Garmin Colorado

[Barrikady]

It appears that the City Navigator NT1 maps will have DEM info embedded in them so if you want 3d street maps you'll want to wait until those maps become available.

That's good news. In conjunction with your statement, I was told by Garmin reps at MacWorld Expo San Francisco, that the Macintosh version of City Navigator NA 8 has been finalized and the DVD is being manufactured now, and we can expect the new version to be available in about a month. I'm guessing that the Mac version of CN may have the DEM info included in the data.

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I've preordered a Colorado 300 from REI. I talked to a representative from their warehouse and they confirmed that the 300 model will not arrive at their warehouse until February 9th or 10th . At that point they will recieve 200 units to satisfy the first come first serve preorders. After that who knows!

 

I've previously heard that the first shipments should have been available this week (January 16th). If this is true and they have been delayed by almost a month it would stand to reason that the 400's, due out later, will be delayed by the same amount (March?). If anyone knows of a supplier for the 300's that has them in stock PLEASE let me know! I'll cancel my order from REI and buy from them. One could say that I'm a little OCD over these new units.

 

Anyone else heard when and/or where the first ones available to the public will be? Anyone received theirs yet?

 

I'm in touch with a vendor who is expecting his first shipment of 300s today. If not today, then Monday. He is getting 28 of them. I'll post it here and on my blog once he receives them and updates his order page.

[Barrikady]

A Garmin rep and a rep from Runner's World magazine made a little video about the 400t while they were in Las Vegas for an electronics show. It's an interesting video which is hosted by the Runner's World web site.

 

Go HERE for the video

[+sli23sli]

The current Colorado doesn't have a powered mount. The power cable powers the unit through the mini USB, which is the only connector there is. ...

Of course, you are correct that the Colorado doesn't have a powered mount. However, the auto navigation kit for the Colorado consists of a mount and a power cable. This becomes virtually the same thing as a powered mount. Stick a speaker on the power cable (ala Quest) and update the firmware and you would have a perfectly good 'street' GPSr. It still wouldn't have all the silly extras like bluetooth cel support and mp3 player. If people want those features, Garmin has the unit for them, but not having those features doesn't mean that this unit wouldn't be an awesome combo unit.

 

<It should be noted that making these small changes wouldn't affect the units usability on trail (or boat) at all. They would merely enhance it's 'streetability'.>

 

Sbell111, I totally agree with you on the speakers. They could be integral with the mount and powered by the power cable or even independently. That and a software revision to give it text to speech capability would make it a worthy road capable unit. A small portable speaker system would also make it a much richer Wherigo experience and not take away from its outdoor ruggedness. Listen up Garmin!! Sli23sli

[MtnHermit]

One could say that I'm a little OCD over these new units.

I just don't have the itch. Besides the excessive cost, the battery life, which has been characterised as excellent, is half that of my Venture. The only maps I care about are Above the Timber's 24K Colorado Topos and they'll only show as flat maps just like the Venture, no embedded DEMs. At $300 I'd consider upgrading for that big screen, not before.

[+Marky]

Anders,

 

In the excellent GPSmagazine review of the 400t, they had this con:

 

Cons:

- Rock 'n Roller scroll wheel/joystick a little difficult to scroll with one hand (feels stiff, and you might need to use two hands)

What is your opinion?

 

Thanks

I was using mine yesterday for a few hours, most of that time was playing with the scroll wheel just browsing through all the settings and screens. It was perfectly easy for me to operate it with one hand (and mine seemed a tad stiffer than the unit in the display case at REI, so maybe it gets a little less stiff with use).

 

--Marky

[yogazoo]

One could say that I'm a little OCD over these new units.

I just don't have the itch. Besides the excessive cost, the battery life, which has been characterised as excellent, is half that of my Venture. The only maps I care about are Above the Timber's 24K Colorado Topos and they'll only show as flat maps just like the Venture, no embedded DEMs. At $300 I'd consider upgrading for that big screen, not before.

 

I can understand your lack of enthusiasm over the Colorado unit. However for the rest of the country (anywhere but Colorado) who doesn't have a marketed 24K scale topo set it may be a little more interesting. One thing to note is that the battery life will be about the same as the 60csx. Using a Venture, sure, battery life pales in comparison. Screen size has alot to do with power consumption. You, holding out for a big screen, will likely be dissapointed with its battery life.

 

Its all about your needs in a GPS. I for one will appreciate the 65K colors and the larger (albiet not huge) screen. I will also appreciate the return of the Alarm Clock and constant logging (even when turned off) of barometric pressure data that was lost when the x's came out. The changes in the display of roads and features are also a plus. Paperless caching is huge to me as well.

 

The display of DEM data is, in my humble opinion, advantageous over increased topo lines and here's why. I have dabbled in the map creation thing with CGPSmapper. Making maps with 24K iso lines (40ft intervals) is great but when you have alot of roads, trails, and other data on-screen it gets to be a bit much. Often time trails become lost in the iso-lines as well as roads (the colors of trails and iso-lines are similar). The DEM shaded format still gives you lines but, to me, its more visually pleasing than a bunch of iso-lines stacked close together.

