Newbie question please

[+maggymae]

Newbie question, first post, please be patient

 

Opinion, please...

 

I am a newbie geocacher, only had my handheld for about a week (Garmin Venture HC), so just now getting use to turning the thing on, tho I did find 2 caches my first solo morning out. I'm slightly overwhelmed at all I have to digest and learn. This forum has been exceptionally helpful, tons of links are bookmarked to go back and digest...overwhelmed might be an understatement lol!

 

I am using a Mac, version 10.4.2, Firefox 2, intel based, but I also have stashed in a drawer an older laptop, with Win 98 still on it. My first question should have been, it is there a handheld that is completely and totally compatible right out the box with a Mac, but it wasn't, so my next question is:

 

Would it be just *easier* and more user friendly just to dig out that older pc laptop and use that for my geocaching activities, rather than add to the stress of learning and adding all the additional downloads, patches, converters, "Bobcat" (duh?) and all the additional 'stuff' needed to make my Garmin "compatible?" Browsing thru the forums, I have noticed a few people using other available PC's rather than go thru all the additional (what I perceive as) hassles of adapting everything to a Mac...might this be the route I should choose?

 

I'd rather not download Boot Camp nor do I really care to upgrade the OS on my laptop, so the question is: will it be counterproductive to dig that old pc out, to

learn on that rather than bite the bullet, mumble under my breath, and just do what I have to do to to make the Garmin and my Mac productive together? Actually: I just now did a very quick check on ebay, and local Craig's List, there are multitudes of much newer/faster XP, -> 1 g, minimal 512, laptops for way under $200- so I'd rather blow that $200. on an upgraded laptop than try and spend the time/effort of making my

Mac fully integrated or dealing with my older pokey laptop.

 

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

Thanks!

Sandy

[+winwin56]

As a fairly new cacher (April), and a Mac and PC user/owner....I'd say stick with the PC for your Geocaching addiction at this point. If you have yet to make the next step into the paperless caching realm (which IMHO is the only way to cache), I think you will continue to run into pitfalls with your MAC with unavailability of various lights, bells and whistles of the hobby/sport. My husband is the Mac Daddy (LOL), or the Mac guru, and he didn't want to touch any of the Geocaching downloads and stuff. Let me know if you need any other "humble" advice! Good Luck

Team WinWin56

[+winwin56]

Also,

 

If you DO decide to go paperless, and get a palm...you will have to go through all those kinds of Mac compatability issues as well. I can see it now, 'cause we've been there before.....countless hours looking for, downloading and figuring out caching software for the Mac....when you could be caching if you just dust off that PC! LOL.

Edited July 7, 2008 by winwin56

[+Miragee]

If you don't mind using a PC, that is what I would do. Then, if you ever take a trip, you have a laptop to carry with you to update the GPSr with caches from WiFi hotspots along your route as you travel.

 

On the laptop you can put the Mapsource maps, if you get the Topo maps. Then, if you become a Premium Member and start getting Pocket Queries, you can install GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) , which is an incredibly-useful database program. There is a similar program, MacCaching, for the Mac.

 

From GSAK you can Export data for maps, Google Earth, and your PDA, if you have one, for "paperless" caching.

[+winwin56]

OK,

I'm officially a "geek", but I found this for you for what it's worth.

Enjoy!

If the link doesn't work, just go to YouTube and do a search for paperless caching Mac OSX and you'll come up with even BIGGER GEEKS who made YouTube tutorials for us geocachers!

What you can't find on the Internet!!

HAve Fun!

[+maggymae]

OK,

I'm officially a "geek", but I found this for you for what it's worth.

Enjoy!

If the link doesn't work, just go to YouTube and do a search for paperless caching Mac OSX and you'll come up with even BIGGER GEEKS who made YouTube tutorials for us geocachers!

What you can't find on the Internet!!

HAve Fun!

