I bought the full monty

[Randy]

Well I have been looking at the 3600 for about 6 months now and this past week I finally bit the bullet and sprung for the iQue, the Auto Nav Kit, and the 512 Mb SD card. I am in the poor house now. I told my wife its all you guys fault on this forum for talking it up so much. Its my first palm devise of any kind so I'm still trying to figure out what all it can do. One thing that bugs me is all the apps it comes with only last 30 days and you have to send somebody some more bucks to get an unlock code to make it work. (etc. Documents to Go, SplashPhoto, WorldMate, iSilo Reader, Vindigo, etc.). Anybody know were you can get codes for this stuff? Palm apps dont seem to be to popular on KaZaA. Anyway sorry if I'm complaining to much about buying all the registration codes for this stuff, my wallet is just a little lighter these days. What about the battery life on this thing? Man I thought my laptop was bad. I only get about 1.5 hrs on a full charge while reading or playing a game. The Auto Nav Kit helps but what about while your in a bus terminal or in a boring meeting and want to play tetris or something? The connectors on the cradle must be made of egg shells. I think they will break real easy. Did I miss something or is there NO information in the manual about using the Palm apps. This is a Palm device is it not? I'm not a previous Palm person so I have a problem here. Overall I think I like the thing, at least I dont get lost as much....

[reinbeau]

Originally posted by Randy
Well I have been looking at the 3600 for about 6 months now and this past week I finally bit the bullet and sprung for the iQue, the Auto Nav Kit, and the 512 Mb SD card. I am in the poor house now. I told my wife its all you guys fault on this forum for talking it up so much. Its my first palm devise of any kind so I'm still trying to figure out what all it can do. One thing that bugs me is all the apps it comes with only last 30 days and you have to send somebody some more bucks to get an unlock code to make it work. (etc. Documents to Go, SplashPhoto, WorldMate, iSilo Reader, Vindigo, etc.). Anybody know were you can get codes for this stuff? Palm apps dont seem to be to popular on KaZaA. Anyway sorry if I'm complaining to much about buying all the registration codes for this stuff, my wallet is just a little lighter these days. What about the battery life on this thing? Man I thought my laptop was bad. I only get about 1.5 hrs on a full charge while reading or playing a game. The Auto Nav Kit helps but what about while your in a bus terminal or in a boring meeting and want to play tetris or something? The connectors on the cradle must be made of egg shells. I think they will break real easy. Did I miss something or is there NO information in the manual about using the Palm apps. This is a Palm device is it not? I'm not a previous Palm person so I have a problem here. Overall I think I like the thing, at least I dont get lost as much.... First of all, pay for the registration codes if you want to keep the software. If we don't pay, the developers will stop developing all the good shareware programs there are out there! And for that matter, there's tons of freeware out there, too, check out Freeware Palm (http://www.freewarepalm.com). I know the iQue purchase has made a big dent in my wallet, but that's a choice I made (and I'm loving every minute of it!)

As for battery life, turn down the backlight, it'll help immensely. I run mine at 25% except in full sun, and that isn't that often.

I have had no problems with any of the connections, I'm just careful, I guess, but others have had problems with connections breaking. I think the Palm cradle for the M515 is better than the Garmin cradle, for sure, it's much more solid of a connection and far easier to take off the cradle. That Garmin cradle is scary!!

There is a manual for the Palm applications and operations on your CD. I called Garmin and asked them why they didn't include that manual hard copy in the box, they had no explanation. Since so many are coming to the GPS world to the Palm world, that seemed extremely short-sighted on Garmin's part, maybe if enough people complain they'll realize their mistake.

[Moose Man]

www.palmgear.com and www.handango are good sources of shareware (try before you buy). I prefer palmgear because they only do Palm software. Handango does both Pocket PC and Palm and therefore be careful when viewing the catalogs of information.

Almost all of the software that was bundled with the Que is discounted for a Que owner, I beleive, compared to reqular price.

Welcome to the wonderful world of PDA's. There are two schools of thought regarding PDA's (IMHO), PDA as just that: a Personal Data Assistant or a laptop replacement.

