Switched to an iPad 2...

[surfbored]

I started out using a geomate jr for geocaching, just to be sure I liked it before investing a lot of money. Turns out I love it and so do my kids. So, after getting an iPad and adding both a gps receiver and the geocaching app, I find I can't really go caching without a 3G connection. How is it that my cheapo GPSr can get me to a cache, but my $1000 device still falls short?

 

I must be missing something? I'm not willing to pay Verizon cash every month to support my caching habit. Can someone recommend something other than buying another device?

 

TIA for any suggestions!

[+Bear and Ragged]

Keep using the Geomate.

Get the update kit.

Get Premium Membership.

 

Premium Membership allows you to run Pocket Queries.

The Update kit allows you to ADD caches to the Geomate.

Use the iPad to store your PQ's so you have cache information* in the field and off line.

 

*Will the iPad/is there a way to/ store web pages offline for browsing?

[+Ambient_Skater]

How is it that my cheapo GPSr can get me to a cache, but my $1000 device still falls short?

Because the $1000 device is not a GPS. A $1000 GPS would have gotten you to a cache better than a $1000 device that isn't a GPS.

 

Other apps can also use the 3G connection and it's really convenient, so you're not paying for it just for geocaching.

[+dfx]

Wrong choice of device for the purpose. Simple as that.

[+LukeTrocity]

The same way my car won't get me to the gz...... Well not totally

[surfbored]

How is it that my cheapo GPSr can get me to a cache, but my $1000 device still falls short?

Because the $1000 device is not a GPS. A $1000 GPS would have gotten you to a cache better than a $1000 device that isn't a GPS.

 

Other apps can also use the 3G connection and it's really convenient, so you're not paying for it just for geocaching.

 

Actually the $1000 device IS a GPS and it includes the official geocaching app. So, you see my frustration. I already give Verizon $300 a month, they're not getting another cent from me. But thanks for taking the time.

[surfbored]

Keep using the Geomate.

Get the update kit.

Get Premium Membership.

 

Premium Membership allows you to run Pocket Queries.

The Update kit allows you to ADD caches to the Geomate.

Use the iPad to store your PQ's so you have cache information* in the field and off line.

 

*Will the iPad/is there a way to/ store web pages offline for browsing?

 

Thanks but I've outgrown the geomate. I want maps, comments and harder caches (geomate jr only goes to three stars), etc. I would consider the premium membership, but I didn't need it with the geomate so i was hoping to find a way around this. Thanks for taking the time though.

[+Panther&Pine]

Keep using the Geomate.

Get the update kit.

Get Premium Membership.

 

Premium Membership allows you to run Pocket Queries.

The Update kit allows you to ADD caches to the Geomate.

Use the iPad to store your PQ's so you have cache information* in the field and off line.

 

*Will the iPad/is there a way to/ store web pages offline for browsing?

 

Thanks but I've outgrown the geomate. I want maps, comments and harder caches (geomate jr only goes to three stars), etc. I would consider the premium membership, but I didn't need it with the geomate so i was hoping to find a way around this. Thanks for taking the time though.

 

Woops. Your iPad is good for many things, But its primary function is not a GPS unit. That is not even its secondary function.

The Geomate with the upgrade kit and the iPad can be a great paperless solution.

 

Otherwise I'd recommend selling the extra unit (you decide which one is the extra Geocaching device) and buy something that is paperless. I've heard very good things about the Oregon.

Edited June 26, 2011 by MooseJawSpruce

[surfbored]

Wrong choice of device for the purpose. Simple as that.

 

Seriously? There's no way to download maps and use the gps? It doesn't seem like a device problem, but rather software that hasn't been optimized.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Bummer that you didn't know that cell-based devices need a fast signal and internet access. I am sure that you will enjoy it for other things.

 

Find a used Garmin GPSMap 60CSx on eBay. It's all you need for geocaching.

[+dfx]

Seriously? There's no way to download maps and use the gps? It doesn't seem like a device problem, but rather software that hasn't been optimized.

 

Oh of course there could be software that would make it work like a handheld GPS. There could also be software to turn a handheld GPS into a web browser. Problem is that there isn't. You may be able to patch things up and at least make it usable, but had you gotten a proper handheld, you'd never have had those problems to begin with.

 

Trust me, I had the same thoughts when I got my PDA and tried to use it for everything, including geocaching. It could've been done, but the software just didn't exist to do it all. So eventually I gave up on the idea.

