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Best cell phone


fidorama

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well its now again time for a new phone. Not starting a GPS VS Phone debate or anything, I have a GPS as well. I have used several phones now, using several different apps. What is everyone's opinion on what is the best caching phone. I have heard several people say the I5's are not as accurate as the older models. Any consensus on what phone has the best GPS function? I like the idea of the Sony being waterproof, but that's one phone I have not physically tried. Anyone have feedback on one?

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My wife has both I5 and a Samsung G3, and honestly we found my Blackberry to have a bit better accuracy. I am kind of leaning toward the Sony mostly due to being waterproof, as I cache year round, in all sorts of weather. I have dropped my phone into the snow countless times, luckily it has never landed in an actual pool of water, but that's always a possibility. But GPS accuracy is an important consideration to me as well, as I don't always have and use my Garmin when out and about.

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My wife has both I5 and a Samsung G3, and honestly we found my Blackberry to have a bit better accuracy. I am kind of leaning toward the Sony mostly due to being waterproof, as I cache year round, in all sorts of weather. I have dropped my phone into the snow countless times, luckily it has never landed in an actual pool of water, but that's always a possibility. But GPS accuracy is an important consideration to me as well, as I don't always have and use my Garmin when out and about.

As I mentioned before, the Samsung GS5 is IP67 rated (i.e. dust/water resistant http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_Code), compared to the Sony rating of IP58. I think you are going to see most smart phones going that way in the near future.

Edited by Andronicus
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I advise a cell phone that: 1. you can change batteries 2. you can swap memory cards (infinite space for geocaches, 3. you can receive chirps, 4. you can do NFC-caches, 5. you can do wherigos 6. it is waterproof 7. it has a good display in broad sun light

 

Nonsense. For rugged occasions, use the GPSr. For urban/suburban, use a phone. No need for a rugged phone. There are no good quality phones that are also rugged. You give up good features for durability.

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I use an iPhone 5s to get close, and for nanos and such I pull out my Garmin GPSMap 62st. Before these I did the same with a Motorola ATRIX 4g. I liked the ATRIX better than the i5s for caching, I think it was more accurate. I put it in a cache as swag when I bought the i5s. Wish I had it back.

 

As far as pure phone the '09 Motorola flip phone the Red Cross provides me is a better phone than either the i5s or ATRIX 4g.

 

FWIW my next phone will be another Android-based device.

 

As far as caching with only a smartphone I wouldn't do it. Too many DNFs or too much time walking in circles takes the fun out of the game. I would never hide a cache with just the i5s as I don't want my finders mad at me for lousy coords.

 

The real truth of the matter however is that with a phone or dedicated GPS once I get close I put it in my pocket and look around me. Cachers are far more predictable than devices... getting within 20-30 feet and asking yourself where you would hide it will get you the cache faster than trying to get on top of it with a GPS.

Edited by TheAlabamaRambler
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Buying two modern devices is expensive, so try this - buy whatever smartphone suits the rest of your life and buy an old used Garmin Yellow for a dedicated GPS. You can probably get one for under $25. I found my first 600+ caches with one 12 years ago and it's as good today as my modern 62st for just entering coords and following a compass to GZ.

Edited by TheAlabamaRambler
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Samsung Galaxy S3 does it for me. For ruggedness a silicone cover and for really wet/dusty conditions or in water I use an extra watertight cover.

 

I prefer it by far to my Garmin Oregon 450, also on mountains and in the woods, where I take both with me.

 

GPS reception is OK compared to Garmin and seems better than iPhone from what I see while caching with other people.

Edited by AnnaMoritz
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Buying two modern devices is expensive, so try this - buy whatever smartphone suits the rest of your life and buy an old used Garmin Yellow for a dedicated GPS. You can probably get one for under $25. I found my first 600+ caches with one 12 years ago and it's as good today as my modern 62st for just entering coords and following a compass to GZ.

Solid advice for keeping costs under control.

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I advise a cell phone that: 1. you can change batteries 2. you can swap memory cards (infinite space for geocaches, 3. you can receive chirps, 4. you can do NFC-caches, 5. you can do wherigos 6. it is waterproof 7. it has a good display in broad sun light

 

Nonsense. For rugged occasions, use the GPSr. For urban/suburban, use a phone. No need for a rugged phone. There are no good quality phones that are also rugged. You give up good features for durability.