You've purchased a device that provides GPS functionality as well as a plain Jane PDA. It does as advertised. But if they included all of the software, much of it would not get used by a potential majority of users and thus it would drive the price of the device up. I'll equate it this way: You buy a new car, now do you want leather seats, $, do you want a better stereo $$. There are always options - in this case the Que options the software as well.

[Sho-Bud]

Or you can check on: http://freewarepalm.com

[Randy]

Originally posted by reinbeau
First of all, pay for the registration codes if you want to keep the software. If we don't pay, the developers will stop developing all the good shareware programs there are out there! And for that matter, there's tons of freeware out there, too, check out Freeware Palm (http://www.freewarepalm.com). I know the iQue purchase has made a big dent in my wallet, but that's a choice I made (and I'm loving every minute of it!)

As for battery life, turn down the backlight, it'll help immensely. I run mine at 25% except in full sun, and that isn't that often.

I have had no problems with any of the connections, I'm just careful, I guess, but others have had problems with connections breaking. I think the Palm cradle for the M515 is better than the Garmin cradle, for sure, it's much more solid of a connection and far easier to take off the cradle. That Garmin cradle is scary!!

There is a manual for the Palm applications and operations on your CD. I called Garmin and asked them why they didn't include that manual hard copy in the box, they had no explanation. Since so many are coming to the GPS world to the Palm world, that seemed extremely short-sighted on Garmin's part, maybe if enough people complain they'll realize their mistake.



Thanks for the input on the backlight. I just found the on/off switch yesterday.

[Randy]

Originally posted by Moose Man
www.palmgear.com and www.handango are good sources of shareware (try before you buy). I prefer palmgear because they only do Palm software. Handango does both Pocket PC and Palm and therefore be careful when viewing the catalogs of information.

Almost all of the software that was bundled with the Que is discounted for a Que owner, I beleive, compared to reqular price.

Welcome to the wonderful world of PDA's. There are two schools of thought regarding PDA's (IMHO), PDA as just that: a Personal Data Assistant or a laptop replacement.

You've purchased a device that provides GPS functionality as well as a plain Jane PDA. It does as advertised. But if they included all of the software, much of it would not get used by a potential majority of users and thus it would drive the price of the device up. I'll equate it this way: You buy a new car, now do you want leather seats, $, do you want a better stereo $$. There are always options - in this case the Que options the software as well.

At the risk of sounding stupid, what does "IMHO" stand for?

[Randy]

Originally posted by Moose Man
www.palmgear.com and www.handango are good sources of shareware (try before you buy). I prefer palmgear because they only do Palm software. Handango does both Pocket PC and Palm and therefore be careful when viewing the catalogs of information.

Almost all of the software that was bundled with the Que is discounted for a Que owner, I beleive, compared to reqular price.

Welcome to the wonderful world of PDA's. There are two schools of thought regarding PDA's (IMHO), PDA as just that: a Personal Data Assistant or a laptop replacement.

You've purchased a device that provides GPS functionality as well as a plain Jane PDA. It does as advertised. But if they included all of the software, much of it would not get used by a potential majority of users and thus it would drive the price of the device up. I'll equate it this way: You buy a new car, now do you want leather seats, $, do you want a better stereo $$. There are always options - in this case the Que options the software as well.


www.handango.com is a dead link. Could you have misspled it?

[coop]

You have it right. Its www.handango.com, not just www.handango....

IMHO stands for In My Humble Opinion

coop

[Randy]

Originally posted by coop
You have it right. Its www.handango.com, not just www.handango....

IMHO stands for In My Humble Opinion

coop

You guys have got an acronym for everthing...........

Ok, here is one noone will get...........unless your a jet pilot.

What does APU stand for??

[coop]

Huummm...

APU for a pilot?

How about "auxiliary power unit"?

coop

[Last Mrk]

APU (http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?String=exact&Acronym=apu&Find=Find) :p

[Randy]

Originally posted by coop
Huummm...

APU for a pilot?

How about "auxiliary power unit"?

coop

Good guess. Who else would use an APU? Besides the space shuttle..........:D

[Randy]

Originally posted by Last Mrk
APU (http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?String=exact&Acronym=apu&Find=Find) :p

I cant believe there is an acronym website.:eek:

[rick417]

That acronymn finder is required reading for us military types...actually, required using (I don't sit around reading it) :D