Never Buying Delorme Products Again!

February 18, 2005

Let me start by saying I have been using Delorme products for a long time. I have sang thier praises to many people about the quality of the products. I have normally purchased yearly upgrades the the Street Atlas product. But no more!

I recently purchased a Dell Axim X50v PDA. Seeing that I had not upgraded my Street Atlas for over a year, I figured I would get the latest version and also get thier new Earthmate Blue Logger GPS unit since the PDA didn't have a USB port and I didn't want to have to deal with the cradle for the USB version I currently have.

I purchased the #3 bundle which has Street Atlas 2005, Street Atlas 2005 Handheld, and the BlueLogger for $179 ($198 with shipping). Well, I was a bit disappointed to discovered that the Street Atlas 2005 Handhelp is pretty much identical to Street Altas 2005, only with the PDA program. There are differences between the interfaces and a smaller POI database. However, the Street Altas 2005 also includes a HandHeld export function just like the Street Atlas 2005 HandHeld version. In fact, I can export maps from either one of them to the PDA. So instead of just selling the PDA program seperatly, or setting up the package with only the Handheld version, they ended up selling me the same thing twice! Now if anyone knows the packages available, yes they do sell a package with just the logger and the Street Atlas program. However, I called and talked to a rep and was told I would need the non-handheld version if I wanted to create routes on the PC. Turns out that was not the case.

So, I figured it was only and extra $30. I also over looked the "Road Warrior" edition fiasco they suckered me with a few years ago. So, on to tracking!

Well, not so fast. Turns out, the logger they sent me is defective. It works for awhile, then stops. Try connecting to it with the logger manager and it just sits there trying to connect. The bluetooth connection light on the device stays on saying it is connected but after several minutes, it gives up trying. So leave it off for awhile and next time, it connects right up and everything is fine.

Now I know not every unit shipped is going to work right everytime. This isn't what bothered me. What pushed me over the edge was when I called tech support about it. Now they close at 4:45 EST on Fridays. I called at 4:40 EST according to my clock that is syncronized with the atomic clock (yeah, I'm a techo-nerd). The web site said you couldn't get put into the queue after 4:45 so I figured I would be fine. Well, after calling, I was put into queue and got someone on the phone and it was still before 4:45. Guy asked what the product was I was having problems with so I explained the problem. He said it sounded like it needed to be replaced and I would need to talk to someone in tech support. What? I thought I called tech support? He said he was just the guy in the lobby and directed calls to sales. My guess is he was the last tech and wanted to leave. If he was the guy in the lobby, why did he ask what product I needed support with instead of asking what producted I needed saled info on?

Well, needless to say, I am ending my relationship with Delorme. The one time I was able to get everything working together on my PDA to track a trip, I was very disappointed in the mapping on the PDA. The route highlight didn't stand out at all. It look just like any other highway. You couldn't see where you were suppose to turn and the directions were horriable. It would just say "Ramp" for a turn. Ah, okay. Yeah, I take a ramp to get off the highway. But which one? There are several coming up.

I tried out Mapopolis some today. I was very impressed with the quality of the tracking maps on it. It is not as nice in some areas as the Delorme product, but better in other. It is also more expensive for the same coverage than the Delorme product. But if it works with my new GPS unit, I'll probably go with it.

Sorry to rant on for so long. Needed to vent and hopefully prevent anyone else from falling into the Delorme trap like I did.

February 19, 2005

Don't feel too bad, I had a similar experience in December. I bought the same bundle that you did. I tried it out on a 200 mile trip to upstate SC. The directions were poor and it would lose it's signal at critical moments and was almost impossible to reconnect without stopping. I agree the route was hard to see and at one point I turned wrong, but thinking another road was the route I ended up taking a long detour. All the SAHH said was I was off route. I finally stopped and tried to recalculate the route, took about 45 minutes. Later I couldn't get the bluetooth to connect even with the gps sitting 6 inches from the PDA (HP 2215). I returned the entire package and bought the Garmin CF Que. A much more professional and reliable unit. The good thing I have to say is that I was actually 31 days from when I received it and Delorme gave me the RMA and didn't even ask what the problem was?

