Geode and Geocaching

[Guest TJohns]

Has anybody tried out the Geode GPS module for the Handspring Visor? If so, how well did it work and do you think it would work with geocaching? It looks cool from what they say on their site: WAAS, mapping, MMC storage (even though you can't use it quite yet). I'm just curious what users think about it.

[Guest DrunkenBard]

They should have gotten the memory manager working before they started trying to sell the module. I haven't bought one, and probably won't, because their maps are huge, and there's just too much chance that all that extra storage ability will turn out to be vaporware, or else that they will find a way to make it expensive after you're stuck with the module.

I also still have my standard problem with the Handspring folks on this one for not providing an external power port. Having the Visor on for the length of time it takes to navigate to anything will eat batteries like crazy, and AFAIK, there's no power in pin in the springboard slot for the module to share its external power.

 

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DrunkenBard

http://www.drunkenbard.com

[Guest swangner]

I haven't tried the Geode, but I do use the Magellan GPS Companion for the Visor (also a Springboard module). It works quite well, locks on to the satellites quickly, and gives good accuracy.

 

As far as battery life goes, I'm using a Visor Prism (rechargeable internal battery), and using the GPS unit doesn't seem to eat the batteries all that quickly. I've used it to hunt a few caches without the battery running out. The batteries in the springboard module, however, get used quickly, since they're only 2 AAA's (about 8-10 hours of use per set of AAA's).

[Guest nekosoft]

I've got the same unit, the Magellan, and I've had pretty good luck running on NiMH rechargables. Swap a fresh set into the GPS and into the Visor Deluxe and I'm on my way.

(I do be sure to keep about 4 extra AAA's in my geocaching pack in case I'm hunting for much, much longer than I expect...)

 

nekosoft