GPS Connect is a freeware program for Mac OS X which offers waypoint transfer with serial based Garmin GPS receivers which are hooked up to your Mac with a serial to usb converter. The intended use is to backup waypoints from the GPS to your computer. Downloaded waypoints may be saved in the standard GPX Format (the GPS eXchange Format) or exported to a variety of other formats such as tab delimited and comma separated. The program also supports upload of waypoints to the GPS receiver.

The NMEA protocol is also supported and allows the user to view real time data from the GPS including latitude, longitude, elevation, direction of travel, and speed. The travel direction is shown on a compass rose and the program will optionally use Text-to-Speech to update you on your progress. This protocol is a standard that most GPS receivers support, so it should work with Garmin, Magellan, Lowrance, etc.