Edited February 19, 2005 by Texas Shadow

2.4k · February 19, 2005

I had the DeLorme XMap Handheld that came with a Radio Shack Digitraveler GPS, and that had to be some of the worst software I've ever tried to use. Apparently the programmers had never seen a Windows application before, and once I finally did get some maps on my Palm, it didn't work very well. I ditched it within a week, and bought Mapopolis, which works very well. The user interface wasn't very good, but it has been getting better, and now is acceptable. The mapping works very, very well, and the autorouting and rerouting is really quick. There is no need to use a PC to transfer a few maps at a time to the PDA, because you can run it directly from an SD card. I have the entire US on a 1GB card, and I never, ever need a PC at all.

February 19, 2005

I'm 100% garmin now.I had trouble with the map being off ,contacted them by the correct error reporting channels.No reply and also my mapping software is useless for trails.How can I use a trail that is a river.Now,can it be trusted for accuracy in other areas? It wasn't a setup issue 'cause some areas are good.

I've had no problems with garmin.

February 19, 2005

I too have the same setup, a Blue Logger, Street Atlas 2005 Handheld USA, and Street Atlas 2005 USA. Dinked around with it for 2 weeks and will not mess with it anyfurther. Turns out the Blue Logger Manager only works if you have Blue Logger on your PC / Laptop ... they do sell a Blue Logger Manager for the PDA but I refuse to give them another $40+/-. Thought the Bluetooth capabilities would be good for the kids to share it from the back seat.

Since I have a Garmin V and Mapsource may try their GPS10 ... still thinking this one through.

Know anyone who wants a Delorme setup at a good price that is basically new?

21.9k · February 19, 2005

Wow, interesting information here. Since it relates more closely to GPS Units and Software, rather than to getting started in geocaching, I am moving this topic to the proper forum.

11.3k · February 19, 2005

. . . Know anyone who wants a Delorme setup at a good price that is basically new?

I've sold lots of things on eBay that I found no use for . . .

And, I've even bought things on eBay that I later found no use for . . . :huh:

2.1k · February 20, 2005

. . . Know anyone who wants a Delorme setup at a good price that is basically new?

I've sold lots of things on eBay that I found no use for . . .

And, I've even bought things on eBay that I later found no use for . . .

You might get better action in the Garage Sale forum ...

good luck -

2.4k · February 20, 2005

If ebay has taught us anything, it's that P. T. Barnum seriously underestimated the rate at which suckers are born. People will pay good money for anything!

2.8k · February 20, 2005

If ebay has taught us anything, it's that P. T. Barnum seriously underestimated the rate at which suckers are born. People will pay good money for anything!

Actually... they will pay more then they could get from a reputable dealer, not that everyone on eBay isn't reputable. I see folks bidding higher for an item on eBay then they could if they searched the Internet and bought from an e-tailer.

As for Delorme... I used their products until I got my first handheld GPS. They worked well (well except for the Road Warrior version mentioned above). Of course, the same interface the Road Warrior version used seemed to migrate to their latest versions and really, in my eyes and I'm sure others, complicated the entire interface.

Like most programs, 90% of the people use 10% of the functionality. That 10% functionality should be 100% obvious. If not, I think the software is flawed. In my eyes, I think Delorme has flawed software now. I still think is is excellent once you understand how to use it, but I think it's something most folks don't have the time to spend doing.

Now let me get on eBay and look for some good bargains... the ones where the seller misspelled something so 100 people aren't going to bid and pay list (or above list) price on the item.

February 20, 2005

I have the 2005 Handheld edition and the thing that gets me is I can't figure out to get cache waypoints into my maps for export to my PDA. I got this porgram so that I could let my wife see where it was that we were headed. I thought it would be a nice thing to use so that should would feel more included. Can anyone tell me how to export the waypoints in bulk? There POI stinks. I have never been able to find a single that I needed.

Nuwati

February 20, 2005

Can anyone tell me how to export the waypoints in bulk?

I can tell you it can be done because I did it (you create a "draw" layer and export that layer). The reason I've quickly forgotten exactly how I did it is because once I imported 1000 caches, I quickly discovered that the only way to get them off the PDA is to delete them one at a time (so they are still sitting there). Hopefully I can just delete all the maps and reinstall them. :laughing:

9.5k · February 21, 2005

If ebay has taught us anything, it's that P. T. Barnum seriously underestimated the rate at which suckers are born. People will pay good money for anything!

A bit off topic, but P.T. Barnum didn't say that of his customers at any given time.

