[Stinsonddog]

These look promising:



Welcome to the Free Pre-release Trial of
Trimble Outdoors Applications for BlackBerry

Supercharge your BlackBerry® smartphone with applications from the Trimble Outdoors software product family:

• AllSport GPS for fitness training and performance tracking
• Geocache Navigator for geocaching
• Trimble Outdoors for outdoor trip planning, GPS navigation and trip journaling

Use your BlackBerry with AllSport GPS as a GPS trainer and performance tracking tool:

Go geocaching with your BlackBerry and Geocache Navigator - no standalone GPS, paper or cables required:

Use your BlackBerry with Trimble Outdoors as an off-road GPS navigator and virtual trail guide:

[MrKyoo]

How long is the trial for Geocache?

[Stinsonddog]

Wirelessly posted (9900: BlackBerry8310/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

I think they are all 30 days.

[mrking]

hmm, i'll try the geocache one...

geez, i just noticed they want a monthly subscription fee when it goes live. screw that. give me a flat rate or don't bother.

[MadDog_]

Originally Posted by Stinsonddog

These look promising:

Welcome to the Free Pre-release Trial of
Trimble Outdoors Applications for BlackBerry

Supercharge your BlackBerry® smartphone with applications from the Trimble Outdoors software product family:

So, did you download the trial? At first glance, looks similar to BIM, except BB products are directly supported.

[Stinsonddog]

Yes it may be overpriced. I tried Trimble Outdoors. Looks promising but they have not yet remaped the keys the best I can tell so some of the shortcuts don't work and the menus are klunky.

[thunder33cat]

Originally Posted by mrking

hmm, i'll try the geocache one...

geez, i just noticed they want a monthly subscription fee when it goes live. screw that. give me a flat rate or don't bother.

If the package costs $6.99/mo for the three programs, I'm in, based on a preliminary run through the software. (Subject to change, of course, based on more thorough assessment.)

Honestly, I was going to try to write a similar geocaching program because, even though Trimble was available, it didn't support the/my Blackberry.

More on the cost... If I didn't have a GPS unit, the 6.99/mo cost model would work for me even more, because it would cost me ~$200 for a servicable GPS unit (non-color and/or limited maps), this offers more, including immediate access to local geocaching info, for about 28 months - at the same price. All on my Blackberry. (Caveat: I can use my GPS unit anywhere for geocaching/backcountry nav... I need a signal for this. I'll fully acknowlege that limitation, too.)

I hope that makes sense. I think it does. I'm definitely going to try it.

[mrking]

for geocaching I think it is ridiculous to pay a monthly fee for a software application.

i do have a membership to GC.com and I have paid for GSAK as well. If GSAK was a pay per month system I would have never got it.

Besides I can't even search for caches in Canada. It doesn't accept the country code of CA, or numerous others I have tried. Once again, searchable only in the USA. I can do quick caches however and am impressed with the app in that regards, but once the trial time is up, it's bye bye time.

thanks for coming out trimble.

[thunder33cat]

Originally Posted by mrking

for geocaching I think it is ridiculous to pay a monthly fee for a software application.

...

thanks for coming out trimble.

I'm still not so sure it's that bad (IMO). How much would it cost someone to get started in geocaching without the application? I'd rather pay monthly for this than a flat fee for Spot, the only other alternative (which is awful by comparison). The alternative... a standalone GPS unit and associated software costs, which amount to as much as two years of monthly fees, as I noted above.

Of course, what this pricing approach also means is that there's an opening for another company/person to develop comparable software and charge a flat amount. Until then, I think I'm okay with the monthly fee.

The Canada/non-US piece is unfortunate... perhaps you can get some info in that regard from Trimble.

[bbslinger]

When I try to launch the program I get the following message:

Error reading data from server. Please try again.
HTTP response code: 400

I have a BlackBerry 8800 on T-Mobile and have no issues connecting to the internet on other programs.

Thanks.

[Iare Tosevite]

Monthly? I'm outta here.

[Stinsonddog]

The market will determine the success. One issue is that they pay for maps I am guessing so this method helps manage that. Maybe they should do a hybrid and lower the montly. They will be watching this thread cause I am in contact with them.

[dreamboc]

studying

[siemp]

Looked at it , works fine. Costly with this price plan. Rather would pay a one time only fee.
The trackball isnt functioning in all the menu's. Cant work with multiple waypoints.
I will give it a 7. So not too bad.
Will watch how they proceed. Will buy a garmin or go for this one.

[MadDog_]

Originally Posted by dreamboc

studying

Is this another test?

[thunder33cat]

I thought I'd drop in with a little anecdote from over the holidays about Trimble's Geocache Navigator.

My kids and I were out geocaching with my Garmin 60CSX and decided to use the 8830 (with iBlue 737 GPS puck) and GN as well.

Observations:

1. It's a perfect tool for more-or-less paperless geocaching. I don't have to print out anything regarding the caches, as (as long as I have wireless coverage) I have access to descriptions, logs, and hints (as needed). [Disclaimer - I believe in redundancy, so I also have my entire cache list in Mobipocket as well - in case we don't have wireless coverage.]

2. The mapping feature, allowing different backgrounds - including both aerial and topos is a great feature! My Garmin has topo and street maps loaded, but switching map sets was far easier on GN, and having the aerial maps at our disposal was great.

3. More than likely this is as much a difference between the chip in the puck (MTK) and the chip in the 60CSX (SiRFIII), but on our last cache of the day we were in a wooded area with some steep terrain and the GN/puck flawlessly maintained the signal and (using the topo maps) we were able to discern the logical route to the cache. The 60csx didn't lock on to the satellites until we were up out of the valley and clear of the thicker forest.

My conclusion... I still don't think I'd use GN alone for geocaching regularly. I certainly will use it for quick/random trips, and I am completely sold on its side-by-side use with my 60CSX. It is a great tool for enhancing my geocaching experience and success.

[schnider]

From Handmark.com

Search Results for geocache

Monthly $5.99
Yearly $39.99

[schnider]

I downloaded the one month version from Handmark on Jan. 18th to my BB 8830. It worked absolutely fine up until about two weeks, and now the program is having trouble accessing the GPS in the BB. My manager at work has the same BB also on the US Cellular network, and he is having the exact same issue. We know it isn't the GPS unit in the BB because BB Maps and Google Maps work just fine. I have contacted Handmark and they are trying to get in contact with Trimble about this issue.

[schnider]

I spoke with a rep at Trimble today. They think it is probably something my service provider changed recently. I wondered the same thing. They are looking into it.

[liz1214]

Any AT&T users have any luck with this? I am having trouble linking my GN account with my geocaching.com account.