 

Price? I sold my Garmin 60CSX online for $350 and paid $425 for my Colorado 300. Is $75 dollars worth the upgrade? For me, YES.

[+Doc Geo]

I can understand your lack of enthusiasm over the Colorado unit. However for the rest of the country (anywhere but Colorado) who doesn't have a marketed 24K scale topo set it may be a little more interesting.

 

So is the scale of the topo maps that come loaded in the 400t 24K? If not, what is it?

 

Barry

aka Doc Geo

[yogazoo]

I can understand your lack of enthusiasm over the Colorado unit. However for the rest of the country (anywhere but Colorado) who doesn't have a marketed 24K scale topo set it may be a little more interesting.

 

So is the scale of the topo maps that come loaded in the 400t 24K? If not, what is it?

 

Barry

aka Doc Geo

 

No, sorry for any confusion. I was refering to the state of Colorado and the 24K mapset someone has made for it. The Garmin Colorado scale is the same as before, something equivelent to 100K maps (anywhere from 50ft to 100ft contours). The 24K product for the state of Colorado has been made by a seperate vendor who sells the maps (coverage of the state of Colorado, not the Gramin Colorado). Confused yet?

[yogazoo]

400t's are at the REI warehouse for immediate ship! 300's at REI will be vailable on February 9th or 10th

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I'm in touch with a vendor who is expecting his first shipment of 300s today. If not today, then Monday. He is getting 28 of them. I'll post it here and on my blog once he receives them and updates his order page.

 

Okay, here's the deal on the Colorado 300. $439.95 + free shipping.

 

Edited to give price.

Edited January 18, 2008 by Redwoods Mtn Biker

[rwsmith123]

Here is what I was told today. The Garmin Techies had just come out of a Colorado meeting.

 

1) Memory cards: Max 4GB SD. This is not a micro SD and the Colorado does not currently support SDHC. Future versions may be able to support SDHC.

 

 

I tested a 400t at REI today and it was able to read my 4GB SDHC card (I was able to display pictures from the 400t's picture viewer that I had stored on the card). So it seems that SDHC is not a problem, and if it can use a 4GB SDHC card chances are that it can use bigger cards as well.

[MtnHermit]

yogazoo,

 

Allow me to express my appreciation for your detailed reply. I'll now respectfully rebut a few points you made.

 

I can understand your lack of enthusiasm over the Colorado unit.

I'm in no way unenthusiastic about the Colorado, I'm impressed in almost every way. Garmin did a masterful job and the rocker-roller is out-of-the-box thinking which required an almost complete rewrite of their basic software. As the market leader, they priced it as high as the market would bear. I'm amazed at the lack of price resistance.

 

Screen size has alot to do with power consumption.

I disagree, LCD's by their very nature are switched by voltage, not current, and hence consume little power. Backlights OTOH are proportional to area. Let's assume that the Colorado is like the 60CSx, it gets its superior reception due to two elements: 1] the quad helix antenna and 2] a second ARM CPU whose only function is to process the GPS signal. The Vista/Legend/Venture gets by with one ARM CPU and this is the single biggest reason for the extended battery life.

 

You, holding out for a big screen, will likely be dissapointed with its battery life.

If I someday upgrade to a Colorado, likely I will, then the half battery life will be part of the package.

 

Its all about your needs in a GPS. I for one will appreciate the 65K colors and the larger (albiet not huge) screen.

Is this more colors than my Venture?

 

I will also appreciate the return of the Alarm Clock and constant logging (even when turned off) of barometric pressure data that was lost when the x's came out.

My Venture has a very good alarm clock, not on the 60CSx?

 

The changes in the display of roads and features are also a plus.

What is this, not aware of this change?

 

The display of DEM data is, in my humble opinion, advantageous over increased topo lines and here's why. I have dabbled in the map creation thing with CGPSmapper. Making maps with 24K iso lines (40ft intervals) is great but when you have alot of roads, trails, and other data on-screen it gets to be a bit much. Often time trails become lost in the iso-lines as well as roads (the colors of trails and iso-lines are similar). The DEM shaded format still gives you lines but, to me, its more visually pleasing than a bunch of iso-lines stacked close together.

You make some valid points, however you are missing one of the key features of 24K maps and that's hydro data. Unnamed lakes and ponds, even small named lakes do not exist on 100K maps. Also, rivers are shown bank to bank, not as simple lines.

 

Price? I sold my Garmin 60CSX online for $350 and paid $425 for my Colorado 300. Is $75 dollars worth the upgrade?

If you got $350, a tip of the hat.

 

As I suggested in an earlier post, I'm expecting a 100 and 200. Clearly the wireless gimmick will be removed, and at the 100 level the barometer/altimeter will go. How low will Garmin price its entry model? My guess we'll know this summer, I'll wait.

 

Also in a year, I would expect the scroll wheel OS to move to the etrex series at still lower cost.

 

Hermit

[MtnHermit]

I tested a 400t at REI today and it was able to read my 4GB SDHC card (I was able to display pictures from the 400t's picture viewer that I had stored on the card). So it seems that SDHC is not a problem, and if it can use a 4GB SDHC card chances are that it can use bigger cards as well.

