If you haven’t figured it out by now, I am a big fan of the Geocaching.Com mobile apps. The Geocaching app for my Android has a 100% success rate when finding a cache and the ability to replace several pieces of equipment while on caching adventures. My GPS, camera, cache data, and phone are all packaged in one neat little device. No need to keep up with several devices and remember to get the correct batteries for each one. Grab the car charger, head out, and press the magic find a cache button; it’s just that easy. I know these advancements began prior to this last year however, I believe 2010 ushered in the geocaching by smartphone era. Come on peeps, all the cool kids are doing it! But what about 2011? Just when you think it can’t get any better, it can, and here’s how…
2010 also brought us a step closer to making the Groundspeak Wherigo gaming platform a user friendly reality with a third party application called WhereYouGo by menion.asamm. This application is available for the Android and the iPhone. Groundspeaks Wherigo cartridges can be downloaded to the application and played without the use of Garmins pricey toys. Sorry Garmin… wait… no I’m not. The development of new cartridges for Wherigo appeared to have sailed into the doldrums prior to this new app coming on the scene. I have noticed a couple of new cartridges as of late in my area, and the mention of the application in the logs. That being said, I have but one geocaching/wherigo wish for 2011;
I would like to have a user friendly version of the Wherigo Builder simplifying the creation of these cartridges. That’s it… one sentence.
Food for thought – I would be willing to assume there is a larger market of users with smartphones then handheld Gps units. A subjective point of view at best. Groundspeak has always been the site that other sites compare themselves to. Maybe it is time for Groundspeak to move away from the Gps market and toward newer technologies? Let the old school sites fight for bargain basement Gps units while Groundspeak players get new Gps/Phones every time they renew their contracts. How many players would be willing to pack up their Gps units and use their smartphone for all Groundspeak gaming? Again a subjective opinion but I believe this number is growing.
Any thoughts?
Ron
