GPS Systems and Reviews

New GPS Systems Improvements

Over the years GPS system improvements have really been for the better. Each year new innovations come into the marketplace to make GPS products even better. The real winner in this whole process is the consumer as they get better products for everyday use and usually at much lower costs than when they were first introduced many years ago. Read further and you can discover what some of the improvements in GPS systems technology has been over the years.

One of the biggest GPS system improvements has been the size of the screens that are on GPS devices these days. A few years ago these screens were usually 3.5 inches and we were very happy with that, but that has changed as we have gone much bigger now. 4.5 inch screens are pretty much the standard and some companies now make screens over 7 inches wide so you can see more of what is going on as you head down the road. The other improvement in this area is touch screen display and the colors on these screens are much better than they were first introduced. Bigger is always better especially when it comes to screen size.

More of these GPS Systems these days are being made more compact as well. Consumers are demanding products that are easy to carry and move from vehicle to vehicle. The GPS companies now make models so small they can fit in your shirt pocket or a purse as well. This means no matter where you go you can take your GPS system with you. Another great improvement is the directions these units now give you. There was a time where only the elite models had turn-by-turn directions, but that has pretty much become standard equipment on most GPS systems anymore. In fact voice prompts are another big improvement on these devices and more companies are also making this standard as well.

MP3 players and picture viewers are other innovations that these systems are also seeing. People want their GPS system to do more than just give directions and companies are doing something about it. By adding the ability to play music and show pictures it gives these units just another selling point that makes they a must buy especially if you travel a lot.

Storage space was another big issue when these GPS systems first came out. Most had very limited space so you really could not download anything else to these units. That has changed over the years by implementing SD card memory slots to these devices. What this does is let people add new things to their unit without taking additional space up as it is housed on a SD card that fits in a slot on the device. You can put MP3 files, maps or even pictures on these cards.

Other innovations in recent years have been adding things such as traffic updates and the ability to access online content to your unit. These days you can get the latest gas prices all the way to what is going on in a certain area of the country that you may be traveling too. Most of these new services carry a monthly charge, but they can really save you a lot of time down the road.

Just as Bluetooth technology has come to cell phones it has also reached GPS systems as well. By having this new technology incorporated into these units you will have the ability to make and receive phone calls through your GPS system. All you will need is a Bluetooth enabled cell phone and you are set to go. Of course you will need to check each company’s GPS system as some [phones are not compatible just yet, but the list of ones that are growing daily it seems.

Last, but sure not least is the innovation of voice activated GPS systems. Garmin GPS has introduced a voice system where you talk into the unit and it does it all for you. No more input of addresses as it charts your course through your voice. This can be a great time saver especially if you are in a hurry.

As you can see GPS system improvements have really been vast in the last few years and that trend should consider in the future.  As more innovations are issued prices on units with older innovations will drop. This is a win-win situation for the consumer. The sky is the limit with GPS technology so look for new stuff to come out all the time to make travel much easier.

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Checklist for Buying A GPS Navigation System

Everyone around you has already bought a GPS navigation system, but now you feel that it is your time to get one. What do you need to know before you make that purchase? We have compiled a checklist to help you decide which unit will be best for you.

Model and price is something that you must pay close attention to. If you’re comparing the same model for price make, sure it is exactly the same one. One letter or number can really change the price and the features on it. This is why you must make sure it is the right one so you can get accurate pricing for the model you are looking at.

Warranty will vary on many different models. Some companies will give you longer ones than others so this is something to consider. The only thing is make sure you know exactly what it will cover because different companies cover different parts of the GPS navigation system.

Runs right out of the box. Many times people like navigation systems that are ready to run out of the box. The truth though is many units just do not do that. If you want a unit like that you must be very carefully as some companies have a different perception about what run out of the box means. Size and weight is something that you must look close at as well. If you want something compact, there are many models to choose from. Most are very lightweight and all this must be considered when making a purchase.

One of the biggest things on GPS navigation systems checklists is screen size and colors. Most people will tell you the bigger the better, but not pixel size is something that is just as important. Pixels determine how clear your screen will read. Even if you get a bigger screen but the resolution is not very good, than it really is not worth the extra money that you will have to pay for it.

Most of the time you should have no problem seeing the display on your GPS navigation system, but when the sunlight and nighttime arrives many times it can be a problem. Companies have realized this fact and most now have a Day/night mode, which usually automatically adjusts it so you will always get the best performance possible. Controls are something else that you will want to look into. Most models now come with touch screens, but a word of warning with that as well not all are created equal. Yes, two models could have touch screens, but how they work can be different so take that into account.

Mapping is another area with GPS navigation systems that you also want to look careful into for a couple of reasons. Most navigation systems use maps that are a year or two old so you should look for a system that has a way for you to update them. The second thing that you need to look for is how frequent does the unit updates the maps that are pre-loaded and can you buy or add other maps to use. These are very important especially if you travel a lot.

Text to speech is a function where the GPS navigation system will announce every turn you have to make or what street you may need to be on. This is important because it keeps your eyes fixed on the road and not on the unit. Route planning is also very important. Many different models are making this a priority as it use not be one. Many extra features are being introduced that you may want to look into. Some of those include Bluetooth technology, MP3 players, DVD players and displaying pictures. Probably out of all those, the Bluetooth is the feature that people will use the most.  This feature lets you answer your phone through most GPS navigations systems if it is compatible. This is the only drawback as most units are not compatible with every phone so that is something that you will need to look into.

The checklist above is some of the things that you will need to look at when purchasing your first GPS Navigation system. Most people just grab a unit that a friend recommends or grabs one that looks nice. Do not make these mistakes. Do your homework and study the models you’re considering so you can get the most out of the hard-earned money you will be spending. Just buy what you need and do not buy more just for the sake of owning it

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