allory

The current Garmins all work nicely with the mac. I use a Dakota 20 and have not had any problems at all.

No doubt you will get at least as many opinions as responses, but I'll start. I don't have an Oregon but a Dakota 20, so pretty much the same thing. I have used it on both road and mtn bike quite a bit for the last two years, before that used a eTrex Vista HCx. No question the Vista has an easier to read screen, but in every other way the Dakota is better for what I want on a bike. The profile configuration gives all the flexibility I need and the touch screen is way more convenient when riding. The new eTrex may even things out a bit, but I still think the touch screen would sway me.

BaseCamp for Mac software version 3.2.0.9 Beta http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5285 Changes made from version 3.2.0.7 Beta to 3.2.0.9 Beta: Scaled find to work better with different kinds of search sources. Added Advanced Find option. Added support for reading data from .Fit devices like the Edge 500 and 800 and the Forerunner 310XT. Added support for updating the firmware in Garmin devices. Added ability to save OpenCaching.com search results to user data. Added new activity profiles: Trucking and Direct. Added Date Hidden to Geocache dialog. Fixed issue where importing GPX file with thousands of identically named waypoints could cause a crash. Fixed issue where search pins would float over the terrain in 3-D mode. Improved tips in Find when no results are found. Changed the Overview mini-map display to move with the application. Fixed preferences Reset to Factory Settings to work correctly. Change to handle out of memory condition better. Improved Backup and Restore to work between different machines, different users or even different platforms.

https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?p=88955#post88955 A beta version of BaseCamp 3.2 is available (link below). Please read the following: Warning This is beta software, or an early peek at an incomplete product. We value your input, so we are providing this to you so that you can send us your comments and ideas. We have tested this beta version extensively, but that doesn't mean that there won't be bugs. Use at your own risk. Notes Please backup your existing data from BC 3.1 before running the beta. The beta build requires you to allow Garmin to collect statistics on how you use BaseCamp to help us improve the application. This will be optional for the release of BaseCamp 3.2, but it is a required condition for using the beta. Activity profiles are still a work in progress, in particular migrating existing routing options. We have had intermittent success testing BirdsEye Select because of some oddities with the servers. Please let us know your experience. Changes Moved the various property tabs to a separate dialog. Added swapping the map and data list UI regions. Added activity profiles to allow easier changes between common routing configurations. Added geocache search integration with OpenCaching.com. Added photo sharing site upload (currently for Picasa). Added track statistics that correspond to the selection in the track points list. Added additional statistics to the elevation profile. Added display of elevation profile when batch editing routes or tracks. Added heart rate and cadence to the track points list and elevation profile. Added route to track conversion. Added display mode for geocaches. Added the "Duplicate" menu item for most user data types. Added continuation of route/track drawing when switching between tools. Added route avoidance checkboxes to the route options (such as "Avoid U-turns"). Added a basic dialog for creating routes. Added draw order control for new BirdsEye Imagery that is downloaded. Added user selection of application language. Added option to restore the application to default settings. Added tips dialog when entering full screen mode. Added a keyboard shortcut to snap the map back to North up. Added file import/export support for the TCX file format. Added file export support for tab-delimited and comma-delimited text. Added properties and create waypoint commands to the list of POIs that is displayed when hovering on the map. Added optional collection of analytics to help us improve the application. Added display of the detailed coverage region of card/device based maps. Added notification to user when updates are available for devices. Added receiving FIT course points and activity data from many fitness devices. These are converted into waypoints and tracks. Changed geotagging photos from a track to add links to those photos in the track. Changed to not allow changing the location of geocaches when they are part of a route. Changed the divide tool to create a new waypoint or trackpoint at the division point. Fixed issue where we didn't always remove all waypoints created as part of a route.

First go to http://www8.garmin.com/macosx/ andvdownload and install most of what is there. You probably won't need the ANT agent and RoadTrip, perhaps Training Center, but will eventually want the rest. With that installed you can install Mac format maps (.gmap) to your hard drive and then to your gps. The free maps at gpsfiledepot.com Work fine if they are formatted for a Mac. If you don't have maps in the Mac format then you will need to install them on a Windows machine and convert them to Mac format with Garmin's MapConverter (http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3897). Quite a few of the free maps are already available in the Mac format, and in my experience the map makers are pretty receptive to doing the conversion if you ask nicely. If your Garmin map disk is old enough that it doesn't include the Mac format maps you should at least try contacting Garmin to see if they would send you a new disk. The conversion is easy, but if you don't have acces to a Windows machine available it can't hurt to ask.

