Iphone versus Android

[+ToonAl]

I was in a discussion with a guy today about Android versus Iphones. And the topic of the app came up. Has any Canadian (token Canadian mention so topic does not get moved ) compared the apps on the two devices?

 

I am actually looking to get a new smartphone and I was wondering if the apps are basically the same or if there is some difference? And if anyone has experience comparing the two.

 

I notice there is an Android forum and there is an Iphone forum but not somewhere that combines the two. Although I am guessing that forum would quickly descend into a two camp flame war. I am NOT looking for someone to tell me how incredibly better (enter operating system name here) is than (enter competing operating system name here) unless it somehow affects the operation of the app.

 

ToonAl

[+northernpenguin]

iPhone vs Android, ah yes one of the great debates. It's like Garmin vs Magellan. Good luck keeping this one flame free!

 

Anyhow, I'm a seasoned iPhone cacher, haven't used the geocaching app on Android - from what I can see on the official page it looks darn near identical to the iPhone version though so I suspect your main differences will be the individual implementations on the Android devices, and the screen sizes. I imagine one of those Galaxy SIIIs with the jumbotron sized screens and decent GPS would be a treat in the woods.

 

Another variable I must mention is the iOS6 map change on the horizon. This could turn out very bad for iOS users if Groundspeak doesn't implement their own Google API calls in their app, since frankly the Apple satellite view maps in iOS6 are ... um ... unmitigated crap. That's an October issue though and things could change by then.

[+Landsharkz]

Chris (Mr Landsharkz) has the iPhone and I (Mrs Landsharkz) have the Android. We both use the geocaching.com app. They are both very good, good maps, good interface. I think we had an instance when something I did like drop a trackable or add a photo was more 'intuitive' but generally we have nothing to report that should sway you either way. Now if you were asking which phone to get, then we'd have a different opinion!! Android all the way!

[danoshimano]

You may want to consider neongeo. Look it up on the Android marketplace and read the reviews. Also read the reviews for the "official" app from Groundspeak (which costs more than double and has no trial version).

 

I used the neongeo trial then happily paid money for the full version.

 

This app is only available for Android.

[+Arctikkat]

I've got C:Geo for my android. It's free and I really can't find anything wrong with it. It links to your Geocahing account, finds nearby caches, has a radar and a compass, mobile logging and many more features. My geocaching partners use the iphone geocaching app and it's very comparable to my free one. With a couple of add ons you can even d/l geocaches to your phone.

Edited July 4, 2012 by Arctikkat

[+northernpenguin]

I've got C:Geo for my android. It's free and I really can't find anything wrong with it. It links to your Geocahing account, finds nearby caches, has a radar and a compass, mobile logging and many more features. My geocaching partners use the iphone geocaching app and it's very comparable to my free one. With a couple of add ons you can even d/l geocaches to your phone.

 

Does c:geo use the API yet, or do they still bash the heck out of Groundspeak's servers by web scraping for the "radar" feature? Just curious ... I recall some forum drama over that issue with the original program author throwing his hands up and walking away from the product at one point.

[+Arctikkat]

I've got C:Geo for my android. It's free and I really can't find anything wrong with it. It links to your Geocahing account, finds nearby caches, has a radar and a compass, mobile logging and many more features. My geocaching partners use the iphone geocaching app and it's very comparable to my free one. With a couple of add ons you can even d/l geocaches to your phone.

 

Does c:geo use the API yet, or do they still bash the heck out of Groundspeak's servers by web scraping for the "radar" feature? Just curious ... I recall some forum drama over that issue with the original program author throwing his hands up and walking away from the product at one point.

 

I have no idea what that even means. I wasn't aware of any history between C:GEO and geocaching.com. All I know is that it works well, it's full of features, and I liked it well enough to actually donate money to the developer. If you're curious about it I'm sure you can ask the developer. As a side note, I haven't used the radar feature, preferring the compass instead.

[+northernpenguin]

I've got C:Geo for my android. It's free and I really can't find anything wrong with it. It links to your Geocahing account, finds nearby caches, has a radar and a compass, mobile logging and many more features. My geocaching partners use the iphone geocaching app and it's very comparable to my free one. With a couple of add ons you can even d/l geocaches to your phone.

