Getting back to caching but android app no longer Premium(?)

[Four:Eyes]

Hi, 

So as the title says, I decided to get back.  I started searching caches with some friends back in college, and although we didn't find many, we did have lots of fun. Decided to install the android app I bought back then, but now it's asking me to upgrade every time I click a cache. I thought the paid app already meant I was a Premium user. At least back then I didn't have to do anything. I simply bought the app and started caching immediately with full access to any cache. Is it not the case now?  

 

Sorry for the novice question but it's been years since I last used this app. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

[Keystone]

The official App is now free (replacing the $10 paid App), but access to "Advanced" caches requires a premium membership.  You can see a comparison of functionality on the official App for premium members vs. basic members in this Help Center article.  You will be able to see Traditional Caches and Event Caches with a Difficulty/Terrain rating of 2/2 or lower, except for Premium Member Only (PMO) caches.

 

If you're interested in seeing the extra functionality for Premium Members, you can obtain a one-week free trial by writing to Geocaching HQ via the Help Center.

 

Welcome back!

[+Max and 99]

2 hours ago, Four:Eyes said:

Hi, 

So as the title says, I decided to get back.  I started searching caches with some friends back in college, and although we didn't find many, we did have lots of fun. Decided to install the android app I bought back then, but now it's asking me to upgrade every time I click a cache. I thought the paid app already meant I was a Premium user. At least back then I didn't have to do anything. I simply bought the app and started caching immediately with full access to any cache. Is it not the case now?  

 

Sorry for the novice question but it's been years since I last used this app. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

 

 

33 minutes ago, Keystone said:

You will be able to see Traditional Caches and Event Caches with a Difficulty/Terrain rating of 2/2 or lower, except for Premium Member Only (PMO) caches.

Question: Since Four:Eyes can see all non-PM caches on the website, no matter the D/T,  does that mean if he adds them to a list on the website, which you can see while using the app, he/she will be able to see all the information for those "advanced" caches on the app?  If they're on a list he created on the desktop?

 

 

[+niraD]

54 minutes ago, Max and 99 said:

Question: Since Four:Eyes can see all non-PM caches on the website, no matter the D/T,  does that mean if he adds them to a list on the website[...]

Lists are a premium feature.

[+Max and 99]

15 minutes ago, niraD said:

Lists are a premium feature.

Doh! I'm so used to them, I forgot not everyone can use them. Thanks for clarifying that obvious blunder of mine. I knew it sounded too easy!

[Keystone]

1 hour ago, Max and 99 said:

 

 

Question: Since Four:Eyes can see all non-PM caches on the website, no matter the D/T,  does that mean...

 

... that Four:Eyes can use the App to find them?  Why yes, of course.  Thanks for asking such a great question. 

 

It does take a bit of extra work and planning, however.  The Advanced Caches need to be added into the App as user "Waypoints" associated with a different, Basic Cache.  For example, assume that there is a park with five nice caches along a hilly trail, all with terrain ratings of 2.5 or higher, and that there is a 1/1 micro at the parking lot for that park.  A basic member can see only the 1/1 micro.  BUT, using the website at home (or in the smartphone's browser), the coordinates for the five Advanced Caches can be added as waypoints on the cache at the parking area.  Using the app, navigate to all six caches.  Back home, log them on the correct separate cache pages.

[+Max and 99]

9 minutes ago, Keystone said:

 

... that Four:Eyes can use the App to find them?  Why yes, of course.  Thanks for asking such a great question. 

 

It does take a bit of extra work and planning, however.  The Advanced Caches need to be added into the App as user "Waypoints" associated with a different, Basic Cache.  For example, assume that there is a park with five nice caches along a hilly trail, all with terrain ratings of 2.5 or higher, and that there is a 1/1 micro at the parking lot for that park.  A basic member can see only the 1/1 micro.  BUT, using the website at home (or in the smartphone's browser), the coordinates for the five Advanced Caches can be added as waypoints on the cache at the parking area.  Using the app, navigate to all six caches.  Back home, log them on the correct separate cache pages.

