Comments on: Garmin Debuts iQue 3600 GPS Handheld

No rumor - Garmin's site says $589.

To their tremendous credit they have already prepared developer support links. While the SDK isn't quite available yet, they are taking signups for any of us who are interested... I'm already registered.

:)

I know a place that will sell it to you for $455:

http://www.tvnav.com/

They are accepting preorders now.

I am not afiliated with them, but am just a happy customer. These guys have a great rep.

Thanks! I ordered one this morning ...

Where can one register to get signed up to buy one when they become available?

Hotpaw's YCPUBench can be used to benchmark OS 5 and the PACE emulator on that device. Hopefully, somebody will post the results if they buy one.

-Bosco
Proud Member of the Top Non-Mods
Members: abosco and ImpReza M3

Dude! You are not being tracked when you use GPS. Not any more than you are tracked when you use your car stereo. The GPS sats send out a signal & your GPS receiver takes the signals & translates them into your location. Nobody knows but you. GPS is a system of 1-way transmitter sats. They don't even try to keep up with your location, or the locations of the millions of other GPS users around the world. You can stop looking over your shoulder now.

Tip DS

I think the tracking confusion comes from the "GPS Phones" in the US, which are not really GPS at all, (at least in the GPS satellite receiver sense) but really phones that send a signal defined in the US for 911 service that sends your location along with your phone signal. Even then, most of them can be set to only send the locating signal if you dialed 911, or press and hold the 9 key for 3 seconds, or something like that.

Even without that though, they know roughly where you are based on the tower and PN offset you're using, they just don't have a good range on you, only general location and bearing. Though while tracking and jumping to other towers it does tend to triangulate you even further. Remember, even before E911, the cloners were getting busted by telecom security vans.

So you're right, the paranoid folks shouldn't use cellphones at all, much less E911 enabled ones. But GPS is no privacy invasion.

The Mhz!=speed issue has definitely arrived.

In the benchmarks I've seen, the 200 Mhz xScale (Sony NX) blows the 145 Mhz (Tungsten T) out of the water when running benchmarks under PACE (the code that lets the ARM processor execute the M68000 instruction set), but is slightly slower in native ARM benchmarks. This may be because the benchmark was optimized for the TI ARM family (I don't know if it was optimized, just saying that it could have happened). You can optimize ARM code for any one of the ARM families, but this usually comes at the detriment of the other families.

Frankly, my NX already runs fast enough, and too fast at some things, in fact. Tank Pilot is unplayable on an NX, because things just go too fast. Remember, this isn't a resource-hungry PocketPC PDA we're talking about, and the ARM processors are dramatically faster than the EZ/VZ dragonballs, more than just the Mhz increase would indicate.

Regarding Eric S's comments about his Clie NX-70 (or 60?) running fast enough, that may be true, but for a unit that needs to play MP3's, track satellites, and calculate routes (perhaps at the same time?) the speed and throughput of the device is important. That being said, one would have to think that Garmin would go with a chip that's able to adequately handle all of these things.

I aggree with this sentiment. The iQue 3600 is a damn cool device! 32MB is absolutely fantastic and should be the next min ram capacity in future OS 5 devices IMHO. The only thing missing here is BT... Not bad for <$600

The 2003 National Championship WAS ROBBED!!! Terry Porter, you suck you freakin REF! OSU STOLE the Chanpionship, period!!

I'm wondering whether Handera might have had some involvement in the virtual graffiti feature on the iQ3600, and whether the implementation is the same as on the HE 330.

320 x 480 screen?!! that must be higher than anything else on the market (with the exception of the new Sharp C700).

Stewart Midwinter
PDA user since 1992
Handera HE330 and Compaq Aero 2110

look at sony's new products, they are hi-ris+ (320*480)

Matt, the C Programmer, who codes for a SMAUG MUD (mudconnect.com).

Make MUDs accessible from PDAS!

Agreed Whoa! 32mb is reason enough. If it had BT there would be no reason to by the TT.

