[pct-l] Backpacking Computers

[gray_hiker at mindpoison.org (Gray)]

> What is the best camera/computer/GPS/phone/radio combination Palm type
> computer for 2004?  Seems like these things are getting to be
sophisticated enough
> to seriously consider for the trail.  The solar cell rechargers are nice
too.
> Thanks, Switchback

None of the current crop (that I know of) has a camera worth having.
Anything less that 5MP, and you will be disappointed that you didn't take a
real camera. The phone part will be almost completely useless along most of
the trail, or for that matter, along most any hiking trail.

Garmin has a new FRS radio/GPS that looks nice, though slightly heavier than
the stand-alone GPS receiver. Even though the GPS I took wasn't necessary at
all, I am glad I took it. I was able to set way points, and mark each spot I
camped at, so I kind of had a visual log of where I had been at over the
past few days, and I liked the security that it gave me... if I got terribly
lost, at least I would know *where* I was, even if I didn't know how that
related to the real world :)

I don't think the time is here yet when you can find all of those functions
on a single lightweight device, but I am sure you will be able to within the
next few years.

I'd like to see a small (about the size of an iPod) portable PC, with a
20-30GB hard driive, built in GPS and mapping software, attachable tiny
collapasable keyboard (looking back at my hand-written journal entries a
couple weeks later felt like trying to decipher the Rosetta Stone), an FRS
unit, and MP3 player. And of course it would have to use standard-sized
batteries, preferablly AAs. If it made daquiris and gumbo, it would be a
plus. Oh yeah, and it should weigh less than nothing, eliminating some of
the weight of other things in my pack.

Maybe we can talk Leatherman into making one.

Gray