iHikeGPS for iPhone and iPad

That loud noise you heard earlier today? That was Garmin stock tanking. This just came in via email -- the product announcement for iHikeGPS for iPhone and iPad.

$7.99 for unlimited access to topos (you can store up to 200 at a time), plus the usual track and waypoint features, etc. That price is not a typo.

And yes, I just bought and downloaded it. More later.

I don't know enough about how these things work to make me dangerous, but wouldn't the iPhone and iPad being using a strong, weak or nonexistent cell signal to determine your position vs accessing 2 or 3 satellites ?

Looks like even more reasons for me to get an iPhone.

Is the instruction book hard to understand?

wouldn't the iPhone and iPad being using a strong, weak or nonexistent cell signal to determine your position vs accessing 2 or 3 satellites ?

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I wouldn't worry about that, they can just put more cell towers on top of windmills.

The real issue I have found with iPod software in the Wilderness is battery life. Running these applications on my phone doesn't give me nearly enough battery power to track a long hike. I'm also not sure they'd work well under heavy tree cover but I haven't tried that yet. I stick with my Garmin when I really want something I can rely upon.

It looks like it is from the guy that makes macgpspro software (James Associates), so by that measure, the company has a long history of support and innovation and developing and selling gps applications and also topo maps. Now macgpspro seems a bit clunky to me, very os 9 like, but he does continue to regularly develop it.

I have a touch, so I can't use this, and a have garmin gps. To me though an iphone is too delicate and expensive to actually use in the woods. They are far too senstive to dropping and moisture damage to be practical. However, if you plan to carry an iphone anyway as your cell phone, and don't really plan to use the maps or the gps functions for navigating very much, this could be a good option. But google earth also works and that is free.

Google maps is great for this purpose, and you can allow friends to track your location if there is enough signal for data and gps. However, battery life just isn't great when the phone can't go to sleep.

Little Rickie said:

Looks like even more reasons for me to get an iPhone.

Is the instruction book hard to understand?



I wouldn't worry about that, they can just put more cell towers on top of windmills.

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I really think this will be a severely limiting problem for hiking GPS based on cell coverage for a long time. There is no $ incentive to put up cell towers (or windmills) in the area of Upper Works, the Pemi Wilderness, the Pilot Range, BSP, many others.

I don't wish to offend anyone but I really do think it's crazy to use a cell phone to navigate in the woods. Following one's progress along a marked trail system I can see but I sure wouldn't use one on a bushwhack. Btw, what kind of cost does the on-line cell phone time incur?

I know I sound like a Luddite (or maybe a broken record )but what's happening to map, compass and looking around?

sardog1 said:

That loud noise you heard earlier today? That was Garmin stock tanking. This just came in via email -- the product announcement for iHikeGPS for iPhone and iPad.

$7.99 for unlimited access to topos (you can store up to 200 at a time), plus the usual track and waypoint features, etc. That price is not a typo.

And yes, I just bought and downloaded it. More later.

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Does it come bundled with iCallSAR, or do they make users purchase that separately...

I can't really see this affecting Garmin that much. Do that many people have an iPhone, really?

Of course, if you already have an iPhone, it's certainly a neat application. But the cheapest service plan from AT&T is $69.99 a month...that's a lot more than the zero dollars I'd pay if I were to use my Garmin GPS (and I don't even use that anymore).

I'm not ready to test and describe features yet. But these facts are salient:

1. Garmin does not make its money selling to us gearhead backcountry types. Garmin makes its money selling to (a) folks who rarely stray very far from the trailheads and (b) folks who drive on paved roads. Lots and lots of handheld GPS receivers sit unused because people are intimidated by the features. I know this because I used to sell them.

2. More than 34 million iPhones have been sold.

3. Approximately 1 billion downloads of iPhone apps have been done so far.

4. 120,000 iPads have been presold, as of this writing.

Still wanna go long on that stock?

sardog1 said:

Still wanna go long on that stock?

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Based on the poor performance of my Garmin GPS, no.

sardog1 said:

I'm not ready to test and describe features yet. But these facts are salient:

1. Garmin does not make its money selling to us gearhead backcountry types. Garmin makes its money selling to (a) folks who rarely stray very far from the trailheads and (b) folks who drive on paved roads. Lots and lots of handheld GPS receivers sit unused because people are intimidated by the features. I know this because I used to sell them.

2. More than 34 million iPhones have been sold.

3. Approximately 1 billion downloads of iPhone apps have been done so far.

4. 120,000 iPads have been presold, as of this writing.

Still wanna go long on that stock?

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Doesn't bode well that huge numbers of iphone owners will be heading into the woods, thinking that they will have GPS coverage just like on their Nuvi.

Paradox said:

Doesn't bode well that huge numbers of iphone owners will be heading into the woods, thinking that they will have GPS coverage just like on their Nuvi.

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Are you thinking that SAR will become a growth industry?

Neil said:

Are you thinking that SAR will become a growth industry?

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America is in a small government, privatize most everything mood. With a company like Apple sending us customers, some serious change could be made with a helocopter and a credit card machine.

I would be concerned about cell coverage currently...but the way Apple works it will most likely work well in a short time. In the meantime the State of NH could take John's idea and equip a rescue copter with a credit card slot for all the negligent hikers relying on the iphone. Balance the budget quickly. If you have the copter you could undercut the state and make the money.

It will sell because it's a novelity like lots of apps are. Now I can't wait to ge an iphone!

Now folks can walk around cubical mazes, track themselves, send it to a friend and have something to talk about when the text each other rather than work.

Sort of like being on forums are at work.

Paradox said:

America is in a small government, privatize most everything mood. With a company like Apple sending us customers, some serious change could be made with a helocopter and a credit card machine.

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Towing a "Will rescue for cash" banner behind it, 'natch...

With the geographic spread of VFTT, we probably have all of New England covered. Everybody gets to work on commission. We just need to set up the LLC, design a cool logo and come up with a memorable slogan and we in bidness!

Who's with us...!?

Neil said:

I don't wish to offend anyone but I really do think it's crazy to use a cell phone to navigate in the woods. Following one's progress along a marked trail system I can see but I sure wouldn't use one on a bushwhack. Btw, what kind of cost does the on-line cell phone time incur?

I know I sound like a Luddite (or maybe a broken record )but what's happening to map, compass and looking around?

Click to expand...

Unlimited data (up and down the "tubes") costs me $30 per month. I use it for business, for sending photos and position reports to my wife, and for annoying people on VFTT.

Last spring I was turkey hunting at dawn. A client in Turkey (no, I'm not kidding) sent me a file to review. I took a look at it and sent a quote back, secured the job, and went back to the "business" at hand in a few minutes. Now, if I had just been that successful with a bird . . .

You're not a Luddite. You're a guy who (like me) is going to be ready when the EMP sends us all back to the Stone Age.

If anything, it's time to stock up on Garmin GPS units just in case anything does happen to them. Where it probably hurts them the most is the car units, as now anyone with an appropriate phone or iDevice has a suitable GPS for driving directions, one with a really nice screen and always-up-to-date maps. That said, that was probably a much bigger market than those of us buying 60CSx's.

I still would rather take my Garmin into the woods or even when driving up in the far northern realms or in Maine or anywhere there isn't cell data service to download the map and routing information.