Finding a Good GPS

by Alden Smith

A global positioning system (GPS) used to be the toy of gadget hounds and techie geeks, but has now found its place in mainstream society. If you travel in your work or even if going on a vacation and are driving, these devices can save you a lot of grief when it comes to finding your proper destination. In a time when every mile saved really counts, a good GPS system will pay for itself very quickly. Here, we look at the GPS system – what to look for, how they work, and what are considered to be the best on the market.

How They Work

The GPS is nothing more than a small satellite receiver. They depend on a clear signal from 24 operational satellites maintained by the Air Force for proper navigation and accuracy. The receiver, knowing through its technology the distance to the satellite, gives an accurate location at all times. Maps, downloaded to the GPS unit are utilized to show you where you need to go. Because they rely on a clear signal, they often suffer in accuracy from tall buildings and heavily forested areas.

What To Look For

When considering a GPS unit, first ask yourself how much you will rely on it. If you travel by auto in business, don’t scrimp on price. If you consider as higher end GPS system, then it needs to be not only accurate, but user friendly, voice activation modes must be very accurate, and you should have the ability to often download new GPS maps that should be updated often as road construction mandates.

What To Consider First

Remember that GPS units are specialized for different applications. They are optimized for driving, hiking, boating, traveling in rough terrain such as a hunter would use and are made for aviation. No one unit will do it all for you. GPS units today are a compromise of all the actual GPS usages. Decide what best suits you and then go for that particular specialized unit. Units On The Market Here is a rundown of the GPS units considered to be the top 5:

1. Garmin Nuvi 880 – pricey at $999.0
2. HP iPaq rx5900 Travel Companion, good for the business traveler, as it features a PDA. Priced around $549.00
3. Magellan Maestro 4250 – good accuracy and solid performance. Voice activated system. Priced at $599.00.
4. Mio C520 – users liked the design but felt performance could be better. Priced at $29.99.
5. TomTom GO 930 – uses advanced lane guidance and historical traffic data. Good for a copilot. Priced at $4499.99.

Overall, users were satisfied with the results of these top 5. Research from reports on these units gave the advice that each unit would be judged by consumer preferences. They all performed well, and although there are cheaper units on the market, are considered to be the best in terms of reliability, ease of use, and longevity. Your best advice would be to talk to users of these units to discover what meets your needs.

Alden Smith is an award winning author and regular contributor to DoItYourself.com. He writes on a variety of subjects, and excels in research.