This may my birthday present to myself!!!

Let's call it....A TUGNSTEN T! :), heh

Matt, the C Programmer, who codes for a SMAUG MUD (mudconnect.com).

Make MUDs accessible from PDAS!

Wow! This may be my future OS 5 handheld. I've been waiting for a Palm that integrates a 320x480 screen with virtual graffiti in a small form factor like this. Could do without the GPS but that may be a cool feature to have on a handheld if you are driving around. It says it uses SD cards. Any word if SDIO card will work with it (for future expansion to Bluetooth, 802.11b, etc.)?

This is no Tungsten, it has:

Larger screen
Soft graffiti
32 MB ram

Features that I wish were on the Tungsten though :-(

From what I've heard from the CES floor it does have a "back" button and is SDIO compatible (i.e. the Bluetooth SD Card should work)

- D

> Hope it has high power IR for remote control.

Heh, combine it with 802.11b or Bluetooth, and we'll finally have a solution to the age-old problem of losing the remote... "it's not lost, It's at 85 degrees 7 minutes 34.3 seconds longitude, 42 degrees 28 minutes 18.9 seconds latitude."

> problem of losing the remote... "it's not lost,
> It's at 85 degrees 7 minutes 34.3 seconds longitude, > 42 degrees 28 minutes 18.9 seconds latitude."

What I want to know is:
How did I misplace my Palm-remote in CHINA!!

I thought losing it in the couch was bad enough!

;-) Chris

Hmmm looks like the UC for synchronizing purposes but for charging it looks like a different tip on the connector. Wonder why this is (aside from greed)?

The one thing that makes me hesitate me about this unit is Garmin's spotty record in the past for customer support and for having waaaaaay overpriced accessories. I mean, they charge for a 16 mb proprietary memory card for the Streetpilot series what you can buy a 64mb SD card for use in a semi-equivalent Magellan handheld GPS unit. The Garmins are always the most desirable hardware but they really nickel and dime you to death on any accessory.

Finally, I can't help but shake the feeling that Handera's "consulting services" have been used in the design of this new iQue...hmmmm....

I, and everyone I know, have had great, no questions asked, support from Garmin. Puzzled by that comment.

The holes on the back of the device support the idea that they are using Palm's Universal Connector design. I would guess that they licensed it from Palm. Palm hasn't been willing to license it to direct competitors in the past, but maybe they don't mind with devices aimed at vertical markets.

If so, I think this is win-win for Palm and Garmin. It means Garmin gets instant access to a bunch of accessories, and it means that Palm will get some additional revenue from the license without encouraging a compeitor to their core device line.

--
Ben Combee, CodeWarrior for Palm OS technical lead
Programming help at www.palmoswerks.com

Can you people have a look at this link please, because it shows the base of the pda, but I don't know what it actually looks like, so I don't know if it is a uc or not, please reply!!!!!!!!

here is the link: http://www.gpscentral.ca/products/garmin/iQue3600.htm

The article on this device at BrightHand confirmed that the Garmin device is using the Palm Universal Connector.

--
Ben Combee, CodeWarrior for Palm OS technical lead
Programming help at www.palmoswerks.com

Actually, HandEra's involvement would be a good thing from the software development point of view, in my opinion. I've worked with both the HandEra SDK and the Sony SDK, and HandEra picked APIs that don't violate the prinicpal of least astonishment. Sony violates that prinicpal all over the place in their APIs.

And heaven knows we don't want yet another jogwheel API that developers have to include in order to get this PDA's jogwheel supported everywhere, so they need to adopt someone's.

The same applies to how to minimize the grafitti area as well.

Most of the things that Sony did better than HandEra involve the fact that Sony was pixel doubling, but HandEra was only increasing the resolution by 50%, so graphics looked distorted. There was also compatibility issues caused by programmers that bypassed the OS and didn't bother doing the least bit of checking as to the real screen resolution (No, PalmOS is NOT limited to 160x160, even in early versions of the OS. The pixel-doubling/density games all came about because software assumes that all Palms have a 160x160 display). Again, Sony handled that better by having dedicated hardware to double the pixel sizes.