 

Winwin-Did your heart leap when he deleted all this "old points" to make room for the new 200 he was about to add?? lol! Thanks for the link: I'll add it to my growing list of things to go back tol. Right now I am on my ol' dusty but trusty Toshiba Windoz 98, 256, (and oh my...this itty bitty 14in screen) she's not a speed demon for sure, but this may be a solution for the "compatibility" (yeah, right) issues of my Garmin and my Mac, at least for a while. Might even look into wireless connections! lol...I'm feeling much better all ready--a lot less overwhelmed. thanks for the input!

Sandy (in Rochester Hills)

[+maggymae]

If you don't mind using a PC, that is what I would do. Then, if you ever take a trip, you have a laptop to carry with you to update the GPSr with caches from WiFi hotspots along your route as you travel.

 

On the laptop you can put the Mapsource maps, if you get the Topo maps. Then, if you become a Premium Member and start getting Pocket Queries, you can install GSAK (Geocaching Swiss Army Knife) , which is an incredibly-useful database program. There is a similar program, MacCaching, for the Mac.

 

From GSAK you can Export data for maps, Google Earth, and your PDA, if you have one, for "paperless" caching.

 

Thanks Miragee, I like the idea (and solution) of having the lap top available for updates on a trip. PDA: I'm a long time Palm Pilot person (all the way back to PalmIII, M505, M515), and now the less favored Z22 which I got as a temporary fix because my still favorite (M515) only holds a charge for a couple of days: but it wouldn't take much of an excuse to update that Z22. I was always waiting for Palm to come out with new models, but it looks as tho the PDA is going the wayside in favor of the phones. I hope they don't shoot themselves in the foot in that decision.

 

I can already see paperless caching is the way to go. I printed out a 1/4" stack of some local caches that will follow me around just over my personal schedule of the next week.

Not the way to go.

 

Premium membership, going to do that later tonight.

 

Thanks for your input, it seems as tho a big bunch of overwhelm ~and dread~ has been lifted. My Win 98, 286 ( it once was the latest and greatest!) is not a speed demon, but I'd rather go that, than adding all the fixes to get around the compatibility issues

 

thanks!

[+UncleJimbo]

Newbie question, first post, please be patient

 

Opinion, please...

 

I am a newbie geocacher, only had my handheld for about a week (Garmin Venture HC), so just now getting use to turning the thing on, tho I did find 2 caches my first solo morning out. I'm slightly overwhelmed at all I have to digest and learn. This forum has been exceptionally helpful, tons of links are bookmarked to go back and digest...overwhelmed might be an understatement lol!

 

I am using a Mac, version 10.4.2, Firefox 2, intel based, but I also have stashed in a drawer an older laptop, with Win 98 still on it. My first question should have been, it is there a handheld that is completely and totally compatible right out the box with a Mac, but it wasn't, so my next question is:

 

Would it be just *easier* and more user friendly just to dig out that older pc laptop and use that for my geocaching activities, rather than add to the stress of learning and adding all the additional downloads, patches, converters, "Bobcat" (duh?) and all the additional 'stuff' needed to make my Garmin "compatible?" Browsing thru the forums, I have noticed a few people using other available PC's rather than go thru all the additional (what I perceive as) hassles of adapting everything to a Mac...might this be the route I should choose?

 

I'd rather not download Boot Camp nor do I really care to upgrade the OS on my laptop, so the question is: will it be counterproductive to dig that old pc out, to

learn on that rather than bite the bullet, mumble under my breath, and just do what I have to do to to make the Garmin and my Mac productive together? Actually: I just now did a very quick check on ebay, and local Craig's List, there are multitudes of much newer/faster XP, -> 1 g, minimal 512, laptops for way under $200- so I'd rather blow that $200. on an upgraded laptop than try and spend the time/effort of making my

Mac fully integrated or dealing with my older pokey laptop.

 

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

Thanks!

Sandy

 

I have a Garmin eTrex Vista HCx, and I use a Mac (G5). I have used them in combination for almost a year, and have never had to resort to using a PC or a Windows machine. The only things you cannot do with the Mac are install and manipulate maps, but I have never had to do either of those things (I bought maps already on microSD cards).

