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Colorado review on the Gadget Show Channel 5

Matrix

By Matrix
in United Kingdom and Ireland

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macroderma

+macroderma

Posted
Posted

Ooops not a good advert for the Colorado :) , the satmap one looked OK though :)

 

What were they on about complaining about update rate? Is there any difference between auto units and handhelds? :)

 

I got the distinct impression that the Colorado had operator failure!

 

They also glossed over the cost of the maps for the active10 - £35 for a county :)

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Beefy4605

Beefy4605

Posted
Posted

Ok I appreciate you guys are having a bit of fun here but can I ask a couple or three questions.

 

It looks like I'm getting a nice fat little bonus next pay day and I've been looking at a Colorado.

I live in Northern Ireland and can't find anyone to talk to about them.

1 -Do I have to buy a map as well as the unit ?Is there not one in it already?

2- Which maps are the best ? I will need maps that cover the island of Ireland and the UK?

Thanks in advance.

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macroderma

+macroderma

Posted
Posted

Ok I appreciate you guys are having a bit of fun here but can I ask a couple or three questions.

 

It looks like I'm getting a nice fat little bonus next pay day and I've been looking at a Colorado.

I live in Northern Ireland and can't find anyone to talk to about them.

1 -Do I have to buy a map as well as the unit ?Is there not one in it already?

2- Which maps are the best ? I will need maps that cover the island of Ireland and the UK?

Thanks in advance.

1. There is a basemap, and I think you can load road data like other Garmins (metroguide etc)

2. AFAIK the Colorado does not display OS maps, just Topgraphic ones and they are currently limited to the US, Canada and GB - not Ireland

 

You could buy a GPS Pocket PC PDA with memory map - and a protective container like an Otterbox

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Matrix

+Matrix

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Ok I appreciate you guys are having a bit of fun here but can I ask a couple or three questions.

 

It looks like I'm getting a nice fat little bonus next pay day and I've been looking at a Colorado.

I live in Northern Ireland and can't find anyone to talk to about them.

1 -Do I have to buy a map as well as the unit ?Is there not one in it already?

2- Which maps are the best ? I will need maps that cover the island of Ireland and the UK?

Thanks in advance.

 

I bought a GPSMAP 60CSx recently and I am so glad I did it is an awesome piece of kit .

 

 

B*&$£er I missed it, could you shout a little bit louder next time :)

 

You didn't miss anything - it was very superficial

 

I agree but it is on again if you want to watch it

 

TECHNOLOGY: The Gadget Show

On: five (5)

Date: Sunday 13th April 2008 (starting in 5 days)

Time: 10:00 to 11:00 (1 hour long)

 

An anytime alert is set for 15 minutes before the programme starts

Consumer technology show with Jason Bradbury, Suzi Perry and Jon Bentley. The presenters hit the countryside, heading for the hills with a phone that claims to be the toughest in the world. They also put the latest generation of hand-held GPS devices through their paces, see how a range of tents stand up to the elements and race around in some of the coolest off-road kit available. They also test the three main PVR services available and Jason finds out what is on offer at the London Toy Fair.

(Repeat, Subtitles)

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macroderma

+macroderma

Posted
Posted

Ok I appreciate you guys are having a bit of fun here but can I ask a couple or three questions.

 

It looks like I'm getting a nice fat little bonus next pay day and I've been looking at a Colorado.

I live in Northern Ireland and can't find anyone to talk to about them.

1 -Do I have to buy a map as well as the unit ?Is there not one in it already?

2- Which maps are the best ? I will need maps that cover the island of Ireland and the UK?

Thanks in advance.

 

I bought a GPSMAP 60CSx recently and I am so glad I did it is an awesome piece of kit .

 

 

B*&$£er I missed it, could you shout a little bit louder next time :)

 

You didn't miss anything - it was very superficial

 

I agree but it is on again if you want to watch it

 

TECHNOLOGY: The Gadget Show

On: five (5)

Date: Sunday 13th April 2008 (starting in 5 days)

Time: 10:00 to 11:00 (1 hour long)

 

An anytime alert is set for 15 minutes before the programme starts

Consumer technology show with Jason Bradbury, Suzi Perry and Jon Bentley. The presenters hit the countryside, heading for the hills with a phone that claims to be the toughest in the world. They also put the latest generation of hand-held GPS devices through their paces, see how a range of tents stand up to the elements and race around in some of the coolest off-road kit available. They also test the three main PVR services available and Jason finds out what is on offer at the London Toy Fair.