From P.T. Barnum, The Legend and the man, by A. H. Saxon 1989 ISBN 0-231-05686-9, pp 334-337, entitled "There's a sucker born every minute":

"Of all the pithy, eminently quotable statements by Barnum that might have become part of the English language's store of bon mots, it is remarkable that the one nearly everybody associates with his name - "There's a sucker born every minute" - was never spoken or written by him."

"At least one of his contemporaries - Joseph McCaddon, Bailey's brother-in-law, who certainly bore no love for the showman and was eager enough to attack him on other occasions - even went so far as to claim the "slang" meaning of the word was not in use during Barnum's lifetime. "No matter how often Barnum deceived the public with such humbugs as Joice Heth and the Wooly Horse," McCaddon continues in the manuscript history of Bailey and the circus he wrote (p317, in the Bridgeport Public Library, Historical Collections), he was too "shrewd an advertiser and well educated a man to directly accuse his public of ignorance, and of being suckers."

February 21, 2005

Follow up on Delorme Support - or lack there of.

I called today to try to contact tech support about the problem with the Blue Logger GPS. I got the standard phone message, "Our hours are M-Th 8:30 am EST to....". Well, it was 9:30am EST. It seems they have today off as a holiday (President's day). Guess no one has problems with thier products on holidays. It would be nice if they would have put a comment in the message about being off for the holiday.

This thing is getting closer and closer to the trash can. I wouldn't wish this junk on my worst enemy. :huh:

4.5k · February 21, 2005

If ebay has taught us anything, it's that P. T. Barnum seriously underestimated the rate at which suckers are born. People will pay good money for anything!

A bit off topic, but P.T. Barnum didn't say that of his customers at any given time.

From P.T. Barnum, The Legend and the man, by A. H. Saxon 1989 ISBN 0-231-05686-9, pp 334-337, entitled "There's a sucker born every minute":

"Of all the pithy, eminently quotable statements by Barnum that might have become part of the English language's store of bon mots, it is remarkable that the one nearly everybody associates with his name - "There's a sucker born every minute" - was never spoken or written by him."

"At least one of his contemporaries - Joseph McCaddon, Bailey's brother-in-law, who certainly bore no love for the showman and was eager enough to attack him on other occasions - even went so far as to claim the "slang" meaning of the word was not in use during Barnum's lifetime. "No matter how often Barnum deceived the public with such humbugs as Joice Heth and the Wooly Horse," McCaddon continues in the manuscript history of Bailey and the circus he wrote (p317, in the Bridgeport Public Library, Historical Collections), he was too "shrewd an advertiser and well educated a man to directly accuse his public of ignorance, and of being suckers."

A bit more off topic but if I recall that his shows were so popular he had to figure a way to get people to move on so other paying public could get in. So he posted a sign near the exit titled: "This Way to the Great Egress". :huh:

4.5k · February 21, 2005

I tried 2003 SA on my PC and gave up due to its lack of intuitiveness and complexity. I continued to used Gamrins Metroguide on my PC until I got Mapopolis for my Poctet PC that I now use exclusively. What's really nice about it that with gpstomaplet all my caches are iconed on the maps so while I'm driving around or whenever I look at the map the icons can be clicked to get the 10 digit cache name, D/T, cache type, miles from home, author, etc. You can click on it and get a route automatically started as you drive from cache to cache.

Mapopolis has great features, audible command, large visual cues, syncs with PPC's Outlook's contact lists or you can get intersections as well as street addresses.

The only down side is when your loaded maps get over 20M population, it will not auto-route the commands although it will give the directions. There are ways around this to a certain extent. Oh, their POI's stink too. But over all I've been very satisfied with it.

Edited February 21, 2005 by Alan2

9.5k · February 21, 2005

If ebay has taught us anything, it's that P. T. Barnum seriously underestimated the rate at which suckers are born. People will pay good money for anything!

A bit off topic, but P.T. Barnum didn't say that of his customers at any given time.

From P.T. Barnum, The Legend and the man, by A. H. Saxon 1989 ISBN 0-231-05686-9, pp 334-337, entitled "There's a sucker born every minute":

"Of all the pithy, eminently quotable statements by Barnum that might have become part of the English language's store of bon mots, it is remarkable that the one nearly everybody associates with his name - "There's a sucker born every minute" - was never spoken or written by him."