 

You don't need to download anything special to "make your Garmin and Mac productive together", at least nothing that PC users don't have to download. You can download and use one of the Mac applications that allow you to use Pocket Queries, but again, you would need this with a PC as well.

[+sixbearsclan]

I am David Barrett, I am also new to this world and borrowing a GPS from a friend. I want to buy one but also use a Mac exclusively. I want to download coordinates to a GPS that I will buy. I need advice.

Suggestions welcome.

One of Sixbearsclan.

 

 

Newbie question, first post, please be patient

 

Opinion, please...

 

I am a newbie geocacher, only had my handheld for about a week (Garmin Venture HC), so just now getting use to turning the thing on, tho I did find 2 caches my first solo morning out. I'm slightly overwhelmed at all I have to digest and learn. This forum has been exceptionally helpful, tons of links are bookmarked to go back and digest...overwhelmed might be an understatement lol!

 

I am using a Mac, version 10.4.2, Firefox 2, intel based, but I also have stashed in a drawer an older laptop, with Win 98 still on it. My first question should have been, it is there a handheld that is completely and totally compatible right out the box with a Mac, but it wasn't, so my next question is:

 

Would it be just *easier* and more user friendly just to dig out that older pc laptop and use that for my geocaching activities, rather than add to the stress of learning and adding all the additional downloads, patches, converters, "Bobcat" (duh?) and all the additional 'stuff' needed to make my Garmin "compatible?" Browsing thru the forums, I have noticed a few people using other available PC's rather than go thru all the additional (what I perceive as) hassles of adapting everything to a Mac...might this be the route I should choose?

 

I'd rather not download Boot Camp nor do I really care to upgrade the OS on my laptop, so the question is: will it be counterproductive to dig that old pc out, to

learn on that rather than bite the bullet, mumble under my breath, and just do what I have to do to to make the Garmin and my Mac productive together? Actually: I just now did a very quick check on ebay, and local Craig's List, there are multitudes of much newer/faster XP, -> 1 g, minimal 512, laptops for way under $200- so I'd rather blow that $200. on an upgraded laptop than try and spend the time/effort of making my

Mac fully integrated or dealing with my older pokey laptop.

 

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

Thanks!

Sandy

[+UncleJimbo]

I am David Barrett, I am also new to this world and borrowing a GPS from a friend. I want to buy one but also use a Mac exclusively. I want to download coordinates to a GPS that I will buy. I need advice.

Suggestions welcome.

One of Sixbearsclan.

 

 

Go with a (new) Garmin. They are the most "Mac friendly/compatible". You can download coordinates via USB connection.

Edited July 8, 2008 by UncleJimbo

[+maggymae]

Go with a (new) Garmin. They are the most "Mac friendly/compatible". You can download coordinates via USB connection.

 

Today I learned how to do exactly that after stuffing my frustrations and spending 35 minutes with an amiable and patient Mac person with Garmin support who was willing to take it step-by-step. Next to learn is how to download more than one set of coordinates at a time, with my current goal of going paperless! I also am hoping to include using my palm pilot in my goal of "paperless."

 

Any hints, Uncle Jimbo?

 

Thanks!

 

maggymae

[+UncleJimbo]

 

Today I learned how to do exactly that after stuffing my frustrations and spending 35 minutes with an amiable and patient Mac person with Garmin support who was willing to take it step-by-step. Next to learn is how to download more than one set of coordinates at a time, with my current goal of going paperless! I also am hoping to include using my palm pilot in my goal of "paperless."

 

Any hints, Uncle Jimbo?

 

Thanks!

 

maggymae

maggymae,

 

To download more than one set of coordinates at a time, you can use Pocket Queries (if you are a Premium Member, which you seem to be). I then use software on my Mac called Mac Caching to load up the Pocket Queries and then transfer the caches that I want to my eTrex Vista HCx.

 

As for paperless, I use my iPod (I transfer the information to the iPod using Mac Caching). Works well, though I still use a piece of paper from time to time.

Edited July 9, 2008 by UncleJimbo