 

Samsung has the rugby line that appears to be just fine, and is rugged enough for caching. The Samsung GS4 Active, or GS5 are IP67 rated. I don't think that either of those are "giv(ing) up good features". Infact, some would argue that the GS5 is currently the top performing phone out there.

 

I have an iPhone 5s and a Galaxy S3 and they're both garbage for geocaching.

This is not the experience I have heard from numerous cachers. Every cacher I know with a Samsung loves it and would never think of anything else.

 

I have a Samsung GSII Skyrocket HD (the best pre GS3). 95% Of the time it works perfectly. Occasionaly, it can't seem to get satallite lock. Ocasionaly it is off by 11m.

 

Buying two modern devices is expensive, so try this - buy whatever smartphone suits the rest of your life and buy an old used Garmin Yellow for a dedicated GPS. You can probably get one for under $25. I found my first 600+ caches with one 12 years ago and it's as good today as my modern 62st for just entering coords and following a compass to GZ.

That is my current approch. Just make sure you get one of the old eTrex with an 'H' in the model number, and perferably a USB port (not serial). I picked up a eTrex Legend H, and 2 eTrex Ventrue HC, for $30CAD each (unused in the box). People usualy want quite a bit for these, but you just have to offer a lower, more reasonable price. Remember that these are 7 year old models, obsolete, and you can get a eTrex 20 for under $200.

Edited by Andronicus
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I have an iPhone 5s and a Galaxy S3 and they're both garbage for geocaching.

This is not the experience I have heard from numerous cachers. Every cacher I know with a Samsung loves it and would never think of anything else.

 

Fascinating. I find it comically bad compared to the Oregons and the Dakota we use. Far too inaccurate to bother with micros.

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I have an iPhone 5s and a Galaxy S3 and they're both garbage for geocaching.

This is not the experience I have heard from numerous cachers. Every cacher I know with a Samsung loves it and would never think of anything else.

 

Fascinating. I find it comically bad compared to the Oregons and the Dakota we use. Far too inaccurate to bother with micros.

2m is too inaccurate? I regularly find survey markers, and usualy the Samsung is within 2m. Did you turn on the GPS? Or are you using network location?

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My s4 active that i got like new on ebay has been a real winner. works even in forested areas and has held up well.

 

The Moto G if you can find one for 50 bucks can be used as a geocaching device or tablet without phone service. The verizon variant is most likely to be that price. its gps signal is good enough but the s4 is heads above...

Edited by sholomar
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I advise a cell phone that: 1. you can change batteries 2. you can swap memory cards (infinite space for geocaches, 3. you can receive chirps, 4. you can do NFC-caches, 5. you can do wherigos 6. it is waterproof 7. it has a good display in broad sun light

 

Nonsense. For rugged occasions, use the GPSr. For urban/suburban, use a phone. No need for a rugged phone. There are no good quality phones that are also rugged. You give up good features for durability.

 

Of course, there a lots of after market cases one can get that will ruggedize a phone at least equal to a GPSr. I don't use one but there could potentially be issues with GPS accuracy when using an external case. On the hand, it's pretty rare to see anyone use a smartphone without some kinds of protective case. Twentse Mug's suggestion about replaceable batteries is a good one thought as battery life is often one of the biggest drawbacks of a smartphone vs. a GPSr.

 

I suspect that most of the reports you'll see about accuracy will be anecdotal rather than there results of exhaustive unbiased testing and in fact, most new smartphone models will be nearly identical so considering other criteria such as what Twentse Mug's suggest may be just as important (though I'm not so sure about Wherigo or NFC caches...though NFC capabilty is likely going to be very common in the future)

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I've only ever had iphones throughout the years.....

 

To be totally honest... I didn't buy my phone for geocaching. I don't care about the accuracy for geocaching. The only accuracy I care about, is getting me driving directions from place to place.

 

If I need to use it for geocaching, that's just an extra benefit the phone has. The accuracy is not as good as a handheld, but its good enough when I need it. I never get upset about the accuracy of the phone ... I didn't buy the phone for geocaching.