[+mwellman]

I started out using a geomate jr for geocaching, just to be sure I liked it before investing a lot of money. Turns out I love it and so do my kids. So, after getting an iPad and adding both a gps receiver and the geocaching app, I find I can't really go caching without a 3G connection. How is it that my cheapo GPSr can get me to a cache, but my $1000 device still falls short?

 

I must be missing something? I'm not willing to pay Verizon cash every month to support my caching habit. Can someone recommend something other than buying another device?

 

TIA for any suggestions!

 

Welcome to Geocaching, surfbored!

 

We have the ipad2 and in the car we tether it to the bluetooth in our cellphone, a iphone3g. Then we can see the maps, read the cache descriptions and log our finds. But we would never take our expensive ipad2 out of the car to go wandering in the woods. One misstep! And how would you blend inconspicuously as you walk around staring at your computer?

 

We have found caches using maps, iphone, Nuvi Garmin car unit for urban hides but in the rural areas or bushes or trails, we rely on our Garmins - Etrex and Magellan. Rural areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan often do not have cell coverage and the Google Earth maps just give you a blur of greens and browns.

 

Two recent examples - our DNF last week at Camp Kuriakos Cache, where we slip down the steep lake banks twice - http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=3cf6f942-49d3-466d-958b-b4c0d6df6b8e or our day hike in Ministik Bird Sanctuary for Quoth the Raven - http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=389bfa14-76ee-4572-9d26-16d3c2420192

 

Get the update kit for your Geomate Jr. and the Premium membership and enjoy your Geocaching Adventures!

 

The mwellmans

 

Edited to fix link.

Edited June 26, 2011 by mwellman

[+Ambient_Skater]

Actually the $1000 device IS a GPS and it includes the official geocaching app.

Actually it's not. It just isn't.

[+Chokecherry]

I use my iphone for paperless stuff and my 60csx for actual caching. Why? Because I get very poor cell reception where I like to cache for one. I like to cache for more than an hour (sucks the live out of the battery). A good receiver will get me a good signal even in denser woods (also where I like to cache).

 

I have also had some issues with wandering through swamps and dropping my unit. My gps will survive that no problem. My phone not so much and I'm quite sure nothing good would happen to your $1000 toy in that same situation.

 

I like to cache in rough terrain. Lot sof rocks. Falling occurs. Sometimes the bag gets dropped. Sometimes I land on the bag and sometimes the unit goes flying out of my hand. Phone wouldn't survive that. Fairly sure your ipad wouldn't either.

 

Your ipad is the right tool for somethings and not for others. Right tool for the right job makes things go much smoother. If price point is something you seem to get off on there are higher end units that have bells and whistles you would like.

[knowschad]

How is it that my cheapo GPSr can get me to a cache, but my $1000 device still falls short?

Because the $1000 device is not a GPS. A $1000 GPS would have gotten you to a cache better than a $1000 device that isn't a GPS.

 

Other apps can also use the 3G connection and it's really convenient, so you're not paying for it just for geocaching.

 

Actually the $1000 device IS a GPS and it includes the official geocaching app. So, you see my frustration. I already give Verizon $300 a month, they're not getting another cent from me. But thanks for taking the time.

 

For $300, you could have just about had your pick of dedicated handheld GPS units. You chose a tool that does many things, but does not do geocaching very well. I can drive a screw with a hammer, but it does a damned poor job of it. I can imagine your frustration, but if you had asked first, you would have received a lot of advice to get the right tool for the job. Sorry...

[surfbored]

Honestly, I was hoping for a little more constructive advice, not critiques on my spending habits or choice of hardware. Still to those that posted, thanks for making the effort. Further investigation into the apps market shows that the problem is with the geocaching app. There is a feature to cache maps in the app, but it's awful. I found 2 other gps apps that let me cache maps and they're actually cheaper. Unfortunately with them I have to load the location information manually, which is a bit tedious.

 

I have hopes that the next version of the geocaching app (the iPad version that is) will address this shortcoming.

 

Anyone else that has the problems I ran into, note that you can get very friendly results using an iPad with an external gps (I picked the Dual XPGS150 with Bluetooth) and the proper mapping app (I'm currently using motionX GPS HD).

 

If there is anyone else out there with suggestions, please feel free to enlighten me, as I don't think I have the perfect solution yet.

 

And again, thanks to those of you that replied already. Even if you didn't have the information I was hoping for, it's still much appreciated.

[+dfx]

Honestly, I was hoping for a little more constructive advice, not critiques on my spending habits or choice of hardware. Still to those that posted, thanks for making the effort.

