Your buddy & "walking" it just a li'l

[monanotlisa]

We know that there is GPS drift that adds to your walked km, and it's "natural" in the sense that every GPS-based app will be somewhat affected.

But now in the New Age of Buddies, leaving your phone and the Pokémon GO on overnight means that you may wake up to a new candy for your buddy: I did this morning! My Pikachu was no longer at 28 candy, but 29! After reading a guy's account on reddit's Silph Road about maximizing GPD drift by laying down your phone in north-south direction, I hooked my iPhone 5 up to be charged last night and laid it down N-S. To do that, I simply used the Pokémon GO app as a compass by tapping the compass in the upper right-hand corner.

It may not always work, but it clearly works for some folks.

Comments

[serpentine]

I've been noticing that oddly my Buddy seems to get more distance than my eggs. I wonder if they're calculating differently for eggs verses the buddy. Like the buddy updates on a different timer than the eggs.

[brightknightie]

I've noticed this also, that my buddy seems to get a little more walking than my eggs. Perhaps my buddy runs off on his own sometimes, while my eggs stay securely in my back-pack. ;-)

[raisedbymoogles]

Ooh, this is useful. Thank you.

[willowistari]

I don't suppose anyone can recommend an android app (preferably free) that keeps your phone from sleeping at all? Someone recommended one in the reddit thread talking about this GPS trick but dang if I can't find the thread again!

[willowistari]

Scratch that, I think I figured it out. Thanks though! :D

[lemon_badgeress]

well, don't boggart it! How??? :P

[willowistari]

HAHA I...actually figured out how to change the setting on my phone so I don't need an app. *sheepish grin*

But if I do manage to find the reddit post again I'll link it!

[brightknightie]

May we ask, what setting did you discover?

"Never" isn't an option under "Settings" > "Display" > "Sleep" on my Android phone. The longest duration available is "30 minutes" (which of course is a good and worthy upper limit in most circumstances! one doesn't normally want to waste battery and wear down a phone... but...).

[willowistari]

I'm not sure if it's on all android phones but: under settings you find your model # and tap on it 7 times to turn on developer mode. Once that's done there should be an option somewhere (I think under display maybe) to keep your screen from going to sleep IF it's plugged in charging. So there's a little bit of a catch to it.

I was recommended the stay alive app too though: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.synetics.stay.alive&hl=en

[malnpudl]

Thank you! Stay Alive looks like a godsend.

[owl]

I'm using this toggle app:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ss.proximityservice

If the front camera is covered, it turns off the screen but keeps the phone awake with the app running. I lay it face down - also handy for stopping it from eating battery in my pocket with the screen on.

[lemon_badgeress]

That would be awesome if you do find it -- I'm rubbish at reddit, never go there. And my stupid phone won't let me set it to never sleep. Hour is all I can get.

May your GPS wander far! XD

[malnpudl]

That would be brilliant! I'll try it tonight. Thanks for passing this along.

[tyger]

Ooooooooh! What a great idea. :D