(Repeat, Subtitles)

 

I agree, I have a 76Csx (a 60CSx in a different case effectively), if it had OS mapping it would be perfect

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Stuey

+Stuey

Posted
Posted

TECHNOLOGY: The Gadget Show

On: five (5)

Date: Sunday 13th April 2008 (starting in 5 days)

Time: 10:00 to 11:00 (1 hour long)

 

An anytime alert is set for 15 minutes before the programme starts

Consumer technology show with Jason Bradbury, Suzi Perry and Jon Bentley. The presenters hit the countryside, heading for the hills [hiking] with a phone [PAF] that claims to be the toughest in the world [PAF in bad weather]. They also put the latest generation of hand-held GPS devices [caching, obviously] through their paces, see how a range of tents [for camping Events] stand up to the elements and race around in some of the coolest off-road [for rural drive-bys] kit available. They also test the three main PVR services available and Jason finds out what is on offer at the London Toy Fair.

(Repeat, Subtitles)

 

Apart from Suzi Perry :) (she could present a programme on knitting and I'd probably watch it) was this a geocaching special? hehe

Sky+ programmed for Sunday am, cheers!

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dino-irl

+dino-irl

Posted
Posted

Ok I appreciate you guys are having a bit of fun here but can I ask a couple or three questions.

 

It looks like I'm getting a nice fat little bonus next pay day and I've been looking at a Colorado.

I live in Northern Ireland and can't find anyone to talk to about them.

1 -Do I have to buy a map as well as the unit ?Is there not one in it already?

2- Which maps are the best ? I will need maps that cover the island of Ireland and the UK?

Thanks in advance.

Check out the GCI Forum link in my signature. At least one guy on that forum owns one and a couple of other guys have been researching them too so many of your questions could be easily answered there.

 

:)

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The Klever Boys

+The Klever Boys

Posted
Posted

Well, I've just bought a Colorado (mainly as my present GPS decided to go dead on me after changing the batteries on the eve on the London event...after I'd loaded it up with loads of caches).

 

Anyway...my first impression was "wow..great machine", followed by a sense of disappointment when I could see what it couldn't do, as well as what it could.

It was like owning a decent car and then getting a brand new top-of-the range shiny one, and after driving it, finding out it hadn't even got central locking and you have to go round each door with a key :)

 

Now, I've got used to it and love it...and the issues are slowly getting sorted by way of firmware updates.

 

Like other GPS devices, it can only use GB Topo maps at best, but is quite a sensitive gadget and it's great to be able to view logs, hints, etc, all on the screen, along with pictures..so no need to print the sheet out.

The main downsides for me? - very poor (dim) screen unless you have the backlight on...and even then it forgets the settings once you have powered off, but the main one is that GSAK won't allow you to quickly "send (caches) to GPSr now" as it has trouble firing the cache info to the Colorado via USB for some reason.

 

Just my initial thoughts..

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Eclectic Penguin

+Eclectic Penguin

Posted
Posted

The Gadget show is a light entertainment show not a serious review programme so I tend to take their reviews with a pinch of salt.

 

Last night's GPS review didn't really test the benefits and merits of the different units - rather it showed how three different people dealt with the technology.

 

The guy who complained about the GPS taking ages to update was standing still so what did he expect - my Magellan has to be on the move before it changes anything on the screen - conversely the guy who had lightning quick reactions on the one with the OS map was himself moving like lighting.

 

I grant you, I like the idea of having a rugged GPSr with scrolling OS maps but I don't think they're quite there yet for me both price wise and also reggedness (having lost my GPS last week on a public footpath and found it 7 days later in a puddle of mud working perfectly).

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The Blorenges

+The Blorenges

Posted
Posted

I'm in Holland at the mo working so missed the Gadget show.. my colleagues were quick to email me about it as of course I've just got a Colorado.. or one of us has.....Anyhooo... I like it. It's no different to my Vista C in terms of what it can do, sensitive GPS, nice to have the cache page descriptions. OK they've changed a few menus round so bit tricky finding things, but you get used to it. Agreed GSAK has an issue with but I can just do a PQ and drag the GPX file straight into it and there are all my caches!! I've updated to the latest firmware so not experienced any of the earlier problems. Nice big screen. Mapsource and Topo work perfectly - as they do on my Vista. The basemap is like all Garmin basemaps rubbish!

