+Triggur Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 I just spent the weekend caching with a version 1 (with 3G) iPad. It was *incredible*. I made 82 finds. I downloaded a pocket query for the region and told the app to download all the map tiles and away it went. Even out in the middle of nowhere-- the Medicine Bow National Forest in Wyoming-- it did a phenomenal job of showing me where I was, and the downloaded satellite/topo imagery made it great. Its positional accuracy was great, even way out there. I had no trouble keeping it clean and safe even in the dusty heat; it was in the standard black case the whole time. It was a joy to use for navigation in the car, too... much bigger display, much easier to see, and much easier to type logs. If I had the iPad 2 I could have been taking pics along the way, but that's a nice-to-have. Day 2 I cached in northern Colorado around Greeley with it. Then too, it did great. The only thing I missed is having the iPad's full resolution instead of the 2x'd iPhone app display! So: downloading pocket queries/map tiles is absolutely the way to go on iPad caching. I really had a great time with it! Quote Link to comment
+CacheFreakTim Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 Ya I think a lot of people overlook the iPad but it really is a great Geocaching device. The GPS is very accurate and the battery life is much better than any cell phone out there. The only issue is that if you drop it you are out $500-$800. Just hold on to it tight, or get a case. Quote Link to comment
+Triggur Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 Ya I think a lot of people overlook the iPad but it really is a great Geocaching device. The GPS is very accurate and the battery life is much better than any cell phone out there. The iPad's battery life floored me! My iPhone would be dead 2 hours into a caching session if I didn't keep it intermittently plugged into the car charger. The iPad ran for 5 or 6 hours and when I was done there was still 20% battery left! At this point all I reallyreally want is for them to add a bumped resolution mode for the map screen in specific and it will be about perfect. Quote Link to comment
+CacheFreakTim Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 At this point all I reallyreally want is for them to add a bumped resolution mode for the map screen in specific and it will be about perfect. Go into your Geocaching app, menu, settings, and then change your maps to Google Maps. The Bing maps are super low res, while the Google maps are high resolution. Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 ...My iPhone would be dead 2 hours into a caching session if I didn't keep it intermittently plugged into the car charger. The iPad ran for 5 or 6 hours and when I was done there was still 20% battery left!. That's all? I can get a whole day of caching out of my iPhone battery -- but admittedly I power manage, micro-manage the heck out of it. Quote Link to comment
+G & C Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I bought my wife an iPad 2 for her birthday, and with it a bad elf for myself. I tend to steal it and use it mainly for navigational purposes on airfields when I'm flying, but geocaching is another thing that wound up working well. I too am quite impressed with the iPads battery life, even when using the 3G coverage. I still prefer my Oregon, but if I forgot it or can't access it, the iPad does the job with no problems. Quote Link to comment
janny23 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 (edited) I think this problem is trouble Edited August 17, 2011 by janny23 Quote Link to comment
+LukeTrocity Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I have an ipad 2, and there's just no shot of me bringing it into the woods geocaching. Seems like I would break it quite quickly. Good luck though if it works for you! Quote Link to comment
+fegan Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 I downloaded a pocket query for the region and told the app to download all the map tiles and away it went. Which 'app' are you using? Quote Link to comment
+CacheFreakTim Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 ...My iPhone would be dead 2 hours into a caching session if I didn't keep it intermittently plugged into the car charger. The iPad ran for 5 or 6 hours and when I was done there was still 20% battery left!. That's all? I can get a whole day of caching out of my iPhone battery -- but admittedly I power manage, micro-manage the heck out of it. Just standard usage without turing brightness down and caching the whole time I get around 4 on my iPhone. I added an add on battery/case (mophie juice pack) which doubles it to 8-9. The iPad goes strong all day. Have not even come close to it running out of battery even with wifi and GPS on. Quote Link to comment
+user13371 Posted August 17, 2011 Share Posted August 17, 2011 (edited) Some Geocaching power management/battery extending tips. The first one is iPhone specific, but the rest are applicable to iPhone and iPad alike: - If you're not planning to be taking calls while in the field, turn on call forwarding. - Turn the brighness down to "how the heck can you see that?" - Use Geosphere instead of the GC.com "offical app." - If you're just reading the cache description while not zeroing in on the cache, turn off the GPS in GeoSphere. - While travelling between caches, if they're more than a few minutes apart, switch to airplane mode (all radios off). - While travelling between caches, if they're more than 20 minutes apart, turn the iPhone off completely. - Don't upload field notes or logs while you're on the go, wait until you're home. Edited August 17, 2011 by Portland Cyclist Quote Link to comment
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