Cheap PDA

[saopaulo1@hotmail.com]

and is it worth it?

[+geocacher_coza]

and is it worth it?

NO

Edited January 6, 2007 by geocacher_coza

[+Tomcat fan]

Be sure that the PDA will connect to your computer without having to spend more money. Most of the older ones are serial connected and most modern computers do not have a serial port. Almost all laptops do not have a serial port. They do sell usb to serial adaptors, but this is another expense.

[+michigansnorkelers]

Yes, get one! (or, a pocket PC ... more $$)

 

That's what paperless caching is all about.

 

There are a lot of opinions on this. You can get by on less than $40 with a basic unit on Ebay. But you might want to consider a better unit for many reasons.

 

I finally bought a used Palm Zire 72.

 

Here is a link about it:

 

http://www.mobiletechreview.com/palm_Zire_72.htm

 

Things I considered, and why, were:

 

* rechargeable battery (But you gotta keep it charged if you use it a lot)

* lots of memory: 32 megs onboard ( I store hundreds and hundreds of caches with cachemate).

* expandable memory with cheap Sandisk cards (got mine FREE on sale with McDonalds Monopoly BestBuy stamps)

* color display: 65,000 colors (pretty pictures)

* high resolution display: 320 x 320 pixel (sharp displays, including maps and images)

* built in camera for taking pictures at caches ( I don't own a digital camera )

* 312 MHz processor ... makes sorting databases a snap (a complaint I hear about older units)

* USB interface

* built in voice recorder (Of limited use, but I can record a lot faster than I can write)

*

* It also has BLUETOOTH, which I don't use yet, but understand that there's a lot you can do with it.

 

I often download google pages, including satellite images to this thing. The images are very sharp! I also loaded a couple of games, including Sudoko which is a blast.

 

I looked at all the Palm products available for under $100, and this is what I found the best bang for the buck ... for me.

Edited January 6, 2007 by michigansnorkeler

[+PilotMan]

I got a Palm z22 off eBay for about $40. Works just fine.

[+Tomcat fan]

I got a Palm Vx for $29.00 from Ebay. Not here yet but USPS has it trackable. BTW it was refurbished with the software.

[+Trappistbrew]

Yes, get one. About 8 months ago I bought a Palm III on ebay for $20.00. It's a no frills model, but I only use it for geocaching. It came with two docking cradles and a zip up binder that houses the PDA, pen and loose leaf paper. I use it every time I'm out caching. I find having all the info, hints and last 5 logs for all the caches within my pocket quarries parameters, very invaluable. Ebay is the way!

 

TZM

[+sbell111]

Any used Palm will work fine for geocaching. If I were only buying one for the game, I'd buy the cheapest one I could find. That way it is easily (and painlessly) replacably if you break it in the field.

 

Some time ago, I got my dad a Palm V with accessories off ebay for less than $20 after shipping. It works great for him.

[+briansnat]

Yes its worth it and all you need is a unit with 8 or more megs of memory. Look for used ones on Ebay. That way you aren't out a hundred or more dollars if you drop it in a stream while geocaching. Smoething like a Palm M505 will do the trick nicely.

[+Lord Elwood]

I use a Palm m105 for everything. Simple, cheap, and it works GREAT!!! I can easily put several hundred caches in it, and still have plenty of memory leftover for my phone book and calendar.

 

And definitely get one of Ebay. They have the best prices.

[+GeoSmurfz]

I bought a 5 pack of Palm Vx off of Ebay for about $75. I don't think I need all 5 but you never know. I just use it geocaching. My wife took one so I have 4 left. Just incase it breaks or it gets lost while geocaching. The program I use cost me $8 and found it useful. But alot of work to get the info into it.

[+Bad_CRC]

This should be on the main page. It is the best deal you will see in Geocaching.

 

Since I found a thread telling me that you can get a palm for 20 bucks on ebay, I've ended up buying 4 within about a month, and they have all been great.

 

I got an old black and white palm IIIcx for 20 bucks on ebay, I've seen them go for as little as 5 bucks. This is what you want for geocaching. You can load up all the geocaches within 100 miles along with a bunch of games to play on the drive there. You may need a serial > usb cable depending on your computer, but these are about 2 bucks on ebay. It also takes regular batteries so there's no need to worry about that.

 

I also got a couple newer color palm devices. for about 60 and 100 bucks, These are nice as well, as they allow you to have color satellite pics of the area, play mp3s and videos, and play newer games. I don't think I'll bring these caching, as I've already dropped my palm III on the rocks once.

 

Finally I got a dell Axim pocket PC. This is the ultimate PDA for me. It was about 150 bucks and came with wifi, so I can (and have) connected it to the internet and logged a cache find online right from my pda. I also bought a GPS attachment for it, which would let me find a cache with it (I haven't done this and don't plan to, as it's not really durable enough to take caching) I also got tomtom software for it and a car mount and cable, which lets me use it as a car navigation device... which is the coolest thing ever. (also bought microsoft streets and trips for it, which was useless)

 

so, any will work, but I'd stick with a cheap palm III for geocaching. they work great, and for under $20 you don't have any worries about losing or breaking it.

[+Bad_CRC]

The program I use cost me $8 and found it useful. But alot of work to get the info into it.

 

if you are using cachemate, open your pocket query file in the tool that comes with it, select all, and save as.

 

Shouldn't take more than 10 seconds or so.

[+sbell111]

Yes its worth it and all you need is a unit with 8 or more megs of memory. Look for used ones on Ebay. That way you aren't out a hundred or more dollars if you drop it in a stream while geocaching. Smoething like a Palm M505 will do the trick nicely.