 

Once you have experience with a handheld GPS, you'll realize the limitations (in accuracy) of the phone. I have two handheld GPS's.

Edited by Lieblweb
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I've only ever had iphones throughout the years.....

 

To be totally honest... I didn't buy my phone for geocaching. I don't care about the accuracy for geocaching. The only accuracy I care about, is getting me driving directions from place to place.

 

If I need to use it for geocaching, that's just an extra benefit the phone has. The accuracy is not as good as a handheld, but its good enough when I need it. I never get upset about the accuracy of the phone ... I didn't buy the phone for geocaching.

 

Once you have experience with a handheld GPS, you'll realize the limitations (in accuracy) of the phone. I have two handheld GPS's.

 

Neither of my phones were intended to be replacements for a proper GPSr, but I'm still disappointed that they're so lousy that I can't trust them to find a quick cache on the go once in a while.

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I've only ever had iphones throughout the years.....

 

To be totally honest... I didn't buy my phone for geocaching. I don't care about the accuracy for geocaching. The only accuracy I care about, is getting me driving directions from place to place.

 

If I need to use it for geocaching, that's just an extra benefit the phone has. The accuracy is not as good as a handheld, but its good enough when I need it. I never get upset about the accuracy of the phone ... I didn't buy the phone for geocaching.

 

Once you have experience with a handheld GPS, you'll realize the limitations (in accuracy) of the phone. I have two handheld GPS's.

 

I also have two handheld gpsr units, but except for kayaking, biking, or tracking down a chirp, I find myself using the iphone 5 most often. Like you, caching is a secondary use for the phone, but I would not want to do an earthcache without it (or Geosphere). Wherigos have been very stable with it. When I have compared the phone with the GPS receivers they are usually within a few feet of each other. Sometimes it gets me closer to the actual cache.

 

I took the Oregon 600 with me to Canada thinking it might come in handy there - given the lack of roaming and some of the trails we hiked - but never used it.

Edited by geodarts
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My wife and I use our Galaxy S5's almost exclusively, and find them to be extremely accurate under almost all conditions. We've made 99% of our finds using them, and only break out the Oregon 650 when we find ourselves downtown, or in the middle of a mass of tall trees. We've only hidden a few caches ourselves, and have used both phones, and the 650, to confirm the coords, and they've never varied by more than .002 of a degree...

 

Love the 650, but there's nothing like the convenience of the S5 for searching, locating, logging, and adding pics to caches, at least for US.

Edited by 2tall1s
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I am nearing getting a new phone as well. I currently have the iPhone 4s and have had a fine time using that solely. However, I have nothing to compare it to. I like many of the functions (aside from GPS/caching related) that my coworkers show me with the Galaxy. However, reading all these iPhone/Galaxy threads makes it so hard to decide. Some swear their iPhone has performed better than Galaxy when out caching with friends using the Galaxy, while others say the opposite. I guess you just don't know until you try it, but I am worried about swapping solely due to fear that I will regret not having as good of results with caching using a Galaxy. All other cell phone tasks I think I'd be fine with. Wish I just knew definitively that Galaxy would be fine for caching without having to make the swap first then possibly regret it. I'm open to hearing any opinions!

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I am nearing getting a new phone as well. I currently have the iPhone 4s and have had a fine time using that solely. However, I have nothing to compare it to. I like many of the functions (aside from GPS/caching related) that my coworkers show me with the Galaxy. However, reading all these iPhone/Galaxy threads makes it so hard to decide. Some swear their iPhone has performed better than Galaxy when out caching with friends using the Galaxy, while others say the opposite. I guess you just don't know until you try it, but I am worried about swapping solely due to fear that I will regret not having as good of results with caching using a Galaxy. All other cell phone tasks I think I'd be fine with. Wish I just knew definitively that Galaxy would be fine for caching without having to make the swap first then possibly regret it. I'm open to hearing any opinions!

 

It's hard to switch....... and I don't know how people do it. For me...After several years of owning iphones, buying all the accessories, getting everything synced together - phones, computers, itunes, ipods, stereo system, entertainment system, all the apps & gadgets..... I wouldn't want to start all over again (time, frustration, $$).

