arbitrary files like PQ data to the device)
  
• a third-party filemanager app (to move PQ data to the directory my main app expects it to be in)
  
• a third-party Google Docs app
  
• an RPN calculator app (much easier for me to use than "standard" calculators)
  
• WhereYouGo (although I haven't used it for any Wherigo caches yet)
  
• a barcode scanner
  
• the native camera and gallery apps
  
• the native calendar and navigation apps (driving to events that I've added to my calendar)
  

For anything more than an occasional cache or two, I think key accessories would be a handheld GPSr and/or a charging system (car charger, battery-powered USB charger, spare batteries, whatever). The GPS antenna requires a lot of power (relatively speaking) and drains the phone's battery quickly. A dedicated handheld GPSr will have much better battery life, durability, and satellite reception. A charging system lets you use the phone for geocaching for a few hours, and still have a usable phone afterwards. For anything more than a quick cache here and there, I tend to load coordinates into my handheld GPSr and use the phone just for paperless recordkeeping.

[+LukeTrocity]

Waypoint for setting any points I may need

 

Locus for offline cache maps

 

Gps status for radar and check satellites

 

Gps averaging

 

My tracks for recording trails

[Motorcycle_Mama]

Moving to the GPS and Technology forum.

[+geodarts]

On the iphone I use geosphere. Its ability to filter and map a pocket query allows me to plan routes to focus on particular types of caches. Its html display is great for cache pages where graphics are important or caches with longer descriptions - like earthcaches or letterboxes. It complements my handheld. I use the Groundspeak app for caching on the fly, the geocaching toolkit for quick projections or other tasks, but geosphere as an everyday tool.

 

Beyond that, geosphere hooks into Navigon so I use that for voice directions. Camera Genius for added photo features - the self timer is nice good for some of the virtuals; Rhapsody for getting me down the road with some music; and iSpy if there are no caches around and I want to play a location based game.

Edited December 28, 2010 by mulvaney

[+Woodstramp]

As a new smart phone owner....well, not real smart because I can't find a decent app for my Java phone... I loaded the c;geo one on my wife's android and that thing is marvelous.

 

How about a good app for Java phones like you Androiders have? The phone I have (judging by how accurately positions on Google Maps) has really nice GPS circuitry. Only problem is that I don't have a compass page or any way of seeing/setting coordinates. I'd be willing to go $10 for a good Java app.

[+Nick_Scots]

C:Geo - Just downloaded it and used it today, scoping out new cache sites and for mapping a forrest for then creating an Orienteering map. Excellent app.

 

I have an HTC Wildfire only free apps installed.

 

I used SUNDROID today, to check the exact sunset for my locale. Used CRITTER BROWSER to check what a Pipistrelle bat looks like, saw a few out at dusk. Also used it to check about Field Mouse. And used GOOGLE SKYMAP, but too foggy. Wanted to use SATELLITE AR to see the space station, too foggy.

 

As I had a full Phone signal I was ok, although I like C:Geo and it's abiiity to cache mapping etc for offline use.

 

Nick

Edited December 29, 2010 by Nick_Scots

[+bladesedge]

CacheSense (used to be Cacheberry)

[+scnascar]

Smart phones really are so integrated in our lives and for many with our geocaching. My question is this, besides all the actual geocaching apps that are out there for smart phones like C:Geo, Geocache Navigator, GC's app, etc. What other apps do you use as well? For example the flashlight app for android or a good compass app. Do you use anything to record your notes or store your photos? Anything above and beyond the actual geocaching programs.

 

I am very interested to hear what you have to say and thanks in advance for all your input.

 

-HHH

 

HHH,

 

I just stated using C:Geo I was using the GC's app but to me it seems the compass feature is not very accurate even with full cell signal and clear skies.

[John E Cache]

Smart phones really are so integrated in our lives and for many with our geocaching. My question is this, besides all the actual geocaching apps that are out there for smart phones like C:Geo, Geocache Navigator, GC's app, etc. What other apps do you use as well? For example the flashlight app for android or a good compass app. Do you use anything to record your notes or store your photos? Anything above and beyond the actual geocaching programs.

 

I am very interested to hear what you have to say and thanks in advance for all your input.

 

-HHH

 

HHH,

 

I just stated using C:Geo I was using the GC's app but to me it seems the compass feature is not very accurate even with full cell signal and clear skies.

OK, I can kill two birds with one post. First the new 3D Google Maps with compass mode is an amazing app. Almost the killer app that sells Android.

 

 

Second, I am tired of trying to explain how a GPS compass is supposed to work. The video clearly shows what I have been saying. With the compass on the GPS display is supposed to jump around. It just means you are facing different directions.