"[Anecdote] Experiences with the PokemonGo Plus"

#PokemonGO: I was skeptical of the Pokemon Go Plus, a device which "catches Pokemon for you." I thought to myself, would that take the fun out of the game? But I received one as a gift for Christmas and within two days of using it I was hooked. It's now been over a week and I have some thoughts to report.Quick takes:*If regular Pokemon Go is like hunting, using the PGP+ is like trap or net fishing. *It's the best thing ever for restocking pokeballs and inventory while doing errands in the car at up to 25 mph. *I've gone from averaging 10,000 xp a day to 20k-25k a day. *It saves battery bc it works when the phone is asleep! *Don't Pokemon & Drive... but is hitting the flashing button ok?The Details.Fishing & the XP GrindEvery time the light flashes green, a pokemon is in range. I was at level 29 (playing since July 11) when I got the PGP+ and was frankly pretty tired of all the pidgey, rattata, and weedle that are the main diet around here. I got briefly excited to try to catch them again when Ditto came along, but mostly I only nab those because a lucky egg-mass evolve is the only way to move the needle toward the next level. Well the PGP+ takes all the pain and boredom out of farming commons. Just hit the button when it flashes green. I typically dislike wasting ultra balls on commons -- the PGP+ will only throw the regular ball. It also doesn't curve the ball. So a lot of stuff escapes, but so what? You don't feel the frustration about it and by letting the PGP+ catch stuff while I do other things (hitting the button isn't distracting enough to keep me from multitasking whereas pausing to do a regular catch with multiple throws is) I've ended up catching net gain way more than I was previously. That means being ready to mass evolve sooner and makes the xp grind way easier.Restocking InventoryThe PGP+ flashes blue when a pokestop is in range. You can also set it so that it doesn't flash for stops, or doesn't flash for pokemon in range. I turn off the alert for pokemon and just leave the pokestop alert on when I go to the grocery store. I can hit 10 stops on the way there and 10 on the way back, all at about 25 miles per hour. If I have my passenger do it the usual way, by spinning them in the app, at 25 mph most of them are speed locked and give no items. But the PGP doesn't seem bothered by this! Above 25 or 30 mph it doesn't get the items bc "the pokestop is out of range" too quickly. Hitting 20 pokestops on a midnight run to the store refills my bag very nicely. I'm not taking my eyes off the road or my hands off the wheel if the PGP+ is in my hand so I don't feel it's unsafe driving (like the Uber drivers I see trying to catch pokemon while their vehicle is moving... oh man).Manual CatchesWhen the app is working right, you can see what Pokemon ins in range. When it's wonky, you can't tell what you're catching. Or maybe it's supposed to be like that--I'm not sure. It's good when you can see if something special comes up so you can switch to manual mode by tapping on the Pokemon and then catching it as usual using great balls/ultra balls and throwing curves. I've been pretty happy with what I've caught without looking, too, though, including CP 411 Ditto, numerous Bulbasaurs and Charmanders during the starter event, and Santa Pikachus.Battery LifeI suspect Pokemon Go itself is probably responsible for how wonky my phone (a few years old iPhone 5) has been lately. The drain on battery life has taken a toll and now I get random reboots and it sometimes dies with supposedly plenty of battery left. The PGP+ is great because during a PGP+ session the app can be asleep and the PGP+ will still work. It drains the battery but nowhere near as fast as running the app in the foreground for me. Plus distance walked is still being logged! I haven't tested whether it's as accurate as when the app is live in use, but it has been great for grabbing 'mons and pokestop items without killing my battery.Distance Is Being Logged Some folks told me that before release supposedly the news was that distance was not logged while using the Go Plus. I'm glad to report that's not the case--it's definitely hatching my eggs and logging distance.Reminder to Hit PokestopsIt works as a 5-minute reminder to everyone around you if you're, say, at a restaurant with a group of friends where there's a pokestop. I don't have to activate my phone or look away from the conversation. I can just hit the button each time it blinks blue. Meanwhile any other PG players at the table know to spin the stop.Alerts for your Whole PartyLikewise it flashes green when a Pokemon is in range. Everyone peeks at their phones to see if it's something good. During a New Years Eve party the other night I wore the PGP+ as an accessory and lots of guests caught Santa Pikachu as a result.MultitaskingMy favorite thing is being able to grab items or farm pidgey without having to actively open my phone and look away from other tasks. I can plop myself in a Starbucks for an hour to do some work and restock pokeballs at the same time, or socialize, etc.What do you guys think? PGP+ love it or hate it? At the high levels where there is so much distance between levels the Go Plus definitely takes some of the drudgery out and puts some efficiency in. I'm having more fun, not less, and that's the bottom line for me. via /r/TheSilphRoad http://ift.tt/2hV7RPD