For drivers in North America who are tired of staring at maps and pulling into gas stations to get directions the new technology of GPS may be the answer. GPS or Global Positioning Systems are an inexpensive and reliable way of finding your exact position on the globe at any given time. For the driver this can mean never having to look a road map again. This is a brief introduction to the major brands of GPS units and some information about each.
Garmin offers two different types of GPS units and many models for each type. The larger of the two the Streetpilot is meant to be mounted in your car and provides street to street directions map and much more useful information during you trip. Some of the more recent models of the Streetpilot offer voicecapabilities and will vocally give a driver directions. The Quest offer many of the same features as the Streetpilot but it comes in a smaller handheld size and is battery powered. The Quest may be a better option if you often find your self leaving the car behind and need directions on foot.
Magellan is one of the oldest consumer level GPS manufacturers and they are still one of the finest. The Roadmates line of GPS units have been around for a while and the newest models are still in competition for the highest in quality. The newest models of Roadmates provide turn by turn directions to your destination with its internal speaker. This line of GPS units are powered by the cars cigarette lighter and mounts easily to most automobiles. The Roadmate 800 provides color 3-D maps on its 3” screen.
The newest brand of GPS unit comes from Tom-Tom. The Tom-Tom Go700 provides directions on it’s 3.5” screen which gives its display in 3-D. The Go700 can give vocal directions in dozens of languages. The most interesting feature about this unit is it’s Bluetooth capability allowing it to connect to cell phones to give weather, traffic and road conditions for your trip.
By: David Stone
Posts Tagged ‘Road Conditions’
GPS Buyer’s Guide
March 19th, 2010Why are GPS’s so Popular?
March 11th, 2010
It seems like the hot item for this holiday season is a GPS. These items have been quite popular for years, especially in aviation. The reason why they are so popular is because they are reliable. No matter where you are in the world the GPS will be able to pick up your location via satellite and by searching the maps it has the GPS is able to direct you step by step to your final destination. Pilots find this especially helpful when they are in the air and need to reach a specific location. If the instruments on board were to go out a Garmin Avionics GPS could save the day and allow the pilot to arrive and land with no passenger ever being the wiser. Every pilot has it or another brand of GPS to help them out regardless of whether they are flying for pleasure or work. The reason why that is the GPS has so much to offer.
First of all, a GPS is capable of locating you on a map and taking you where you need to go. It is also able to give you up to date information on the weather you may be flying or driving into, which is crucial if you are focused on safety and a fast arrival. Knowing where the bad weather is just might allow you to go around it, saving time and frustration. Another benefit of is that it can give you up to date traffic information. This is really good because if you are trying to reach your destination by a certain time and see there is a bad wreck up ahead then you can easily take an alternate route and still arrive on time. It is really amazing at how wonderful a it really is and how it manages to get you from point A to point B and alert you to weather and road conditions.
Once you are finally on the ground or out of the car the GPS can help you find restaurants, points of interest, and much more. This is really great because if you are in an area where you do not know the directions to a particular destination or if you are looking for a particular restaurant then the GPS can help you find it. A GPS makes life easy when you are on the road, whether flying or driving, and that is why the GPS equipment is so popular.
By: Caitlina Fuller
