With Garmins launch of OpenCaching.Com I expected to see some technology developments, I just didn’t expect to see a mobile application just 30 days from their initial launch. I was optimistically hopeful when I downloaded the new Cache Me app for my Android, but field testing revealed the developer still has a few bugs to work out.
My wife and I were going to be in the Columbia, SC on the 31st and there are a group of cross listed Geo/Open Caches nearby in Camden. It looked like a good time to kick the tires on the OpenCaching “Cache Me” application.
Once you download this application and start it, it determines your location and returns the closest cache to you. There are no options and by no options I mean you can select one of the caches or exit the program from this screen, that’s it. After selecting the closest cache, the cache description screen allows you to access a map for navigation. All of the options for this application have now been covered.
We did use the application once we got in proximity of the cache and it did guide us in similar to other GPS applications. There is an issue with the app executing a force close if your phone goes into sleep mode. Once you swipe unlock, and activate the phone screen, the app shuts down.
I can’t fault the app entirely, it might be that it isn’t well suited for my Android platform, who knows? It is a good sandbox to begin building off of but I wouldn’t use as a stand alone caching app. Since the caches were crosslisted, we elected to use the Geocaching.Com application to find and few more and came to the conclusion the Cache Me app may not be ready for prime time geocaching.
Happy Trails,
Ron