 

I don't think 'switching' has anything to do with the capabilities of the 'other side' - but more about the investment I have in my current setup.

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I am nearing getting a new phone as well. I currently have the iPhone 4s and have had a fine time using that solely. However, I have nothing to compare it to. I like many of the functions (aside from GPS/caching related) that my coworkers show me with the Galaxy. However, reading all these iPhone/Galaxy threads makes it so hard to decide. Some swear their iPhone has performed better than Galaxy when out caching with friends using the Galaxy, while others say the opposite. I guess you just don't know until you try it, but I am worried about swapping solely due to fear that I will regret not having as good of results with caching using a Galaxy. All other cell phone tasks I think I'd be fine with. Wish I just knew definitively that Galaxy would be fine for caching without having to make the swap first then possibly regret it. I'm open to hearing any opinions!

Peeked in your profile and see you're no wheres near a numbers cacher, so what you're comfortable with is probably fine.

- Also realize if you switch to another operating system, you'll need to cough up the ten bucks for another app.

Your phone app is good (and transferable) for as long as you're using the same OS.

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i have used my Samsung Galaxy Note II for all 688 of my caches (started last August). I just like the ability of logging my find right then and there. Around October I purchased a Garmin Glo bluetooth receiver to increase both the finding accuracy, but more importantly the accuracy of my own caches and found benchmarks. In July I finally lost the Glo in the woods so I purchased another. This is the only geocaching I have known.

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For over a year my Galaxy S3 was terrific and very reliable for zeroing in. Then I got the KitKat (4.4) update and it did something to my GPS. If I'm not in live map mode or actively using the compass mode it will lose the GPS and I'll have to turn the GPS off then on again. It's pretty frustrating...but when I do get it back it's just as reliable as ever. Probably not as good as some dedicated GPSr devices, of course...but more than adequate for finding a cache.

 

I'm due for an upgrade...just holding out to see what the next Nexus device is before making a decision.

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Buying two modern devices is expensive, so try this - buy whatever smartphone suits the rest of your life and buy an old used Garmin Yellow for a dedicated GPS. You can probably get one for under $25. I found my first 600+ caches with one 12 years ago and it's as good today as my modern 62st for just entering coords and following a compass to GZ.

Yeah, but there's nothing like a handheld geared toward caching, descriptions, a few logs, all right there, and the biggest thing, way easier to keep track of finds. I think the new etrex 10's are only just over $100 aren't they? By the way, I found my first 5-600 with a Garmin Blue.

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I am nearing getting a new phone as well. I currently have the iPhone 4s and have had a fine time using that solely. However, I have nothing to compare it to. I like many of the functions (aside from GPS/caching related) that my coworkers show me with the Galaxy. However, reading all these iPhone/Galaxy threads makes it so hard to decide. Some swear their iPhone has performed better than Galaxy when out caching with friends using the Galaxy, while others say the opposite. I guess you just don't know until you try it, but I am worried about swapping solely due to fear that I will regret not having as good of results with caching using a Galaxy. All other cell phone tasks I think I'd be fine with. Wish I just knew definitively that Galaxy would be fine for caching without having to make the swap first then possibly regret it. I'm open to hearing any opinions!

I recently switched from an iPhone4s to a Galaxy S5. The difference was night and day. The i4 has a peak accuracy of 16ft while the S5 is 9ft. Still not as good as a GPSer, but you get all the benefits of having a phone.

 

The screen is a lot bigger too, so its not as hard to read in the daylight.

 

Also, I flipped my 'yak one day while trying to get over a log. I forgot my S5 was in my shorts' pocket for over 10 minutes while I emptied the water out of my 'yak. Still works like a charm to this day! Try that with a i4 :o

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I have an iPhone 5s and a Galaxy S3 and they're both garbage for geocaching.

This is not the experience I have heard from numerous cachers. Every cacher I know with a Samsung loves it and would never think of anything else.

 

Fascinating. I find it comically bad compared to the Oregons and the Dakota we use. Far too inaccurate to bother with micros.

 

I have an oregon that I mainly use but for urban micros I have had a lot of luck with my iPhone 5, what I like is to zoom in on the map and see where the cache is placed, even if the phone tells me I'm in the middle of the street I still know where the cache should be.

