MOBILES V GPS ETC

[+UNCLEFRESHY]

Are mobiles just as good as gps handhelds ive got a samsung j5,which i take out on the hunt,just played with a freins gps 64st good tool in his hands,however i couldnt work it and i drove is patients so it is the mobile is the samsung ok

[+geodarts]

There are several threads debating this topic. I rarely use an Oregon 600, preferring an iPhone or a rugged Android. Other people like a dedicated gpsr. The bottom line is your experience. If the Samsung works for you and meets your needs then it may be "just as good" and is certainly ok. If you find yourself frustrated with the Samsung and want to consider alternatives - whether it is a different app, a different mobile, or a dedicated gpsr - then that might answer your question.

[+stevebrassett]

It depends very much on mobile signal. Here in the UK I rarely find no signal, and so I have only ever used a mobile. Out in the sticks a dedicated GPS device may be better (yes, I know you can still use a mobile without a signal but it is harder work).

[+noncentric]

As geodarts mentioned, it's very much a personal preference. Some things to consider:

 

• Screen visibility - For some, a GPSr screen is easier to look at than a smartphone. For me, I have to turn up the phone's brightness shade it in order to read what's on the screen. The high brightness uses more battery. I don't get as much of a glare problem with my GPSr's screen.
  
• Screen size - Smartphones then to have a larger screen. Some cachers find their GPSr screen to be too small or just right for them.
  
• Buttons vs Touchscreen - Touchscreens can get 'jumpy' if there are water droplets (rain) on them. That problem doesn't happen with GPSr's that use buttons. There are some GPSr's that have touchscreens.
  
• Durability - Some cachers have rugged smartphones and/or cases, so they don't worry about dropping them or laying them in the dirt or getting them wet. GPSr's are usually more durable 'out of the box' than most smartphones.
  
• General fit - Some cachers find smartphones to be too big for one-handed operation. Personally, I find it easier to navigate the GPSr with one hand, whereas I usually need two hands for my phone (one to hold, the other to swipe).
  
• Battery life - Some cachers can cache for an entire day with their smartphones and still have plenty of power left, while others have a dead battery before they've finished caching. Most GPSr's will last more than a day on a pair of AA's. There are external battery packs to charge a smartphone while away from power outlets, so that is an option. Personally, I find it easier to carry extra rechargeable AA's that I can quickly swap into my GPSr.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Here are just a few of the many GPSr vs Smartphone threads:

Issues caching with Samsung S5

What is the best modern gps

phone app vrs gps device

Do I need GPS?

GPS vs Phone App

GPS Or Smartphone

Smartphone not good with too many clouds

App on phone vs dedicated GPS

phone's GPS probably not accurate enough?

GPS vs Smartphone APP

Gps device or smartphone?

gps or phone

GPS or smartphone for geocaching?

Can a Smartphone Replace a Dedicated GPS?

[+mcrow]

There is certainly no NEED to buy a GPSr.

 

A GPSr is generally going to perform better. GPSr's generally have a better antenna for the GPS chip, the digital compass is generally better because it reacts faster than the one on the app. GPSr is going to do better most of the time under cover.

 

While the above may be true it isn't such a huge difference that it should warrant buying a GPSr for everyone. The performance for phones is very good in areas with a cell signal because they use the cell towers+GPS, they tend to be better than GPSr in dense urban areas like downtown areas where there are a lot of large buildings. With a premium membership a phone can download caches and use them offline so you can use them in areas without a cell signal, but the accuracy isn't as good, but probably good enough to find a cache.

 

I think the best reason to get a GPSr is for the durability and if you also like hiking/hunting/fishing. I really don't want to drop my $800 phone in a puddle and ruin it or drop it on a rock and crack the screen. Also, most GPSrs are waterproof so rain is no issue. Like I said above overall accuracy is better, particularly under cover and the compass is better.

 

The issue with comparing performance is each GPSr and phone is different. There are relatively few GPSrs out right now compared to years ago but there are thousands of phones, all of which have difference GPS chips, software and hardware. There are phones that probably perform very close to a GPSr and others that are complete garbage.

 

Personally, I use both. I use my phone to navigate to a cache in the car and my GPSr to navigate from car to cache. Sometimes if I think something is weird I'll pull out the phone to confirm things.

