[Android Apps and Games] alinescoo:
All you orienteering fans, gather around, I have a great announcement for you. Not an orienteering fan? No problem, after trying Compass VO along with Virtual Orienteering for Android you will be. I know what you were thinking when saw the app name “Oh boy, not another compass application”. The Android Market is full of compass applications, each having nice features and options. So, why a new one? That’s what I’ve asked the creators of the concept behind Compass VO. The answer is simple: it has some pretty neat features not found on other products that you'll enjoy at max.

What makes Compass VO worth to try?

* Use the popular 1, 2, 3 compass system along with this digital compass, the same as a real compass.

* You can easily use an image of a map as a background. The image can be taken either from the phone’s Gallery or live with in-app integrated camera preview. But this is not all, after loading the map image you can manipulate it to suit your needs: rotate, zoom in and out, pan, everything is at your finger. The background remains saved and you can always update it, even after application is reopened.

* Uses internal magnetic field and accelerometer sensor combined with GPS and wireless networks to offer accurate information. This allows you to choose if you want to use the magnetic heading or the true heading. All received information is available, depending on chosen theme.

* Compass dial for target bearing and/or orienteering.

* Multiple themes (Orienteering, Digital, Compass Rose, Mango graphics, Night, Android, many to come in the future) for each user's taste, maybe you like a light theme or maybe a darker one... or why not the special Green robot theme

* No annoying ads, no pop-ups, no interruptions, no user spying.

I tried to keep permissions as few as possible. As you will see no “suspect” permissions like access your personal data or internet connection. So the ones that are needed are as follows:

- Camera: used only on your request, with preview in order to take a photo of a map

- Access fine location: used to calculate the Geographic North and offer Magnetic declination.

- Wake lock: used to keep the screen on all the time. This is an option in Settings, but keep in mind that it uses a lot of battery.

As a side note, please keep in mind that the accuracy of magnetic sensors in android powered devices is very variable. Based from manufacturer to manufacturer this can vary from pretty good accuracy to an unreliable one. You can always try to calibrate by holding the phone in front of you and moving it in a Figure-8 pattern, to see if it improves.

Are you convinced to give it a try ? I sure hope so. Please take a look at About page in Settings. You can rate it in Android Market (5 stars please ;) ) or if you encounter any problems drop us an email and will do our best go fix it as fast as possible.

In the end, I must say I really enjoy working with the professional team from Just Windows Phone. Compass VO was made originally for Windows Phone Mango, carefully designed and implemented by them, and then ported by me on Android platform. I bet you wondered from what comes VO in the title? From Virtual Orienteering, this is the father project, Compass VO being a free tool to complete it. I invite you to also take a look at Virtual Orienteering community and the android application from the market.

Special thanks to:

Virtual Orienteering - Find your way! - www.vorienteering.com

Just Windows Phone - www.just-windows-phone.com

Can be found in Android market at Compass VO