Paperless Caching

[+Steve03]

I've been Geocaching for about 6 months now and I am tired of printing out the information pages on each cache. I've looked into paperless geocaching a little bit but I was wondering which PDA would be the best to get? Money is a bit of a concern so the cheaper the better. Where should I even begin my search of looking for the perfect PDA to fit my needs?

 

Thanks!

[+xplorer7]

I use a lowly Palm IIIe that I found for $17 just so I could start paperless caching, and it's met my needs beautifully, and it's been great for simple organizational tasks as well.

 

Sometimes I covet more powerful PDAs, and may buy one someday, but I would think that anything you use that's not a toy (like mine or better) will be far handier than before you went paperless.

 

BTW, even if money was no object, I wouldn't get a really expensive PDA for geocaching. If you drop/lose/damage a cheap one, it's no big deal, but it would be a shame if it was really pricey.

[+clockwise]

Obligatory plug for GeoMob - if you've got a newish mobile you can paperless cache on it:

 

http://www.metaltheater.com/GeoMob

[+Cardinal Red]

Check ebay. If you can get a Palm m500 in your price range, go for it. Don't forget you need the software (I think you can download from Palm if it is not included). And the charging cradle or just a seperate charge/sync cable. I like the ones with the sync button built into the cable.

[Loren :)]

Hi Steve03

I use the Palm TX which has Wifi and a web browser plus email. This may be more expensive than you had in mind. About $250 or look on ebay.

 

Entire Cache web pages can be save on this little device. One can look up updates from your motel for instance.

 

Free Wifi hotspots are every where. Well not hard to find anyway. One can even log their find on the road.

 

Loren

[+Team Dubbin]

You can pick up a Palm Z22 for under $100. Its a perfect little palm for caching.

[+Steve03]

Thanks a lot to all of you who responded. I have a friend willing to sell me a Palm M505 for about 30 bucks. Would this be a fair price and would it work well for geocaching? Thanks again!

[+Miragee]

I have the Palm M500 and have been using it for more than two years. The Palm M505 for that price sounds like a good deal.

 

Add Cachemate for $8.00 and you are all set.

[+Team Dubbin]

Thanks a lot to all of you who responded. I have a friend willing to sell me a Palm M505 for about 30 bucks. Would this be a fair price and would it work well for geocaching? Thanks again!

 

That would work just fine.

[+egami]

I am not sure what you have for a cell phone, but I have mine set up to receive text messages and I have an e-mail address for it as well (both options together were like $5/month feature which I need for work anway). I just e-mail myself the info and it's on my phone.

[+Cardinal Red]

The Palm M505 is newer and technically better than the M500 with this caveat. The M500 is NOT color. The M500 is actually considered superior in direct sunlight (easier to view). Check out your friends M505 and if you don't have any trouble viewing it in direct sunlight, go for it. You already have the Premium Membership that allows you to request PQ's. And while CacheMate is $8 (one time fee), you can actually test it for free. Download it, load on the PDA, and CacheMate will accept 10 caches in it's unregistered form. If you like what you see, pay $8 for the registration code.

[+Miragee]

CR makes a very good point. My Palm M500 can be read easily in bright sunlight. A friend who has the color Palm, a Z model, could never read the descriptions outside . . .

[+Steve03]

Hmm...I'll have to keep the color screen issue in mind. Perhaps I'll see if I can find a M500 on eBay for cheap. Thanks again!

[+Miragee]

If you want to spend a bit more money, a friend got the silver edition of the Palm Zire 72. It has a color screen which can be read outside. It also has more memory, can play MP3 files, and even has a camera.

 

Most of those I have seen cost around $100.00 on eBay. A friend got a Palm M500 for only $30.00, including the shipping . . .

[+team5150]

I use a Palm Z22 and as mentioned above, I had problems reading it in bright sunlight. I simply adjusted the brightness and contrast and VIOLA! it was good to go. One thing I would mention though is that PDA's are not built to take much of a beating, so I wouldn't spend too much on any PDA that you are going to haul out into the woods, toss into your caching bag, or stick in your back pocket while opening the cache container and then accidentally sit on. (Yes, that is the voice of experience) Just my 2 cents....

[+chkin11]

I just switched over to paperless using GSAK on my computer and CACHEMATE on my Palm M500 ($30 ebay) and wow!! too many times i would get to a cache and not even know what i was looking for (micro, ammo box ect..) now i have hints, logs, description ect.. im am not PDA smart but the process was fairly simple (http://65.34.18.106/content.php?article.15) that web site gives you step by step. thanks all for this topic, it guided me in the right direction.