Simple iPhone (free) app?

[+ThePropers]

Ugh...I hope this is ok to ask...I know how they are about discussing any mobile apps besides the official ones here.

 

I have been asked to run an event for a staff retreat for our company. It's about 75 people who haven't cached before, and will probably cache this one time only, thus paying $10 for the official app is pretty much out of the question. I just need a free app for the iPhone that's capable of inputing your own coordinates for the temporary caches I am hiding and then navigating to them. Even better if I can bring in a GPX file so I can just have them load that rather than putting in each cache manually. It doesn't even have to be a real "caching" app if there's just some kindof mapping or navigation appthat will do this.

 

Anyone have any suggestions? I don't have an iPhone so I can't test anything, although I do see several apps available when I googled it. It appears there is a free "official" app but it only displays three caches and you can't input your own coordinates (just an introduction to caching app, it appears)

 

I am good to go on the Android app of course, but am having trouble finding a free app for iPhone (preferably it will work on both the iPhone 3 and 4).

Edited May 18, 2011 by ThePropers

[stiab3]

Aren't the words "iphone" and "free" usually incompatible?

[+Chief301]

Well, I guess the obvious question is, do all of those 75 people have an iPhone? Or any kind of smartphone with GPS? If they don't have a smartphone how will they participate?

 

Now, for those who do have an iPhone, Motion X is a good, easy to use GPS app. There is a free version that works well. The problem I would foresee is on the day of the event getting everyone to download the app and learn how to use it in a very short period of time. If some of them aren't that tech savvy or slow to pick up on it, it could be frustrating.

[+ThePropers]

Well, I guess the obvious question is, do all of those 75 people have an iPhone? Or any kind of smartphone with GPS? If they don't have a smartphone how will they participate?

 

Now, for those who do have an iPhone, Motion X is a good, easy to use GPS app. There is a free version that works well. The problem I would foresee is on the day of the event getting everyone to download the app and learn how to use it in a very short period of time. If some of them aren't that tech savvy or slow to pick up on it, it could be frustrating.

 

I will be breaking them up into groups, so each group will have a GPS or a smartphone (I don't have enough GPS's to go around). So yes, each group will have a smartphone or two, but will be a mix of both iPhones and Androids.

 

There will be a short training session after our next staff meeting (several days before the event) to teach the people with the apps on how to input coordinates and navigate, so we won't have that mess to deal with the day of the event....although I am prepared that there will probably be technical and/or user issues, which is par for the course.

 

Thanks for the suggestion on Motion X. Will check it out.

Edited May 18, 2011 by ThePropers

[+niraD]

If any of them have Android phones, then GeoBeagle is a good free app that works well with GPX files.

[+TL&MinBHIL]

There is a free version of the official Geocaching app (Geocaching Intro) but it only limits you to 3 nearby caches and if I remember correctly, you can't manually enter waypoints.

 

I'll second the MotionX app. I used the free version back when I still used the Intro version of the Geocaching app and it does allow you to manually enter waypoint coordinates. It's fairly simple to use and I think would be a good choice for your event.

 

MotionX GPS Lite: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/motionx-gps-lite/id293935935?mt=8

[+Lieblweb]

You can use google maps.

 

Type in:

 

cache@(coordinates go here)

[+GeoReapers]

If any of them have Android phones, then GeoBeagle is a good free app that works well with GPX files.

 

I use CGeo and that is a heckuva app.