Looking for a change in your road travel experience? Need guidance getting from one location to another seeing as though you are “directionally-challenged?” Want to throw away that paper map once and for all? You can do all of these things and more by simply taking control of your navigation experience with a handy gadget created with this purpose in mind. Lot’s of other people before you have falling victim to the peer pressure, only to be happy that they did. So what are you waiting for? It’s time for you to learn the four reasons why we all need GPS systems.
Safety and Convenience
One of the most cited reasons why we all need GPS systems is the safety and convenience they provide. Whether you’re traveling across the country, or across your city, it is good to have the added assistance of an accurate, always predictable, electronic device to help guide you on your journey. By getting your hands on one of these units, you never have to worry about pulling out your paper map again, as the virtual map gives you up-to-date information on where you’re traveling in 2D or 3D viewing options. When was the last time a paper map did this for you? With this type of device in your corner, you get a convenient driving experience with the added assurance that you and your children a safely traveling from point A to point B.
Never Get Lost
If you very often point left when you’re speaking the word “right” then it is possible that you are directionally challenged. But that is okay, because one of the reasons why we all need GPS systems is that these handy devices are never confused and can guide you across the country when you can’t guide yourself out of a paper bag. A navigation system in particular is perfect for those needing turn-by-turn instructions to their location – the entire way. The way it works is very simple. Once you enter the “to and from” locations, the device simply will guide you by voicing instructions like “in 500 feet, turn right.” Once you get to the point of needing to turn, the system will voice the words “turn right.” With this type of hands-on instruction in your corner, you simply can’t go wrong. Just make sure when the system tells you to turn right, you turn right.
Finding Businesses and Other Addresses is a Breeze
Another one of the reasons why we all need GPS systems is the POI (point of interest) database that allows you to locate businesses and other addresses by simply scrolling through listings that may be over a million deep. So let’s say for instance, you want to dine at a specific restaurant in your area, but when you get there, you find out it is closed for remodeling. At first, you’re disappointed, that is until you remember that your friend had gone to another great restaurant and had been trying to convince you to go for a long time. You want to call your friend for directions, but he is traveling overseas and can’t be reached. Instead of giving up on this tasty experience, you can visit your POI database to find a listing for the restaurant. After you’ve found it, you simply map out directions, have the system’s navigation guide you, and enjoy the best dining of your life.
That’s definitely one of the benefits of these databases, but many devices take their POI feature even further to offer some variation of proximity alerts, which let you know when you’re within a certain distance of a POI – especially if one is a school zone or safety camera. It will let you know to slow down in time with both visual and audio alerts, then rest when you can regain your normal speed.
Download Great Software
One of the reasons why we all need GPS systems is that, in addition to getting to take advantage of all of the extras that come with most systems, you can also download more great stuff. There are websites all over the Internet that offer free software for better mapping options, more detailed navigation features, and even programs that allow you to share your road trip experiences with others.
Found enough reasons why we all need GPS systems in our lives? If this list isn’t enough for you, there are many more where that came from. But if you think about it, the benefits listed here can definitely improve your quality of travel many times over. So think about this when you’re looking for more reasons why we all need GPS systems. You’ll find that if you just think about it, you already have every reason you need.
By: Jeffrey Meier
Posts Tagged ‘Gps Systems’
Tracking Your Cheating Spouse With GPS
February 20th, 2010
Do you suspect your spouse is cheating, but don’t know for sure? Do you wonder who they might be talking to on the phone? Are they really going to the gym late at night? Fortunately, technology exists for tracking your cheating spouse with GPS technology. GPS tracking technology allows you to pinpoint where your spouse is going and lets you identify if they are where they say they are. In this article, we are going to cover how the GPS tracking works if you decide to use this method.
There are several types of GPS tracking devices depending on how technical you want to get. The easiest to use systems I have seen are small cards that you can put in the car, then download the data later and view on a map where your spouse has been. After downloading the data, you can overlay the data on the map and trace each movement of the vehicle. The best system I found was from SkyTRX GPS systems. It works very well with any PC and is easy to use.
The second type of tracking device is a more active GPS tracking system with real time monitoring. Most of these services require a monitoring device that costs around $400-$500 and requires a monthly subscription to the GPS service. These systems are useful for tracking fleets of cars, but not so viable in tracking your cheating spouse. I would advise going with a simpler tracking system.
The third type of tracking is a device that actually taps your spouses cell phone. These devices do way more than just location tracking. You can actually capture SMS, Text Messaging, Caller ID, and also listen in on their phone conversations. The device allows you to track the cell phone through the cell phone network and relays back the location. Another feature is that you can track incoming and outgoing calls and numbers.