Yep! That's exactly what I meant to say. I often create waypoints on the app for my Waymarking, but also for geocaching.

Edited July 14, 2020 by Max and 99

[+capoaira]

There are also apps that display all non-premium caches.

[+Viajero Perdido]

5 hours ago, capoaira said:

There are also apps that display all non-premium caches.

 

Good point.  As far as I know, all official API partner caching apps have access to all non-premium caches.  Only the Groundspeak app ("official", or "the"), has the <=2 limitation.  It's an intro / marketing thing.

 

https://apidevelopers.geocaching.com/all-api-partners

[Keystone]

Right, but the API limits basic member users of partner apps to a limit of three caches per day.  For a casual geocacher, this may be fine.  If you only go geocaching on weekends, you can save off three per day all week long, and then find 21 on your outing.

[Four:Eyes]

On 7/14/2020 at 1:48 AM, Keystone said:

The official App is now free (replacing the $10 paid App), but access to "Advanced" caches requires a premium membership.  You can see a comparison of functionality on the official App for premium members vs. basic members in this Help Center article.  You will be able to see Traditional Caches and Event Caches with a Difficulty/Terrain rating of 2/2 or lower, except for Premium Member Only (PMO) caches.

 

If you're interested in seeing the extra functionality for Premium Members, you can obtain a one-week free trial by writing to Geocaching HQ via the Help Center.

 

Welcome back!

 

 

sorry, totally forgot about the post.

 

Bummer, and thank you for the clarification

[Four:Eyes]

23 hours ago, Max and 99 said:

Question: Since Four:Eyes can see all non-PM caches on the website, no matter the D/T,  does that mean if he adds them to a list on the website, which you can see while using the app, he/she will be able to see all the information for those "advanced" caches on the app?  If they're on a list he created on the desktop?

 

Thank you tho

[Four:Eyes]

22 hours ago, Keystone said:

 

... that Four:Eyes can use the App to find them?  Why yes, of course.  Thanks for asking such a great question. 

 

It does take a bit of extra work and planning, however.  The Advanced Caches need to be added into the App as user "Waypoints" associated with a different, Basic Cache.  For example, assume that there is a park with five nice caches along a hilly trail, all with terrain ratings of 2.5 or higher, and that there is a 1/1 micro at the parking lot for that park.  A basic member can see only the 1/1 micro.  BUT, using the website at home (or in the smartphone's browser), the coordinates for the five Advanced Caches can be added as waypoints on the cache at the parking area.  Using the app, navigate to all six caches.  Back home, log them on the correct separate cache pages.

 

Is the Waypoint marking done in-browser? this is all pretty much all new to me. I've search a few ones close to me for testing but I don't see any buttons to mark them up... 

 

Thank you for the help

[Four:Eyes]

7 hours ago, Viajero Perdido said:

 

Good point.  As far as I know, all official API partner caching apps have access to all non-premium caches.  Only the Groundspeak app ("official", or "the"), has the <=2 limitation.  It's an intro / marketing thing.

 

https://apidevelopers.geocaching.com/all-api-partners

 

How do I use them? do I install them? not exactly "api-tech" savy  

[+Viajero Perdido]

Yes, you choose, install, and use a different caching app instead of the "official" one.  The ones on that list are official too, official partners.

 

I'm only familiar with Locus Map Pro, which I use and which I think is amazing.  Caution, there's a learning curve, because there's so much going on in this app.  It's a full-featured hiking map app (surely the best), with all the caching functionality you'd likely ever need as well.

 

If that's overkill, well, there are others.  Some speak well of GDAK, but that's all I know about it.

[+Max and 99]

19 minutes ago, Four:Eyes said:

 

Is the Waypoint marking done in-browser? this is all pretty much all new to me. I've search a few ones close to me for testing but I don't see any buttons to mark them up... 

 

Thank you for the help

No, via the app.

 

Add a waypoint

 

Adding user waypoints

A waypoint is a reference point for a physical location on Earth. Use waypoints to mark important locations such as stages of a Mystery or Multi cache, or to document your starting point at a parking lot or trailhead.

