Although it won’t appear for a few more days whilst the app goes through Apple’s review, the team behind Geocaching.com have written their own iPhone client.  The cost of the application is $9.99 (UK price to be confirmed) and has the functionality you need to look up and seek out caches using the networking and location-based features of the iPhone 3G. It also works with the iPod Touch and first gen iPhone though you will need WiFi for the Touch and the compass won’t work.

The first release will not have the feature to log caches or filter hides and finds, but it will be included as a free upgrade as we add that functionality - hopefully over the next month. We wanted to get the application out as soon as possible since the demand was so high for it.

Some non-obvious features:

• You can look up travel bugs and find out their goal while out on the trail
• Saved Items allows you to save a cache listing and navigate to it, even when you are out of network range
• The application starts in beginner mode which only shows traditional caches. Advanced shows all types
• To help with speed issues on, say, the Edge network, you can restrict the number of results to 5, 10, 15 or 20

Some more screenshots:

Pictures courtesy of Geocaching.com.

If you like geocaching (see geocaching.com for more information if you don’t know what’s involved), and have recently purchased an iPhone with GPS, then this article will be for you. TUAW have written up a full step by step guide on Geocaching with an iPhone. We’ve since heard at least one person is working on a true geocaching application for the iPhone, but until it’s out, this seems the best option.

Picture courtesy of TUAW, Story via Multimedia-PCs, and thanks to Mark at Automated Home.

Although it’s only been out a few months, a new software update has been released for the Garmin Forerunner 405, Garmin’s newest GPS based training watch. If you head off to the Forerunner 405 software page, you’ll find more details about the new version. If you have already set your Forerunner to connect to your PC, then you should be able to simple connect your ANT USB Stick, and update the device wirelessly. Unlike most Garmin GPS / SatNav units, this device does not use the traditional Garmin WebUpdater to update, but does take advantage of the Garmin Communicator plugin (which is commonly used to get geocaches from sites such as Geocaching.com into yoru GPS). Right now, this plugin is Windows only, but Garmin assure us they hope to have Mac support in Autumn 2008.

The feature list of v2.2 includes:

• Added timeout setting to the Training Options menu that disables the automatic timeout to power save mode when the watch is in training mode.
• Changed all settings in the Training Options menu to be specific to the current sport mode setting.
• Made adjustments to instantaneous pace filtering.
• Calculate calories, averages, and Virtual Partner time ahead/behind only when not auto paused.
• Added small navigation arrow on course timer page.
• Added locating satellites page before allowing user to mark location or mark position for the mark and lap auto lap by position option to ensure that the user’s current location is the one that is saved.
• Improved reliability of unit-to-unit transfers.
• Fixed issue where watch could freeze with bezel, accessories, and GPS not working.
• Fixed issues that could occur when using back to start feature.
• Corrected issues related to using the foot pod and GPS at the same time.
• Fixed issue where auto pause would not work if GPS was off and user was using only a foot pod or a bike sensor and not a heart rate monitor.
• Corrected issue with auto wheel size calibration for bike sensor.
• Fixed issue where total times greater than 24 hours could be displayed incorrectly on the totals page.
• Prevent start/stop or lap/reset from triggering if one button is released before the other after locking the bezel.
• Automatically classify activities with a foot pod as running and activities with a bike sensor as biking before sending data to the computer.
• Updated translations.

Like many software updates, we would recommend you think carefully before applying this update, although we’ve generally found Garmin updates to be well worth applying.

Whilst everyone is covering the iPhone story in greater detail than we could do it justice, we’re going to cover the formal announcement of the Garmin Oregon.  We covered much of the spec earlier in the week here, but here’s some more formal information from Garmin, including some comparisons with the Garmin Colorado range.

The 200 (above left) will just have the basemap, whereas the 300 (above right) has the shaded relief worldwide basemap.  The 400 series adds particular US maps (just like the Colorado), so will not hit the UK.  Neither the 200 or 300 have detailed maps preloaded, but both have a microSD card, as well as their internal memory for storing those additional maps.

The 300 also includes the wireless support, for the exchange of tracks, waypoints and geocaches between other Oregon units and Colorado models. It’s also equipped with a barometric altimeter and electronic compass and is compatible with Garmin’s heart-rate monitors and speed/cadence sensors (all of these features are missing on the 200, so we suspect the 300 will be the biggest seller).

