Home > Consumer Reviews > DeLorme Earthmate GPS Receiver and Street Atlas USA 6.0 for Macintosh

I received this product for Christmas, 2000. In general, it's an okay product with quite a few quirks.

First off, I have a PowerBook G3 Series which has no built-in serial port. The product doesn't include a USB adapter, but you can buy one from the Delorme website .... They say it will be available in "late December," but it is now December 30 and they're still saying that on their website. I ended up buying a couple different adapters off the web (one ... which doesn't say so but did include Mac drivers, and the Keyspan USB PDA Adapter), but neither one provides power to the GPS so you have to put 4 AAA batteries into the unit for it to work.

The Street Atlas software works okay. Its user interface is mostly standard -- the menus are set up like you would expect, but it has some pretty odd "features:" you have to "Command-click" to get the pop-up menu on the map, for instance (instead of "Control-clicking" as is standard in Macintosh OS 9). Its location search features are okay, but they rely heavily on knowing a zip code and some are [non-obviously] sensitive to the area of the map being viewed and even the current magnification level.

Integration between the software and the GPS is okay. I've been using it a while and still don't understand how the connection is maintained between the two. It seems that whenever you check the GPS status, it re-initializes itself. The software shows your current position and direction right on the map. The logging features are pretty poor, however -- all you can do is record your route then play it back at normal speed (yes, you can actually watch where you went in the same amount of time it took to do it the first time) or at 10 or 50 times normal speed. There appears to be no way to display your whole track, so you can't make your own maps of trails very easily.

The worst news of all is this the _only_ GPS solution I can find for the Macintosh. If you think you still need it, be sure to read through the help files and manual when you get it because of the quirks in the interface.

I've been trying to get this product to show me the screens it shows on the packaging without success.
The voice interface has exhibited non-responsive commands.
Can't access the detailed street guides, nor am I able to find a screen for the detailed street directions that appear on the box!
When asked to compute the route, keep getting an error message. "Can't compute the route"!
They want you to go into selective commands from "msconfig" if certain apps don't work. They must be joking!!!!
Why would anyone want to mess with "msconfig" and risk screwing up your other apps??!!!!
Documentation is on line only!!!!!!!!
You can download a 122 page PDF file if you're so inclined.
I don't think so!!!
Their on-line suport page is a joke. No useable info for the problems that pop up for laptop use.
GPS takes forever to locate sats. I could be there by then!
Don't waste your time and money!
Vb

I've had the Street Atlas and Earthmate combo for about 4 to 5 years and recently had to upgreade the computer from a Powerbook to a iBook...(I know...the screen went out, and it was cheaper to buy new) Anyway, the new computer has Tiger and now it doesnt' recognize the reciever. Delorme won't upgrade the system for Mac because..."they're only 4. 2 percent of the market! I can't get any help from them to get the unit working on the new computer and quite frankly, it's the only reason I put the old system back on this new computer! Street Atlas Rocks! and I can't imagine not having it. I need help. Route 66 sucks by comparrison.
can anyone help me?