Download.it search icon
Advertisement

An app used to show direction, a compass right on your phone you can use to determine location

An app used to show direction, a compass right on your phone you can use to determine location

Vote: (37 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: Catch

Version: 3.2.1

Works under: Android

Also available for Windows

Vote:

Program license

(37 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

Catch

3.2.1

Works under:

Also available for

Android

Windows

Pros

  • Location finding and saving in one app
  • Multiple appearances and skins
  • Night mode

Cons

  • High battery use due to GPS and app use
  • Separate download needed for Add Note feature
  • No energy-saving mode

The Compass App Keeps Bearings Simple

While there are a lot of direction-finding apps out there, this Compass app is great for people who need to weave survival into casual live. There are multiple skins and compass types that fit aesthetic while giving information that needs.

You can use an Add Place function to save a specific location, and then navigate to that place with the My Places tool. You can also download an Add Note feature separately to add more details to your locations.

For honing proper directions, you can use True Magnetic North or GPS, although GPS consumes more battery power on any mobile device regardless of app.

Mobile Direction-Finding for Trips and Exploring

While some people prefer to use nature or vacations to escape the modern world--especially technology--people who know how to take everything in moderation can adapt without sacrificing anything.

At their core, mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets are lightweight, compact computers with a small phone function. While the battery power isn't great if you're looking at them as part of some emergency survival kit, it's a great helper.

For road trips, mobile devices have almost completely replaced standalone GPS devices. They're accurate enough, and the only time you'll need something more powerful is if you're in a cellular dead Zone.

If you're camping, mobile devices can help you walk back to safety if you get lost. You'll need to do a bit of homework first; be sure to write down and use the Add Place feature for your camp's location and other important locations.

Lost campers can use their mobile device maps or this compass app to navigate. If you can get local coordinates with directions, it's easy. If not, use the compass to walk in the right cardinal direction while matching longitude and latitude.

Dealing With Signal Dead Zones

What if you're specifically going to a place with no cellular, Wi-fi, or cellular data access? This compass app is a great help, but be sure to take other safety precautions.

Study the entire area and keep a supply of paper maps. Knowing landmarks and directions for areas with no signal can get you closer to your intended destination or to a place with signal to readjust your directions.

What if you don't plan on going to a dead zone, but want to be prepared in case you're lost with no idea where you are? Along with the compass app, be sure to travel with flares, glow sticks, emergency rations, and an emergency blanket.

Unless you're going into untamed wilderness, you can generally find your way with a compass and GPS. If not to civilization, there are often maps that show small buildings or clearings.

While you can't always plan for a total wilderness lost scenario, you can carry a few necessities for urban, rural and wilderness survival. Get a comfortable backpack, a battery charger with outlet and solar charging, and multiple replacement batteries.

Mobile device equipment is small, but can become overwhelming quickly. Using a backpack to store mobile charging equipment along with other necessities can turn you into a communications powerhouse.

Of course, the same thing can help you play games and browse the web without running out of battery power in normal life. Grab this compass app and keep your bearings for emergencies and everyday curiosity.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Location finding and saving in one app
  • Multiple appearances and skins
  • Night mode

Cons

  • High battery use due to GPS and app use
  • Separate download needed for Add Note feature
  • No energy-saving mode

Compass is a compass application developed by Catch to run on Android devices. The program is also available on Blackberry and Windows operating systems. This app is customizable, offering six compass types and five backgrounds from which to choose.

The Compass includes a function called "Add Place", where the user can add a specific location to navigate back to. The app offers three different options for navigation: true north, magnetic north, or GPS. The Compass App for Android is a much needed tool for wilderness backpackers and hikers, since many GPS systems do not work in the deep woods.

Pros

  • Cool custom features
  • Works like a real compass
  • Can act like a GPS
  • Program regularly updated

Cons

  • Basically overkill if you have a good phone/tablet
  • Might chew a lot of your power, especially in night mode

Global positioning systems are all the rage today, but some people like to stick with the basics of navigation for hiking purposes, scavenger hunts, etc, and so the Android program Compass might come in handy for those types.

A Look Inside the Compass Program

If you were to judge this Android program off of only its name, then you may think that Compass is just a basic sort of compass that you can pick up from any supply store on the planet. However, there are some pretty cool features and functions that you get along with this program. Yes, it is true that serving as a compass is this program's primary feature, but there are also additional features, backgrounds and settings you can toy around with to really bring this program to life. For instance, let's say you're one of those scavenger hunters in the city. That's a very popular pastime today. Though you're hunting for a location, not traveling to some predefined area, so a GPS is pointless. However, knowing your direction is essential, and so this program could definitely help you out in that regard.

One of the best things about this program that people have been noticing is that it's incredibly small. At only 500kb, you're not losing any valuable space on your devices at all, so you can download this even if you already have a packed phone. Plus it's available for any Android OS 1.5 and up, so you can even use it on an old device that you refuse to get rid of.

How Compass Works and Its Features

At first glance, you may make the mistake in believing that this is only a compass that will point you in the right direction. And while it does function that way, that's far from the only function you'll get with this program. For starters, you can change the background with over five different options, so you can make it match the sort of theme that you want. Secondly, you can actually save locations on the program. So while it's not set up to be a GPS, you can still toy around with the features and make it act like one. As long as you've been to the location, or have marked it physically, Compass can act just like a GPS and help you get back.

Another cool aspect of this program is that the software developers, Catch, are continually adding new features and versions of this program. So while today's version is 3.2.1, in another year or so multiple updates could roll out and give you entirely new features that you never even thought about. It's not one of those programs that's going to completely change your life and your mobile experience, but if you're in the sort of niche that could use an electronic compass, this is the sort of program you may want to try out.

Pros and Cons of Compass

Pros

  • Cool custom features
  • Works like a real compass
  • Can act like a GPS
  • Program regularly updated

Cons

  • Basically overkill if you have a good phone/tablet
  • Might chew a lot of your power, especially in night mode