Oregon software version 4.18 Beta http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4741 Changes made from version 4.17 to 4.18: Fixed issues relating to WAAS performance. Fixed issue where the device would not regain a GPS signal after losing the GPS signal in a tunnel. Fixed an issue where the enabled/disabled option for custom maps could not be changed when two or more BirdsEye™ Satellite Imagery providers were on the device. Problems with the software may be reported to OregonBeta@garmin.com

Dakota software version 4.04 Beta http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5235 Changes made from version 4.02 to 4.04: Fixed issues relating to WAAS performance. Fixed issue where the device would not regain a GPS signal after losing the GPS signal in a tunnel. Fixed shutdown on the map screen when a waypoint was being moved to the same location as a geocache or other POIs. Fixed an issue where the enabled/disabled option for custom maps could not be changed when two or more BirdsEye™ Satellite Imagery providers were on the device. Fixed an issue where the device would not beep when approaching a destination while routing off-road. Fixed an issue with archived tracks not displaying properly. Problems with the software may be reported to OregonBeta@garmin.com

Earthmate® GPS PN-60 Firmware Update 3.2 http://support.delorme.com/questions.php?questionid=136 The Earthmate GPS PN-60 Firmware version 3.2 updates the GPS with the new features and fixes in the list found below. Corrected issue where occasionally SPOT Communicator and PN-60w would disconnect after 15 seconds Added a SOS countdown timer to the SPOT page Corrected an issue where syncing with Topo could cause loss of data on PN-60/PN-60w Updated Find UI to an icon based approach Added the ability to do simple filters for Geocaches via Find Consolidated Geocache options in menus Small changes to Route options Corrected issue where rechargeable Li-Ion battery improperly reported current charge level Corrected issue where occasionally the PN would not display the correct time after a reboot This update is currently available within the Sync wizard of the Topo North America 9.0™ application.

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3887

Work does get in the way at times.

BaseCamp for Mac software version 3.2.0.7 Beta http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5285 Changes made from version 3.1.4 to 3.2.0.7 Beta: General: Added Activity-based profiles. This allows the user to have different route and map settings for different activities. Added ability to back up and restore user data Added heart rate and cadence to the track dialog Added the ability to export GDB files Added analytics to collect application usage statistics Removed ability to display marine maps in deference to the release of HomePort Folder improvements: Added folders and subfolders to allow organization of lists Add ability to sort user data by date in addition to the current name, type Map improvements: Added Overview mini map, accessible under the View menu. Added tips to the tool pop up about moving waypoints or shaping a route. Added ability to configure which map features (POIs and lines) to show or hide. Added ability to configure the POI icon size Added ability to configure the number of labels that are displayed on the map Improved 3-D view to hide features that are behind terrain. Improved geocache support: Added ability to configure what is displayed for geocaches on the map: Symbol, Symbol and Id, or Symbol and name. Use the context menu to change settings for more than one at a time. Added support for Opencaching.com geocaches Added searching for Opencaching.com geocaches Added the ability to set the z-order (draw order) of BirdsEye and Garmin custom maps. Note this will only work with new BirdsEye images downloaded for devices with the latest beta firmware. Improved the ability to track the found status for geocaches Added the ability to read the geocache visit status from supported GPSs. Added the ability to automatically log found geocaches to Opencaching.com Added a new smart list criteria for geocache find status Improved import of geocaches from a GPX file Fixes: Fixed issue where quitting the application while reading a map from card could cause a crash Fixed issue where disconnecting a device while it was being read could cause a crash Fixed rare issue where clicking on the 3-D map with the routing tool could cause a crash Known issues: Find is not finished. As such, there is no way to turn finding of Opencaching.com geocaches off. Though your previous data will be preserved, this installer will overwrite your old version of BaseCamp. If you want to revert to the released version of BaseCamp, download and install BaseCamp from our web or the Mac App Store and your old data will be available. Since BaseCamp beta uses different BirdsEye servers, that functionality will not be immediately available while using the beta. This will hopefully be rectified in the future.