Two points to clarify:

1. I bought an open box Street Pilot Color GPS unit about 2 years ago and had a hard time getting any support from Garmin--they kept trying to convince me to order accessories I didn't need/want. I actually haven't used the unit in ages, since the exorbitant price of aftermarket accessories stunned me so. So I suppose I should give them another look and hopefully will have a better experience.

2. I apologize if my comments about Handera's input to the design of the iQue made it sound like I was slamming HE. To the contrary, I applauded them back in the day for really advancing the state of the art in Palm technology (dual expansion slots, multiple power options, etc), making many innovations that have still not appeared on another device to date. I just think that it would serve Garmin well to make some mention of Handera's involvement (assuming it is true) in their press materials, since to many of the techie-types, the Handera involvement is a good thing indeed.

It'll be nice to see that they are still "in" the game, so to speak, and have not just faded away due to the less than stellar sales of the HE 330.

I'd had two excellent experiences with Garmin:
1. I bought a used GPS III shortly before the GPSIII+ was introduced. Garmin allowed us GPS III users (whether we bought new or used) to upgrade to a brand new III+ for around USD$100.
2. When I had a problem receiving a signal with my III+, it was way past its warranty so I opened it up (no warranty left to void) to see if there was a loose connection or something else I could easily fixed. There wasn't. So I sent it in to Garmin. They sent me an email saying that they would repair it under warranty, even after I told them it was definitely out of warranty. They even sent it back via priority courier for free.

...lars

I'd had two excellent experiences with Garmin:
1. I bought a used GPS III shortly before the GPSIII+ was introduced. Garmin allowed us GPS III users (whether we bought new or used) to upgrade to a brand new III+ for around USD$100.
2. When I had a problem receiving a signal with my III+, it was way past its warranty so I opened it up (no warranty left to void) to see if there was a loose connection or something else I could easily fixed. There wasn't. So I sent it in to Garmin. They sent me an email saying that they would repair it under warranty, even after I told them it was definitely out of warranty. They even sent it back via priority courier for free.

...lars

I emailed Garmin about the possibility of aviation usage with the iQue, and they have yet to get back to me; but when they do I'll post the reply on here!

Paranoia's just another word for 'heightened awareness'

The Street Pilot III will still demmand a high price because of its "heavy-duty construction". They are a motorcyclists best friend because they are durable and waterproof. I think the prrice of those will come down a little in the future but for right now there is no real competition.

This new handheld is killer but I won't be mounting one to the handlebars of my R1200C anytime soon. I'm sticking to my Treo for Palm duties and SP III for GPS.

--Dave

Just to update you on the comparison between units:

First: The actual price on competitive GPS websites for most GPS receivers will usually be much less than the published price, because legitimate dealers are not allowed to display anything less than MAP price on the page. On competitive websites, just add the unit to your shopping cart (temporarily) and you will see the real "street" price.

The MAP price for the StreetPilot III Deluxe (Color) has been removed (a new model is being released this summer), and many websites will sell it under $800. Plus, until 7/6/03, there is a $100 rebate.

Next:
The iQue 3600 has ALL of the functionality of the STP3 in a pocket-sized PDA unit. It has the color screen, built-in background map, automatic turn-by-turn voice directions, and includes the CitySelect CD for detailed maps. In addition to the internal 32 mb for downloading detailed maps, you may opt to use external SD cards instead for your maps. The fact that it is also a Palm PDA is a BONUS, as it lets you store address, record messages and do other "PDA things".

Plus, the iQue can use the other Mapsource CDs like Fishing Hot Spots & BlueChart, which you could not do with STP3.

Plus the Basemap is configurable, so you can change it to Europe or Pacific if you want.

Plus hopefully, the iQue GPS will work with other Palm OS GPS software.

