Fun And Games With Satnav Systems

[WillFly]

I've had a Garmin satnav device for quite a few years now - with a fully paid-up "lifetime maps" option - so I was a little annoyed to be getting messages that Garmin would no longer be supporting my Mac OS X (10.6.8), and that I would have to upgrade my Mac OS to continue using their map updating software.

 

Thank you very much, Mr. Garmin - you really  expect me to upgrade and change my whole computer config just to use your Garmin map updates...

 

So, though I prefer Garmin to what I've seen of Tom Tom, I phoned up the Tom Tom helpline this morning, was told that they support all Mac systems from 10.5 onwards, that they would open a software account for me, and that an email would be sent with all the technical data in it. which it was. Free installation of Tom Tom's "My Drive" software - and I've just plumped for one via Amazon.

 

Sorted.

 

But really - what arrogance on the part of Garmin!

[Mark]

Do they have a Windows version? If so it may run in Wine Bottler for mac.

 

I run quite a few programs in Winebottler with no issues.

 

http://winebottler.kronenberg.org/

[WillFly]

Thanks for the heads-up on that one, Mark - new to me. I've actually bought the Tom Tom device now, but - at my leisure, I'll investigate Winebottler further. Might even get two concurrent satnav systems that way! :D

[clockboy]

Will,

Updated my MacBook Pro to Yosemite and have had nothing but agro with my mail and the spinning coloured wheel appearing. l have an appointment with the  Apple genius bar tomorrow evening to see if it was the upgrade or an issue with my mac.

[WillFly]

Ah... I have a good friend (plays drums in our band) who is an Apple genius - for a living - and his news is that the new OS X systems take up acres of ROM and can be very slow without an appropriate hardware upgrade. So I'm sticking with 10.6.8 until such time as I ever get a new laptop.

[bobm12]

Good advise Mark! Just because this is interesting I figured I added a comment.

 

Wine is a Linux "translator" to run windows applications inside Linux, since Mac OS is Unix/UnixLike based it make sense they have ported the Wine software into their OS and called it WineButtler... I think it is open source. Which is very interesting to me since I'm not much into macs nowadays.

 

On a side note, and based on my Linux experience, Wine doesn't 100% works on every application. Some won't behave properly under it and it is much better to install a virtual machine for the purpose...again this is for Linux, Macs are probably a different animal with their proprietary ways.

Edited November 25, 2014 by bobm12

[clockboy]

Will,

 

That could well be it. My MacBook without doubt now runs a lot slower. See what they say at Apple tomorrow evening.

[Mark]

Will,

 

That could well be it. My MacBook without doubt now runs a lot slower. See what they say at Apple tomorrow evening.

 

What age is your macbook? Mine is a mid 2010, so quite old. But the important thing to note is that Apple officially states that the maximum amount of ram it will take is 8GB but if you pick your ram carefully you can install 16GB.

Earlier this year I put an SSD in it and upgraded it to 16GB and it is now faster than my mums brand new laptop, and cheaper than upgrading the whole Macbook which is what Apple wants you to do. Here are my specs:

 

  Model Name: MacBook Pro

  Model Identifier: MacBookPro7,1

  Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo

  Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz

  Number of Processors: 1

  Total Number of Cores: 2

  L2 Cache: 3 MB

  Memory: 16 GB

 

 

Good advise Mark! Just because this is interesting I figured I added a comment.

 

Wine is a Linux "translator" to run windows applications inside Linux, since Mac OS is Unix/UnixLike based it make sense they have ported the Wine software into their OS and called it WineButtler... I think it is open source. Which is very interesting to me since I'm not much into macs nowadays.

 

On a side note, and based on my Linux experience, Wine doesn't 100% works on every application. Some won't behave properly under it and it is much better to install a virtual machine for the purpose...again this is for Linux, Macs are probably a different animal with their proprietary ways.

 

I use Parallels which is an amazing piece of software for creating a windows environment on a Mac. But it was getting cumbersome to load that up every time I wanted to run my invoicing software, which is windows based. So I converted the invoice software to a mac app using winebottler and it runs great. But I have tried other softwares and been less successful.

 

Parallels is the most reliable when it comes to running Windows on the Mac (short of boot camp I suppose) but if you can get the sofware running stable in Wine then that is better.

 

On another note, I used to use some audio software called FruityLoops (FL Studio) when I was on Windows. It was the only software I truly missed when I migrated to Mac several years ago. But now they are using Wine to port FL Studio to Mac and it works great, I installed it last week and am over the moon with it. A very intense Music DAW built for Windows, and running on a Mac like it was native, all thanks to Wine! :D

[clockboy]

Unfortunately there seems to be issues with SSD,s and Yosemite as the operating software. I am not a computer geek but it is something to do with the Trim !!!!. & changing the coding for the SSD to work. To be honest I don,t understand, see what Apple have say tomorrow but I must say the reason I moved away from PC,S was to avoid this crap.

[autowind]

Not ever having had a Mac I wonder what the attraction is,  I know they cost more than a PC, so presumably they do something better.  Or put another way, what is it that a Mac can do that a PC cannot?

[bobm12]

Yes Mark, Wine has gone a long way and more and more software is being added and running better on it. I've always liked their ease of use and installation.

