Jump to content

Smartphone benchmarking app (Android and iPhone)


ArtMan

Recommended Posts

There is a free app called Find-a-Control, available for both platforms, which shows benchmarks on a map and allows users to display NGS datasheets for selected marks. It also has some very limited searching capability (by county and possibly other geographic term, but apparently not by PID or Description).

 

Are there other benchmark apps that you have found useful?

 

-ArtMan-

Link to comment

Find A Control is a good beginning, but our own foxtrot xray's BenchMap is much better and has many more features.

 

But BenchMap is not on Google Play.

 

Find A Control is a little temperamental for me, freezing up when on the Mobil network. It seems to work well in Wi-Fi. But if it does not work well in the field……

Link to comment

But BenchMap is not on Google Play.

..It's still in beta.

 

I'll add and say I DO have 'Find A Control' on my phone, and have had it freeze up on me a couple times too. My biggest problem with it is the storage space it takes up (for no discernible reason) and the limited UI.

 

Is BenchMap to a point where you can put it on Google play? It does not need to be perfect or complete, just reasonably functional. You can always update it later.

 

Many of my apps are getting updates on a regular basis.

Link to comment

Is BenchMap to a point where you can put it on Google play? It does not need to be perfect or complete, just reasonably functional. You can always update it later.

 

Many of my apps are getting updates on a regular basis.

 

Actually, yes. I'm in the process now. I'm waiting on some required graphics and approval of upgrading my google account. :)

Link to comment

Is BenchMap to a point where you can put it on Google play? It does not need to be perfect or complete, just reasonably functional. You can always update it later.

 

Many of my apps are getting updates on a regular basis.

 

Actually, yes. I'm in the process now. I'm waiting on some required graphics and approval of upgrading my google account. :)

 

Foxtrot,

 

I love Benchmap. I've been testing from near the beginning I think when you first asked for testers. I use it all the time when I am out and cant load markings into my gps. I havent experienced any issues running it on my Rezound, Ice Cream Sandwich, on Verizon.

Link to comment

There is also an app on Google Play called NGS Control Points. It apparently downloads control point location info from the NGS and can do a PID search, which will find even a destroyed mark. Different types of marks have different icons. It's not actually designed to navigate you to the mark like a Geocaching program though. I personally have GDAK setup for finding benchmarks and Geocaches since it supports multiple databases and gets it's data from GSAK. (Though, for spontaneous benchmark hunting, an app like NGS Control Points or BenchMap would be better. I haven't gotten BenchMap yet, but I also haven't really been doing any benchmark hunting lately due to a little thing called Winter. :) )

 

BenchMap, from what I've seen in pictures, looks like it would be better then NGS Control Points.

Link to comment

How long before Benchmap will be available to the rest of us? I am getting excited just thinking about the opportunity to give it a shot.

Hey all -

It's released! You can go to GooglePlay and install it! It's called 'BenchMap', and you can get it from the play store here, too:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tsqmadness.bmmaps

 

Cheers all -

Mike.

 

Thanks FoxTrot. I just downloaded it from Google Play. I said 0+ downloads when I down loaded it. Am I the first to get it from Google Play?

Link to comment

Thanks FoxTrot. I just downloaded it from Google Play. I said 0+ downloads when I down loaded it. Am I the first to get it from Google Play?

Heh - actually, *I* can't even tell that. As a 'developer' (I use the term lightly!) all I can see is total number of downloads. And none of it includes the beta folks.

 

Excellent!

Now if I could just somehow check off the marks I have already looked for and only show those I haven't. ;)

Don't worry. That's a future enhancement! :)

Link to comment

Thanks FoxTrot. I just downloaded it from Google Play. I said 0+ downloads when I down loaded it. Am I the first to get it from Google Play?

When I downloaded it last evening, it also said 0+ downloads. I didn't think that could be right with the number of people waiting. It could be that the download count only refreshes daily. It says 10+ downloads today.

 

Excellent!

Now if I could just somehow check off the marks I have already looked for and only show those I haven't. ;)

Don't worry. That's a future enhancement! :)

That would be sweet! The ability to log Marks from the app, and the ability to download the data (points & datasheets) for areas without cell coverage would be awesome too.

______

 

All that said, I've been watching this thread for some time now and waiting as anxiously as the others. I've used "FindAControl" by Critigen, and "NGS Control Points" by Software workroom also. I wanted to like "FindAControl", but between the size of the app (22.5MB!) and the fact that it looked like it was designed for a tablet vs. Droid with graphics that were too small to see/read, I didn't like or use it. "NGS Control Points" works nicely and the app takes virtually no space. I've had those on my survey crews (with capable phones) install it for use in the field. They like its functionality.

 

In the limited amount of time I've had (12 hours) to play with "BenchMap", I like what I see. "BenchMap" seems to be a bit faster than "NGS Control Points". I think (mostly) because "BenchMap" doesn't download the points as "NGS Control Points" does. The data sheets seem to load faster too. Unless FoxTrot has any objections, I may have my crews install "BenchMap" too.

 

While "FindAControl" and "NGS Control Points" were written primarily for surveyors (which I am), I also like the fact that "BenchMap" was written by a benchmark hunter (which I also am). Bonus!

 

Great job FoxTrot!

 

- Kewaneh

Edited by Kewaneh & Shark
Link to comment

Have now downloaded the app, and it runs well even on my low end Android 2.3.5 phone. Will probably use this to supplement my GDAK databases. (GDAK having the benefit of being able to have offline databases, for both Geocaches and Benchmarks, but the drawback of requiring my laptop to update the databases.) The small size is good too, as I don't have a lot of room for programs on my phone. (And most of the room I do have required rooting and removing "built-in" programs to free up in the first place.) I like it better then NGS Control Points, which wasn't really designed well for my screen resolution.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...