Buyers Remorse?

[+obxWaMi]

My hubby wanted me to upgrade to a more technological cell phone for a long time. Well, my last cell finally bit the dust and he convinced me to get the Palm Centro. It is so cute in pink and my daughters are jealous, but after more than a month of using it, I HATE IT! I can make a call on it and I've practically become a solitaire expert, but I can't figure out much more. I was really disappointed to find that the Web on the stupid thing looks nothing like the Web on my laptop. I should have known I wouldn't be happy with anything that small that had multiple instructions manuals the size of an unabridged Webster's dictionary.

 

I really want to learn to use this and I really want to like it. Can anyone help me?

 

We don't have a printer, so we write down all the info on any cache we decide to search for. This is getting really old really fast. I want to go paperless. I've tried downloading the programs from here so that I can send cache info to my pc and to my palm, but I couldn't figure out how to make them work so I uninstalled and deleted them.

 

Is my biggest problem (besides being technologically challenged) the fact that I'm not a premium member?

 

I must add that I need step-by-step directions to do anything with electronic devices. (and please use simple words)

 

Thanks,

Michelle

[+Miragee]

I am not familiar with that cellphone, so I don't know if there is some way you can install Cachemate on it, or not . . . if you can't, this is what I would do.

 

Look on eBay for an inexpensive Palm like the m500 or m515. You want to look for one that sells for less than $30.00 (including the shipping) and connects to your computer with USB.

 

While you are browsing around on eBay, point your browser back to this page and sign up for a Premium Membership on GC.com.

 

Now, download GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife). When your new Palm arrives, download Cachemate and install it on the Palm. This little rudimentary GSAK tutorial should be helpful.

[+JohnnyVegas]

unless you become a premium member going paperless will be more of a challenge.

If you become a premium member you can then run PQs and load them into a PDA once you install the required software.

 

I looked at the web page for the Palm Centro, it looks like it should work.

It does say that it is a smart phone.

If it has all the fuctions of a PDA there should not be a problem.

Edited February 22, 2008 by JohnnyVegas

[+Merge!]

Ok, I have a Centro, and everything works fine for me. I use wap.geocaching.com, to search for caches. If I really want to load up for a day of caching, I use CacheMate. I have a premium membership with Geocaching.com, so I build a pocketquery, and transfer it to Cachemate. Good little app.

 

Additionally, the Centro comes with Google Maps, so that can help too. Its really a great companion to my GPS. If only it had its own GPS, than it would be perfect (and if it had a bigger screen).

 

As for the step-by-step instructions you ask for. You need to read the manual that comes with the Centro. It's a must if you want to know how to use the device. Read the instructions for CacheMate (http://www.smittyware.com/palm/cachemate/).

 

Let me know if you need additional assistance.

 

-merge

[+clevek]

I'm new to this but started out with a friend's suggestion to keep it simple. He loaded the GSAK program along with Cachmate onto a disc and I never looked back. There are many other programs out there to do what you would like, these just happen to be the two programs I started with. Yes, becoming a premium member allows you to access the pocket queries also. I actually like to just add a few potential caches at one time by using the zip code feature on gc.com web page. I read through the caches and check off several that are close by and have a current log to read, and that have been found recently. I then export these by clicking on the button at top of page, and they go into the GSAK program. I open the caches again one by one in GSAK and read through, and go on line to get the updated logs. GSAK now even has a map to look at while you are reading through the logs. Then, to go "paperless", I use a really old Palm Pilot. I click in the upper left hand corner of the GSAK program, and scroll down to "export", to "cachemate". This allows me to generate a file which is loaded somewhere to await my next "hot synch" of the palm pilot. I hook up my palm pilot and hot synch it, and then I have all the notes and information on it to carry with me. I think you could probably use your new phone like this. I would contact the owner of cachemate, and maybe even use his "forums" to ask questions. Since most people carry a phone with them, once you got this working you would not need another thing to carry around (palm pilot). I'm sure there are easier ways to do this, and by asking questions in forums you will hopefully get the answers you need. Take Care

[+SassyGingerNinja]

I recently got a Palm Centro and although the keys are REALLY tiny, I'm growing to love it. I have a premium membership and use it to build pocket querys, open the PQ in GSAK, then filter out anything I don't want and load it onto my Centro using Cachemate. It all works great and it wasn't that hard to figure out - although I'm intuitively a techie. There are forums for all of these programs, and I would recommend you post specific questions on what you need to know and someone will help you. There are Palm forums as well. Good luck!

[+obxWaMi]

First, Thank You to everyone who replied. You have all been a big help.

 

Second, I UPGRADED to a PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP!

 

Tonight I am way too tired, but I will upload the other needed programs soon. I'm sure I will need help, so watch these forums for my questions.

 

Thanks again, and I'm looking forward to going PAPERLESS!

[+obxWaMi]

Gotta add.....Another step closer to paperless!

 

I just won an ebay auction for a Palm m500.

[+theosus]

Gotta add.....Another step closer to paperless!

 

I just won an ebay auction for a Palm m500.

 

I tried browsing the web on my palm as well... and a friends blackberry, and another friends cell phone. They all SUCK. Remember web pages are designed to be viewed at 800x600 pixels or more (1024x800 or so being better). Palms are like 320 x320...

The BEST web viewer on a palm-sized device I have seen is on the iphone. It shrinks the web page so you see the full page, just kind of blurry, and then you can zoom in and scroll around and actually read the text.

The PALM line of products just do NOT do web sites any justice.

 

I use a palm tungsten e2, have gone paperless since october 07, and love it. The only paper I still use is my delorme book, and a printed "route" page showing the general location of my chosen caches for the day.

8.5" x 11" still trumps 2"x1.5" when it comes to mapping across a couple of counties.

[+ICHTHYS]

Gotta add.....Another step closer to paperless!

 

I just won an ebay auction for a Palm m500.

 

Not really sure why you need a Palm m500, your phone is a Palm and should run everything the same as the m500 would.

[+obxWaMi]

Just got my palm m500-- it's great.

 

I really like that the screen is much larger than the one on my phone and it seems easier to navigate than my phone (simple minded me). I'm seriously considering going back to my simple cell phone and giving the Palm Centro to my daughter.

 

QUESTION--I went to Cachemate, whats the difference the <download> and <purchase>? Which one do I need? I read the features and it appears to me that I need to purchase, but I just wanted to check.

 

Thanks

[+Miragee]

You will want to Download the program and Purchase it for $8.00. It is well worth that amount of money. If you do not Register it, you can only load ten caches, and there is a "Nag Screen" before you have access to the cache names. I've used Cachemate for more than three years, in conjunction with GSAK, and it works very well.

[+obxWaMi]

To all who assisted me, THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

 

I purchased, installed, and upgraded as suggested and IT WORKED!

 

I am now PAPERLESS and I have 96 caches downloaded into my Palm m500.

 

(yep, I do still hate my Centro)

Edited March 2, 2008 by obxWaMi