Where can I find a GPS for my car? If you are like a lot of people these days, you’ve been asking yourself that question. You want a GPS for your car, but don’t know where to start. You have spent hours checking all the online GPS websites but are more confused than ever. So let’s go over some of the GPS basics.
GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It is a technology that lets you quickly figure out where you are, anytime and anywhere. GPS consists of a number of dedicated satellites that were placed into space and allow anyone who has a GPS receiver to determine their position anywhere on the globe within just a few feet. The system was originally developed by the U.S. Department of Defense as a guidance and navigational tool, but is now being used in commercial and civil markets for transportation, mapping, surveying and rescue operations, and numerous other uses.
The use of GPS for navigation and mapping is a natural. With a GPS receiver on board, you’re never lost. And you even know how fast you’re going, what altitude you’re at, and how long it’s going to take to get to your destination. Many new cars come with GPS systems, and rental cars have had them for years to keep people from getting lost. While factory-integrated GPS systems in cars are still fairly expensive, you can pick up a standalone system from online GPS stores for amazingly little money.
But before you buy a GPS you first need to decide what type you need. For example, if you plan on using GPS both in your car and with a computer, you may want to buy a GPS receiver that wirelessly connects to a laptop or handheld computer via Bluetooth. The advantage of these small GPS “pucks” is that you can use them with more than one computer.
If you want flexibility, you may be interested in a handheld computer that comes with an integrated GPS receiver and works both as a Pocket PC and a GPS. Such systems often come bundled with a suction cup windshield mount. The advantage of a PDA/GPS combo is that you can also use it to listen to music, watch video, or even do email or browse the web if it has wireless communications capabilities.
If you’re only interested in mapping, you want a dedicated GPS, one of those handy little gadgets that quickly and easily mount in any car and locate satellites within seconds. The advantage of dedicated GPS units is that their displays are landscape oriented, just like those of integrated units. Landscape makes it easier to see what’s going on.
Once you have decided what type of GPS you want, you must make sure it is easy to use and operate. This is where it gets tricky, as even the best GPS websites do not always have full reviews of automotive GPS. Trust me, even though everyone uses the same maps, the difference between a good GPS and a mediocre one is huge. Fortunately, there are some GPS websites that do have fairly detailed reviews.
So how do you find a GPS online? And where do you find a GPS at the best price? Or even a used or refurbished one if cost is a priority? There are many ways, but personally, I’ve had good luck with auction sites. There are even some that specialize just on GPS!
By: Chris Robertson
Posts Tagged ‘Gps Navigation’
Where Can I Find A GPS For My Car And What Should I Look Out For?
January 4th, 2010Posted in Article
Tags: Civil Markets Department Of Defense Global Positioning System Gps Basics Gps Mapping Gps Navigation Gps Receiver Gps System Gps Systems Handheld Computer Navigational Tool New Cars Pucks Rental Cars Rescue Operations Standalone System Suction Cup U S Department Use Of Gps Windshield
GPS and RFID Package Tracking
December 9th, 2009
It was not that many years ago that package tracking was almost totally guesswork. If you ordered something that needed to be shipped to you it might arrive in 3 days or 3 weeks and where the package was in between the shipper and you was a complete mystery. All of that is changing not only because of GPS tracking but also because of radio frequency identification (RFID).
GPS is a wonderful technology that is revolutionizing many areas of our lives; but it is simply too expensive to put a GPS receiver on every box, package or envelope that is shipped. But it really isn’t necessary to GPS track every package. Inevitably packages are in a building, or a truck, so all you need to know is which truck or building has your package and where the building or truck is. Buildings obviously don’t move so you don’t need to GPS track the packages in a building you simply need to know constantly exactly what packages are in the building.
Shipping and delivery trucks, of course, are a different matter. Trucks must be GPS tracked in order to track the packages in them. Very soon every new delivery truck that hits the roads will have a fully integrated GPS tracking system. Older trucks will end up being updated with GPS, sooner rather than later, or the trucks will be likely retired completely. GPS in shipping trucks is used primarily to let the shipper and shipping company know where the packages are. The GPS can also be used for navigation, but most truckers already know their territory and don’t need GPS navigation. The big push for GPS-equipped delivery trucks is for tracking packages.
So the only thing left to make the system work is to electronically tag each package. In the state of the art system of the near future packages will be identified by RFID. It will not be long before a RFID electronic tag will be attached to almost all packages shipped everywhere. Unlike current bar coding systems, RFID electronic tags do not require a visual scan and can carry significantly more information. Bar coding is almost everywhere these days, but it requires a close and accurate visual scan by a bar code reader. It is simply too slow and often inaccurate. RFID tags on the other hand require only that the package be within radio frequency range of the RFID receiver or RFID interrogator. The days of running a package under a visual scanner by hand are almost over.
