+mahini Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 So, somewhere deep in the basement lies a palm pilot (purchased around 2000, but, that's as specific as I can remember). I'm trying to figure out if its worth digging it out, if it'd be better to find a newer one on an auction site, or, if I need one at all! (Right now, I'm feeling technologically deprived, since I just have my little Geomate jr!) I don't have premium membership yet (hopefully it'll be a sooner-than-later upgrade!), but, since I'm just getting started, I guess I'm wondering what all you guys use your palm's for! I hope I'm not being to vague in my question. I know everyone under the sun is watching pennies right now, I don't really want to spring for a new one (well, i do! but, I'm trying to be realistic!). Especially since I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it once I do get one in my hot little hands!! Thanks... Quote Link to comment
Ken in Regina Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 An old Palm is a good Palm. Most people stick Cachemate or something similar on it so they can carry the detailed descriptions and hints and puzzle clues around with them. That stuff doesn't fit on most GPS receivers. So you would put the location and cache name/number on your GPS and put all the other stuff on the Palm. That way you can go "paperless". Some of the programs, like Cachemate, allow you to keep track of your finds, add comments, upload the find results to Groundspeak for online tracking, delete found caches from the Palm database and other similar sorts of cache management functions. Many people find that for outdoor use the older/cheaper monochrome Palms are better than the ones with colour screens for outdoor use. Go ahead. Dig it out. Fire it up. Download Cachemate or something similar and figure out how to use it. If nothing else, it's handy for keeping your addressbook and datebook if you are, or think you want to be, an organized person. If nothing else, if you find it useful for something, cache-related or otherwise, it will give you a really good excuse to get something newer and flashier!!!! ...ken... Quote Link to comment
+mahini Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 I guess I already consider myself "paperless" since my little junior just brings up the 20 closest caches to wherever you turn it on at. But, I have no idea what I'm looking for til I get home & go to enter them on here! Quote Link to comment
Ken in Regina Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I guess I already consider myself "paperless" since my little junior just brings up the 20 closest caches to wherever you turn it on at. But, I have no idea what I'm looking for til I get home & go to enter them on here! Yeah. A program like Cachemate or similar on the Palm would change that. Instead of waiting to get on here to find out what you couldn't find and why (!!!), you could have the detailed description with you so when you decide to hunt for one of those twenty nearby caches, you could look up the details on the Palm right there on the spot. Then, when you find it, or not, you can enter the find, or not, and your comments right on the Palm, on the spot, and let Cachemate upload the results on here when you get back. Of course only you can decide whether that's anything that interests you. ...ken... Quote Link to comment
NordicMan Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Well first thing's first.. yes you'll probably benefit from digging out that old Palm so go for it Second, tell us which one it is. Third & most important we need to figure out if it will connect to your computer. Do you have the cable to do that? What type of computer are you connecting it to? (Windows or Mac? If Windows, is it XP? Vista? What?) If "so far so good" then you can download the latest hotsync software (for free) and get that part working correctly. Finally you can try something like Cachemate for free (limited to 5 caches downloaded) it'll get your feet wet at least! Ok now go do your homework Quote Link to comment
+mahini Posted June 10, 2009 Author Share Posted June 10, 2009 (edited) I'm running XP & my husband & my laptop are vista. As for the type of palm, I found the box!! Its not in there, of course....but, its a IIIe. He said they have one at his office that just sits there, but it doesn't have a charger! Its the same type as the one we have, but, our charger is probably in the same spot as the palm! And completely random, but I'm oh-so-excited! I got the little acorn, keyring cache thing in the geocaching.com store. I was planning on a different use for it, but, it holds 4 AAA batteries perfectly! w00t! Into the caching kit it goes!! Edited June 10, 2009 by mahini Quote Link to comment
NordicMan Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Hey that's a great start ..now just to get a COMPLETE Palm (device/cable/charger) and you'll be good to go! If you find all the IIIe parts including data cable, you'll probably discover that it uses a serial cable connector (not USB) that was common on older computers. Here's the desktop software you need http://kb.palm.com/wps/portal/kb/common/ar...e/37014_en.html It is compatible with Win'XP but not Vista. Check on the back of your XP computer to see if it has a serial cable connector (X your fingers it does!) lol Quote Link to comment
+mahini Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 w00t! the palm is found! now, to figure out what to do with it! Quote Link to comment
jholly Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 I'm running XP & my husband & my laptop are vista. As for the type of palm, I found the box!! Its not in there, of course....but, its a IIIe. He said they have one at his office that just sits there, but it doesn't have a charger! Its the same type as the one we have, but, our charger is probably in the same spot as the palm! And completely random, but I'm oh-so-excited! I got the little acorn, keyring cache thing in the geocaching.com store. I was planning on a different use for it, but, it holds 4 AAA batteries perfectly! w00t! Into the caching kit it goes!! Charger? Doesn't the IIIe use AAA batteries? My IIIxe and M125 used AAA batteries. It is also a serial interface. The cables are not really hard to come by. Hot sync manager is supported on vista as long it is not 64 bit vista. If it is 64 bit vista things get a bit dicey. XP is not a problem. Jim Quote Link to comment
+mahini Posted June 17, 2009 Author Share Posted June 17, 2009 yup! AAA's... I meant the cradle! Quote Link to comment
+GrateBear Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Are you by any chance eligible for a cell phone upgrade? I was hauling around the GPS, cell phone and Palm PDA. Then last year when I was able to upgrade my phone (Verizon), I opted for the Palm Centro. $50, installed cachemate and good to go. Quote Link to comment
+mahini Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 Unfortunately no... We're about midway, so next summer! My mom was eligible a few months ago, so, I tried REALLY REALLY hard to get her to take my phone so I could get something new... She didn't fall for it! Quote Link to comment
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