Poll

Will the use of smartphones over take the use of GPS's for Geocaching?

Yes
3 (50%)
No
1 (16.7%)
Maybe
2 (33.3%)

Total Members Voted: 6

Voting closed: March 12, 2013, 06:07:08 pm

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Author Topic: Tuesday's Poll  (Read 121 times)

Offline Griff Grof

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Tuesday's Poll
« on: March 05, 2013, 06:07:08 pm »
The second Week of the Weekly Poll - with a twist!

TUESDAY'S POLLWill the number of cachers using smartphones over take those using GPS's?
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Offline Gackt

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Re: Tuesday's Poll
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2013, 07:09:06 pm »
Yes. Definitely yes, if they haven't already! Not saying that because I think it is a good thing, it's just the way it is.

Until the beginning of the year I would never of used a phone to cache with. I am still hesitant now. I have a deep down feeling my ancient Garmin is still superior in some way than the using C:geo on my "apparently" smart phone. I have not gone out caching without my old GPSr, that was until Sunday just gone, where I fired up the app on my phone whilst I was in Avesbury for eldest son's football match, saw a nearby cache on it, headed straight for it, and found it almost straight away.

If many GPSr's had the functionality that phones do to be able to search for caches online and download the coords anywhere, anytime, then I may well of voted differently. I am not totally converted yet, but phones do have some benefits over standard GPSrs.
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Offline Griff Grof

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Re: Tuesday's Poll
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2013, 07:35:07 pm »
Yes, I found a cache today and yesterday with a phone  :D - it is easier as you can check if there are any around, if you have time to spare.

BUT

Phones don't have the accuracy of GPS's. Once they do, YES, yes I do also think GPS's will be used less for Geocaching.
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Offline Gackt

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Re: Tuesday's Poll
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2013, 07:44:11 pm »
Accuracy is definitely the part that has stopped me from converting totally. A couple of months back just after getting a new phone, I took both the phone and my GPSr with me when I went to do a few caches around Shurdington. I kept firing up the GPSr to check I was in the correct place that my phone was telling me I was, some of the time I was, but for one cache the phone put me over 50' away from the cache. The GPSr took me right to the correct spot.

I know there is much more to it than that, and it depends what quality of device the hider used, and other factors. But I still have a deep down feeling of trust that my GPSr is putting me in the right spot.
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Offline Wacky races

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Re: Tuesday's Poll
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2013, 08:00:30 pm »
Phones are also very bad for battery time. I was out caching with Griff and the battery ran out three quarter of the way through, I managed to find them due to printed maps. My GPS could last for at least 5 geocaching trips and I could replace the batteries with the spares I kept
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Offline walktall

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Re: Tuesday's Poll
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2013, 08:01:17 pm »
I think they will all still be used but the odd time I have tried to use a smart phone, I found the accuracy wanting. Also not everyone (like me) can't afford to have a smart phone that is connected to the Internet while out and about, so one of the great advantages of a smart phone, of being able to find caches on a whim would be lost.

Saying all that, so many people do have smart phones, it makes geocaching more accessible to the masses :)
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Offline Griff Grof

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Re: Tuesday's Poll
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2013, 08:08:05 pm »
Quote from: Wacky races on March 05, 2013, 08:00:30 pm
Phones are also very bad for battery time. I was out caching with Griff and the battery ran out three quarter of the way through, I managed to find them due to printed maps. My GPS could last for at least 5 geocaching trips and I could replace the batteries with the spares I kept

"Hats off to Wacky Races!" - ohh that was lucky how you managed to find them! Good old ABFTN  :D - A good point about battery life, too  :)

And also good points, walk tall and Gackt.
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Offline Pir8sOld&New

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Re: Tuesday's Poll
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2013, 10:25:45 pm »
As a smartphone cacher only, I have to hope my phone gets me as close as possible to the cache, and with two phones I use both to double check to reduce the % of DNF's.

I can see the great GPS difference, and with time and technology, I hope the accuracy and battery drain changes so I can last longer out.
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Offline Bear and Ragged

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Re: Tuesday's Poll
« Reply #8 on: March 06, 2013, 09:58:22 pm »
Battery life, accuracy, and ruggedness.

Once phones get those...  :o

Most of my caching is done 'on the fly' and phones are great.
But. Most of the finds are using 'geo-sense' as to where the cache is.

If there's no cache around, I'll try for a munzee...

Just wait until you try to cache/munzee, and get 'Unable to connect to *insert name* server' a few times while out, and you soon get pi$$ed off with phones!
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Offline Griff Grof

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Re: Tuesday's Poll
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2013, 04:21:14 pm »
The second Week of the Weekly Poll - with a twist! | The results

Yes came out as the winning option on the poll Will the use of smartphones over take use of GPS for Geocaching?

Thanks all for voting and taking part!
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