Colorado: My wishlist sent to Garmin, help build it

February 9, 2009

Hi there,

I got a Colorado 300 and I decided to send my wishlist based on the few days of usage on what I would like to see changed/added to the Colorado.

I know that the support for this unit has probably stalled but if we had to this list and we all send it to Garmin they will reconsider and give us more updates.

I also understand that not everybody has the same wishlist/problems, but thats fine. The more people send an email to Garmin the better even if we report issues that dont affect us personally.

So here is my List to begin with and I will add more as I come across it, please feel free to add to it and dont forget to send an email to Garmin with all of them.

- Improve Gps accuracy, the accuracy is pretty good but it can always

be improved.

- Provide with a compass on/off without having to go thru several

pages of menus to do it, a simple holding one of the soft keys for

5secs would suffice, providing the same feature as the excellent 60Csx

unit.

- Still with the compass also allow to change the speed to which

disable the electronic compass, currently the set speed of 10km/h is

too high and the 60Csx has this feature, it would be nice to have it

on the Colorado as well.

- Allow to switch between screens back and forth with the soft keys

instead of having to press the left softkey and then use the wheel and

press Enter to simply go to the next/previous screen

(map/compass/etc).

Pressing the key for 3 seconds would keep the same functionality of

the softkeys as they are now and less than that than flip thru the

pages (map/compass/Whereto/etc)

- Whereto Geocaches/Custom POI's, when selecting a destination, it

would be nice to have a "MORE" button on the screen besides the "GO"

button like the NUVI's series to access the extra info like

descriptions for custom POI's or geocaches, it would save time than

having to right click softkey and then select more info to access that

info.

Also on the map page/compass have the "MORE" option available as well

with the right softkey.

-Allow more than 2 data fields in the map screen.

-Add "Location coords at destination" to data fields.

Lets show Garmin that we want this product to be improved and that it is not dead. :lol:

Cheers

February 9, 2009

Most of these are already listed on the wiki: http://garmincolorado.wikispaces.com

You can configure the Colorado to page forward (only) as on older Garmin units. See here:

http://garmincolorado.wikispaces.com/Basic+Operations#toc2

February 10, 2009

I found a bug that I just reported to Garmin.

Btw I am using the latest version 2.9.

- When turning the Colorado on the unit does not lock to satellite 51 (Waas) but does try to lock to sat 33 (also Waas).

If I go into Shortcuts-setup-system and change to normal and back to WAAS the unit will immediately try to lock to sat 51.

1k · February 10, 2009

Garmin has newer added anything from any wish list on any site or list posted to them.

They may have added some of it to new units.

So I would say that wish list is wasted time.

If any can prove me wrong, I do accept that.

(have had Garmin from 76S and eTrex yellow)

But we can always dream that this will change.

February 10, 2009

I agree with you that it is very frustrating, but hopefully if enough people send in requests they will listen and give what their customers want but that is for another topic.

For this one, just put in your bugs/requests so that everybody that owns a Colorado can send to Garmin support. Our strength will be the numbers.

I've already emailed the Go Cashers List as well.

Garmin will listen.

1.8k · February 10, 2009

I would like to see the ability to delete waypoints by type or icon, like we can with the 60Cx. Currently is all or none.

I've given up asking for a Track Manager.

2.1k · February 10, 2009

I no longer have the Colorado but I did once. It was brought to Garmins attention about 9 months ago that the Barometric Pressure did not record while power was off even if SAVE ALWAYS was selected. A bunch of people from these forums called them to complain. Garmin went through various stages of testing, ackowledgement, denial, denial, and finally issued a fix in a software release. For months the Colorado was without this ability to record when power was off but once people discovered this and started to complain, vwalla!!! a few weeks later a fix was released. I know that was more of a functionality thing than a added feature but...

Don't say a consumer movement to fix a product doesn't work because there is at least anecdotal evidence that it does. I wish you luck!

Edited February 10, 2009 by yogazoo

3k · February 10, 2009

Garmin has newer added anything from any wish list on any site or list posted to them.

They may have added some of it to new units.

So I would say that wish list is wasted time.

If any can prove me wrong, I do accept that.

(have had Garmin from 76S and eTrex yellow)

But we can always dream that this will change.

Actually on the Oregon they've implemented a number of small features that were on the wiki issues list. Some examples off the top of my head:

WhereTo?>Coordinates

CustomPOI category/database

Ability to change date on tide points (on CO too)

Tide/current charts

Battery saver mode (screen blanking)

Ability to control X/Y axis of barometer/altimeter plots

Pan/zoom image browser

Route planning mode

Search near map point (on CO too)

Ability to save geocaches as waypoint

Error messages if max geocaches/file exceeded

I guess you could also debate whether certain OR only features (like Track Manager) might have been added/improved on the OR based on community feedback on the CO.