These devices are very scary at what they can do. Another feature is they actually allow you to turn the cell phone into a microphone so you can listen to the surroundings. Several services offer this product. One of the better ones is product from FlexiSpy. These products support most models of phones. These include Blackberry, Windows Mobile, and Symbian devices.
If your intuition is telling you that your spouse is cheating but you just need the hard facts, GPS tracking might be the solution for you. Depending on how technical you are, the easiest to operate is the first option where you simply plug into the PC and look at the map.
If you really want to dig deep, the mobile phone device is going to be your best bet. It should only take you a few weeks with these more sophisticated devices to find out for sure if you have a cheating spouse. If you don’t want to do it alone, you can always hire a private investigator who can use these devices as well. Best of luck.
By: Matt Murren
Best Golf GPS 2009
February 20th, 2010
Want to know what’s the best golf GPS 2009 systems? Well, there are quite a few. You see, the golf GPS market is quite crowded and there’s a lot of consumer confusion. You can spend $150 on a golf GPS or you can spend $400. The real question you need to ask yourself is what do you want your golf GPS to do for you, and how much do you want to pay. To help you out, though, I’m going to talk a little bit about some of the best selling golf GPS systems on the 2009 market. That way you’ll be in a better position to figure out what’s the best golf GPS 2009 for your needs and budget.
Garmin Approach G5
The thing I like about the Garmin Approach is the large bright touch screen. When I play golf, my goal is to enjoy myself, not fiddle with a bunch of buttons, and the touch screen makes this possible. The Approach comes with all the golf courses already downloaded, no annual fee! It keeps score and also accurately measures distances. This one is definitely on my list of best GPS 2009 systems for golf.
SkyCaddie SG5
The SkyCaddie SG5 has a large color display and a ton of features. One thing I like about the SkyCaddie SG5 is the fact that the distances are displayed with really large numbers. Easy to read in bright sunlight. It also gives you distances to the front, center, and back of the green. There are more than 23,000 courses in SkyCaddie’s database. You have to have a membership plan, but those run $30 or so. Again, this should be on the list of best GPS golf 2009 systems.
Sonocaddie V300
Another golf GPS that found its way onto my list of best golf GPS 2009 units was the Sonocaddie V300. Its main feature is a large, bright 3D display. Of course, it measures distances, but it also tracks shot length, keeps score, and helps you statistically analyze your past games. It will keep track of every single shot you make, which is useful if you’re trying to better your score on a particular course. Again, this takes a membership, but it’s not that expensive.
Golf Buddy Pro GPS
No list of best golf GPS 2009 devices would be complete without the Golf Buddy Pro GPS. ( I should also throw Golf Buddy’s Tour GPS in, too.) The Pro changes the picture of the green to match your angle of approach, which is a feature I think is really neat. Like the Garmin Approach, it’s already pre-loaded with all the North American courses. It automatically loads not only the course, but also the hole you’re on. (With some others you have to do this manually.) Also, it has a very easy to read screen.
Callaway uPro Golf GPS
No list of the best golf GPS 2009 systems would be complete without the Callaway uPro. As far as graphics, the uPro is miles ahead of everyone else, except perhaps the Garmin Approach. It measures distances to the hole. You don’t have to have a subscription, but to get the detailed information you want, you’ll want one. It’s not expensive, though.
Golflogix Golf GPS-8
I might be partial to Garmin. They have such a reputation for quality in the auto GPS market. So, it’s no wonder they have more than one entry in my list of best golf GPS 2009 systems. The Golflogix Golf GPS-8 is quite a bit less expensive than previous models I’ve talked about, but it has plenty of power and features. It automatically detects the course you’re on. Displays distances to the front, center and back of the green. You can measure the distance of your last shot, and also keep track of distance by club, which is a great feature for those of us who think driving ranges are boring.
iGolf Neo
The last entry on my list of best GPS 2009 devices is the iGolf Neo. The Neo costs quite a bit less than a Garmin Approach or a Callaway uPro, but it still has plenty of great features, not to mention the fact that it’s really small. The screen is not that small, by the way. Again, you’ve got distance to front, back, and center of the green, distance to pin, and last shot distance. You can input up to four custom points per hole as you play. You have to pay a membership to access iGolf’s database of over 35,000 courses, but again, that’s not expensive.
As you can see, there’s quite a range of prices and features. The important thing, however, is to figure out your budget and what you want your GPS for. That way you can make the maximum use of my best golf GPS 2009 list.
By: Rick Cole
