Archive for October, 2008
GPS And Cell Phones Are They Worth It
Cell phones seem to be more important than ever before in our lives and now that GPS has come to them and this should make them even more valuable. The real question though is they worth it? Most people will tell you yes while others will tell you they are not. Read further to see if you need one or if it is a waste of your hard-earned money.
GPS technology in cell phones is really nothing new as for many years now this is how cell phones were tracked. Now with more and more cell phone providers adding GPS to them these units have become even more valuable to their users. The use of this technology in cell phones has many advantages let us look at some of those right now. If you are caught in an emergency, it will be much easier to find your way out and to safety than if you did not have this application. It can also be great to provide information to people whom maybe waiting for you. The information provided from these units will let you tell them exactly when your arrival will be. 911 operators have been allowed by the government to use it to find people who maybe lost and making the call. This can save their life and is one direct benefit of GPS tracking on a cell phone.
It also can help you find elderly members or children who may be lost. Nothing is more frightening than not knowing where an elderly parent or child is. GPS technology has made this much easier to do. Businesses are also using cell phones much more and including GPS on them when they give them to employees. This lets them keep track of them and what they are doing all the time. No more can employees wander away without you knowing where they are. In the end, this will save the business money and they will also find out whom they can trust and who they cannot. GPS tracking on cell phones will also let them download information that will make it easier for a business to make future plans concerning growth and employees.
Now with all the advantages there are also many disadvantages that you should be aware of. People should be aware that your privacy will not be as private as it once was. Cell phones GPS can be monitored by many different people and sometimes if this information gets into the wrong hands bad things can happen. This is why before deciding if GPS on a cell phone is what you want you must know the options and what it entails. Cell phone companies will tell you all the great things it can do for you, but there are also others areas that you will need to look at so you can make a more informed decision.
As far as the performance of the GPS on cell phones, it is excellent and improving all the time. Most of the units that you can purchase today are very good and easy to operate which is something that people like about it. Now one thing to keep in mind not all cell phones are compatible with GPS so if you do decide to make a new cell phone purchase and want GPS you better ask. Most of the newer ones have that option, but it really never hurts to ask. Upgrading your phone probably will also cost you more on your monthly bill as well so also consider that before going ahead with the purchase.
Overall is it good for you will come down to two important things, that is privacy, and getting the information, you want. Most people love their privacy and by adding GPS to your cell phones you will be losing a part of that and you need to keep that in mind. How much privacy you lose is really anyone’s guess. The other thing is by adding it to the cell phone you will make your phone even more valuable to you. The GPS tracing will save you money in the long run and will make traveling much easier and also put your mind as ease. In the end, though the decision will be up to you. You should weigh all options so you can have a good idea, which is best for you. Do not jump into GPS on a cell phone just to have until you know what you’re getting into good and bad.
GPS Overload Tips to Avoid This from Happening
GPS navigation systems seem to be everywhere anymore and new ones are being introduced monthly. With the 100 of units available, how do you start to choose one? Most people give up and just grab one that looks nice or is affordable to them. This means that they may not be getting the most for their money and even an inferior product. We have done a little research and have compiled some tips to help you get the best unit possible. Read further to discover what we learned and the tips you need to follow when buying your next GPS unit.
Buying GPS navigation system seems like it would be very easy to do, but in reality with all the options available, you could be buying a unit that you really do not need. Most salespeople are paid on commission and they will sell you what will make them the most money. The bottom line is they want to earn a living as well. This is why you need to know all you can about GPS units before you even go into any electronics store.
A first tip is you need to decide where you’re going to use the unit. Will it be in the car only? Alternatively, will you use it on trails or water? These questions need to be answered first before you will be able to determine which direction and model you will want to take a closer look at. Car devices are usually mounted in the vehicle and many are becoming portable so you will be able to move it from car to car. If you go for a car type GPS make sure you get auto-correction feature that way if you do make a wrong turn the unit will recalculate your route and you will not ever get lost even with a wrong turn. Some of the more popular ones for the vehicle that I recommend are the Garmin c330, c340, and the c530 series. All of these are great models with plenty of features that you will love.
If you are like most people and you love the outdoors than probably a trail GPS unit is what you may need to take a closer look at. These are usually handhelds, which depict topographical or basic mapping data not the detailed street versions that you get with car models. These types are great for hiking and geocaching as well. The big advantages of these is the ability to mark waypoints so you will be able to recall where you are and even if you do get lost the unit will be able to figure a route to get you back to the waypoint without any trouble at all. The prices on these devices come in all price ranges so finding one within your budget should not be a problem at all.
If you’re a boater or on the water a lot than you will want to get a GPS that is especially made for the water. These fixed mounted devices have detailed mapping software designed for the water. You will be able to download different maps depending what you will be using the unit for. GPS on the water can also mark waypoints as well and do many great things. You will be hard pressed to find a boat these days that do not have these on it.
Some other things you will need to understand and that are mapping software are usually updated once or twice a year. Maps on the water though are not updated as often as others. With handheld units, you will want to pay close attention to the battery life of these units. Some will last much longer than others. This is something that you will want to take a real close look at.
As you can see, these units do many different things from being used in your vehicle to use on the water. More and more people are learning that GPS technology is the way to go and in the long run they are actually saving money by buying a unit. With gas prices soaring anyway you can save a few bucks is worth it. GPS gives you the ability to stay on course and getting lost will be a thing of the past. No more folding up maps also is a plus in many people’s books as well. Grab your GPS unit today and see why millions of these electronic gadgets are sold annually in the United States alone.
Our Best GPS Postings
- Garmin 010-00697-11 Oregon™ 550T Portable GPS System
- Garmin 0100069741 – Oregon™ 450T Portable GPS System
- Garmin 0100069740 – Oregon 450 Portable GPS System
- Garmin 0100084001 – GPS 72H Handheld GPS
- Garmin 0100072705 Zumo 665 Motorcycle GPS
- Garmin 0100072700 – Zumo 660 Motorcycle GPS
- Garmin 0100063000 – eTrex Vista HCx Handheld GPS
- Garmin 0100078000 – eTrex Vista GPS Receiver
- Garmin 0100077900 – Etrex Legend® H | Gps Systems
- Garmin 0100063100 – eTrex H Handheld GPS
- Garmin 0100078101 Dakota™ 20 Portable GPS System
- GARMIN 0100078110 Dakota™ 10 Portable GPS System Bike & Hike Bundle
- Garmin 0100062245 – Colorado 400T
- Garmin 010-00596-01 – Garmin Astro 220 Bundle with DC30 Collar and Hard Case
- Garmin 0100069731 – Approach G5 Touchscreen Golf GPS System