http://gawisp.com/perry/oregon/

Dakota software version 4.01 Beta http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5235 Changes made from version 3.82 to 4.01: *Improved GPS performance *Improved JNX file handling *Improved the usability of the main menu setup page *Increased maximum number of supported JNX files to 250 from 200 *Fixed shutdown when unit had more than the maximum number of JNX files on it *Fixed shutdown related to topographical maps and land cover text size *Fixed shutdown associated with certain custom POI files *Fixed Glide Ratio to Destination field *Fixed issue with profiles and the fields on the map page *Problems with the software may be reported to OregonBeta@garmin.com

GPSMAP 62/78 software version 2.93 Beta http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5071 Changes made from version 2.92 to 2.93: * Improved GPS performance * Improved JNX file handling * Increased maximum number of supported JNX files to 250 from 200 * Fixed shutdown when unit had more than the maximum number of JNX files on it * Fixed shutdown related to topographical maps and land cover text size * Fixed Glide Ratio to Destination field * Fixed problem with profiles and the fields on the map page * Problems with the software may be reported to 62-78Beta@garmin.com

Oregon x50 software version 4.45 Beta http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4743 Changes made from version 4.32 to 4.45: * Improved GPS performance * Improved JNX file handling * Improved the usability of the main menu setup page * Increased maximum number of supported JNX files to 250 from 200 * Fixed shutdown when more than the maximum number of JNX files were present * Fixed 'Search Near' functionality on Hunt & Fish and Sun & Moon pages * Fixed shutdown related to topographical maps and land cover text size * Fixed shutdown associated with certain custom POI files * Fixed Glide Ratio to Destination field * Fixed problem with profiles and the fields on the map page * Problems with the software may be reported to OregonBeta@garmin.com

Oregon software version 4.16 Beta http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4741 Changes made from version 4.12 to 4.16: * Improved GPS performance * Improved JNX file handling * Improved the usability of the main menu setup page * Increased maximum number of supported JNX files to 250 from 200 * Fixed shutdown when unit had more than the maximum number of JNX files on it * Fixed shutdown related to topographical maps and land cover text size * Fixed shutdown associated with certain custom POI files * Fixed Glide Ratio to Destination field * Fixed an issue related to adding a geocache as a point in a route * Problems with the software may be reported to OregonBeta@garmin.com

Thats where the updates come in. Custom maps were added to the Oregon line with v. 3.30 and have been tweaked several times since then. The current version is 4.10 (http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4051) or 4.12 beta (http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4741) if you're feeling adventurous.

Check the maps at gpsfiledepot.com

There is also a shareware item called HoudahGeo which will compile your photos and tracklog to add exif info to your pics.

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3887 Changes made from version 3.50 to 3.60: * Added support for chirp™ detection. This software update will allow Colorado units to detect previously-programmed chirp™ units. See http://www.garmin.com/chirp for details on which units are chirp™ compatible. NOTE: Due to the hardware present in Colorado devices, chirp™ detection range may be less than that of other compatible devices. * Updated magnetic Earth field data. * Fixed issue with certain JPEGs not drawing from Custom Maps. * Fixed issue with Oblique Mercator User Grid distances. * Fixed line color when navigating a track off-road.

Yep I got that update today too. I don't yet notice any thing different after the update,, you? Could you tell us what version it is? My 295 is not finding an update. It was also purchased in December. It claims software version 7.46.0, GPS firmware version 230 If you're using web updater, it won't find an update. You need to use my.garmin.com to get it. Mine also says version 7.46.0 in Settings/Menu/About. Also the same GPS Firmware version, 230. I had been trying with webupdater, but also tried the dashboard at my.garmin. Glad to know that I'm not missing anything.

Yep I got that update today too. I don't yet notice any thing different after the update,, you? Could you tell us what version it is? My 295 is not finding an update. It was also purchased in December. It claims software version 7.46.0, GPS firmware version 230

Colorado software version 3.52 Beta http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4667 Changes made from version 3.50 to 3.52: * Added support for chirp™ detection. This software update will allow Colorado units to detect previously-programmed chirp™ units. See http://www.garmin.com/chirp for details on which units are chirp™ compatible. NOTE: Due to the hardware present in Colorado devices, chirp™ detection range may be less than that of other compatible devices. * Updated magnetic Earth field data. * Fixed issue with certain JPEGs not drawing from Custom Maps. * Fixed issue with Oblique Mercator User Grid distances. * Problems with the software may be reported to ColoradoBeta@garmin.com

Have you tried Settings > Audio > Audio Boost? I haven't, but it seems like that might do something with the volume.

I have put maps both in the internal memory and on the card without any problems. The main reason to stay with the card is in case there turns out to be a problem you can just restart without the card.