It wasn't supposed to be criticism, but merely a truthful answer to your original question of "why".

[+Sol seaker]

Honestly, I was hoping for a little more constructive advice, not critiques on my spending habits or choice of hardware. Still to those that posted, thanks for making the effort. Further investigation into the apps market shows that the problem is with the geocaching app. There is a feature to cache maps in the app, but it's awful. I found 2 other gps apps that let me cache maps and they're actually cheaper. Unfortunately with them I have to load the location information manually, which is a bit tedious.

 

I have hopes that the next version of the geocaching app (the iPad version that is) will address this shortcoming.

 

Anyone else that has the problems I ran into, note that you can get very friendly results using an iPad with an external gps (I picked the Dual XPGS150 with Bluetooth) and the proper mapping app (I'm currently using motionX GPS HD).

 

If there is anyone else out there with suggestions, please feel free to enlighten me, as I don't think I have the perfect solution yet.

 

And again, thanks to those of you that replied already. Even if you didn't have the information I was hoping for, it's still much appreciated.

 

I read the thread here and I don't see the replies as critiques on your choices, but as information on those devices.

 

I'm sorry you aren't getting the answer you want.

It seems you want someone to tell you how you can use the Ipad for geocaching. You want someone to come up with the perfect app for it.

The problem is in the unit, not in the applications.

 

This is like me getting a very old early computer and trying to watch Hulu or Utube on it through a dial up connection.

My first computer had 4 mg ram on it. (yes megabites, NOT GiGabites). There is no way I can make that machine watch utube videos or movies. It's just not going to do it.

I can change the dial up connection and get cable, or I can try to load other programs onto it, but I'm just not going to watch TV on that computer. It's the wrong tool for the job.

 

Your ipad is a fine machine. But it will not do dishes, and it will not, in the long run, no matter what apps you run on it, become a GPS or a great tool for geocaching. It just is the wrong tool for the job.

 

It runs a gps app on it, but it is not a GPS. It doesn't even work as well as a GPS in locating things.

 

It also doesn't have the durability nor the weatherproof qualities you need to go geocaching.

 

Phones also have GPS apps on them. I've known many people to start out geocaching on a phone. It is not a GPS and has a lot of failings too. If people keep caching they go out and get a GPS, ESPECIALLY if they want to HIDE caches.

 

People are trying to be helpful and honest with you here.

It's not the answer you want to hear, but it is the truthful answer. We won't lie to you here and just tell you something because it's what you want to hear.

 

You can start out geocaching on many things, but in the end, if you're getting frustrated with the failings of using the wrong tool for the job, you're going to need the right tool.

 

Before you go out and spend more money, please check out the forum section on buying GPS's. Just get one that is paperless to begin with so you won't run into this same problem again later.

[+BuckeyeClan]

Honestly, I was hoping for a little more constructive advice, not critiques on my spending habits or choice of hardware. Still to those that posted, thanks for making the effort. Further investigation into the apps market shows that the problem is with the geocaching app. There is a feature to cache maps in the app, but it's awful. I found 2 other gps apps that let me cache maps and they're actually cheaper. Unfortunately with them I have to load the location information manually, which is a bit tedious.

 

I have hopes that the next version of the geocaching app (the iPad version that is) will address this shortcoming.

 

Anyone else that has the problems I ran into, note that you can get very friendly results using an iPad with an external gps (I picked the Dual XPGS150 with Bluetooth) and the proper mapping app (I'm currently using motionX GPS HD).

 

If there is anyone else out there with suggestions, please feel free to enlighten me, as I don't think I have the perfect solution yet.

 

And again, thanks to those of you that replied already. Even if you didn't have the information I was hoping for, it's still much appreciated.

 

FWIW, there really *isn't* an ipad app--rather it's an iphone app that's compatible with the ipad. I'm just guessing here, but I doubt that Groundspeak really expects many people to try to go caching with one of these devices without a data connection. So I doubt that they are in a big hurry to add that feature to the app. I'm not trying to be critical, just trying to put it in perspective as to why it's not a feature. Truthfully, though, none of us really knows what Groundspeak's intentions are--you might want to start a topic in the feedback forum, that's the best way to bring your request to their attention.

 

I don't really know anything about all the apps--I don't use them--but isn't there a way to save caches or download PQ's so you can use your device in areas without a data connection? Or is that just with a couple of the unofficial apps? I could swear that I've read that here--wouldn't this be a similar situation? I don't know, maybe I'm way off base!