Price wise, the MAP is $549, but it is not too hard to find many websites with prices below $500, so look around. The hardest thing will be finding the shortest waiting list, so if you want it, don't wait too long to order.

GPS4FUN Lady

I wrote to Garmin about this since I'm a mac user and figured that Palm OS is mac compatible. Their response was that the pda will sync with macs like any other palm would. The mapsource downloading only work through windoze however. This is due to the software for using it. I will probably waste valuable hard drive space to put virtual pc on so I can use the maps. This still seems like the best way to go for a mac user.

We were all misled on this issue by Garmin. Below is a rather long rant that I have posted to Usenet, but it all boils down to this: the iQue will NOT sync with a Mac and Garmin told me today that they will not support the Mac/iQue combo in any way. We will all have to hope that Mark/Space adds iQue support to MissingSync.

Here is what I wrote on Usenet:

This thread (and others on Usenet and elsewhere) has reflected assumptions and misconceptions and I'd like to set the record straight. I am a long-time Mac user, Windows user, Garmin GPS user and Palm OS user. I consider myself (no B.S. here, folks) to be an advanced to expert user of all of the above.

My OS of choice is Mac OSX and since, regrettably, there are far more applications written for Windows, I have been forced to find ways to run Windows apps on my Mac. Virtual PC has been a godsend in this regard, allowing me to run a multitude of Windows apps including AutoCAD and other processor-intensive programs. With a 1GHz G4 processor, there is a barely perceptible, yet totally acceptable, slowdown in certain tasks.

One of the things I have been quite successful at doing in emulation is programming handheld Garmin GPS units. I have successfully transferred LARGE MapSource files to GPSMap 176, GPSMap 176S, StreetPilot and other Garmin units. All of this was accomplished with the use of an IOGear Serial-to-USB converter (model GUC232A) and the assistance of the instructions available on the web at http://www.cycoactive.com/gps/gps_vpc.html.

Unfortunately, this method of transferring map data will not work with the iQue for several reasons. First, the iQue uses a USB cradle so there is no need for a serial adapter. Second, the iQue doesn't use the MapSource program to transfer map data. Instead, the map data is transferred during normal HotSync using an add-on to the Palm Desktop program called Map Install. This portion of Palm Desktop allows the extraction of map data from MapSource or City Navigator CDs and the creation of a Palm data file into the que (no pun intended) of items to be installed at the next HotSync.

For Mac users, this method of transferring map data should actually be easy to use since all that is needed to do is run Garmin's program and then move the data files (xxx.vpm.pdb files) from the VirtualPC hard disk to the Files to Install folder of our Home -> Documents -> Palm -> Users -> Your Name Here folder. Read on, however, to find out why this hasn't worked so far.

On the subject of transferring map data via serial port, my personal experience has been that these transfers have been flawless and totally bulletproof, and were accomplished at the same speed as if I had used an actual WinTel box.

That is, until I received my iQue.

Some of the writers on Usenet have complained that us Mac users shouldn't be whining about the lack of Mac support for the iQue when Garmin specifically states that the unit is not compatible with the Mac. Please take the time to read the following excerpts from an e-mail I wrote to Garmin today to express my dissatisfaction with the iQue. You'll see that Garmin has offered two different answers to this question (at least in my personal experience, YMMV so please don't flame me or, if you are Garmin, please don't sue me for libel as this is just my personal experience and opinion).

When I first heard about the iQue I contacted Garmin technical support to find out whether or not the unit would be Mac-compatible. I was told that map transfers would require the use of a Windows PC, but that HotSync capabilities would be, like all Palm OS devices, both Mac- and PC-compatible. Since I have been able to successfully transfer maps to several Garmin units (including GPSMap 176, GPS V, StreetPilot and others) using Virtual PC, I was not concerned about the map transfer limitation.

As a result of this initial conversation, on March 16 I placed my order with GPSCity for the iQue. I continually checked the Garmin web site for any word on the iQue's release date and anxiously waited for the day it would arrive.

