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I want to buy a handheld GPS mostly for hiking/biking, and perhaps using in the car on trips. I don't know much about the desired featureset; but ideally it would work with my Powerbook (bluetooth or USB) for interfacing with maps and such. Does anyone have any recommendations or models to avoid?

[RAILhead]

I'm totally in love with my Garmin eTrex Legend C — but I "had" to buy the low end Dell laptop to use it.

http://www.garmin.com/products/etrexLegendcx/



I use it for everything you said.

[The Godfather]

^ My GPS (eTrex vista) uses a plain serial interface, so I could use it with Route 69 for OSX if I wanted.

* Serial to USB converter required

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Originally Posted by RAILhead

I'm totally in love with my Garmin eTrex Legend C

Did you pop in a new SD card, or does the 64MB do pretty much everything you want it to?

[RAILhead]

Originally Posted by ink

Did you pop in a new SD card, or does the 64MB do pretty much everything you want it to?

Quick answer: I use the stock setup just fine.

Longer answer: I do my maps by location. For instance, when we went to NY, I created a separate map just for that area of the country and load it with my waypoint, routes, etc. When we go to Georgia next year, I'll do the same with that area, and so forth.

The built-in memory couldn't hold all my Texas maps PLUS all the NY maps, though — but creating several maps for various areas helps keep things less cluttered for me, anyway. Point being, I do my mapping not because the Garmin mem forces me to, it's just the way i do it and it happens that my method works well with the Garmin's memory.

[ghporter]

I got the slightly lower end eTrex Legend, and it's small, handy, fast, and easy to use. I haven't had the time to play with adding maps yet-school is pretty brutal right now-but it looks to be not too much of an effort.

I think the reason RailHead needed a Dell is that Garmin's software is (I think) Windows only. But I don't think the maps are in a format that is unreadable by a Mac... I'll have to look into this. (I already have a PC to use it with.)

[RAILhead]

That's correct: I'm using the MapSource software. There ARE alternatives on the Mac to manipulate the map data and load them onto the Garmin, though. The issue isn't with the maps, as they're a common format -- it's with connecting the Garmin unit to the Mac. Until that can be done successfully (which is supposed to be in the works), you just have to find a map software solution. I chose to just get a PC rather hunt for Mac software since the MapSource software is so good.

[TimmyDee51]

If you can spare the cash, get the Garmin GPS 60Cx or GPS 60Csx. They have a new antenna in them that is unbelievably sensitive. You can even get a signal indoors, which is just about unheard of in the last generation of GPS receivers. Plus, the signal acquire time is really fast. In all, it's a great handheld receiver, and a lot better than some others out there. Wish I owned one.

[ghporter]

Signal sensitivity and acquisition are linked-with a stronger signal at the receiver, the device can collect the data and lock onto a satellite much more quickly. It's the cost that keeps me using a lower-end device, but I really don't need a more capable one-even though I want one.

[ink]

I looked at the 60-series, but honestly, they were simply too big to be convenient. I was torn between the etrex Legend, and the Legend Cx. The color and expandability would have been nice in the Cx, but I went with the Legend and the US topological map software for the same price. I can aquire a signal with it inside my house with a 23 foot accuracy. At a local park with a lot of trees it was seeing 5 satellites.

This is fun.

It also has a retro-iMac blueberry thing going on:


I also considered the Magellan 400, but the USB connector and NiMh battery charger looked to be a PITA.

Thanks for all the advice.