"At least one of his contemporaries - Joseph McCaddon, Bailey's brother-in-law, who certainly bore no love for the showman and was eager enough to attack him on other occasions - even went so far as to claim the "slang" meaning of the word was not in use during Barnum's lifetime. "No matter how often Barnum deceived the public with such humbugs as Joice Heth and the Wooly Horse," McCaddon continues in the manuscript history of Bailey and the circus he wrote (p317, in the Bridgeport Public Library, Historical Collections), he was too "shrewd an advertiser and well educated a man to directly accuse his public of ignorance, and of being suckers."

A bit more off topic but if I recall that his shows were so popular he had to figure a way to get people to move on so other paying public could get in. So he posted a sign near the exit titled: "This Way to the Great Egress".

When you think about it, it was pure Genius.

February 21, 2005

I can tell you it can be done because I did it (you create a "draw" layer and export that layer). The reason I've quickly forgotten exactly how I did it is because once I imported 1000 caches, I quickly discovered that the only way to get them off the PDA is to delete them one at a time (so they are still sitting there). Hopefully I can just delete all the maps and reinstall them.

I use "Filez" just for that reason. You can delete all the waypoints at once. It is Freeware available on Palmgear

February 21, 2005

[...] Turns out the Blue Logger Manager only works if you have Blue Logger on your PC / Laptop ...[...]
Know anyone who wants a Delorme setup at a good price that is basically new?

The same holds for their PostProcessing software: need their hardware connected to work.

But there is more: that PP software is only sold together with the hardware Bluelogger.

And doing relative positioning a second BL is needed. So I have to pay 2x PP or get (for Europe at least) useless maps.

A BL with PP second hand: I have not found those yet...

February 21, 2005

Ok, how do I make a draw layer? Can I do this just with the desktop 2005 delorme handheld software? A step by step would be great. Their help section is of no use on the subject.

Nuwati

February 21, 2005

Follow up on Delorme Support - or lack there of.

I called today to try to contact tech support about the problem with the Blue Logger GPS. I got the standard phone message, "Our hours are M-Th 8:30 am EST to....". Well, it was 9:30am EST. It seems they have today off as a holiday (President's day). Guess no one has problems with thier products on holidays. It would be nice if they would have put a comment in the message about being off for the holiday.

This thing is getting closer and closer to the trash can. I wouldn't wish this junk on my worst enemy.

mine is in the box it came in waiting for a new home on Ebay :lol: So much for Delorme here.

March 2, 2005

UPDATE: After FINALLY talking to a tech, they had me send in the unit for testing and replacement. I got the new logger back Monday (2/28) and guess what, it didn't work. Of course it was after 4:45pm EST so I couldn't call tech support. In the mean time, I removed the battery over night. The next day, I was able to get the unit to start working. So far it has been pretty stable.

In conclusion, Delorme has provided what I paid for. However, because of the poor tech support, I will not be buying from Delorme anymore. Besides, I like Mapopolis better.

April 16, 2005

Wow. I have to say that my experience with Bluelogger has been pretty good. My unit has always worked great - but I have seen enough posts from others to convince me that their quality control must be sporadic and that they don't understand the importance of making their customers happy with their purchase.

I, also, find the SA (and Topo USA) software interface to be nearly incomprehensible (and I'm a software developer) and found the SA Handheld software to be lacking in at least these areas:

1. You can't create a waypoint at the current location when actively tracking with GPS.

2. Route calculation (at least it does it, as opposed to Pocket Streets) is exceedingly slooooow.

3. When actively tracking with GPS it is very difficult to find a point of interest and say "Take me to that place"

In summary, I like my Bluelogger but can do without Delorme's software.

TM

April 17, 2005

Since I previously noted that my experience with BlueLogger hardware has been positive, I think it only fair to also note that I have found DeLorme's BlueLogger Manager SW for the PocketPC disappointing... to wit:

I have v1.0 of the BlueLogger Manager SW for the PocketPC. I have noticed that wherever I use this SW, the BlueLogger becomes unusable for GPS tracking until I:

1. Turn off the BlueLogger.

2. Turn it back on

3. Reconnect to it from my PocketPC

Once this sequence is done, the BlueLogger tracks just fine in whatever app I want to use (Pocket Streets, Pocket Topo, Destinator, etc.)

I'm ready to write-off the PDA BlueLogger Manager SW because of this. I haven't had the chance to see if it behaves similarly with the PC-based BlueLogger Manager SW.

TM

Never Buying Delorme Products Again!

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