Garmin Supports Gc.com!

[+Imajika]

I was looking at the garmin web site and found this. If you scroll to the bottom, you can see that someone at Garmin likes gc.com. Now if only the gc.com staff could get commisions from all the cachers that have bought a garmin GPS unit...

Edited January 26, 2004 by Imajika

[ghOzt]

That site is where I first learned about geocaching. I was buying a GPS unit for hiking, etc. and had never heard of geocaching. So, GC.com owes Garmin for the referral.

[+CYBret]

It would be interesting to see what the percentage of sales is for those of us who are Geocaching. You have to figure it's got to be fairly significant if they've invested themselves in geocaching related functions on the new Garmins and included the geocaching icons on the older ones.

 

Bret

[+CacheCreatures]

It would be interesting to see what the percentage of sales is for those of us who are Geocaching. You have to figure it's got to be fairly significant if they've invested themselves in geocaching related functions on the new Garmins and included the geocaching icons on the older ones.

 

Bret

Could be! Although I tend to think it's an investment in the future. Commercial GPS tech has always been a niche market anyway, so why not be at the forefront of the next big reason to own a GPSr? Just a slightly educated guess on my part.

[+Divine]

I agree with CYBret. I for one bought my Garmin just for geocaching. Can't be the only one. I read on geocaching in the local newspaper, though, but it's nice to see that Garmin is clearly aware of it's geocaching customers.

[+CYBret]

Could be! Although I tend to think it's an investment in the future.

I don't disagree, but doesn't it seem like kind of an odd "investment in the future?" Here's a game that is largely unsupervised, has occasionally come under fire from the authorities and has been banned by at least one or two state wildlife management organizations. How much of an investment would you be willing to make under those circumstances?

 

My guess is that they've recognized that a lot of people who are pretty clueless about GPS's are buying them for Geocaching. The new GPSMap series is their response...lots of bells and whistles, pretty color, and designed specifically for this new game...it's the GPS you're supposed to have for geocaching, right?

 

Bret

[+travisl]

but doesn't it seem like kind of an odd "investment in the future?" Here's a game that is largely unsupervised, has occasionally come under fire from the authorities and has been banned by at least one or two state ... organizations.

 

Never stopped gambling equipment manufacturers.

[+briansnat]

I'm another who purchased my GPS specifically for geocaching..in fact I've purchased 2 Garmins.

 

I wonder what "dedicated geocaching mode" is on the 60C and how it differs from regular operation.

Edited January 26, 2004 by briansnat

[+DocW]

hmmm....

 

I once owned a Garmin and came over their homepage to Geocaching. Three months later I switched over to Magellan.

 

I guess that went wrong for them

[+Mopar]

I have my 3rd GPS in transit to me right now. I go back to the days of LORAN, so no, I can't say geocaching was the reason for #1. It WAS a major reason for #2 (my 1st handheld). #3 is mostly because I'm now in in area I sam totally unfamiliar with, so I upgraded to a mapping GPS. I think it will help with geocaching, but that's not the reason for buying it.

 

I wonder what "dedicated geocaching mode" is on the 60C and how it differs from regular operation.

Brian, you can find out more about the 60c's geocaching mode at the bottom of this page.

 

PS #2 and #3 are both Garmin. I've found several hundred caches using a Maggie as well, so I think I'm familiar enough with both brands to know what I wanted/needed when it was time to buy a new GPS.

Edited January 26, 2004 by Mopar

[+Halden]

I was looking (not too thoroughly mind you) and didn't see a smiular link/promotion on the Magellan Site. Does anyone know if Magellan is promoting Geocaching as actively as Garmin?

[+Planet]

So far I've purchased 3 Garmin's. One was the yellow Etrex, I gave to my uncle so he could mark mushrooms in the woods. The other two are Legends, one for me, and one for recruiting other cachers. Every time I take out a newbie, I want them to have a GPS, so I bought a spare to loan to who ever I take out. Wait! make the 4 Garmins, I got my nephew a Legend too, for his birthday.

[+CYBret]

I was looking (not too thoroughly mind you) and didn't see a smiular link/promotion on the Magellan Site. Does anyone know if Magellan is promoting Geocaching as actively as Garmin?

You might want to look here.

 

And then again here.

 

Bret

[+geoguyver]

When I first received my Garmin for Christmas I was pleased to find they had the Geocache icons available for markers.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

I bought my first GPS for hunting, then I learned about Geocaching. I bought my second one to replace the first (I think the babysitter took it).

I'm on my third one now, which I purchased for Geocaching, although I will take it on hunting trips too.

[+Mopar]

I was looking (not too thoroughly mind you) and didn't see a smiular link/promotion on the Magellan Site. Does anyone know if Magellan is promoting Geocaching as actively as Garmin?

You might want to look here.

 

And then again here.

 

Bret

You might want to rethink those links, Bret.

If I remember right, the treasure hunt had no involvment or mention of geocaching, and with all the blunders they had in hiding caches (poor coords leading to private yards, caches in parks that ban caching, etc) I think they probably did as much or more to hurt geocaching then promote it.

[+CacheCreatures]

My guess is that they've recognized that a lot of people who are pretty clueless about GPS's are buying them for Geocaching. The new GPSMap series is their response...lots of bells and whistles, pretty color, and designed specifically for this new game...it's the GPS you're supposed to have for geocaching, right?

\

 

Better stated Bert. Basically, thats what I was driving at. I guess all I would add is that, even given the current geocaching problems, a world leader in GPSr technology has thrown its weight behind it. It seems to me they are banking on geocaching's growth as justification for their newest model.

[+CYBret]

You might want to rethink those links, Bret.

That was kinda my point.

 

I remember when the contest first started up there were a few posts along the lines of, "Why doesn't Garmin support Geocaching like this?" I think Garmin has shown through their links, icons and now geocaching-specific software the right way for a tech-toy company to support a tech-toy hobby.

 

Still...if they wanted to hide one of those GPSMap's somewhere in the Central Illinois area, I certainly wouldn't mind.

 

Bret

Edited January 26, 2004 by CYBret

[+Imajika]

I bought my Garmin specifically for caching. My friend had a Legend and spoke highly of it. I did some research and I ended up buying one too. I never even saw the Garmin page about caching until last night.

 

(edit - huked on phahnics werked fur mee!)

Edited January 26, 2004 by Imajika

[mlw1139]

the last two garmin 60c's we aquired were partially for geocaching.

garmin is an excellent corporations with all the german engineering power!