 Last Friday, Garmin announced a new mobile app, OpenCaching, for the iPhone and the Android. The geocaching app lets users connect to their OpenCaching.com accounts, log new finds and view caches by street maps or satellite views from their smartphone. Additionally, iPhone users can share their caches with friends via email while Android users can share via Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. The app relies heavily on user contribution, specifically peer review and community ratings. Geocachers rate caches on four elements: 'Awesomeness', size of the cache, ruggedness of the terrain and difficulty of the find. Using these elements, OpenCaching creates a bull's eye system so users can easily see the cache's overall rating (pictured left). Dan Bartel, Garmin's vice president of worldwide sales, explained, "Garmin's free OpenCaching app is yet another exciting way to grow the geocaching community and give cachers the information they need when they're on the go. This mobile option lets cachers find the newest and nearest geocaches wherever they may be, and just as with OpenCaching.com, we look forward to the app's continuous evolution as we implement feedback and suggestions from cachers themselves." The free OpenCaching app is used in conjunction with OpenCaching.com, Garmin's own website for the geocaching community. As with the app, users can join OpenCaching.com without any membership fees or subscriptions. |
