Laptops

[Mzokk]

I'm convinced there are "Apple people" and "PC/Android people", with brains wired completely differently.

Use whatever works for you.

I think you are right. The only time I used a MAC extensively was at a local night class around 2006-7 when I was trying to learn Photoshop. I really liked it and Windows XP machines at the time had more of a tendancy to fall over. However, I've always been "too tight" to spend the money on Apple hardware (though I did relent a few years ago and bought an Ipad) and find Windows and Android more open and better supported. That said I've been using Linux Mint mostly over the past couple of years. The only thing keeping me with Windows now is Basecamp, and Photo and Video editing software for which I have not found a better Linux substitutes than the windows versions I use.

Apple users (my daughter included) seem to develop a weird loyalty to Apple and their products (they just work dad) that I find hard to fathom

[twowheelstom]

I did receive that new windows 11 Home laptop, I liked it, it was an Asus Vivobook 14 inch, but the reason I ended up sending it back was because of Google Chrome, chrome is my favourite brower, so I tried to download and install chrome on my new laptop, but that's where the problem started, chrome wouldn't install. It was because Microsoft has put an S mode on new windows 11 laptops, and that locks me into only downloading app/programs from the Microsoft Store, ok I thought, so let's download Google Chrome from the Microsoft Store I thought, but that began another problem, Microsoft Store does not have Google Chrome on its Store to download. so then I began to find out that the windows 11 Home S mode can be taken off my new laptop, ok I thought, lets take the S mode off so I can download Chrome from Google site, but that started another problem, the S mode on my new laptop would not be removed, I tried to go onto the Microsoft Store to get the S mode reversed/removed on my laptop, but that started a new problem, when opening up the Microsoft Store app on my laptop, it would not open, for some reason, my laptop would not open Microsoft Store to get the app there to remove that S mode on my new laptop. At that point, I began to get frustrated with Microsoft and Windows 11 Home S Mode and began to think, let's go on the Apple web site and see what Apple offers me. and that's where I am at now, that new windows 11 laptop was shipped back and I am not sure If i should get a apple macbook or not. It's not that my brain is wired completely different as Ikraus says, but I just desire the Chrome brower on windows 11. Microsoft has Edge browser but I don't like it. Does that make mean my brain is wired differently Ikraus? maybe so. I just have likes and dislikes, and if that means my brain is wired differently, great, because I am giving thanks to the ONE who wired it this way.

[Mzokk]

Oh that does sound like a faff. I don't like or use edge either. That said my two Win 11 and one Win 10 machines have very minimal windows installs with most of the fluff removed. Have to keep clearing it out after every update though!! Its why I'm gradually heading towards linux.

[twowheelstom]

I went on apple web site looking at the macbook 13.6 inch m3, google says you can install chrome on it and garmin basecame and express and youtube, 2 usb-c port and a 3.5mm headphone jack, and you can install spotify on it, so looks good so far, a 13.6 macbook sounds very portable, another plus for it, I like the portability of a laptop, 14 inch or smaller seems to me to be about right, my desktop windows monitor is 27 inch, but I am looking for someong portable and lap size that I can install garmin programs on it and google chrome which I prefer, I'm not making any success with a windows 11 Home laptop due to that S mode restriction Microsoft has.

[Mzokk]

Hopefully, some of the Mac users will chip in. I'm not so sure how well modern Macs play with Garmin Express and Basecamp??

[Les]

Hopefully, some of the Mac users will chip in. I'm not so sure how well modern Macs play with Garmin Express and Basecamp??

My understanding, for what it's worth, is that Basecamp was intrduced primarily for Mac stuff, as Mapsource wouldn't work without some sort of added software.

So you should be OK?

[twowheelstom]

i did a Google search, and Google says Yes, Garmin Basecamp and Garmin Express can be downloaded to a Apple Mac and be installed and run

[jfheath]

This Garmin page has download links for both Windows and Mac

https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/software/basecamp/

[twowheelstom]

well i did try, I mean, i did try to like and to learn about apple Macbooks, but I've decided that I can't figure out how to use an iPad or iMac or Macbook, I must be hard wired to only microsoft windows lol, so I've given up wanting to buy a macbook, I'd probably return it within 2 weeks of buying one lol

[carolinarider09]

I somehow missed this thread when it first started (at least I think I did could not find a reply).

I have used Laptops on the road with me since I got my Zumo 665 (2007). I don't know if I used them before that on the road but memory serves that one trip to Key West, I had my laptop out to modify the course we (it was a group of riders I was sort of leading) were taking.

Worked fine. Took about 20 minutes to make the changes and get them in the GPS.

Back them it was an MSDOS based laptop. Sometime in the last eight or nine years I changed to using a MacBook Air. I found the MacBook to me a little for user friendly and seemly a little safer but... that's just my opinion.

So, now with BaseCamp as the main mapping program, I have not had the need to modify my routes on line. But what I can use it for is to view the movies I make as I travel. I review them and night and then same them to a folder on the MacBook. Then, when I get home, I move them my QNAP Server system.

And I can still make a change to the route on the road, just takes me a little longer using Basecamp.

As an aside, when I first made the change to MacBook, I was still using Microsoft Streets and Trips to do routing (2013). I found a piece of software called VMWare that would allow met to run Windows 7 on my MacBook and I then I could use Microsoft Streets and Trips to do routes. I did that unit early this year when I purchased a Garmin 595 GPS and had to use BaseCamp. Still have the Streets and Trips to do routes for my older GPS (665 and 660). And yes I can do them in BaseCamp but....

I Have. two small bags I pack for trips containing electronics I use on the road. In the bags are things I need to make my motel stays more what I want. I have a small micro-router so I don't always have to hook everything up to the hotels' network, just the one device. Have a Roku device for tv watching (some motels don't allow additional HDMI attachments but 99% do). Also makes the wife's life easier since, one the micro router is connected, she can easily connect all her devices (only her phone and iPad) to the network.