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Garmin Colorado -- will they add these features?


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Like I said in my earlier post. If your a GeoCaching nerd (affectionatley, were all nerds of some sort simply for posting on these forums!), you likely love the Colordo. If you use a GPS for other things like navigating the backcountry or recording location data whether it be tracks or waypoints, then you'll likely prefer the 60CSX over the Colorado. Don't get me wrong, I really like the screen and resolution and on and on but the fact of the matter is that this unit is not marketed towards fitness, they don't say "take it for a jog" but they do say "take it for a hike". It's misleading marketing at best.

 

Will this be a divergance in the Garmin handheld line in the future? Is this the way Garmin is going? A seperate class for Geocachers, a seperate class for fitness buffs, a seperate class for bikers, and a seperate class for hardcore hikers and backpackers? It sure seems so. If so they need to be more specific in the way they advertise things. If you don't see this as an "upgrade" from the 60CSX in their marketing and description of the product then your in flat denial.

 

You guys can make arguments to make yourselves feel better but the reality of the matter is obvious to most.

 

And to answer someones question earlier. My fourth unit had decent battery life and kept time. Thats how I knew it was a "KEEPER". Love at fourth first site, the unit worked kind-of as advertised. I think quality control at Garmin is getting a bit lax or is just out to lunch.

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I am not an addicted geocacher, but try to cache every new place I visit. Having said that and with the experience of using Garmin GPSrs for over 5 years now (starting with iQue-3600, GMXT, 60csx, Nuvi-370) and now 400t(which I purchased and used today), I must say that their dumbing down strategy which started with Nuvi is still continuing into this Colorado series. In the few hours of use that I put the unit thru today, here is what I found (my $0.02):

  1. Very good geocaching features compared to 60csx (adding the waypoint averaging feature will be great, but not very important to my use).
  2. The screen resolution is better and so they have used anti-aliasing fonts, but I am not a big fan of that. It has jazzed up the interface, but traversing the menus is non-intuitive. Wonder if they have lost the "usability engineer" in their organization.
  3. Resetting of brightness when powered ON and then having to dial it up is a pain (it was one single button press in 60csx as long as we didn't use 100% brightnes).
  4. LCD panel technologies are way ahead of what Garmin has used here. The screen gets smudge marks very easily.
  5. Battery life is terrible. Already on my 2nd set of batteries in one day. Most of the folks who use these stuff are very conscious of our environment and using a pile of batteries is not going to help it.
  6. Haven't been able to make the compass work so far.
  7. If I enable the compass, the Track Up mode always shows the North Up mode. Wierd. Have posted a thread on this to find out what I am doing stupidly.
  8. The way this consumes battey, we need a provision for a "battery bandolier" and having the crab mounted over the battery latch doesn't help in the quick loading of battery. Product Designer? Knock, knock, are you there?
  9. The screen reflects too easily and it is not easily readable.
  10. I have one of those USB power sources that has two USB type ports on a single car charger. I can connect upto two devices to it to draw power into any device (like my AT&T Tilt, Nuvi-370, etc.). When I connect that to 400t, it shows the "data-transfer" screen and doesn't allow me to use the unit as a GPSr at that time. Huh?

I had received iQue-3600 in the first batch that Garmin shipped and it had problems, but not as many and as long as GMXT. After Nuvi-6xx and 3xx came out, we were all pining for the features of iQue-3600 as Garmin decided to "remove" features, not add/improve. Their later models of Nuvi has started showing up the features that they had removed. Looks like other than the Geocaching/Wherigo/fitness functions, the rest of this unit is a step backwards.

 

Garmin, please get rid of the Product Mktg jokers that you currently have and bring back the ones you had earlier. And please employ a test team and not make your customers do all the testing.

 

---end of rant----

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It's perfect marketing on garmin's part and has happened in many other industries.

 

Now they can sell someone who geocache's a colorado, and if they happen to do serious hiking/etc. a etrex, and if they bike a edge, and if they run a forerunner.

 

The colorado "works" with HRM and bike speed/cadence sensors, but it has no real functionality for anyone that is serious about bike or HR data, so it's still not useful for any training purposes. Now does garmin say the unit is for fitness training.....no, but it's a really short leap for someone reading the marketing on the unit to think that it would have more fitness capability than just reading HR and Cadence in real time too.

 

The same is true of the edge series, even the new 705, yes it has "mapping" capability but it's never going to even come close to replacing say an etrex for hiking, you get little to no mapping options, you again have the ability to only have the unit navigate you along a course one direction. It's a $600 bike computer, and garmin knows that if you want a hiking gps you will have to buy another unit.

 

What is unfortunate is that if that is going to be the case, garmin should do a better job of marketing the detailed feature differences between units. However, if the colorado manual is any indication I would not hold my breath. That manual is so poor there's no way to even try and preview it to get an idea of a feature set for the new units. The edge 705 manual is a lot more complete in that respect, but even it leaves out a lot of features and instructions.