3.1k · February 10, 2009

The best fix I saw Garmin implement was taking back the CO and giving the owner a replacement OR. I know of at least a dozen people that got OR replacements. And all are happy now.

February 10, 2009

I found a bug that I just reported to Garmin.

Btw I am using the latest version 2.9.

- When turning the Colorado on the unit does not lock to satellite 51 (Waas) but does try to lock to sat 33 (also Waas).

If I go into Shortcuts-setup-system and change to normal and back to WAAS the unit will immediately try to lock to sat 51.

Pretty sure that this has been reported elsewhere as well. This may or may not be a "bug". Depending on where you are located, 51 or 33 may be better (higher in the sky) for you. Not saying the CO has it "right" mind you -- just that it could be right.

As others have stated, I would not hold my breath waiting for CO firmware upgrades that include anything more than fixes for major problems... If you want the latest and greatest from Garmin, buy an OR. (BTW, I own a CO and am very happy with it -- so I'm not bashing. I'm just sayin...)

6.4k · February 10, 2009

Fix the icons for certain cache types.... Quite annoying for the avid cacher. Is this the same on an Oregon still?

3k · February 10, 2009

Yes, the OR caching icons are broken the same way as the CO's.

6.4k · February 10, 2009

What I don't understand is that they MUST share the same main code. It would be CRAZY to develop two units that are so similar and make two completely distinct codes for them. Normal programmers would make one big code base for both with flags to adjust for the input differences as needed. Certainly, you would think the same team would work on both. But it sure seems they are being worked on by completely different people who do not talk to each other.

February 11, 2009

I found a bug that I just reported to Garmin.

Btw I am using the latest version 2.9.

- When turning the Colorado on the unit does not lock to satellite 51 (Waas) but does try to lock to sat 33 (also Waas).

If I go into Shortcuts-setup-system and change to normal and back to WAAS the unit will immediately try to lock to sat 51.

Pretty sure that this has been reported elsewhere as well. This may or may not be a "bug". Depending on where you are located, 51 or 33 may be better (higher in the sky) for you. Not saying the CO has it "right" mind you -- just that it could be right.

As others have stated, I would not hold my breath waiting for CO firmware upgrades that include anything more than fixes for major problems... If you want the latest and greatest from Garmin, buy an OR. (BTW, I own a CO and am very happy with it -- so I'm not bashing. I'm just sayin...)

The Oregon is a nice unit no doubt about that but it is overpriced for what it is imo and I cant justify that kind of money for it.

The Colorado is close to the Oregon at a much affordable price.

I dont know if it is a bug or not, the fact is that when powering the unit it will try to lock into sat 33 (takes awhile to lock) and If I change the GPS to normal and WAAS mode (without leaving the setup screen) it immediately tries to lock to SAT 51 (much faster locking than 33).

The Colorado is very slow acquiring sat's. I wish it was faster.

The backlight issue is a problem and I am surprised Garmin has not fixed it, it makes no sense starting the unit and only barely see the Garmin logo and once it is gone (done booting) it almost looks like a black screen. If I didnt know better I would thought the unit shut off. It's weird.

Definetly something to improve. A simples solution, boot in full backlight mode and then revert to the saved user setting for the amount of time the user has backlight set up for.

1.9k · February 11, 2009

What I don't understand is that they MUST share the same main code. It would be CRAZY to develop two units that are so similar and make two completely distinct codes for them. Normal programmers would make one big code base for both with flags to adjust for the input differences as needed. Certainly, you would think the same team would work on both. But it sure seems they are being worked on by completely different people who do not talk to each other.

I agree with base hypothesis, it's one code set with flags.

BUT, the reason we're not seeing CO revisions on pace with OR revisions is political not technical. Each revision cost money to implement, so CO is only getting bug fixes, not feature enhancements.

6.4k · February 11, 2009

.... so CO is only getting bug fixes, not feature enhancements.

True, but they are some obvious bugs that have been there for over a year without being fixed. One obvious one is the track saving feature. It is intended to be able to choose a portion of the track, but you can not do it. They fixed this on the Oregon a LONG time ago (version 2.2 July 2008).

1.9k · February 11, 2009

True, but they are some obvious bugs that have been there for over a year without being fixed. One obvious one is the track saving feature. It is intended to be able to choose a portion of the track, but you can not do it. They fixed this on the Oregon a LONG time ago (version 2.2 July 2008).

To you that's a bug, for me a feature. A gray one for sure.

Good news for me the CO 300 works very well, glad I got it.

1.2k · February 11, 2009

"- Allow to switch between screens back and forth with the soft keys

instead of having to press the left softkey and then use the wheel and

press Enter to simply go to the next/previous screen

(map/compass/etc)."

You can set up a profile that uses the soft keys instead of the rock n roller:

Set up, short cuts, options, use page loop.