 

Does c:geo use the API yet, or do they still bash the heck out of Groundspeak's servers by web scraping for the "radar" feature? Just curious ... I recall some forum drama over that issue with the original program author throwing his hands up and walking away from the product at one point.

 

I have no idea what that even means. I wasn't aware of any history between C:GEO and geocaching.com. All I know is that it works well, it's full of features, and I liked it well enough to actually donate money to the developer. If you're curious about it I'm sure you can ask the developer. As a side note, I haven't used the radar feature, preferring the compass instead.

 

Take a look in the GPS & Technology forums. Just search for c:geo and you'll see all kinds of discussion about that program and the history with Groundspeak vs the program author.

My only base point is to encourage use of apps that use the official API vs apps that do not. Easy way to tell if your app uses the API is that when there is a site update the app should still work. If c:geo stops working sometimes after the Geocaching.com site is updated, then they're not using the API. I don't know the answer today (I use an iPhone) but last year it was doing the web scraping thing.

 

Back before the Live API was introduced heck I'll admit I used scraping programs too (GCzII) but now most platforms have some API support, either official or third party.

 

[+ToonAl]

I've got C:Geo for my android. It's free and I really can't find anything wrong with it. It links to your Geocahing account, finds nearby caches, has a radar and a compass, mobile logging and many more features. My geocaching partners use the iphone geocaching app and it's very comparable to my free one. With a couple of add ons you can even d/l geocaches to your phone.

 

Does c:geo use the API yet, or do they still bash the heck out of Groundspeak's servers by web scraping for the "radar" feature? Just curious ... I recall some forum drama over that issue with the original program author throwing his hands up and walking away from the product at one point.

 

I have no idea what that even means. I wasn't aware of any history between C:GEO and geocaching.com. All I know is that it works well, it's full of features, and I liked it well enough to actually donate money to the developer. If you're curious about it I'm sure you can ask the developer. As a side note, I haven't used the radar feature, preferring the compass instead.

 

Take a look in the GPS & Technology forums. Just search for c:geo and you'll see all kinds of discussion about that program and the history with Groundspeak vs the program author.

My only base point is to encourage use of apps that use the official API vs apps that do not. Easy way to tell if your app uses the API is that when there is a site update the app should still work. If c:geo stops working sometimes after the Geocaching.com site is updated, then they're not using the API. I don't know the answer today (I use an iPhone) but last year it was doing the web scraping thing.

 

Back before the Live API was introduced heck I'll admit I used scraping programs too (GCzII) but now most platforms have some API support, either official or third party.

 

This will probably answer your question. (from the c;Geo website FAQ)

Why c:geo is not using Groundspeak's public API

Let us answer this once and for all in one place. But let's start with basics.

There is very simple reason why us and GC.com can't sync. We are FREE, opensource application, they are corporation. We give our software for no money, they would like to make a big profit with a service. They don't like what we do, we don't like what they do. It's like fire & water, cat & dog, hell & heaven....

The initial idea of c:geo is to provide a free (and open-source) app for mobile geocaching for everybody.

 

What would change with the API?

 

- c:geo only for premium members

- no support for OpenCaching or other platforms than gc.com

- Groundspeak-ads

 

Also there are problems with development:

- development would take 2-4 months to implement the API

- during this time there would be only access to a testing-server, no nightly-builds

- devs are using the development-build for caching

- the API requires a private key for the app. But c:geo is open-source. There are a lot of independent developers, but only one would get the key - all other developers wouldn't be able to test what they do

- c:geo no longer open-source

- only few core-developers

- much slower development

 

The Groundspeak's "public" API would fix most of our current problems, however c:geo would then force users to pay money to a corporation. This is not the opensource spirit.

If the Groundspeak says OK to our idea then c:geo might have API some day...

[+Nunavut Taidy]

I've been using cachesense on my blackberry, which works out quite well. The only reason I mention it is because cachesense does have a forum with both Android and blackberry areas, so you might be able to see what other people have dealt with before you make a final decision.

[+northernpenguin]

In the iOS Camp, be sure to check out Geosphere as well. It syncs with GSAK and supports a much more robust feature set than the official app does. Currently is Pocket Query based (meaning you need to download geocaches as GPX and import them) but a Geocaching Live API version is in the works.