I'll be interested to see the show to see how it was set up. It isn't a device you can take out of the box, switch on and go somewhere - but no GPS does that!

But to show you how easy it is to use...... it is actually MrsB who is using it and she is down in Cornwall at the moment with no tech support from me..... and she is happily finding caches down there!

 

Whoops... let the cat out of the bag there about who has got the Colorado....

 

Chris - in the land of cheese, canals and pushbikes!

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The Cache Hoppers

+The Cache Hoppers

Posted
Posted (edited)

I watched the show, and I have seen one of them Colorado's in the flesh. The show wasn't indicative of how a unit would perform for Geocaching purposes, and the bloke using the gadget that came out on top was, IMHO, the most switched on and agile out of the three product testers. Entertaining, but not that useful for Geocachers :D

Edited by The Cache Hoppers
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Birdman-of-liskatraz

+Birdman-of-liskatraz

Posted
Posted

I'm in Holland at the mo working so missed the Gadget show.. my colleagues were quick to email me about it as of course I've just got a Colorado.. or one of us has.....Anyhooo... I like it. It's no different to my Vista C in terms of what it can do, sensitive GPS, nice to have the cache page descriptions. OK they've changed a few menus round so bit tricky finding things, but you get used to it. Agreed GSAK has an issue with but I can just do a PQ and drag the GPX file straight into it and there are all my caches!! I've updated to the latest firmware so not experienced any of the earlier problems. Nice big screen. Mapsource and Topo work perfectly - as they do on my Vista. The basemap is like all Garmin basemaps rubbish!

I'll be interested to see the show to see how it was set up. It isn't a device you can take out of the box, switch on and go somewhere - but no GPS does that!

But to show you how easy it is to use...... it is actually MrsB who is using it and she is down in Cornwall at the moment with no tech support from me..... and she is happily finding caches down there!

 

Whoops... let the cat out of the bag there about who has got the Colorado....

 

Chris - in the land of cheese, canals and pushbikes!

 

*Clears my throat* *Coughs a lil* I did a cache with MrsB and the Colorado and with son and his Etrex... and I don't wish to brag... BUT... Under the Trago Mills Trees my 60CSX was the first to get a lock... indeed thonly GPS of the three to get a lock before we got to the cache.... Maybe because I'm taller and closer to the sats?

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The Cache Hoppers

+The Cache Hoppers

Posted
Posted

I'm in Holland at the mo working so missed the Gadget show.. my colleagues were quick to email me about it as of course I've just got a Colorado.. or one of us has.....Anyhooo... I like it. It's no different to my Vista C in terms of what it can do, sensitive GPS, nice to have the cache page descriptions. OK they've changed a few menus round so bit tricky finding things, but you get used to it. Agreed GSAK has an issue with but I can just do a PQ and drag the GPX file straight into it and there are all my caches!! I've updated to the latest firmware so not experienced any of the earlier problems. Nice big screen. Mapsource and Topo work perfectly - as they do on my Vista. The basemap is like all Garmin basemaps rubbish!

I'll be interested to see the show to see how it was set up. It isn't a device you can take out of the box, switch on and go somewhere - but no GPS does that!

But to show you how easy it is to use...... it is actually MrsB who is using it and she is down in Cornwall at the moment with no tech support from me..... and she is happily finding caches down there!

 

Whoops... let the cat out of the bag there about who has got the Colorado....

 

Chris - in the land of cheese, canals and pushbikes!

 

*Clears my throat* *Coughs a lil* I did a cache with MrsB and the Colorado and with son and his Etrex... and I don't wish to brag... BUT... Under the Trago Mills Trees my 60CSX was the first to get a lock... indeed thonly GPS of the three to get a lock before we got to the cache.... Maybe because I'm taller and closer to the sats?

