What GPS do you have and should I get it?

Paul

I also have an iMac and have found that software from people that you'd assume cover Macs isn't always available. I've got a handheld Magellan Triton 400 that I primarily use for mountain biking that's PC only.

A solution of course is to use Bootcamp, buy Windows and run Windows on your Mac. I do that because of a couple of Windows specific programs that I use which work perfectly on my Mac.

Only downside of course is the cost of another Operating platform and boot time switching between OS-X and Windows which seems to take an eternity (reality about 3 minutes.....but you know what I mean)

Off topic......I bought a nifty little 'Camera flotation strap' for my Point 'n Shoot*, which is basically just a padded wrist strap for anyone concerned about their camera going to a watery grave. $20 at my local Camera House.

*The Point 'n Shoot being a Sony TX5 same as Mrs Mitch's which I bought the other day after seeing the excellent results here. (Curse you Mrs Mitch ! )

Ken.

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Yellow 09 Oasis
Red 2010 AI /Grey tramps.

I was running boot camp but got sick and tied of restarting the computer.
I figure if the company (product) can not support my needs I don't buy it.

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Paul, Rebecca & Stephanie

Good policy.

I must admit that I've avoided a few costly impulse buys of software that don't support Mac. It has to be something I really need now to buy a Windows version due to the Shut Down/Re Boot issue.....and then do it all again to get back to OS X.

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Yellow 09 Oasis
Red 2010 AI /Grey tramps.

Ahhh, an outbreak of Macparanoia. They have got plenty of software for the Mac.

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I've got a GPS in my Hummingbird sonar but I found it to be no near as good as the Garmin GPSMap76s which I have mounted in the car from a logging and trip computer point of view. In the end I went and got a GPSMap76CX which I use as a backup and trip computer.

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I own a colorado 400c and it was great! The wheel on the front made it so easy to one hand all functionality. Unfortunately if you look at the seal under the wheel you will see there is very little keeping water out of the unit. Just after warranty expired, the seal under the wheel leaked and corroded some of the electronics for the buttons/wheel. I think this is why they discontinued it.

I recently replaced it with the gpsmap 78 which I really like as well and seems to be sealed a lot better and floats. I really like the navagation maps and you can display the detailed bathymetry charts "fishing charts" on the unit. I emailed garmin specifically about the charts and they finally came back saying you can do it, and I have done it on my unit.

Also, after my previous problem, I make sure the new unit stays between my vest and me to avoid almost all water spray when not in use. I really don't see how the colorado passed the water submersion standards.

JG

I think I like the look of the Garmin; now to chooose the software!

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Paul, Rebecca & Stephanie

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Thanks Chris,

I have looked at Topo Australia on the net; I did wonder how goo dit was. Looks like it will have to be something I get.

Regards Paul.

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Paul, Rebecca & Stephanie

Garmin also has "RoadTrip", for free I believe. It's pretty basic but does work on a Mac and lets you easily download the data from the units and export them to google earth formats, etc...Google earth also has a mac version.

Also, you can buy HomePort from Garmin, which is windows only right now, but they are working on a Mac version. It lets you do routes, import data, and manipulate maps and also displays topos and the garmin bluechart/vision maps.

I really like Garmin, but they definitely use their customers as Beta testers, which is very frustrating. The Colorado 400c had/has lots of bugs, and HomePort has lots of bugs as well. So far my GPSMap 78 seems pretty bug free, I've been impressed with it so far.

JG

Keith, no offense taken at all, but I should point out that the review is the opposite of my experience.

The Oregon is bright in the full sun, and actually harder to see under the shade of the Bimini top than in full sun. My problems with seeing it have been with my aging eyes, not the screen. I can't read the numbers on paper charts any more either...

If I had to use Windows programs with any regularity, I'd get Parallels.

I have also used 'paralell', I found that running 2 OS just slowed my computer down, admittdly I was playing flight simulator!

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Paul, Rebecca & Stephanie

I happened to go to the West Marine site and a promo for a Garmin GPSMAP76Cx popped out. Price $199. This unit does not have a compass or altimeter/barometer (GPSMAP76CSx has these features and sells for about $300.) You may have seen some of my other posts where I have stated that the compass is there only for diehard compass users. I never use the compass and, when I have tried it, I have always found it rather unreliable on a boat on the water. Your basic GPS unit gives you a heading in degrees--why do you need a compass? I do carry a backup analog compass which I have never had to use. Here are 2 links, one to West Marine, the other to Amazon which seems to have the same unit for $313.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=11151&partNumber=7793078&langId=-1&icid=HM2_WM_76cx_0708
http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-GPS-76Cx-Handheld/dp/B000CSP000/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1278621502&sr=1-1

I'm tempted to buy one. My wife, Nancy, likes her Etrex Horizon, but I think she could learn to like a Garmin 76.

Keith

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2015 AI 2, 2014 Tandem

"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex ... It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." A. Einstein

"Less is more" Anon

I have the csx version and I keep the compass turned off which gives me about a months worth of use on 2 alkaline AA batteries. The compass seems to take a lot of extra battery life. Also, I keep it in battery saver mode, which slows down the display updates, but again really extends the battery life.

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Hobie Island Sailing since 2006