Garmin Mobile XT Question

But most Garmin Software won't copy. And as long as you never use the Software in more than one unit at any one time.

I tried to do exactly that so that I would have more room for apps, music, etc and it didn't work. I sent an email out to the tech support guys to see if there was a way but I haven't gotten a response after a week. My guess is there may not be a way.

Garmin copy protects Mobile XT by using the serial number of the SD card. If you go to the About screen on Mobile XT you will see a Device ID: which is unique to the SD card. They somehow encript this serial number into the software on the SD card.
If you move or copy the Mobile XT software to a different SD card the encripted serial number will not match.
Hope this answers you question.

Rich

This discussion seems to have ended before i've heard any real reaction or comment about this product.

Does it work anything like a street pilot or Nuvi.
Would you recomend it?
What are you using it on?

thanks Flip

I've got a Garmin XT SD (2Gig)card loaded on my HTC (WM 6) Tilt. I've only had it a week but it works flawlessly so far. I'm very happy with it. Rumors had me holding my breath on map quality but I'm very pleased with what I've looked over so far.

There are a bazillion POIs on it already but I'd like more if I can. After several emails to Garmin tech I'm told Garmin's POI Loader doesn't work with the card. Tech tells me I gotta load POIs straight to the phone but won't(?)say how, at least not by email. I'll call them tomorrow. In the meantime, can someone here point me to instructions on "how" or is it just not possible.

By the way I've seen the hack to get the data to a bigger card but I'm not gonna need it. Garmin's only got 1.1 or so gig used on the 2 gig card. The rest is open.

I had Navtec on my ATT/HTC tilt smart phone. I was not liking the Navtec much at all. Maybe I am just used to the Garmin app but I am loving Mobilt xt! ery nice I would reccomed it over the navtec that was installed on my phone hands down. And there isn't any monthly fee with the Garmin XT. Anybody have any thought on Navtec vs Garmin Mobile XT

I to have been using the Garmin Mobile XT on a Treo 755p and I am very pleased with it.
I am just hoping that Garmin updates the Palm OS software version to be able to play the MP3 files of the Custom POI's. (Red Lite Cameras)

Anyone have any experience with the tracking function on the Garmin Mobile XT. This is my first device with a tracking function and the owners manual does'nt offer much help. I've managed to create a track and save it I'm just not sure how to retrace or go back and follow this track.

thanks all

flip

I had my Garmin Mobile XT stop working on my Samsung Blackjack 2 phone. The app would look like it was launching than it would just stop and go back to the home screen. After a little searching I found out the only cure was a hard reset of my phone. This worked but you wipe out all the settings on your phone. At least I got Garmin Mobile back.

Anyone have any this happen?

Garmin Mobile XT is securely loaded onto the SD card provided. I can say honestly that yes, technically there is a way to copy the files onto a different card or even a micro drive, and use the software. Sadly, the method used is definitely illegal, so I won't go into details. Hopefully, future versions of Mobile XT will let the purchaser install the software on any card for use with their device.

Mobile XT is really, really cool, despite the SD card limitation. I have seen it run on an HTC Athena, TMobile Dash and Nokia N95 and it performs very well, almost like a NUVI, and better than many NUVIs because of the data access features. However, the software can crash, especially when updating the application it self, and yes, the only way to fix this is to do a hard reset of your phone.

Anyone using a blackjack 2 and had any luck loading custom poi's onto it? I tried to download poi loader onto the phome using microsoft mobile 6 and it did'nt seem to work. any advice?

I don't know anything really about the Garmin Mobile XT, but I don't think that POI Loader works on Windows Mobile.

If the unit functions as other units, you need to download and install POI Loader to your computer. And then place the Custom POI file that you want to load in a folder on your computer.

Then when you run POI Loader on your computer, you will select your Garmin as the destination and the folder you created on you computer as the source of the data.

I wanted to resurrect this thread because I am interested in the Garmin Mobile XT application. I already have a Garmin StreetPilot 2730, so I am pretty comfortable with how Garmin devices work. However, I do not have a smartphone. I am actually trying to determine what smartphone to buy to use with the Garmin Mobile XT. I would like to buy a used smartphone that has wi-fi and install the Garmin Mobile XT on it. In fact, I may not even subscribe to a cell phone plan. I just want the device for:

-Garmin Mobile XT

-wi-fi access

-access to emergency wireless 911, if necessary

I already have a work Nextel, so this device would be in addition to that. I may consider adding minutes from a pre-pay plan, but probably not right away. Anyway, considering the above requirements, can anybody suggest a smartphone for this application? I had been thinking I would eventually get a Garmin Nuvifone, but I gather that it may not be available for some time to come.

Smartphones running Windows Mobile 5.0 or higher should be ok with Mobile XT.

View the list from the Garmin website here:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=11413#specsTab

Unfortunately smart phones are expensive without a plan. I've been a loyal customer of a major wireless carrier, and every two years they allow a phone upgrade with substantial discount and rebate. The downside is that a 2-year contract extension is needed. The upside is you can get a decent Smartphone for very little money, in my case an HTC Touch for $50 which would have normally cost upwards of $350.