In mid-June I called Garmin tech support for assistance in deciding between two models I was considering purchasing as a gift for a family member. As always, the tech support representative was very helpful. After we decided upon the right unit to purchase, we had a conversation about our shared enthusiasm, anticipation and excitement for the forthcoming iQue. I once again asked about whether or not the iQue would HotSync with a Mac and was assured that it would.

I continued to check the Garmin and GPSCity web sites for word on the iQue's ship date. As soon as I read on your web site about the unit's release I immediately called GPSCity to find out when I would receive mine.

Last Friday I received an e-mail advising that my iQue was finally on its way. Unfortunately, that was the day that I left for a two-week business trip. I instructed my secretary that when the box from GPSCity arrived, she should FedEx it to me at my hotel. The box was waiting for me at the front desk of my hotel last night and, like a child on Christmas morning, I could hardly wait to get upstairs to open it up and play with it.

My excitement quickly turned to disappointment and dejection as I tried for hours to get the iQue to HotSync with my Mac. It was as if that child on Christmas morning opened his most anticipated present only to find out that his new toy was broken.

I scoured the internet for any tips, tricks or drivers which would allow me to HotSync and finally went to bed, exhausted and depressed, well past 1:00 a.m.

I called Garmin tech support as soon as I woke up this morning and my feelings of disappointment and rejection grew. After the representative consulted with her superiors, she advised that the iQue was not Mac-compatible and that it would not HotSync with a Mac (contrary to everything I had been told up to that point). Further, I was told that even if I could get it to HotSync, Garmin would not support the use of an iQue with a Mac.

After months of anticipation and assurances, I am now a very dissatisfied and disappointed customer. Once again Garmin has shunned the Mac community even after making assurances that the iQue would HotSync with the Mac version of the Palm Desktop software (like any other Palm OS device on the market).

The bottom line is this: Garmin assured me twice that this unit would work with a Mac and it quite clearly does not. There is hope, however. The people at markspace.com (makers of TheMissingSync for Clies) say that they are hoping to add Mac support for the iQue. Stay tuned.

Hopefully this post has helped dispel some rumors and assumptions and will prove helpful to other Mac users longing for the Garmin iQue.

A little probing with USB probe and Apple system profiler show that this unit is recognized as a Palm device. I don't know why it does not sync up.

The file logs are here.

http://homepage.mac.com/david_quick/

This reply from Mark/Space regarding Missing Sync support:

Thanks for your interest. We are in the final stages of preparing a Missing Sync for Garmin and it should be released this week. It won't have map functions per se, but will allow you to transfer map information (with the help of a PC or Virtual PC). Stay tuned to our website: www.markspace.com for an announcement.

Missing Sync for Garmin works well... but it's impossible to sync the iQue with Palm Desktop running on Windows 2000 ans Virtual PC 6.1 (Mac G4 800 Mhz, OS X 10.3). HotSync runs, at very high speed, and data aren't ranferred between the iQue and Palm Desktop. So Map Install doesn't know the iQue has a SD Card, and doesn't format the map for the card...
I know it's not a Missing Sync prolem, but without solution to THIS problem, Missing Sync for iQue miss the target...

cataipan

It's been a year since the last word on this. I'm a Mac quy with iQue dreams. Wonder if av8ndad (8/9/2003) ever found satisfaction what with Mark/Space Missing Sync now supporting iQue.

Anyone out there happy with there iQue 3600-Missing Sync-Vitual PC-Mac set-up??

The origins of WAAS

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) are developing the WAAS program for use in precision flight approaches. Currently, GPS alone does not meet the FAA's navigation requirements for accuracy, integrity, and availability. WAAS corrects for GPS signal errors caused by ionospheric disturbances, timing, and satellite orbit errors, and it provides vital integrity information regarding the health of each GPS satellite. Although WAAS has not yet been approved for aviation, the system is available for civilian use such as boaters and recreational GPS users.

