Bobcat Info

1. OK

2. Ya looks like you need to convert from Windows first, but then after that you can use them on the Mac from then on?

3. No, it states "Intel-based or PowerPC G3 or later Mac" which pretty much covers all Macs these days from the original iMac and even earlier. (assuming the requirements listed on the web page are not in error)

Who is making a "friggin" big deal out of it? (beside you that is)

Yes it will run on your G4 PowerBook if you have 10.4 installed.

PT

The system requirements state:

Apple Macintosh or compatible with an Intel processor

Which to me means it will not run on a PPC based Mac.

The Chet guy on the Garmin blog and others that's who. And I bought into it. Sigh....

I was hoping it would have been MapSource which I have been waiting for for over a year.
Grrrr.......

I have Bobcat working on my G5 desktop with OS X 10.5. It will upload your favorites and overlay them with a low detail map. I haven't tried anything else with it. There is a route upload and download option but it doesn't do anything with my nuvi 650.

Considering there is a large enough mac user base for Garmin to release mac software and invest the time and money into development for it, it is a large disappointment.

I have worked at a Mac development company (although I am not a developer) and even the interface does not match Apple's interface guidelines. To me, IMHO, this is a windows port with half of the good stuff left out (feature wise).

I have played with Bobcat now with my Nuvi 760 and I am just not impressed enough. Now I am fortunate that I can run windows on my mac without any trouble and it works great. So given that, I much prefer using the windows version for a couple of reasons.
1) the mapinstall program on the mac crashes on larger maps (yet mapsource from Parallels is no problem)
2) map detail is richer at greater zoom out levels on the windows version, plus on the mac... you can only import gpx files, csv and other formats are not allowed (or at least I haven't been able to get it to work)
and I could go on...
I guess for me, having been at a company where we had to release mac and pc versions to our clients, we had to essentially make them as identical as possible... so why not Garmin. It's like the mac folks are second class users and that doesn't sit well with me.

So on a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 2 to maybe a 2.5.
Now that I have used it for a bit... i think I am done with it and won't bother to launch it again until there is another significant release to try out.

That's just my take on it.

Hi jcf2001,

I talked to the Garmin reps. at the Mac Expo in San Francisco, on last Tuesday, and was told that currenty, yes, Bobcat needs to be used on a PC, but they also said that within 2 months they will have a "standalone Mac version" of Bobcat coming out.

That's good news...now let's see if it happens "within" 2 months.

Regards,

tailspin

Nüvi 670
Mac OS X Leopard 1.5.1

Here's some Mac software -- and you need a PC for it!

Wtf...

Hi rocktowndiscgolf,

It's not Mac software...
Presently Garmin has a software program that will allow you to convert the maps on a PC to a format compatible, with the Mac OS.

It's software for use on a PC that can convert maps for use, on a Mac.

In 2 month's Garmin will be releasing map software, made specifically for the MacOS.

Regards,

tailspin

Nüvi 670
MacOS X (1.5.1.Leopard)

I'm assuming we're still talking about bobcat in this thread so I thought I would just clarify Bobcat runs native on OS X. I run it under leopard and seems stable enough, just not overly useful for me. You can download it here:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3886

However, it does require that you convert your maps for use with it... which does require the PC to convert them. Once converted you can remain in your mac environment though.

Bobcat isn't Mac software?

It comes as a DMG file and has APP, not .exe files.

The Garmin website states the system requirements to be Intel-based or PowerPC G3 or later Mac
OS 10.4 or later.

Could have fooled me.

Crossposting from the Garmin forum -- Bobcat 2.0.0.4 beta was posted to the Garmin site on 2008/5/7

Here's the link for the new Bobcat 2.0.0.4 beta.
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3885

Regards,

Tailspin

Nüvi 670
Mac User