To add a user waypoint in the Geocaching® app:

1. In the cache details page, select Waypoints.
2. Tap the + sign to add a waypoint.
3. Save the waypoint with any name.

You can also easily navigate to, edit, delete, and mark waypoints as complete from the Geocaching® app.

Viewing actual lat/long coordinates for a cache or waypoint

Viewing the latitude and longitude coordinates for a cache or waypoint can be helpful in several situations. For example, viewing the coordinates is important when inputting the lat/lon into another device, such as a GPSr; or if you want to share the location with another player.

View actual coordinates in the Geocaching® app:
1. Select Waypoints from the cache details page.
2. Tap the cache name below Existing Waypoints.
3. View the Posted Coordinates, navigate to them, or mark as complete.

[wanrex]

I really feel the pain for non-PM to getting back geocaching.

I was an PM 3 yrs ago, mainly used Locus Map Pro (android), stopped awhile, and want to came back recently.

I still keep Locus Map Pro (i bought that app before), but the API blocked most function for non-PM.

I used to download all caches detail by pocket query, now i need to download by the "live map", but it can't download all cache, it only limited to traditional/event and low D/T cache.

The real pain is that, i can't even download my own "hide".

Even though i can use "GC Code" to download cache 1 by 1, but it is the real pain in the a** if you got 100+ hide.

Official app is totally discouraging newbie to join geocaching, just wonder, how many people will paid for PM membership, before he know what exactly is geocaching?

Cgeo is another alternative, true, it is powerful, but compare with Locus, it didn't got some advance feature, which is useful for CO.

Geocaching is getting less popular worldwide, we really need new blood to join.

Especially, we need someone willing to hide to keep the game go on.

[+Goldenwattle]

22 minutes ago, wanrex said:

I really feel the pain for non-PM to getting back geocaching.

I was an PM 3 yrs ago, mainly used Locus Map Pro (android), stopped awhile, and want to came back recently.

I still keep Locus Map Pro (i bought that app before), but the API blocked most function for non-PM.

I used to download all caches detail by pocket query, now i need to download by the "live map", but it can't download all cache, it only limited to traditional/event and low D/T cache.

The real pain is that, i can't even download my own "hide".

Even though i can use "GC Code" to download cache 1 by 1, but it is the real pain in the a** if you got 100+ hide.

Official app is totally discouraging newbie to join geocaching, just wonder, how many people will paid for PM membership, before he know what exactly is geocaching?

Cgeo is another alternative, true, it is powerful, but compare with Locus, it didn't got some advance feature, which is useful for CO.

Geocaching is getting less popular worldwide, we really need new blood to join.

Especially, we need someone willing to hide to keep the game go on.

Why don't you pay for a membership and support the game? It needs money to run. You can obviously afford to pay for data. Until 2 or 3 years ago I couldn't justify the cost of paying for data,  and so didn't have any, but still paid a membership.  I didn't think it was fair to free load, and expect others to pay memberships and keep the game going, while I paid nothing.

As for people starting out, I fully understand that they mightn't want to pay for awhile, so they can try it out. I didn't pay until I had found about 180 caches and decided I wanted to continue. I found those caches without a GPS or a phone. Then I bought a GPS (it was cheaper than paying data) and got a membership. I then found all these caches I didn't know existed, as premier caches didn't use to show up on the map for non premier players. But rather than be upset I hadn't been able to find them, I was thrilled that I hadn't been able to, for it now gave me a whole set of new caches within walking and cycling distance from home. A Christmas present almost .

Edited July 15, 2020 by Goldenwattle
Spelling error

[+cerberus1]

55 minutes ago, wanrex said:

I really feel the pain for non-PM to getting back geocaching.

 

A pain ?  Really ?   We started before there was such a thing as "the app".    Life wasn't rough.  

Using the website, every cache but pmo can be accessed.  Waypoints can be entered manually in the app (Max and 99 even gave a how-to).

I don't use most of the "benefits" of pm, but feel my pm payment is helping basic members get started.

You came in when things were easy.