How it Works

WAAS consists of approximately 25 ground reference stations positioned across the United States that monitor GPS satellite data. Two master stations, located on either coast, collect data from the reference stations and create a GPS correction message. This correction accounts for GPS satellite orbit and clock drift plus signal delays caused by the atmosphere and ionosphere. The corrected differential message is then broadcast through one of two geostationary satellites, or satellites with a fixed position over the equator. The information is compatible with the basic GPS signal structure, which means any WAAS-enabled GPS receiver can read the signal.

Thanks for the info Beavis,

So basically WAAS can be used anywhere GPS sattelite signals can be received which is basically any on the world! Whereas GPSone and A-GPS can only be used where there is cellular converage? My point is that would it be redundant to have a Palm OS smartphone with WAAS? Can WAAS work in conjuction with GPSone tech found in smartphones?

The 2003 National Championship WAS ROBBED!!! Terry Porter, you suck you freakin REF! OSU STOLE the Chanpionship, period!!

Any subscription required to use the GPS service, any knows? This unit is way too cool.

No subscription is required to use the GPS service. This is your tax money at work.

Also, I guess I should credit the Garmin website for the WAAS info I posted above.

I don't actually think that WAAS will enable precision approaches for aviation, will it? Vertical guidance still not accurate enough. Land based augmentation, call LAAS (Local Area Augmentation System) will be required.

Actually I have a Garmin Venture w/ WAAS. I am in Boston and I am unable to receive the WAAS correction signal. I was reading the manual about WAAS coverage and the manual denotes that you will only receive WAAS if you are aligned with certain satellites. I believe its like only satellites #31 or higher??

First off, WAAS is virtually useless outside of North America, because the correction signals are only generated for locations from within the U.S>, and only re-transmitted by satellites over the equator, toward the U.S. So, if you are in Europe, you're not going to see it.

But if you are in Boston, you MIGHT and usually should. I tell clients that you need an open location, with a direct line of sight to the theoretical geosync satellite positions over the equator (low azimuth??). If the view is blocked by trees, buildings or hills, then the WAAS signal is difficult to pick up. Airplanes & boats are typically out in the open and usually have no visibility issues. And since thats the application it was developed for, we can't complain too much, just ride in on the coattails.

GPS4FUN Lady

I don't know yet, but from what I've heard, the SDK is either available now, or will be available soon.

As I mentioned above, the PalmOS isn't limited to 160x160 displays. It's just that most programs assume a 160x160 display, which is why you wind up with PDAs that pretend to be 160x160 until told otherwise.

In the case of PDAs with minimizable grafitti areas (Sony NR/NX/NZ, HandEra 330, Siemens?, and now the iQue 3600), the program tells the OS that it can handle display resize events, after which point the OS will let the grafitti area be minimized. Then, when the user minimized the grafitti area, the OS notifies the program that the display extent (workable screen size) has changed. The program then checks the size of the display, and adjusts what it is doing accordingly.

You can sign up to get the Garmin SDK here: https://www.garmin.com/DeveloperZone/

AFAIK, Siemens doesn't make any Palm OS handhelds.

Do you mean the Samsung smartphones--the i300 and i330?

As noted above and in the CES report at Brighthand, this device does have a Palm Universal Connector. The separate DC power jack doesn't intefere with use of the UC, and it probably supports charging through either interface.

--
Ben Combee, CodeWarrior for Palm OS technical lead
Programming help at www.palmoswerks.com

Ah thanks for answering my main question, Ben. I would be fuming if I could use the UC for syncing but not for charging--and if I had to lug around yet another AC adaptor. So my UC sync/charge USB cable will continue to serve me well... This dual charging system is yet another HandEra-esque development that I find particularly appealing--I've gotten aggrivated when sitting in a hotel room and trying to decide if I should charge my Palm or connect the modem first (and then really wishing I could have a keyboard, modem, and charge cable plugged in at the same time!)

Regarding external speaker:
There is an Auto Navigation kit available that includes a bean bag mount with integrated cradle, and remote 12V charger and speaker system.

