Need Help In Decision

[+Daps]

I have read the postings about "going paperless". We are new geocachers. We will probably be travelling across Canada a couple of times a year as our daughter and grandkids live 3000km away from us. We already know that geocaching gives us great breaks in a long day's drive. So, all that being said, here's my question? We're going to buy a new computer. The only thing we'd use a laptop for is geocaching and transporting digital pictures around with us on our trips. We are happy with the monitor, keyboard and mouse we already have and are a little hesitant about how we'd like a laptop's keyboard (we're both touch typists). I like the idea of getting a desktop for home and something else for the road. Will an old palm pilot hold the info for a lot of caches (say several hundred for long trips when we don't know our exact route)? Or should we cough up the cash and get a newer PDA that has more memory and internet capabilities? Sorry, I know this is a long question but you need all the info. We're using a very basic Garmin GPS but are happy with it (plan to get a cable to download waypoints though). Thanks.

[+StarBrand]

If the PDA will be strictly for geocaching - stick with one of the palm models. If you expect your PDA to carry a lot of data and have addtional computing needs and power then go for one of the Windows based PPC models.

 

Most of the PDAs out there today will hold a few thousand caches worth of information.

 

I use the Dell Axim x3.

[+IVxIV]

The only thing we'd use a laptop for is geocaching and transporting digital pictures around with us on our trips.  We are happy with the monitor, keyboard and mouse we already have and are a little hesitant about how we'd like a laptop's keyboard (we're both touch typists).  I like the idea of getting a desktop for home and something else for the road.

You know, most laptops have connections that allow you to plug in your fullsize keyboard, monitor, and mouse into it. So when you're home you can use those things no problem.

 

As far as a PDA for paperless Geocaching, just go out & buy a very basic Palm based unit. They don't need to be big or powerful for Geocaching. Even an OLD Palm PDA with 8mb of memory capacity can hold several thousands of caches. I recommend using "Cachemate" as a great software for a Palm PDA.

[+tirediron]

Yup, definitely go for Cachemate for your Palm OS device! Why not look around and see what you can find in a used laptop? A smaller, older laptop will still run most of your 'caching and mapping apps, as well as providing storage for digital imagery. That way, you could have something like M$ Streets & Trips on it for planning, as well as GSAK, which will give you a lot more info in a more viewing friendly manner than Cachemate....

[+Daps]

Thanks so much for the help. I think I have the info needed to make a decision.

[+TeamAO]

I have read the postings about "going paperless". We are new geocachers. We will probably be travelling across Canada a couple of times a year as our daughter and grandkids live 3000km away from us. We already know that geocaching gives us great breaks in a long day's drive. So, all that being said, here's my question? We're going to buy a new computer. The only thing we'd use a laptop for is geocaching and transporting digital pictures around with us on our trips. We are happy with the monitor, keyboard and mouse we already have and are a little hesitant about how we'd like a laptop's keyboard (we're both touch typists). I like the idea of getting a desktop for home and something else for the road. Will an old palm pilot hold the info for a lot of caches (say several hundred for long trips when we don't know our exact route)? Or should we cough up the cash and get a newer PDA that has more memory and internet capabilities? Sorry, I know this is a long question but you need all the info. We're using a very basic Garmin GPS but are happy with it (plan to get a cable to download waypoints though). Thanks.

A laptop would be the ultimate road caching machine. Download all the points along your route, USB connect your GPS to it and synchronize, you can track your movement on the laptop and decide what caches you want to do.

[+tands]

I use a pocketpc for paperless. While I think its functionality and power top the Palm units, it has one flaw that makes me recommend palm units. PocketPcs have terrible battery life. Their fast processor just sucks up the juice. Palm units, on the other hand, go for hours between charges. I have to remember to turn off my pocketpc, or set the auto-off function, or charge it in the car between caches. And yes, the battery isn't defective.

 

- T of TandS

[+Miragee]

Actually, my Palm M500 has gone days between being recharged.

 

I definitely recommend the older monochrome Palms, with Cachemate installed. My monochrome Palm is so much easier to read out in bright sunlight than my friend's color Zire.

 

Having a laptop along on the trip is a great idea. You can download the pictures from your digital camera to the laptop, and update your data in the GPSr and Palm from the laptop (I recommend GSAK) after finding a "hotspot" and downloading new data.

[+miles58]

It's pretty hard to beat a laptop with GSAK on it. If you just want this for travel, why not go that route and dispense with the PDA?

[+IV_Warrior]

If you get the laptop for travel, I highly recommend getting Delorme Street Atlas to keep track of where you are/where you're going. It's very easy to import cache data and be able to tell at a glance where the caches along your route are located.

 

Personally, I prefer a PPC for caching. Importing cache data to the PPC is easier than the Palm and I haven't had any battery life issues while caching with my Ipaq.

 

In any case, a unit with expandable memory (SD card, etc) will give you the ability to hold Plenty of cache data, more than you can get in a single day's worth of Pocket Queries.

[+Miragee]

. . .

 

Personally, I prefer a PPC for caching.  Importing cache data to the PPC is easier than the Palm and I haven't had any battery life issues while caching with my Ipaq.  . . .

How can you say that? Getting the data from GSAK to Cachemate on my Palm couldn't possibly be easier.

 

I "Export" from GSAK in the correct format for my Palm and the next time I do a Hotsync, it gets installed.

 

The main reason I recommend an older, monochrome Palm is because of the price. PPCs are more expensive and since things can happen to PDAs when you are out caching, it is much less painful to replace a $39.00 Palm than a $200 to $300 PPC.

 

My old Palm M500 has a slot for an SD card. I put all my caches on the card, so I can easily have many more than a thousand caches on my Palm in easy-to-navigate separate databases in Cachemate.

[+IV_Warrior]

. . .

 

Personally, I prefer a PPC for caching.  Importing cache data to the PPC is easier than the Palm and I haven't had any battery life issues while caching with my Ipaq.  . . .

How can you say that? Getting the data from GSAK to Cachemate on my Palm couldn't possibly be easier.

 

I "Export" from GSAK in the correct format for my Palm and the next time I do a Hotsync, it gets installed.

I don't even have to go through GSAK or any other program to get the data to my PPC. GPXSonar works with the .gpx file from my pocket query.

[+IVxIV]

. . .

 

Personally, I prefer a PPC for caching.  Importing cache data to the PPC is easier than the Palm and I haven't had any battery life issues while caching with my Ipaq.  . . .

How can you say that? Getting the data from GSAK to Cachemate on my Palm couldn't possibly be easier.

 

I "Export" from GSAK in the correct format for my Palm and the next time I do a Hotsync, it gets installed.

I don't even have to go through GSAK or any other program to get the data to my PPC. GPXSonar works with the .gpx file from my pocket query.

I don't use GSAK either to load waypoints to my Palm PDA (although I could, GSAK is cool!)

 

I use the CMconvert tool that ships with Cachemate. As soon as I click it, it automatically preps the load into my Palm PDA during the next hotsync.. it's a totally simple no-brainer

 

And,, it's common knowledge that PPC's suck back the battery juice a LOT faster than Palm units do. Mostly because admittedly, PPC's are quite powerful. However I feel they are "too powerful" (& too expensive) for someone who's considering buying one simply for Geocaching. If you already own a PPC then by all means use it. But don't buy something that powerful for 1 simple need.