Idea: Geocaching App as Waze or Apple Map

[+GeoBushman]

I travel a lot while using Waze and Apple Maps, and I can't help but wish that I could see geocaches along my route. Alternatively, sometimes I'm traveling to reach a cache, but I have to use Waze or Apple Maps to get me nearer before switching to the Geocaching app in order to find GZ. It would be nice if the Geocaching app licensed one of the major driving apps to combine the two. 

[Keystone]

I moved this thread from the General Geocaching Topics forum.

[+Hügh]

2 hours ago, GeoBushman said:

I travel a lot while using Waze and Apple Maps, and I can't help but wish that I could see geocaches along my route.

 

That sounds like a distracted driving ticket waiting to be handed out.

[+MNTA]

Agreed! They can disable features while moving.

[+kunarion]

9 hours ago, GeoBushman said:

I travel a lot while using Waze and Apple Maps, and I can't help but wish that I could see geocaches along my route. Alternatively, sometimes I'm traveling to reach a cache, but I have to use Waze or Apple Maps to get me nearer before switching to the Geocaching app in order to find GZ. It would be nice if the Geocaching app licensed one of the major driving apps to combine the two. 

 

I use The Official App sometimes to see caches along my route, while traveling by Waze to reach a cache.  Works fine.

 

OK, it doesn't work fine at all.  I'd even be concerned if they add such features.  Address some really big bugs first.  That's what I'd prefer.

 

But if anyone supposes that watching a map while driving is distracting, try it when it's floating and twisting while 180 degrees off.

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by kunarion

[+kunarion]

8 hours ago, Hügh said:

 

That sounds like a distracted driving ticket waiting to be handed out.

 

Caches would need to be curated for ideal caching by car.  Caches on the opposite side of the highway or that require a U-turn aren't truly on the route.  And a broken and soaking wet Micro that's listed as a Regular and has no active CO, I may not need to know it's coming up.  I'm thinking the new feature would announce some useful info, without distraction (the same way the street guidance is announced).  Similar to the way some Third-Party Apps display the problems posted in last few logs.  In fact, maybe some Third-Party App will take up this mantle, for a nice monthly subscription fee, of course.  For the few cachers who really want it.

 

But as to the OP, if it's about street routing while seeing the nearby cache icons on the map, I've done that with Locus Maps, and its prescribed App adjustments.  So there's one App that has the capability right now.  If it still does.  Which I'd suppose it does.

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by kunarion

[+niraD]

5 hours ago, kunarion said:

Caches would need to be curated for ideal caching by car.  Caches on the opposite side of the highway or that require a U-turn aren't truly on the route.

True, but "opposite side of the highway" may not always be obvious. Caches are often placed at freeway rest stops, and many rest stops have similar facilities on each side. The rest stop on your side of the freeway is "on the route" but the one on the other side isn't.

 

But some rest stops have a single facility. Traffic from the other side of the freeway crosses under (or over) the freeway to get to the rest stop, and then crosses back to continue. This kind of rest stop would be "on the route" even if it is physically on the other side of the freeway.

[+Off2Geo]

I have one of those nice 2024 CarPodGo Pro CarPlay/Android Auto extension screens installed in my car because my cars screen has maps capability, but it was an add-on just for the navigation part and its wonky using bluetooth audio as far as what is displayed on the screen.

I didn't need built in navigation because I mainly used a Garmin DriveSmart 61 LMT for Navigation. Can load geocaches in it, but it is time consuming.

 

However, I would like to have the ability (while stopped) to use the large CarPodGo screen to see the Geocaches in my area or my lists and choose (read about the cache and logs) then use Apple Maps or Waze to take me to the general GZ without having to take my phone out. My phone is put away whilst driving so it's not distracting. It's obviously not needed anyways whilst using CarPlay & Siri.

 

Take a look at all these new electric/gas cars with huge digital screens that stretch across the dash board almost to the passenger side, that to me would be distracting. Just give us a watered down Geocaching app that can be used with CarPlay and I'd be happy.