Newbies with a Macintosh

[bartrodParticipant]

I have some friends that just got into geocaching and need some help. They got a premium membership and have gotten pocket queries but don’t know how to load them on their Mac or to export them from their Mac to their Garmin handheld or their Nuvi. Since I’ve never worked with a Mac, I have no idea what to suggest to them. All my experience is with my Windows-based Vista pc. So, can any of you Mac users out there get me the info they need to get started? Thanks 😀

Oconto...the birthplace of western civilization:)

[marc_54140Participant]

http://jfatherton.0catch.com/MacCMConvert/geomac.html

[bartrodParticipant]

They’ve downloaded the Maccaching program…will they still need to download a program to convert the gpx files and send them to the POIloader?

Oconto...the birthplace of western civilization:)

[marc_54140Participant]

I downloaded and looked at two of these programs this afternoon. (Do not remember which ones). Compared to GSAK, they suck!

I run Fusion on my Mac, which allows me to open a windows frame, and use GSAK. I would recommend this.

[BakRdzParticipant]

I have a Nuvi and a Mac. Haven’t tried using it to load a query yet, but I’ve heard that GPS Connect for Mac is a Garmin specific program that should do the trick.
http://www.chimoosoft.com/products/gpsconnect/

[bartrodParticipant]

Thanks, Marc and BakRdz…both of those programs though seem to be for older versions of the Mac operating systems. The new Macs run the Snow Leopard operating system…I don’t know how compatible they would be. Does anybody know??? My inclination so far is that Mac isn’t very hospitable to geocaching, but I’ve been know to be wrong…as my wife frequently reminds me 😀

Oconto...the birthplace of western civilization:)

[BakRdzParticipant]

I don’t know. I’m on a Mac with a Nuvi and it’s worked OK for me so far. You are correct that there aren’t all the neat bell and whistle programs out there that there are on a PC, but for the most part other than a glitch with Garmin/Safari communicating I’ve been able to function well.

I’m going to be running a PQ for a Sunday trip. I’ll see if I find a way to make it work and let you know. Of course, I’m running one cat down from Snow Leopard so as you mentioned it may make a difference.

[marc_54140Participant]

MAC is friendly to geocaching, there just are not the programs for it to run on a MAC.

GSAK has no plans on creating a MAC version.

[K0rplParticipant]

Well, I will chime in here, as a Mac User.

There are several Geocaching programs you can use…..

if you have an iPod Touch, you can download either the GC.COM application, or you can download Geosphere, and use the WIFI on the Touch, or iPhone to pull down PQ’s right to the handheld.

Maccaching allows you to load caches as contacts to your contact list on any iPod with a Screen.

Marc has a iMac 20″ that is running an intel Processor, Running Leopard 10.5.8 OSX. With an Intel Mac, you can run VMWare Fusion, or Bootcamp, or Parallels Desktop. With Bootcamp, you would have to reboot the Mac into Windows, and then any Windows program would run natively.

If you run a PowerPC Based Mac, such as a G3/G4/G5 Emac’s Etc. then you would not be able to run Fusion, Parallels, Or bootcamp.

If the computer runs Snow Leopard, then it will be able to Run Fusion, Parallels, or Bootcamp, as Snow Leopard (10.6.3) is designed for Intel Only based Macs.

Here are some Links to some Mac Caching Applications. if you have any questions, Please feel free to give me a call, and I can try to work you through it more.

Links:
http://www.maccaching.com/
http://jfatherton.0catch.com/MacCMConvert/geomac.html
http://www.macsimplegps.com/oldsite/index.html
http://www.infinite-loop.dk/geocachingmenu/index.php

Hope this is of help!

[HOT TROTParticipant]

I use macaching for my explorist and geosphere for my itouch. I can usually run a pq, load everything, and be out the door in under five minutes.

It works for me.

[RSplash40Member]

More often than not, if a program runs on 10.3 or higher it will run on 10.6 as well. I’ve not seen much that hasn’t, we’ve got a few 10.6 machines at work and running really old software on them.

I’ve not downloaded the newer versions of those apps but I’ve had them all running on 10.5/10.4 for a little bit to see what they did. I’d agree with Marc, grab a emulator and run gsak. I run parallels myself, no preference really between them.

If you want, there are several free emulators as well, here is a list of emulators:

http://www.macwindows.com/emulator.html

I’ve tried the virtual box looking for it to do a specific operating system not covered in the desktop versions of other products but it didn’t. It ran xp and unix nicely though.

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