Geocaching is even easier with the Oregon, which quickly downloads online information for every cache, such as location, terrain, difficulty, hints and description, so that you don’t have to take printouts with you. Oregon users can experience Wherigo™, the newest GPS-based activity from Groundspeak, the people who made geocaching a worldwide phenomenon. Wherigo (pronounced “where I go”) is a toolset for creating and completing adventure games, historical tours or other innovative activities in the real world.

With the 3″ touchscreen, we think this is going to be a big seller in the coming months.  All models should be available in the US by the end of the month, although we’re still waiting to hear when they’ll be on sale in the UK.

The current rumours flying around the internet are that Garmin is going to release a new range of GPS devices in the next few weeks. The Oregon range will be a similar device to the Garmin Colorado although it will be slightly smaller, and feature a touchscreen. One colleague we recently spoke with said he was always trying to use the Colorado screen as a touchscreen, so welcomed a true touchscreen unit.

Although Garmin are usually tight lipped about new devices, it appears that somehow these devices made it onto both Amazon and Buy.com before being removed. As such, a fairly reliable spec has been obtained, and this includes:

• High sensitivity GPS receiver for improved performance and reception
• Easy to use, touchscreen interface
• microSD card slot for optional mapping and data storage
• Electronic compass, barometric altimeter, temperature sensor
• Built in 3D Basemap /Digital Elevation Model
• 3D elevation view
• Wireless exchange of user routes, tracks, waypoints, geocaches and images
• Unit dimensions: 4.5 in x 2.3 in x 1.4 in
• Display size: 3 in color, touch screen
• Pixels / H x W: 240 x 400
• Waterproof standard: IEC 60529 IPX7
• Battery type: two high capacity or lithium ion AA batteries
• Weight: 6.8 oz with batteries

The specs above are for the 200 unit, with a 300, and a range of 400 units (similar to the Colorado 400 range) will also be available in the US. Given the main difference between the Colorado 300 and 400 models is the amount of memory to fit in the included US maps on the 400 range, we suspect that again the 400 range may not make it to the UK, leaving us with the 200 and 300 though. The main missing feature from the Colorado will be the Naviwheel, which isn’t needed due to the touchscreen.

Story via the Groundspeak Geocaching.com forums (no registration required to view).

GPXView started out as simply as a viewer for the geocaching.com GPX files used by geocachers. However, it’s now expanded, and offers a near paper-less experience for those who own a Nokia Internet Tablet, and even has basic GPS support for those with a Bluetooth GPS or an N810 (with built in GPS).

The author plans to integrate the program into with Maemo Mapper or into navit, but in the meantime head off to his website for more screenshots and the install link.

Garmin have announced agreements with MapQuest and Google Maps to allow you to send trips and destinations direct from the MapQuest / Google Maps website to your Garmin GPS. For MapQuest, this will utilise the “Send to GPS” option which will become Garmin compatible sometime this month, whereas the function is already available from Garmin. This will use the Garmin Communicator Plugin, which is already in use on other websites, such as Geocaching.com to transfer information to Garmin GPS units. Not all devices support full trip (route) details being transferred to them, but all seem to support a single destination being sent.

Even before the Garmin Colorado starts shipping in any serious quantities in the UK, Garmin have updated the firmware in these units based on user feedback. The main features added are:

• Displays geocaches on the main screen
• Doubles the number of caches supported to 2000
• Adds the ability to mark the cache as found
• Provides support for Colorado Field Notes, which can be directly uploaded to geocaching.com

Some more details about the new Garmin Colorado range have been released by Garmin…

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As well as the products already mentioned, Garmin have launched support for the new Geocaching.com created WhereIGo service in their new Garmin Colorado range. WhereIGo is a toolset for creating and playing GPS-based adventures in the real world. Garmin have already had some GPS-based games on their GPS devices, but this is the first time they have supported a third party solution, and as it’s developed by Geocaching.com, we expect it will become popular over time. As you move around in the real world, your handheld device will allow you to experience media-rich content relating to your location. This experience could be a tour guide, an adventure game, or anything else dreamed up by authors.