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 What's with the payware?
 
 8/14/2009 2:21:15 PM
gm2
1 posts


What's with the payware?
The following is a post I recently made on my blog at http://gm.stackunderflow.com/blog/pivot/entry.php?id=127 and I thought it would be best shared here:

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It has recently come to my attention that the quite awesome Geocache Navigator has become payware on the Nokia devices (it was previously free for those who don't know). While sometimes, software developers have to pay the bills, the Nokia version is 30 euros... WTF!?

30 euros, for those who don't know offhand, is about $50 Australian dollars. To compare things - I recently purchased version 9 of X-Plane. That cost me a total of $62.58 Australian... including shipping - and that was when it was $39 US - it's now $29. Please could the developers of Geocache Navigator explain how their product was either a) harder to write or b) is worth more than the world's most advanced flight simulator. It's also not like there's a small market for geocachers either - in fact, I wonder how it compares to the flight sim community?

Of course, they're being nice to us by letting us "upgrade" for 15 euros - still $25, and IMO, about $15 more than the app really warrants. I'm not averse to paying for software - I do legitimately purchase stuff if it's worth the price being charged. So if it was $5 or $10, I'd buy it, because I'm not going to deny that it's a useful app. But $50? That's excessive - I could probably find a Garmin eTrex for that if I looked hard enough...

A quick look on the iTunes App Store reveals equivalent apps - Groundspeak's Geocache app going for US$10 (~$12 AUD as I write this). Geosphere is $8. Geocaches Near Me is $0.99. Geopher Lite is $1.99.

In conclusion: you have angered a few software developers who might just be planning on writing something right now.
 8/14/2009 10:27:23 PM
Rebecca
65 posts


Re: What's with the payware?
 Modified By andreicito3  on 8/14/2009 11:02:13 PM)

Good day

The ad supported version of Geocache Navigator, that was previously available for free on three Nokia handsets (N95, 6110, and N82), is being discontinued effective September 12, 2009. The application will no longer function after the September 12, 2009 date. Trimble has created an upgraded version of Geocache Navigator that consumers can purchase for €15 if they desire to continue using Geocache Navigator with their Nokia handset. The purchase is a one-time fee good for the life of the handset. If a new handset is purchased then Geocache Navigator would need to be repurchased for the new handset. The upgrade includes the following updates:

  1. Geocaches can be stored on the Nokia handset to allow Geocache Navigator use when outside of the operator's network. This also allows the use of WiFi connections to pre-load caches into the handset to lower data charges.
  2. Mapping content has been improved to include topographic maps of many areas.
  3. More Nokia handsets are officially supported including: 6110 Navigator, E71, E90, N82, N95, N96, N97 (w/touch), E75, E66, N79, N85, 5800 (w/touch), N78, 6220 Classic, and the N82
  4. Ads will not appear in the application.

We pride ourselves in providing great products to our customers and we continuously invest to make our products better. At times we can make these upgrades available for free. Other times upgrades will require an additional purchase. Regardless of whether you choose to upgrade your Geocache Navigator application in the future when upgrades become available, the version now offered for €15 will continue to operate.

To get the upgrade, please follow the instructions displayed through the free ad supported version of Geocache Navigator.

Thank you for using Geocache Navigator and for helping us to continue improving the product.

 8/15/2009 11:55:57 AM
darksidelemm
2 posts


Re: What's with the payware?
Another concerned user here...

Can we get a real answer as to why Geocache Navigator was made payware? Something other than a form reply would be nice...

Also, your forum system is pretty crappy, I had to go through multiple browsers and spend about 10 minutes messing about just to get this to post.
 8/15/2009 11:57:29 AM
darksidelemm
2 posts


Re: What's with the payware?
RE: Forum System - the Rich Text editor seems to bugged in both Safari and Opera. I can post using the Basic Text Box system though.
 8/17/2009 8:51:38 AM
andreicito3
14 posts


Re: What's with the payware?

 darksidelemm wrote
Can we get a real answer as to why Geocache Navigator was made payware?

Hi darksidelemm, I would like to point out that Geocache Navigator application is, actually, a service. Unlike standalone applications that run on the phone and don't require any network connectivity or real-time data, Geocache Navigator is a network-aware application that requires a real-time connection to the Geocaching.com database and various map content providers. There are costs involved in making such application as Geocache Navigator available to users. Trimble has been providing free Geocache Navigator service on Nokia phones for approximately 1.5 years now, but in the current economic conditions this is no longer feasible.

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