Cheap PDA reccomendations

[+Raffaz]

Hi

 

Im looking for a few recomendations for a PDA. Im sick of carrying sheets of paper round with cache descriptions on them. I wont be using the PDA for anything else apart from viewing the caches so i dont think it needs to be to powerful (an idea of specs required to run these would be handy). Can anyone recomend software i will need to do this? Cheers

 

Mick

Edited March 10, 2008 by Raffaz

[+PilotMan]

I bought a Palm Z22 off of eBay for like $30. Works just fine for paperless caching.

[+briansnat]

Get an old Palm off Ebay. Anything with 8+ megs should do the job. An M500, M505, Z22, VIII.

 

Shouldn't cost you much more than $30 with all the stuff.

[+Raffaz]

cheers for the recommendation. Is there any software required for this. Or any software that might come in handy?

[+PilotMan]

CacheMate is the program I use on the PDA. As for transferring PQ's and such to the PDA from your computer, there are several out there.

[+Ry and Ny]

Any other suggestions on software?

Edited March 10, 2008 by KermieD

[+PyrateWench]

I use a Palm m500 that I got from ebay for less than $20 with shipping and accessories (gotta love the metal hard case), Cachemate for the PDA and GSAK for the computer.

[+gvsu4msu]

Any other suggestions on software?

 

I use a palm Zire 31 (with Memory Card). Use Plucker on the Palm, and GPXSpinner to convert the pocket query.

[Neos2]

I use a Palm IIIxe and Cachemate. I used to use Plucker and Spinner, and liked them well enough, but once I started using GSAK to upload caches to my gps, I decided to use it (and cachemate) for the PDA, too.

 

My husband uses the same set up with his Zire.

[+The Auclair Family]

I too use a palm IIIxe with cachemate and gsak on the comp. If you look on ebay their are literaly hundreds of IIIxe. Their is one seller in particular i will garruntee you will see that sells these IIIxe for $.99 plus $14.00 shipping. Plus you go get cachemate off the net for $8 and you are set. It is extremely easy and any questions you have will be answered in this forum or gsak forum. If you do get this combination of IIIxe, cachemate, and gsak feel free to email me personally if you have any questions!!

[+Travelinmatt76]

I got started with paperless caching from this website. I bought the exact same palm from the article, the Palm IIIxe, cachemate, and GSAK.

[+Miragee]

The only thing I would add is that some of the color PDAs are very hard to see in bright sunlight. The monochrome Palm m500 doesn't have that problem. Also, many newer computers don't have a Serial Port, so getting one that connects with USB will ultimately be easier, even if your present computer has a Serial Port.

 

I've used a Palm m500 for more than six years now and it is still going strong. Recently I got a Palm m515 and like it, although the battery doesn't last as long as that of the m500. I have a 256 MB card and put the cache information on the card, so I can have the information on thousands of caches. I Export all that cache information from GSAK and use Cachemate on the PDAs.

 

Having a hard metal case is really a good idea. Geocaching can be rough on fragile electronics . . .

[+Ry and Ny]

Just got an m125 for less than $20 shipped. This should do the trick then?

[+victorymike]

I used a Palm iiixe for a long time and really liked it. Got it for the cost of lunch...~$10. And Cachemate for $8. I've since gone to a Palm LifeDrive and then back down to a Palm Tungsten E2...and Cachemate has automatically transfered to each device. But I kinda miss my iiixe.

[+churchrules]

Like every one else, I bought a palm m500 off ebay for $25 and payed $10 for shipping. I've downloaded cachemate for $8 and it works like a charm. I'm a computer idiot and I got the whole thing running in ten minutes.

[Mr.Yuck]

I use a Palm m500 that I got from ebay for less than $20 with shipping and accessories (gotta love the metal hard case), Cachemate for the PDA and GSAK for the computer.

 

I'm shocked at some of these prices for the M500!! Does that mean you can get a PalmIII for like $2? I'd like to give a big shout out to the Handspring Visor, which used a Palm OS. It was a rival company that was eventually bought out by Palm (and they call themselves PalmOne since). For an ancient PDA, all their models used USB cables, which wasn't the case for the same era Palm PDA's. All but the very first model had 8 MB of memory. I'd think you could really steal one of these things on ebay, as no one but us real PDA geeks even knows what they are. All you need for cachemate is Palm OS 3.0 or higher.

[+Knight2000]

We use an m130. It is color. I bought if from craigslist.

 

If i were to buy another i would buy something that has removable memory. The m125 and m130 take an SD card. The m130 is color.

 

Some of them have internal batteries. If they don't hold a charge then you will need to for over more money for a new battery. (Around $10)

 

Preparing for a caching trip i just bought a new battery, external keyboard, and car charger. In total it was close to $30.

 

I like having the ability to load a huge amount of caches into the unit without having to worry about running out of memory. I say removable memory cards are a plus. If you dont need color, then dont buy color.

[+Raffaz]

The only thing I would add is that some of the color PDAs are very hard to see in bright sunlight. The monochrome Palm m500 doesn't have that problem.

 

I live in the UK so sunlight isnt going to be a problem for me lol