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I'd like to repeat nicolo's question about trackback. I also had a 60CSX for many years and never used it. I hike and climb almost every weekend year round, and I have followed the track I made on the way in on the way out many times. This method is especially helpful when crossing glaciers because you can quickly (and safely) cross back out over a glacier without having to navigate crevasses for a second time. I just zoom way in and follow my track on the map.

I'd also like to mention that I have had the Colorado since the day REI received them, and have been using it for serious backcountry trips including multi-day snow camping trips all winter long. I have never had any problems seeing the screen (sometime you do need to tilt it to relfect the light correctly). I have to use Lithium batteries in the extreme cold and I have averaged 20-27 hours on each set for about 12-15 sets. In warmer weather I have used alkaline batteries and average about 10-12 hours with those. Very comparable to my 60CSX. I use it primarily as a backup to paper maps, especially in severe weather where paper map navigation becomes impossible. It has never preformed any better or worse than my 60CSX for my usage.

Edited by dopoka
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I'd like to repeat nicolo's question about trackback. I also had a 60CSX for many years and never used it. I hike and climb almost every weekend year round, and I have followed the track I made on the way in on the way out many times. This method is especially helpful when crossing glaciers because you can quickly (and safely) cross back out over a glacier without having to navigate crevasses for a second time. I just zoom way in and follow my track on the map.

I'd also like to mention that I have had the Colorado since the day REI received them, and have been using it for serious backcountry trips including multi-day snow camping trips all winter long. I have never had any problems seeing the screen (sometime you do need to tilt it to relfect the light correctly). I have to use Lithium batteries in the extreme cold and I have averaged 20-27 hours on each set for about 12-15 sets. In warmer weather I have used alkaline batteries and average about 10-12 hours with those. Very comparable to my 60CSX. I use it primarily as a backup to paper maps, especially in severe weather where paper map navigation becomes impossible. It has never preformed any better or worse than my 60CSX for my usage.

wow I'm blown away by your battery life numbers........I've got a current post going re: battery life. I can't get more than 6 hours out of lithium or Nimh............maybe I should try for unit number four.

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First off I am talking about the Energizer E2 type lithium, not rechargeables.

 

I may be using my unit differently than most of the people on this board. I generally start it up at the beginning of a trip, put it on the trip computer, and never touch it again (except to look at the trip stats) until I turn it off. So I'm almost never using the backlight and not pressing any buttons (causing the processor to have to work harder). Also the trip computer changes a small percentage of pixels on the screen opposed to having to continually update the entire screen. I've also noticed that the lithiums preform better at lower temps. Most of my lithium use has been in the low twenties and high teens.

 

I would expect everyone to have different battery life experiences since battery life is a function of the operation (backlight use + processor load + screen image + receiver amplifier + temperature + using a SD card + compass + pressure...etc) I wouldn't be surprised to see a 3x or 4x power difference based on use.

Edited by dopoka
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Like many others I'm debating the 60CSx vs. Colorado. I have never owned a 60CSX but I've had a Colorado for 2 weeks and put it through the things I use a GPS for (marine use, don't geocache). After the first few days I was cussing and ready to ship it back. This particular unit will have to be returned as it's got a hardware problem (Rock'nRoller problem) -- so I've got to decide to replace with another Colorado or the 60CSx.

 

But the more I use this Colorado, the more I like it. I love the way it feels in my hands and the ergonomics of how you use the unit. I love the fact that tracks are saved up to 5000 points. But past that the features of the 60CSx really make it a better GPS for my needs. I'd go with the Colorado in a heart beat if Garmin would "fix" the following. My question is, what is the likelihood these things will be changed?

 

1) trackback function for tracks and routes

2) be able to use compass page to navigate tracks with indexes to next (vs. just follow map now)

3) get the whole waypoint # on the screen

4) improve battery life

5) scroll through waypoints by name vs. having to "spell"

6) view tides for other dates

 

Thanks.

Why can we not have proper voice guidence in auto profile

 

I have same garmin map on my N95 and a cheap Nuvi both have voice for road use

 

all it needs is the voice file added I am sure it would be a simple upgrade

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Like many others I'm debating the 60CSx vs. Colorado. I have never owned a 60CSX but I've had a Colorado for 2 weeks and put it through the things I use a GPS for (marine use, don't geocache). After the first few days I was cussing and ready to ship it back. This particular unit will have to be returned as it's got a hardware problem (Rock'nRoller problem) -- so I've got to decide to replace with another Colorado or the 60CSx.

 

But the more I use this Colorado, the more I like it. I love the way it feels in my hands and the ergonomics of how you use the unit. I love the fact that tracks are saved up to 5000 points. But past that the features of the 60CSx really make it a better GPS for my needs. I'd go with the Colorado in a heart beat if Garmin would "fix" the following. My question is, what is the likelihood these things will be changed?