The 12V adapter is like the one for the StreetPilot 3, with a large speaker built into the adapter, for louder directions while driving in the car.

GPS4FUN Lady

The article says they are, "trying to overcome some nagging problems with RF interference between it and the GPS receiver." I hope they can get it to work, it is a perfect feature set for many, many people.

Miami lost, get over it. Their offensive leaders were bruised, beaten and out of the game. The call in overtime was correct. Missed calls in regulation caused the game to go to overtime in the first place. If you seriously think Miami deserved to win that game, you know very little about football.

If you think that call was correct then you're a freakin idiot! Anyway, this is not the place to discuss this anyway...

The 2003 National Championship WAS ROBBED!!! Terry Porter, you suck you freakin REF! OSU STOLE the Chanpionship, period!!

Score: -1 Flamebait

This is the first one to have an obvious reason to increase the RAM (i.e. something other than "because we can"). Since most programs, when opening a file from a card, copy the data to RAM, they would want to be sure there's enough RAM for that.

The NA model will have a NA basemap installed and a full unlock for all NA region maps. The Euro version will have an European basemap, with unlock for European locations.

Both the NA and Euro map programs will be available for individual purchase, so you could buy one in NA (getting the NA map set) and then purchase the Euro map set for use on the other side of the Pond). This would work in both directions of course...

Like a previous poster, this may finally get me to retire my Palm IIIxe.

coop

Do you know whether the "Americas" version of the iQue 3600 would include the basemap for North AND South America? This is the case for other Garmin GPSs.

From what I have been told (and what I read on the Garmin product page), the iQUE 3600 will come with a CONFIGURABLE BASEMAP, that lets you select and change which basemap (Americas, Atlantic or Pacific) you have loaded on the unit. This is in addition to the North America CitySelect CD with detailed street information that is included with units purchased from US Dealers. You can buy the CitySelect Europe CD, for detailed travel info there, if needed.

Of course, European dealers will have units with the European CD.

GPS4FUN Lady

This is what it says on Garmins webpage about using other software.

The smart way to navigate your day

The iQue 3600 is the first PDA to include integrated GPS technology. With the power of Palm OS 5 and the dependability of Garmin GPS technology, this "Super PDA" redefines multi-tasking. Our integrated software not only allows you to look up appointments or contacts, but also locates and routes you to them with voice-guidance commands!

Learn more about Que technology and the Integration, Organization, Navigation and Mapping that define the Garmin iQue 3600.
ÊiQue 3600 featuresÊÊ
* Powered by Palm OS 5
* Integrated Que technology, with Garmin GPS and mapping software
* Flip-up integrated GPS patch antenna can be positioned for optimal reception
* Speaker for voice-guidance commands, MP3 player, and message playback
* Voice recorder for making memos, quick notes, and messages on the fly
* Rechargeable internal Lithium-ion battery (charges in cradle or while connected to adapter)
* Built-in 32 MB of memory for downloading map data and [b]other Palm OS-compatible software[/b]
* New ARM processor enhances battery life, screen redraw, graphics, and audio
* SD expansion slot for flexible memory storage and additional software
* Unit size: 2.8"W x 5"H x .8"D (72 x 128 x 20.3 mm)
* Display: 2.16" x 3.24" (54 x 81 mm), 320 x 480 pixel, high-resolution, color display
* Applications: Astraware Game Pack, Documents To Go, powerOne Personal Calculator, StarCaddy, SplashPhoto, and Vindigo, with many more to come!

Reader debates on this issue continue, and no one will really know for sure until we try it out. StarCaddy, which is a third party GPS/Golf software included on the IQue, will work.

I've talked to National Geographic, and they are making a special effort to ensure that their TOPO software will be compatible, so I don't know what kind of special "stuff" (if any) that they are doing to make it happen.

But we may only have to wait 3-4 more weeks to find out for sure.

JO Ann

GPS4FUN Lady

According to GPS City, it will be released late 2nd quarter 2003.

http://makeashorterlink.com/?L36D12EF3