[surfbored]

 

FWIW, there really *isn't* an ipad app--rather it's an iphone app that's compatible with the ipad. I'm just guessing here, but I doubt that Groundspeak really expects many people to try to go caching with one of these devices without a data connection. So I doubt that they are in a big hurry to add that feature to the app.

 

Thankfully for us iPad users, Groundspeak has this as the number one requested upgrade for the iPhone app (hooray!).

http://feedback.geocaching.com/forums/75277-geocaching-for-iphone/topics/75853-how-can-we-improve-the-iphone-application-/filter/top

 

[+Ambient_Skater]

Honestly, I was hoping for a little more constructive advice, not critiques on my spending habits or choice of hardware.

So you want to be able to buy whatever you want, then tell us to find a way for you to make it do what you want it to do?

[surfbored]

Honestly, I was hoping for a little more constructive advice, not critiques on my spending habits or choice of hardware.

So you want to be able to buy whatever you want, then tell us to find a way for you to make it do what you want it to do?

 

Whoa, easy there partner! I was just trying to find out if anyone had the same experience I had and if so what did they do to get around it. People instead seemed to focus on what I purchased rather than the question I posted. I tried to show my appreciation, but apparently my frustration showed through more, I apologize for that.

[+GrateBear]

Honestly, I was hoping for a little more constructive advice, not critiques on my spending habits or choice of hardware.

 

As others have noted, don't take the feedback as critiques. These forums, especially the "getting started" one, is probably one of the kinder forums in existence. If you stick with this activity and follow the forums, you will find that the regulars never tire of answering the same questions over and over. They can always be relied on to give straightforward, honest and helpful answers. We were all noobs at one time, and I'd hazard a guess that we all benefited from the responses. Even today, after years of caching, I find new responses that help me out.

[+KevCan]

Honestly, I was hoping for a little more constructive advice, not critiques on my spending habits or choice of hardware. Still to those that posted, thanks for making the effort. Further investigation into the apps market shows that the problem is with the geocaching app. There is a feature to cache maps in the app, but it's awful. I found 2 other gps apps that let me cache maps and they're actually cheaper. Unfortunately with them I have to load the location information manually, which is a bit tedious.

 

I have hopes that the next version of the geocaching app (the iPad version that is) will address this shortcoming.

 

Anyone else that has the problems I ran into, note that you can get very friendly results using an iPad with an external gps (I picked the Dual XPGS150 with Bluetooth) and the proper mapping app (I'm currently using motionX GPS HD).

 

If there is anyone else out there with suggestions, please feel free to enlighten me, as I don't think I have the perfect solution yet.

 

And again, thanks to those of you that replied already. Even if you didn't have the information I was hoping for, it's still much appreciated.

[+KevCan]

Honestly, I was hoping for a little more constructive advice, not critiques on my spending habits or choice of hardware. Still to those that posted, thanks for making the effort. Further investigation into the apps market shows that the problem is with the geocaching app. There is a feature to cache maps in the app, but it's awful. I found 2 other gps apps that let me cache maps and they're actually cheaper. Unfortunately with them I have to load the location information manually, which is a bit tedious.

 

I have hopes that the next version of the geocaching app (the iPad version that is) will address this shortcoming.

 

Anyone else that has the problems I ran into, note that you can get very friendly results using an iPad with an external gps (I picked the Dual XPGS150 with Bluetooth) and the proper mapping app (I'm currently using motionX GPS HD).

 

If there is anyone else out there with suggestions, please feel free to enlighten me, as I don't think I have the perfect solution yet.

 

And again, thanks to those of you that replied already. Even if you didn't have the information I was hoping for, it's still much appreciated.

 

 

We use BOTH the geomate jr. And our IPAD 1. The geomate is limited as it just has coordinates, GC codes and compass. So we got the geocaching app on our IPAD and YES, we carry both into the woods! We have iPad in a sturdy case and we have insurance on it so if we run into a tree, drop it, etc, it's covered! We absolutely love using both. They compliment each other.

[PapaGPS]

Well, I have a 3g iPad... and it is awesome for writing my GPS notes while in the bathroom. I also have a geomate but I never really used it, but plan to get the update kit and then we will. But I love my Garmin legend.

 

There is an old saying from some TV commercial..... "The right tools for the right job". I can make my kitchen knife do the job of a screwdriver, but it sure ain't pretty! Anyway, best of luck to you, and I am no expert, but I don't think I would have picked an iPad2 for geocaching.

[+AlohaBra and MaksMom]

I would use a Pn60....unless your budget dictates a Garmin touch screen...