 

I know Roger, it is probably a matter of taste given that both platforms now share the same hardware...also Linux. As a thought I've always thought that Macs were better in a graphical environment but I believe it is not so anymore. I've never own a mac either but because of work it is as if I had owned more than 1000 at different point in time and releases including a couple of servers. Once you get the hang of it, it is no different than other operating systems...if you work with the shell...

[WillFly]

Not ever having had a Mac I wonder what the attraction is,  I know they cost more than a PC, so presumably they do something better.  Or put another way, what is it that a Mac can do that a PC cannot?

In the worlds of graphic design and music, Apple is the computer of choice. Their operating platforms have, from their earliest times, been much simpler to deal with than Windows, and they invented the graphic interface that was copied in essentials by Windows. I worked with both systems - in various versions - on my desk for 20 years and more, and using a Mac and dealing with system problems was easier by far than dealing with Windows. And a damned sight faster.

 

Just my personal experience.

[Geo]

Thanks for the good explanation Will. The folk that I know with them, bought them because if they look nice.

[clockboy]

As a follow up to my previous post if you have a Mac DO NOT CHANGE TO YOSEMITE if you have an external  HD OR SSD. They will not work without a work round.

Luckily I did not update to Yosemite on my iMac. On my iMac i have two external HD,S (his & hers) where we back up all our pics most of them in RAW 

which use lots of space. To get them to work to have to disable a new security requirement called kext signing.

Just to much for me wondering if I can change my macbook back to the previous op system

Edited November 25, 2014 by clockboy

[Mark]

Do you have a time machine backup - if so, then just go back to Mavericks for now.

 

P.S. thats one of my many reasons to love Mac.

 

It's so easy to restore your system when you have a big problem. As long as you run time machine. 

 

Not ever having had a Mac I wonder what the attraction is,  I know they cost more than a PC, so presumably they do something better.  Or put another way, what is it that a Mac can do that a PC cannot?

 

 

I was always on windows but I remember about six years ago I had Norton AV with all the latest Definitions and Spyware scanners etc. I went to a website which apparently had been hacked (obviously I didn't know this at the time). A few minutes later I was typing an email and noticed a delay in my keystrokes. I suspected it was a keylogger. Then Norton went crazy.

I pulled the ethernet cable out of the machine as fast as I could and checked the damage. And to cut the story short, I eventually found that every binary on my system had been modified. Any program started, caused Norton to go nuts. After four hours of trying everything to clean this system I decided enough was enough. Popped a second hard drive in and installed Linux. I said to myself, if windows is really that insecure then i'm not using it again.

After six months on Linux I wanted to use Photoshop (was tired of Gimp) and some other stuff and so I got a Mac mini and I loved it from day one. 

 

I understand Windows 7 is much better now from a security point of view, but I have grown to love how simple Mac is to use. The only thing that is a put off is the price. But if you are resourceful there are ways around that (thanks Hackintosh).

 

Although I use Hackintosh, Apple still gets their pound of flesh from me. Macbook Pro, Keyboard, Magic Trackpad, iPad, iPhone, iPods etc. Just can't afford a real MacPro as the equivalent one to my Hackintosh spec would be four times dearer. 

[clockboy]

No time machine backup. Anyway Some good news, forgot to mention retrieved my iMac keyboard from the airing cupboard this morning and all works perfect. 

I will see what Apple have to say tomorrow re-macbook pro

[ro63rto]

I use NavFree on my Samsung S3.

Free program and free maps.

No need for second piece of tech to carry around or PC/MAC to plug it into to update. [emoji16]

[Blacklab]

Use google maps on my new LG G2 and used it on my old Huawei on a ride down to Venice a couple of years ago - works well + you don't need another bit of kit.

 

I don't get this Apple thing at all - have used PC's for 20 years without major problems, just steer clear of Norton, McAffe and various other rubbish anti virus crapware.

[ro63rto]

Use google maps on my new LG G2 and used it on my old Huawei on a ride down to Venice a couple of years ago - works well + you don't need another bit of kit.

I don't get this Apple thing at all - have used PC's for 20 years without major problems, just steer clear of Norton, McAffe and various other rubbish anti virus crapware.

Way too much data usage especially when abroad.

[bobm12]

I was going to say that Symantec (not exactly Norton which was good in its time but never as an antivirus, IMHO) and McAffe are real data hogs and don't do what they claim or how they claim...very sad experiences with both! Also there is a lot of crap made for the pc since it is so "popular". That said, I still find PC's a notch more "computers" for my taste, (for lack of a better word) although it is all changing. I'm actually very open minded about all the OS out there and love to tinker with them all! Only Apple marketing/licensing/whatever practices put me off, but that is a completely different issue.

Edited November 26, 2014 by bobm12

[Blacklab]

Rob,

 

I am currently on Vodafone who charge £2 a day extra for European data, on the trip a couple of years ago I was away for 2 weeks so it cost me approx £28 - a fair bit cheaper than buying a sat nav at the time.

[ro63rto]

Rob,

I am currently on Vodafone who charge £2 a day extra for European data, on the trip a couple of years ago I was away for 2 weeks so it cost me approx £28 - a fair bit cheaper than buying a sat nav at the time.

Better than I thought.

I still prefer the pre downloaded maps in case of signal blackouts. They also scroll/update a bit quicker.