Clearly a case of "One test is worth One-thousand expert opinions!!!"

 

This points to the fact that to date, people have been talking to tech reps, translation salesmen. No one has been talking to factory engineers who actually designed the Colorado.

[+StarBrand]

I tested a 400t at REI today and it was able to read my 4GB SDHC card (I was able to display pictures from the 400t's picture viewer that I had stored on the card). So it seems that SDHC is not a problem, and if it can use a 4GB SDHC card chances are that it can use bigger cards as well.

Clearly a case of "One test is worth One-thousand expert opinions!!!"

 

This points to the fact that to date, people have been talking to tech reps, translation salesmen. No one has been talking to factory engineers who actually designed the Colorado.

Lots of devices can use the bottom 2GB of an hd card - its that top 2GB that may or may not work - I stick with the tech notes that say hd cards shouldn't be used.

Edited January 18, 2008 by StarBrand

[+apersson850]

A Garmin rep and a rep from Runner's World magazine made a little video about the 400t while they were in Las Vegas for an electronics show. It's an interesting video which is hosted by the Runner's World web site.

 

Go HERE for the video

Even more interesting as the Colorado doesn't work well when running with it. When out there running, I want the map oriented with track up, so that I quickly can check it on the run, without stopping. But as the magnetic compass in the Colorado can't be disabled, and doesn't turn itself off unless you stay above 16 km/h, it's on all the time. At least when I run...

The result is that since you move your arms, when you run, the Colorado will point you in all possible directions, not only the one you are actually running. You have to keep it level for a few seconds to see where you are going. But when I do that, I can't read the screen, due to reflections from the sky.

 

It takes a firmware fix to allow you to disable the magnetic compass when necessary.

[+WoodenShoe]

Thanks apersson for all your info on the new Colorado. I would be looking for a firmware fix to turn off the compass also. For one I don't use it geocaching with my 76s most of the time, it just uses battery power and as long as I'm moving the unit keeps its orientation just fine. If I need it I can turn it on with the 76 series or use a pocket compass.

Also StarBrand thanks for pointing out a potential problem with the SDHC card. If that card was not filled beyond 2GB it might work and then fail if it had over 2GB on it.

If rwsmith could let us know how full the card was and what brand and rating 2,4,6 the SDHC was it might shed a bit more light on this subject but it is only one ck at this point. If anyone else has a SDHC card that they can ck with it would help. But at this point I would go with the garmin tech for now. My 300 is on order but I dont have a SCHC card to ck it with just a 2GB card. I will order one later when there is enough accurate info. Again thanks all for your info.

[rwsmith123]

I tested a 400t at REI today and it was able to read my 4GB SDHC card (I was able to display pictures from the 400t's picture viewer that I had stored on the card). So it seems that SDHC is not a problem, and if it can use a 4GB SDHC card chances are that it can use bigger cards as well.

Clearly a case of "One test is worth One-thousand expert opinions!!!"

 

This points to the fact that to date, people have been talking to tech reps, translation salesmen. No one has been talking to factory engineers who actually designed the Colorado.

Lots of devices can use the bottom 2GB of an hd card - its that top 2GB that may or may not work - I stick with the tech notes that say hd cards shouldn't be used.

 

That's not what I've heard. From wiki:

SD and SDHC compatibility issues

 

As of early 2007, the simultaneous availability of non-standard 4 GB SD and 4 GB SDHC cards, and incompatibilities between SD and SDHC have caused confusion among consumers buying memory devices.

 

SD and SDHC cards and devices have these compatibility issues :

 

* Devices that do not specifically support SDHC do not recognize SDHC memory cards.

[+g-o-cashers]

I have seen this posted yet. New Colorado minisite at Garmin.

 

GO$Rs

[yogazoo]

I'm in touch with a vendor who is expecting his first shipment of 300s today. If not today, then Monday. He is getting 28 of them. I'll post it here and on my blog once he receives them and updates his order page.

 

Okay, here's the deal on the Colorado 300. $439.95 + free shipping.

 

Edited to give price.

 

Thanks Redwoods Mtn Biker! I cancelled my Colorado 300 order wih REI (who said they ship in mid February) and ended up having one overnighted to be delivered Saturday Morning for much less than REI's total cost. I know, I know the dividend would make up for it. Thanks for the link and the info!

[+Redwoods Mtn Biker]

I'm in touch with a vendor who is expecting his first shipment of 300s today. If not today, then Monday. He is getting 28 of them. I'll post it here and on my blog once he receives them and updates his order page.

 

Okay, here's the deal on the Colorado 300. $439.95 + free shipping.

 

Edited to give price.

 

Thanks Redwoods Mtn Biker! I cancelled my Colorado 300 order wih REI (who said they ship in mid February) and ended up having one overnighted to be delivered Saturday Morning for much less than REI's total cost. I know, I know the dividend would make up for it. Thanks for the link and the info!

 

Glad to help. Looking forward to hearing what you think of it.