That cache was a booga to find! I love Trago Mills. And yes you are very tall Steve, nearly got your head ripped off by a Red Arrow last August as I remember - good job we had a brew or two to calm you down :D

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The Hungry Caterpillars

+The Hungry Caterpillars

Posted
Posted

I also have a Colorado and am not as yet mightily impressed.

There are a number of most infuriating problems with this particular GPS that drive me up the wall.

Hopefully some will be sorted in the near future? by firmware updates.

To my mind Garmin are using buyers of this unit as beta testers.

One thing that takes forever to do is entering anything by the scroll wheel.

I understood very well just why the chap on the gadget show took so long to enter all the coordinates.

As third degree witch says -dont bother at present and if in the future you wish to buy try first.

I have looked at satmap and am quite impressed but the cost espescially if you have memorymap already is massive and quite prohibitive.

I just wish somebody would marry up memory map to something like the Garmin 60csx.

I am sure for many people this would be surefire winner.

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John Stead

+John Stead

Posted
Posted

Well, I've just bought a Colorado (mainly as my present GPS decided to go dead on me after changing the batteries on the eve on the London event...after I'd loaded it up with loads of caches).

 

Anyway...my first impression was "wow..great machine", followed by a sense of disappointment when I could see what it couldn't do, as well as what it could.

It was like owning a decent car and then getting a brand new top-of-the range shiny one, and after driving it, finding out it hadn't even got central locking and you have to go round each door with a key :anitongue:

 

Now, I've got used to it and love it...and the issues are slowly getting sorted by way of firmware updates.

 

Like other GPS devices, it can only use GB Topo maps at best, but is quite a sensitive gadget and it's great to be able to view logs, hints, etc, all on the screen, along with pictures..so no need to print the sheet out.

The main downsides for me? - very poor (dim) screen unless you have the backlight on...and even then it forgets the settings once you have powered off, but the main one is that GSAK won't allow you to quickly "send (caches) to GPSr now" as it has trouble firing the cache info to the Colorado via USB for some reason.

 

Just my initial thoughts..

 

I've had a Colorado for a few weeks and my reactions have been similar. Now I am getting used to it I am more and more pleased with it and looking forward to the next software upgrade.

But I was puzzled that you have trouble sending caches to the unit from GSAK as I have no trouble at all with this. I simply export a GPX file created by GSAK into the storage card. If this is what you are doing it is important to untick the box to include extra GSAK fields in the export.

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careygang

+careygang

Posted
Posted

We had the Colorado demonstrated at the Las Vegas Event back in January (GC17DQX). It was a big bash; Jeremy turned up in a Limo and Garmin demonstrated the Colorado, even giving out a free Colorado 2008 Coin to everyone.

 

Thing was they were more concerned with showing the Werigo function and, effectively how to play an electronic game in the real world. :anitongue: It was almost an afterthought 'You can Cache with it as well'. From that demo, I wouldn't have one at US prices, let alone UK costs. :anitongue:

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The Klever Boys

+The Klever Boys

Posted
Posted

But I was puzzled that you have trouble sending caches to the unit from GSAK as I have no trouble at all with this. I simply export a GPX file created by GSAK into the storage card. If this is what you are doing it is important to untick the box to include extra GSAK fields in the export.

 

Thanks John,

 

I've found there are a couple of ways to get the data into the Colorado, but with my old GPSr, I found the quickest and easiest way was to just click on GSAK's "Send To GPSr Now" option and the job was done. I was a bit disappointed to find that this wouldn't work with the Colorado (as I expected it would do).

 

I think it's getting there...slowly....

 

Russ

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Maple Leaf

+Maple Leaf

Posted
Posted (edited)

I watched the program last night (as had recorded it) .... I agree - the presenter with the colorado hadn't a clue (I think it would have had a better review with one of the other presenters).

 

I have just been lucky enough to be given a colorado and am just learning how to use it/fiddling with things (only set it up last weekend) ... and everyday I discover something new.

 

I think it is great - nice to have all the information in one place (previously I used an Etrex Legend and CacheMate on a Palm).

Edited by Maple Leaf
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scottpa100

+scottpa100

Posted
Posted

I have to say having now watched the review - its a whole lot more appreciative of the outdoors side of things compared to the Channel 5 review. And done by someone with more competence. However, does the Colorado do more than my current Garmin GPSMAP60CS? Nope. I'll probably stick where I am.

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