It is unfortunate that Garmin Mobile XT is locked to its card. 2GB is awfully small, considering smart phones usually double as MP3 players, are used for downloading email, etc. which can eat up a lot of space. Even just swapping cards wouldn't have worked very well with the Touch since the battery compartment has to be opened to get to the micro-SD card. For now, Google Maps for Mobile is good enough as a backup to my Nuvi. (It's really cool to watch your location in GMM Satellite View)

The N95 and N96 phones run Mobile XT for Symbian quite well. The newest version of the software is a bit faster, and supports Google Local searches over a cellular network. Neat stuff.

You still run into the 2gb limitation, unless you can find a way around it.

FYI, the Symbian version of Mobile XT is faster than the Windows Mobile version...

Why does everyone who has never used it think Mobile XT is locked to a specific memory card, or are some versions? I suspect that is because maps preinstalled on microSD are locked to that card.

I have Garmin Mobile 10 for Smartphones which makes my Palm TX look like a nuvi. Garmin specifically warns not to mess up data on the card. So I am running Mobile XT with its data on a totally different card.

I don't know if the program itself is actually locked (since it can be updated), but maps are locked to a specific GPS device, in my case the Bluetooth 10x that came with it. But if installed on a Smartphone with built-in GPS, the maps would likely be locked to that phone.

Maps can be updated too. Mine came with City Nav NT 2008 and Garmin gave me free unlock code for 2009 maps (already had 2008 disk and 2009 update DVD from eTrex). The 10x works with nRoute too, but only after I added its map unlock codes to Mapsource.

PS: Palm Desktop did not know what to do with a POI file when poiloader handed it a file as an iQue. But writing a POI file right to SD with card reader worked. I have not figured out how to get Tour Guides with circular proximity working in it like they do on my nuvi. But at least the POI icons show up when nearby.

There are two type of locks for the Mobile XT, one is for the software and the other type is for the map. The preloaded package has both locks based on the 10 digit SD card ID and unless you get both unlock codes from Garmin, after you give them your new SD card ID, you will not be able to use it legally, and it is highly unlikely Garmin will do this for you.

Jeff

The package that contained my Mobile XT microSD/SD adapter said:

I took that to mean I "should" use a different data card for maps and other data it needs from the card to run. If there is a software lock, it was pre-set to the included 10x, so it is not something I am aware of.

If you have your data card, the software unlock code is in SW.UNL and the Map code is in GMAPSUPP.UNL. If you worry about the overwritten, backup the entire SD card to your PC hard drive, I doubt the warning has any merit since it needs the damn card in place to run, where do you get another slot?

Jeff

I have a used Pharos GPS Phone 600 on order. I already have a number of POIs on my Garmin StreetPilot 2730. I would like to install Garmin Mobile XT on the Pharos and download some POI files. Given the size of the SD card, does anybody know about how many POIs I could add?

I have all the poi's from my Garmin Street Pilot 330 loaded on my mobile xt phone I can't tell you off hand how many that is but it is a lot.

FLIP

Thank you very much for the reply. I have a Garmin Mobile XT on order and hopefully it will arrive early next week. I was reading about the Garmin Online feature and I was thinking that the cost of wifi chips are probably reasonable priced enough that it is too bad that they don't just add it to some Garmin GPS units for the Garmin Online feature.

My Garmin Mobile XT arrived today and I have installed it in my Pharos GPS Phone 600. It seems to have installed correctly, but I can't seem to get any GPS data. In one area it wants me to select :

-Use Bluetooth GPS (I am not using that, it is internal)

-Use GPS Intermediate Driver

-Use Serial GPS (With COM Port selections)

I don't see anything in the manual about this. Does anybody know what selection I should make?

I had Ostia navigation software on here and I think I have removed it correctly.

What carrier of your phone? It is possible that your carrier locked the Assisted -GPS (Verizon for example) and you have to find way to disable the GPS lock. I know that ATT and Sprint do not lock the GPS.

Jeff

No, the Pharos has an internal SiRF Star III receiver chip. I know that the GPS receiver works because under the prior Ostia software it worked.

Okay, I have the Garmin Mobile XT now working with the Pharos GPS Phone. I want to download POI files now. I have done this many times in the past on my Garmin StreetPilopt 2730, but I can't seem to do it on the Garmin Mobile XT. My computer recognized the device, but it gives a message like the device isn't ready. I know that when I have connected some GPSs in the past it gives a choice for an area like Host or something similar. Does anybody have any ideas on Garmin Mobile XT how to put it into the mode to download POIs?

I did try connecting this directly to the GPS Phone. Should I remove the card and connect it directly to the PC through the card reader?

Update: I have installed Active Sync on my computer and now I can download POIs. The next question I have is should the POIs be stored on the devices internal memory or the SD card?

How did you load the Pois on the phone.

Go out to Garmin's site and grab the POI Loader for Windows. You need to have your Windows Mobile device connected to your PC with ActiveSync first. USB or Bluetooth - both work.

The POI loader is pretty self explanatory. It needs to connect to your smartphone (using ActiveSync) and then you point it at a directory with your POIs in it. If you go into the custom transfer you can specify audio alerts.

Some additional info here: http://www.poi-factory.com/node/85

tomf