February 11, 2009

Garmin is alienating a number of important customers that have stuck with it by defending the product here and elsewhere. Do they feel some need to shoot themselves in the foot by not adding as many features to the line as they are adding to the Oregon. Garmin might as well be saying,thanks for the money suckers,we've enjoyed screwing you over and using you as our lab rats to enhance and sell the Oregon line. Are you listening Garmin?.....................didn't think so.

Edited February 11, 2009 by flyjazz

February 11, 2009

Make it possible to switch of auto re routing so you can use it on the motorcycle

3.1k · February 11, 2009

Garmin is alienating a number of important customers that have stuck with it by defending the product here and elsewhere. Do they feel some need to shoot themselves in the foot by not adding as many features to the line as they are adding to the Oregon. Garmin might as well be saying,thanks for the money suckers,we've enjoyed screwing you over and using you as our lab rats to enhance and sell the Oregon line. Are you listening Garmin?.....................didn't think so.

Actually, Garmin did finally start to listen.

I know of at least a dozen local cachers, including myself, who got replacement Oregon's from Garmin. I expect there is a significant number of CO owners that got free OR's. So Garmin did finally recognize that they had to do something. I will admit that it required considerable effort and getting to the right person at Garmin.

However, the demise of the CO becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. One has to wonder why the CO is discounted significantly when the OR, introduced very shortly after the CO, still sells at full retail. This discounted price is a red flag and potential buyers question the life expectancy of the product and probably don't purchase it. With diminishing revenue on a product, Garmin has little incentive to enhance the product.

It would make for an interesting business case study. I wonder if Garmin could have fixed the bulk of the problems with the CO and relaunched it, fully acknowledging the issues. Of course, that process would have required a complete product recall.

On a positive note, a friend with a CO was told that Garmin is close to having a completely redesigned back cover available. And it is supposed to address the leakage problems.\

February 15, 2009

On a positive note, a friend with a CO was told that Garmin is close to having a completely redesigned back cover available. And it is supposed to address the leakage problems.\

That means that the product is not dead yet! Which would be great news.

I dont know why the Oregon and the Colorado cant coexist together?

Not everybody likes the touchscreen stuff.

Anyway I have reported the Backlight issue and the poor sat lock acquisition time (which includes long time to lock into Waas) as well.

The firmware might be stable but I have a feeling that the accuracy of this chipset still needs a few tweaks.

February 15, 2009

My 300 will arrive this week and i'm excited.

It will allow me to shelf the ique and 60 cs I have been using for several years and do paperless caching w/o juggling two units with their menus and sub menus. While it's no secret that neither of those units were perfect, they allowed me to find many caches anyways using the coordinates, hints and previous logs.

I know the 300 also has shortcomings, however, for the price, it should be fine. I would love to get an oregon and I will when the price/value ratio is closer for me. By that time, a new unit will be out and it will surpass all previous units for accuracy and features and the oregon will be half its current retail. That seems to be the course of electronic device evolution.

In the meantime, bring on the updates and fixes.

Edited February 15, 2009 by steve&crew/s.hamp

February 18, 2009

It sure would be nice and helpful if when you are n Geocaching mode and you choose to "Show Found" caches if it would just total how many are there. There is no easy way that I am aware of to figure out how many finds you have on the day without rolling or arrowing down and counting.

3.1k · February 18, 2009

It sure would be nice and helpful if when you are n Geocaching mode and you choose to "Show Found" caches if it would just total how many are there. There is no easy way that I am aware of to figure out how many finds you have on the day without rolling or arrowing down and counting.

Look at Trip Computer in the geocaching format. It has a Found Count field. You need to reset it before each trip.

Setup/Geocaches/Found Geocaches

6.4k · February 18, 2009

Look at Trip Computer in the geocaching format. It has a Found Count field. You need to reset it before each trip.

Setup/Geocaches/Found Geocaches

That is on the Oregons only..... Not on the Colorados. There is no Geocaching trip computer.

February 18, 2009

I don't usually miss that stuff. One more of those enhancements that is needed in firmware but you have got to buy the upgraded unit to get the feature I guess. I have already mentioned it to support at Garmin.

Edited February 18, 2009 by pearle

3.1k · February 18, 2009

Look at Trip Computer in the geocaching format. It has a Found Count field. You need to reset it before each trip.

Setup/Geocaches/Found Geocaches

That is on the Oregons only..... Not on the Colorados. There is no Geocaching trip computer.

Another point in favour of the Oregon.

Oregon 1,983 Colorado 0

February 18, 2009

Not sure that feature is worth $200 extra dollars but it would be nice to have for sure.

February 18, 2009

Not sure that feature is worth $200 extra dollars but it would be nice to have for sure.

Colorado: My wishlist sent to Garmin, help build it

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