The Plam V that I got my dad only has 2mb of memory. He is still able to have 500 caches in Plucker, keep up with his hunts in Cache Log Book, have all his contacts in the address book, and keep his calendar.

[+Bushlight]

I'm just starting paperless caching. Bought a palm tungsten e2. What is a good program for it,cachemate,pluker or spinner. And can i download cache pages right to it with any of these.

[+Polar Express]

Is a Palm m100 worth getting for paperless caching or should I spend a little more for 8mb?

[+greengecko]

A Palm IIIxe works great!

[+Polar Express]

A Palm IIIxe works great!

Is the m100 worth it or should I spend the extra $20 on the IIIxe

[+Tomcat fan]

A Palm IIIxe works great!

Is the m100 worth it or should I spend the extra $20 on the IIIxe

 

I bought a Palm Vx for $29.00 including postage. It works very well for paperless geocaching. I have a large address book, 100 caches in GPS format and cachmate installed and have room for hundreds more. Getting the serial port to use USB was a pain. I finally got it but it took a lot of study. All the serial to USB software that I found is only for Windows 98 and will not work with XP.

 

If I had it to do again I would only purchase a PDA with USB connectivity,

[+FerrisFamilyof5]

you know.... I want as much info in the truck as possible so when the boys and I are out running around we can cache in a moments notice....now you guys spring this way of caching on me...the DW is gonna kill me. I've been scouring ebay for some great deals... Should I just ask her to buy me one for my birthday? At this point in my life/career I have no other use for this besides caching.....now she's complainig that I'm obsessed with this ...uh oh... she may be right....thanx for all the leads!

 

Scott

 

PS. be on the lookout for a dimembered body...MINE

[Mr.Yuck]

you know.... I want as much info in the truck as possible so when the boys and I are out running around we can cache in a moments notice....now you guys spring this way of caching on me...the DW is gonna kill me. I've been scouring ebay for some great deals... Should I just ask her to buy me one for my birthday? At this point in my life/career I have no other use for this besides caching.....

 

 

No other use? The games, what about the games? Hundreds of them available. Maybe thousands.

Edited January 15, 2007 by TheWhiteUrkel

[+FerrisFamilyof5]

you know.... I want as much info in the truck as possible so when the boys and I are out running around we can cache in a moments notice....now you guys spring this way of caching on me...the DW is gonna kill me. I've been scouring ebay for some great deals... Should I just ask her to buy me one for my birthday? At this point in my life/career I have no other use for this besides caching.....

 

 

No other use? The games, what about the games? Hundreds of them available. Maybe thousands.

 

I do all the driving so I can't play while traveling, I work with a computer all day( i play games on lunch and breaks), we have a Game Boy at home, PS2, several PC games, the portable DVD player has built in games AND I have games on my phone... I don't need no more stinking games!!!!!

 

 

PS SABRES and BRUINS are playing in a couple of minutes...Anthem is on right now!

 

Scott

[+greengecko]

A Palm IIIxe works great!

Is the m100 worth it or should I spend the extra $20 on the IIIxe

 

I got my Palm IIIxe on eBay for around $15.00 including the docking station.

[+greengecko]

 

All the serial to USB software that I found is only for Windows 98 and will not work with XP.

 

 

Don't tell my Palm IIIxe, my serial hot sync connection works fine with XP!

[+Tomcat fan]

 

All the serial to USB software that I found is only for Windows 98 and will not work with XP.

 

 

Don't tell my Palm IIIxe, my serial hot sync connection works fine with XP!

 

Mine also after I bought an adaptor and drivers for XP. Looked for the box and software and cannot find it right now. I got it off Ebay.

[The_Brownies]

Have you considered buying a PDA or Pocket PC wih a broken screen and then fixing it? If you are a little technically inclined you can replace a broken screen by getting a replacement screen off ebay or craigs list. The other option is to buy a PDA or Pocket PC with a broken screen and then buy another one with a good screen that will not boot up. Then you make a one good one out of two bad ones.

 

Personally I purchased a couple compaq 3635 for $30 at a company yard sale. One worked, and the other would not sync up with my computer. Ordered a $15 dollar part from a guy in Las Vegas, and fixed it. Only issue I have now is keeping a charge on them, but this is easily corrected by replacing the battery. Again, a very easy thing to replace.

 

If you are worried about working on these things. DON'T BE. They are a piece of cake that a 10 year old could work on. PDA and Pocket PC's only have very few parts internally to work with, so are very easily repaired. It just takes a little patience.

[+cachenut06]

I'm just starting paperless caching. Bought a palm tungsten e2. What is a good program for it,cachemate,pluker or spinner. And can i download cache pages right to it with any of these.

Cachemate is all you need. It will convert the .gpx files to the correct ones, and they upload hundreds of caches in seconds when i hotsync my tungsten e. Its very easy, and i had downloaded about 15 programs when i started out trying to get it to work, but i registered cachemate and with the help of some members on here, it works great!

[+FerrisFamilyof5]

Well I found a Palm Vx on Ebay...won for 20.50 and with 10.00 shipping.(definetly making a profit on that!) I will paperless and on the DW poop list

 

thanx!

[+Jhwk]

Well I found a Palm Vx on Ebay...won for 20.50 and with 10.00 shipping.(definetly making a profit on that!) I will paperless and on the DW poop list

 

thanx!

Congrats, and welcome to the freedom of paperless caching.