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Surface by Microsoft Windows RT


vasymon

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Hi, I bought the Surface for having a tablet to download my caches when away from home. But it tells me the drivers cannot be downloaded on this computer to go the apps store.... anyone have a suggestion? If not this tablet is useless for me when geocaching. Magellan and Garmin devices.

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A quick search on the Windows RT site:

 

"Windows RT only runs built-in apps or apps that you download from the Windows Store."

 

Looks like you may be out of luck on that one. Maybe check and see if your GPS provider has any plans to release their app in the Windows Store.

 

Or I suspect given some time, someone will find a way around the windows store limitation.

 

Good luck!

 

Shaun

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The windows App Store shows no returns for geocache. Be more specific about the driver issue. Do you get it when you plug the GPS into the device to be mounted or when trying to download a single cache from its page.

 

You should be able to download a PQ to the device and use file manager to move it to your GPS though.

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If you see your device in the explorer you can use GCExplorer (www.gcexplorer.com), an app for Windows 8, and download your PQ in gpx or zip format directly from the app.

 

In a future release, you will be able to download a gpx file for any cache.

I See Magellan Drive D, in Windows File. I see my pocket query in windows RT Explorer in gpx and Zip file format. When I try do copy to Magellan Explorer stops responding. When I use GCE Explorer the caches appear for a second after a long wait and then I get the message : There ia an error that occurred. I'm used to Gsak to transfer caches.

Edited by vasymon
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The windows App Store shows no returns for geocache. Be more specific about the driver issue. Do you get it when you plug the GPS into the device to be mounted or when trying to download a single cache from its page.

 

You should be able to download a PQ to the device and use file manager to move it to your GPS though.

I have downloaded as GPS and Zip but have problems using Explorer Files to transfer. See my reply to vulvulune. Thanks.

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Hang tight on the Surface RT. It looks like some changes are on the horizon that'll let you run software other than approved Apps.

 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2023856/windows-rt-can-be-tweaked-to-run-desktop-apps-hacker-says.html

 

GCExplorer is already an approved application for GeoCaching and for sure other applications will follow. So you don't need to hack your tablet to do GeoCaching.

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Hang tight on the Surface RT. It looks like some changes are on the horizon that'll let you run software other than approved Apps.

 

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2023856/windows-rt-can-be-tweaked-to-run-desktop-apps-hacker-says.html

 

GCExplorer is already an approved application for GeoCaching and for sure other applications will follow. So you don't need to hack your tablet to do GeoCaching.

 

Oh definitely agreed, just offering that up for someone who felt they were stuck not being able to run some software they want to be able to run.

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Thanks for your research! I'm learning! I'M still in the 30 days return window. Do you thing with the new tablet with Windows 8 coming caches could be transferred?

 

If you need it for vacations & hooking up your GPS to it....YES, consider taking it back!!

 

I had been in the market for a tablet and researched this very same issue. No USB ports to transfer data. Sure - you might be able to transfer data using wifi & other gadgets, but.....

 

Not that I'm trying to promote anything, but I ended up buying an ACER ONE 11.6 netbook. Basically, it's a smaller laptop and you can get it with different systems installed. I wanted/needed Windows 7 Home Premium because that's what all our desktops use (and it works with our home group).

 

Haven't taken it on vacation yet.... but its got everything installed on it (Webupdaters, POI loader, will eventually have GSAK on it, had 3 USB ports, WIFI....etc).

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Hello,

 

You are saying something wrong. The Microsoft Surface has an USB port and you can connect a GPS device on it. But this tablet doesn't have a GPS (the Samsung Altiv tab has one for example).

 

If you read her last message, you will see she's happy with her tablet and she uses GCExplorer as application to manage her caches and download GPX on her GPS device

 

Valentin

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Thanks for your research! I'm learning! I'M still in the 30 days return window. Do you thing with the new tablet with Windows 8 coming caches could be transferred?

 

If you need it for vacations & hooking up your GPS to it....YES, consider taking it back!!

 

I had been in the market for a tablet and researched this very same issue. No USB ports to transfer data. Sure - you might be able to transfer data using wifi & other gadgets, but.....

 

Not that I'm trying to promote anything, but I ended up buying an ACER ONE 11.6 netbook. Basically, it's a smaller laptop and you can get it with different systems installed. I wanted/needed Windows 7 Home Premium because that's what all our desktops use (and it works with our home group).

 

Haven't taken it on vacation yet.... but its got everything installed on it (Webupdaters, POI loader, will eventually have GSAK on it, had 3 USB ports, WIFI....etc).

The Surface RT does have a USB port and with GCExplorer I can download my pocket queries or individual caches. It is a great little tablet I'm very happy with it it will be great on trips. Thousands of apps came out since December 2012.

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The Surface RT does have a USB port and with GCExplorer I can download my pocket queries or individual caches. It is a great little tablet I'm very happy with it it will be great on trips. Thousands of apps came out since December 2012.

 

My apologies about the USB port. I forgot, it's supposed to be a 'laptop' - its the Windows 8 that I don't agree with.

 

I would rather have a Windows 7 machine and download whatever software online that I need and everything works flawlessly and easily with my home network. Works just like a desktop computer and no apps needed, no headaches trying to get things to work together. I have Windows 7 on my desktops.

 

I thought the SURFACE was neat when I first saw it...but after looking at it more closely...just not what I needed or wanted. Not doubting it...... just bringing up some 'points' for people to think about in making their own decision to buy a Windows 8 unit.

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The Surface is not a laptop but a tablet with the limitations of almost all the tablets. Not all softwares can run on it, and often you must use a Store to get applications. But with a Windows 8 (not Windows RT) on a computer you can install all the softwares as you want and also download software designed for Windows 8 from the Store.

 

So don't forget Windows RT and Windows 8 are not the same.

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I am finding that the surface tablet is a great tablet and meets most of my regular needs. It just doesn't work much for geocaching. I am unable to download pocket queries to the offline list. It is loads of work to download 50 caches one at a time for a trip out where you don't have wifi or cell reception. I find that the android app for an android tablet is a superior app for geocaching. I'm hoping that there will be another geocaching app for the surface as there doesn't seem to be any updates soon from GCexplorer. I had heard that there would be something at the end of April but nothing happened.

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Am I missing something here?

 

I am interested in obtaining a tablet to use when out geocaching. Having found every cache within 75 milkes from my house, I find myself in unfamiliar territory a lot.

 

I gave up on GSAK and several of the various manufacturer's programs to load GPX files years ago. GPX files are ASCII text files with a speciul format. You can use something like Notepad to edit them if you know whaqt you are doing. I own both Magellan and Garmin products that take the files directly.

 

So I ask for a pocket query to be sent to my email address. I download the compressed file to a directory and extract the files. i then copy and paste them to the correct directory on my GPSRs whiel deleting any old files. This process may take a minute per GPSR.

 

So can I will ask a question ==> Can I do this with a Surface Tablet?

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