 

Like I said, no NEED for a GPSr but I think the GPSr is definitely better suited for caches deeper in the woods or off the beaten path where the elements can not be great for a phone. There are some performance benefits for a GPSr but really, once you get good at geocaching the little bit extra performance isn't that big.

[One90proof]

I use an iPhone 7 Plus, with the Cachly app, for most of my caching. I find it to be 'good enough' 99% of the time. Big problem for me is after a couple hours of caching my battery is close to dead. I thought about buying a battery case for my phone (and I still might) but instead chose to put that money towards a Garmin Oregon 700. I've taken the Garmin out with me a few times now and I see a new caching workflow forming for me: Use iPhone for all quick urban caching. For longer caching trips, or for caching in the woods, use iPhone for car navigation (like the poster above) and then use the Garmin to navigate to the cache. In all cases, I prefer to log caches via the phone rather than try to use the Geocaching app on the Garmin. The Garmin hasn't been a "game change" for me but it's been a nice, although expensive, addition to the toolbox.

 

[+mcrow]

I use an iPhone 7 Plus, with the Cachly app, for most of my caching. I find it to be 'good enough' 99% of the time. Big problem for me is after a couple hours of caching my battery is close to dead. I thought about buying a battery case for my phone (and I still might) but instead chose to put that money towards a Garmin Oregon 700. I've taken the Garmin out with me a few times now and I see a new caching workflow forming for me: Use iPhone for all quick urban caching. For longer caching trips, or for caching in the woods, use iPhone for car navigation (like the poster above) and then use the Garmin to navigate to the cache. In all cases, I prefer to log caches via the phone rather than try to use the Geocaching app on the Garmin. The Garmin hasn't been a "game change" for me but it's been a nice, although expensive, addition to the toolbox.

 

Yeah, main advantages are battery life, durability and better signal in remote areas. When I lived in the Twin Cities I really had no use for a GPSr had there been smartphones at that time. There are thousands of caches in the Twin Cities and you'd never be anywhere without cell reception. Now I live in a rural area where many caches are not in places with reliable cell signal so I prefer the GPSr.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

As geodarts mentioned, it's very much a personal preference. Some things to consider:

 

• Screen visibility - For some, a GPSr screen is easier to look at than a smartphone. For me, I have to turn up the phone's brightness shade it in order to read what's on the screen. The high brightness uses more battery. I don't get as much of a glare problem with my GPSr's screen.
  
• Screen size - Smartphones then to have a larger screen. Some cachers find their GPSr screen to be too small or just right for them.
  
• Buttons vs Touchscreen - Touchscreens can get 'jumpy' if there are water droplets (rain) on them. That problem doesn't happen with GPSr's that use buttons. There are some GPSr's that have touchscreens.
  
• Durability - Some cachers have rugged smartphones and/or cases, so they don't worry about dropping them or laying them in the dirt or getting them wet. GPSr's are usually more durable 'out of the box' than most smartphones.
  
• General fit - Some cachers find smartphones to be too big for one-handed operation. Personally, I find it easier to navigate the GPSr with one hand, whereas I usually need two hands for my phone (one to hold, the other to swipe).
  
• Battery life - Some cachers can cache for an entire day with their smartphones and still have plenty of power left, while others have a dead battery before they've finished caching. Most GPSr's will last more than a day on a pair of AA's. There are external battery packs to charge a smartphone while away from power outlets, so that is an option. Personally, I find it easier to carry extra rechargeable AA's that I can quickly swap into my GPSr.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Here are just a few of the many GPSr vs Smartphone threads:

Issues caching with Samsung S5

What is the best modern gps

phone app vrs gps device

Do I need GPS?

GPS vs Phone App

GPS Or Smartphone

Smartphone not good with too many clouds

App on phone vs dedicated GPS

phone's GPS probably not accurate enough?

GPS vs Smartphone APP

Gps device or smartphone?

gps or phone

GPS or smartphone for geocaching?

Can a Smartphone Replace a Dedicated GPS?

 

I agree here....I've always preferred a dedicated GPS unit for geocaching, many of the reasons are mentioned above. I've used my phone for thousands of hours of other activities so its not like I have an anti-phone bias.