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I don't know about other phones, but mine is a Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Works great for finding and hiding. Battery lasts 6-8 hours. Nice big screen, good display in bright sunlight. The only drawback is that it's not waterproof so I have to put it in a baggie when I go out in the rain. I've got an Otter Box to protect it from falls. Maybe my next one will be waterproof.

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I only have an iphone 4s with Groundspeak app. For durability I use a strap-on spare battery and an otterbox cover. For accuracy I find it OK to about 5 meters so I do tend to rely on hints and logs a fair bit. For hiding, I am finding mixed messages from finders but have not had many DNF's, only grumbles about accuracy.

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I only have an iphone 4s with Groundspeak app. For durability I use a strap-on spare battery and an otterbox cover. For accuracy I find it OK to about 5 meters so I do tend to rely on hints and logs a fair bit. For hiding, I am finding mixed messages from finders but have not had many DNF's, only grumbles about accuracy.

I am not sure anymore what was the first iPhone that was considered "good", but the earlier ones were not "good". Phone manufactureers never thought people would care that much, just intending for use when driving. Clearly 5m would be fine for driving. That said, 5m is still way better than early handhelds (before WAAS) that were only 12m accuracy at best.

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I have always been a smartphone cacher. Since a year I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 and I'm happy with it. I use Locus Maps (pro version) on it.

I currently use a Samsung Galaxy S2 HD LTE. I have recently started using CacheSense. I am liking the powerfull filtering functions. I now almost never find the hated micros. I find ever couple of weeks, the GPS will be way off (6m). To fix that I use GSP Test Plus to clear and re-load the AGPS data, that fixes the problem.

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I have an iPhone 5s and a Galaxy S3 and they're both garbage for geocaching.

This is not the experience I have heard from numerous cachers. Every cacher I know with a Samsung loves it and would never think of anything else.

 

Fascinating. I find it comically bad compared to the Oregons and the Dakota we use. Far too inaccurate to bother with micros.

Then try the S5. Improved in every way, and with a gasket to seal. Put it inside a sleek "Lifeproof" brand case and you can take underwater photos and videos at your next scuba cache. Try *that* with your Dakota!

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I don't know about other phones, but mine is a Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Works great for finding and hiding. Battery lasts 6-8 hours. Nice big screen, good display in bright sunlight. The only drawback is that it's not waterproof so I have to put it in a baggie when I go out in the rain. I've got an Otter Box to protect it from falls. Maybe my next one will be waterproof.

The S5 has a gasket and is highly waterproof. All the ports close and seal (power, audio, etc.). Use a "Lifeproof" brand sleek case (still only under 1/2 inch / 1 cm thick!!), and you can film and photograph 》under water《!

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I don't know about other phones, but mine is a Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Works great for finding and hiding. Battery lasts 6-8 hours. Nice big screen, good display in bright sunlight. The only drawback is that it's not waterproof so I have to put it in a baggie when I go out in the rain. I've got an Otter Box to protect it from falls. Maybe my next one will be waterproof.

The S5 has a gasket and is highly waterproof. All the ports close and seal (power, audio, etc.). Use a "Lifeproof" brand sleek case (still only under 1/2 inch / 1 cm thick!!), and you can film and photograph 》under water《!

 

Excellent. No need for dedicated GPSrs anymore. :lol:

 

Now all I need is to find some $$. :ph34r:

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I don't know about other phones, but mine is a Samsung Galaxy Note 2. Works great for finding and hiding. Battery lasts 6-8 hours. Nice big screen, good display in bright sunlight. The only drawback is that it's not waterproof so I have to put it in a baggie when I go out in the rain. I've got an Otter Box to protect it from falls. Maybe my next one will be waterproof.

The S5 has a gasket and is highly waterproof. All the ports close and seal (power, audio, etc.). Use a "Lifeproof" brand sleek case (still only under 1/2 inch / 1 cm thick!!), and you can film and photograph 》under water《!

 

Excellent. No need for dedicated GPSrs anymore. :lol:

 

Now all I need is to find some $$. :ph34r:

No kidding, the S5 isn't cheep. I guess it is about the same price as a top end consumer GPSr.

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