 

1) trackback function for tracks and routes

2) be able to use compass page to navigate tracks with indexes to next (vs. just follow map now)

3) get the whole waypoint # on the screen

4) improve battery life

5) scroll through waypoints by name vs. having to "spell"

6) view tides for other dates

 

Thanks.

 

Also, I like to see icons on my waypoints.

Edited by raxxal
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I have not had my Colorado for long, and only taken it out for three trips geocaching. And listening to all the comments coming across from several people it would look like I have bought a dummy and ought to throw it in the bin. However, what I have found is a different story. Ok I am a ‘geocaching nerd’ - although here in South Wales I use a GPS for serious navigation. On the high ground if the cloud comes down it is very important to be able to get back to the car - and not go over a cliff on the way. I know this has been mentioned before but for track back when that has happened in the past, I have just followed the trail I have created on the way in. And that has been on a GPS that had track back. The Colorado lives up to this and I would feel it is quite capable to allow me to do that.

I have found it to be very precise. More precise than most other units I have had. For instance I have never had a gps that has said I am 0 foot from my objective, and for that to be correct. This has happened twice in the three trips I have used it.

It is sensitive. I was in dense tree cover yesterday and it did not flinch. A week ago I was in a deep valley and again it did not flinch.

I have never had any problems with the screen brightness, be it is dull or sunny weather, so has not been an issue for me. The screen is bright and clear.

The ability to transfer ordnance maps for the area I am going to into the Colorado has been great. Yesterday I was out and quickly found where I was, identified the correct tracks, and where they were. This out in the wild in wet and windy weather will be a boon.

The topo maps are also great - again very quickly allowing me to identify areas to avoid and mark out a good track on moorland or mountain areas.

With the ability to hold up to 2000 geocaches and logs for my sport it is a serious machine.

Yes there are some issues that need to be sorted - but none of them serious issues.

It seems most the complaints are coming from owners of the 60CSX. I have never owned one of those - but my view is if your love is the 60csx - then stay with it. Don’t expect the CO to be the same.

To me - as a Geocaching nerd - the CO has a great future….and problems will be sorted..

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Well, as a Magellan eXplorist refugee, I'm pretty cool with my new Colorado. It performed admirably on my road trip to Allegany State Park GeoBASH III. I wasn't happy with the 2000 geocache limit but adjusted and it sure was nice to leave the PDA in the car in the pouring rain.

 

There are a few glitches that I'm living with, but the experience is far better than the glitches I've been living with on my old unit, and experience has taught me that Garmin is far more likely to issue a fix than Magellen ever was (eXplorist 600, two firmware updates over 4 years, most recent one rendered the Geocaches found feature useless).

 

My Colorado 400t gets about 8 hours use on two 2650mAh batteries, and it's dirt simple to carry a spare set of those (contrast to the special Li-ON cell I had to find for the eXplorist - if I forgot to charge it my caching day was done, while the 400t means I'm stopping at a drug store if I forgot to charge).

 

I have one glitch, when switching from street routing in Automotive mode to seeking a geocache, and then I pull the unit off the Car Power adapter, the Colorado will turn off. It takes 30 seconds to recover from this and I've got my satellite lock right away when it comes up. I've also disabled the electronic compass as it's just a bit too finicky compared to the one in my eXplorist.

 

For track back, I just put the unit on the map screen and follow the tracklog painted on the map. I particularly like that I don't have to reboot and spend 5 minutes reacquiring sat-lock just because I want to change from road maps to topo maps at the trailhead. The screen is perfect without a backlight during the day for me - it's transreflective and as long as I angle it correctly it is perfectly visible. I suspect that has a lot to do with some of the battery life complaints.

 

Only major feature I'm really waiting for is remember the map per profile, as I would rather have road maps when I'm driving and topo when I'm walking.

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Only major feature I'm really waiting for is remember the map per profile, as I would rather have road maps when I'm driving and topo when I'm walking.
Or have a hybrid when you are hiking that displays the topo lines and the roads from automotive, since the basemap roads shipped with the Colorado are way off. I like to know what side of the road my geocache is on.

 

 

I wonder where most of the complaints are coming from, if they are grouped by geographic area. I live in south eastern Kentucky with lots of hills and trees and sometimes I don't have the best accuracy while geocaching. (So I simply walk away from the cache area and approach from a different angle and this normally fixes it) I would assume the colorado would always be on the money if I lived in Idaho.

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I come in from geocaching loving my Colorado and everytime I come to these boards these threads bring me down. I keep wondering about this amazing contraption they are calling the 60CSx. Did I make the right decision in purchasing my Colorado? I just came across these screen comparisons that set me at ease. The Colorado screens are on the right.

 

 

colotopo452x185.jpg

 

I'm feeling confident with my purchase.

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