Even today most shipping companies have prototype shipping and delivery trucks with fully integrated RFID interrogators, RFID antennas, GPS tracking and a cellular computer network to tie it all together. Factories, shipping and mail centers are also starting to use RFID throughout their facilities so they know exactly what packages are in their facilities. So the package-tracking circle will soon be complete. The package sends, or is induced to send, out a radio frequency signal, the RFID interrogator inside the back of the truck or in the building picks up the signal, the computer network on the truck or in the building sends out a cellular message letting the shippers computer know what is where and finally the GPS system tells the shipper where the truck is if the package is currently on a truck.
By: Michael Russell
Posted in Article
Tags: Art System Bar Coding Systems Big Trucks Delivery Truck Delivery Trucks Electronic Tag Electronic Tags Gps Navigation Gps Receiver Gps System Gps Tracking Guesswork Radio Frequency Identification Radio Frequency Identification Rfid Shipper Shipping Company State Of The Art Truckers Visual Scan Wonderful Technology
GPS Auto Navigation Systems
October 29th, 2009
Over the past couple of years, the cost of installing a GPS auto navigation system has fallen considerably. As an inevitable result of this, more and more people are taking advantage of it in order to make it easier to find out where they are going, plan their journeys, and keep track of where they are.
Satellite navigation dates back a lot longer than many people realize. The principles behind SatNav were first tested back in 1967, but it took nearly 30 years before the NavStar GPS System first began operation as a military application in the mid 1990s. Civilian use of GPS navigation was made available soon after the military launch, but the initial costs of using the system were very high, and required ongoing subscriptions to be paid. The first people who took advantage of GPS were pilots, and surveyors, who needed to be able to measure distances with pinpoint accuracy. In the early days , an affordable GPS auto navigation system was out of reach for the average car owner.
Over time, the costs of GPS auto navigation system has fallen considerably, and there are increasing numbers of applications for them and the data that they provide in our daily lives. Manufacturers such as Garmin and TomTom have combined GPS signals Data with existing map information and complex mathematical algorithms to create systems that can be used for navigation on the roads and highways.
These GPS auto navigation systems can be installed into any car in a matter of minutes, and then be used to plan journeys, and keep track of where you are to stop you getting lost on the roads. By being combined with other data, such as traffic news feeds, GPS auto navigation systems can warn drivers about road congestion, and provide alternative routes in real time to ensure that no-one who has such a GPS needs get stuck in a queue again.
There are a number of different styles of GPS auto navigation systems available to suit the needs of the individual, from basic models through to expensive and highly accurate systems able to manage large amounts of data and provide information to the users in order to give feedback about where they have been.
The simplest kind of auto navigation GPS system is a removable gadget that stores the map data internally, and uses a satellite signal to pinpoint the position of the unit. By combining the map data and the satellite signal, routes can be planned, and the user can find their way, while seeing a graphical representation of their route on a small screen. These GPS auto navigation systems can be either removable, or fixed into the car. Many new models actually integrate the GPS into the dashboard, while non fixed systems can either be mounted on the dash, or attached to the windshield using a suction cup.
As well as dedicated auto GPS devices, it is also possible to buy a large number of other gadgets with GPS as a built in feature. Some GPS PDAs can have a GPS module plugged in to them, and used in cars, and an increasing number of cell phones have GPS as a standard feature. On the whole, although these devices have GPS built in, it is not of the same standard as a dedicated system, and wile it may help you know where you are, it will not provide such accurate data or be able to plan routes on the go as well as one of the custom systems from Garmin or Magellan.
At the top end of the list of auto navigation GPS systems, there are a number of fantastic options available. Many of the high end GPS auto navigation systems include a range of features to make getting around as simple and convenient as possible.
Aside from the standard information about maps and positions, these GPS systems can also provide information about local amenities such as gas stations, motels, and even speed control cameras in certain countries. More expensive GPS auto navigation systems come with the ability to upload additional map systems so they can be used in different countries, and through the use of local radio services, provide comprehensive traffic information to the driver wherever in the world he is.
Whether you want a simple auto navigation GPS system to help you avoid the traffic problems in your home town, or are a cross country driver who needs the long distance planning flexibility for getting from a-to-b as efficiently as possible, there is a GPS system available that will suit your needs.
By: Jason Miller
Posted in Article
Tags: Auto Navigation System Auto Navigation Systems Car Owner Different Styles Garmin Gps Navigation Inevitable Result Initial Costs Journeys Launch Mathematical Algorithms Matter Of Minutes Mid 1990s Military Application Navstar Gps Road Congestion Satellite Navigation Surveyors Traffic News Use Of Gps
