GPS Systems and Reviews

Travel Safely with Car Gps Navigation Systems

Whether you’re traveling to a friend’s house in the next town, or driving across the country, it is always a good idea to have as many travel resources handy as possible, that includes maps, water, extra blankets, flashlights, and a little food. It may seem to be an excessive thing to do, but you never know what situation you could end up in – caught in a storm or broken down on the side of the road. The more safety precautions you can take the better. The good news is, in addition to the normal precautions you can take advantage of, technology has taken the liberty of creating one more – car GPS navigation systems. Let’s learn more about them.

What Are They?

You may have heard of GPS systems either from an advertisement on television or from a friend who has gone out and bought one. In recent years, they have become very popular among everyday citizens because of the many advantages that provide. Where once they were pretty much only used by military officials, now they have been tailored to be of great benefit to civilians.

For example, if you getting ready to visit a restaurant on the other side of your town and you’re now sure exactly where it could be, instead of getting on the computer and visiting Google Maps, having to look up the addresses, then printing the map and directions, your in-car system will map the information for you and give you turn-by-turn directions similar to the Internet maps. The bonus, however is that you do it from the convenience of your car and don’t have to worry about your map blowing out of the window.

One thing you should know about these systems though is that car GPS navigation systems and the standard system I just described are slightly different. A navigation system, like the standard system, work from a satellite feed to provide real-time directions to its users. However, the standard version provides you a static map, whereas the navigation version actually gives you turn-by-turn directions as you head toward the location. It can also let you know when you’ve made a wrong turn. It is more interactive – and essentially a better purchase for someone who frequently gets lost when driving.  

Car GPS navigation systems are usually a part of the standard system, yet come with additional software that allow you to take advantage of the additional features. So when you invest in one of these devices, be sure that you’re prepared to spend a little bit more for the extra features.

What Brands are the Best?

As with any technological advancement, when it becomes popular, there will be the good, the bad, and the ugly versions placed onto the market – and it will be up to you to decide which ones are truly the best for your needs, and which are selling you a lot of features you don’t need. While I’m no supreme expert on car GPS navigation systems, I have done some research to guide you in the direction of the brands that have the best names in the industry, as well as what features they have that might suit your needs.

Garmin Nuvi 660 – Garmin is perhaps the most popular brand in car GPS navigation systems. They have been in business for almost 20 years creating electronic technology geared in this direction, so it is no surprise that they are able to create a system that stands out above the rest. In particular, their Nuvi 660 is high-performance and versatile with navigation basics (pictures of roads with turn-by-turn instructions), as well as tools for a person who travels the world, and Bluetooth options. It comes very highly recommended by experts and customers alike, but the only drawback for some would be the price, which falls into the $550-$700 range. Before you hash out that type of money, be sure you need all of the features advertised – you never know, you might find one that suits your needs for a lot less.
    
HP iPaq rx5900 Travel Companion – This device is a part of the Hewlett Packard collection of devices ranging from printers to computers. Their Travel Companion was created as an all-in-one solution that not only works to navigate you through your streets and neighborhoods with ease, but also keeps up with your schedule, working as a PDA. Many reviewers rave about its capabilities, also noting how compact and stylish it is compared to other devices on the market today.

Magellan Maestro 4250 – This is one of the mid-level car GPS navigation systems on the market (it doesn’t have top capabilities, but it certainly gets the job done). As with the Garmin, it gives you turn-by-turn navigation, which is great. But one of the other features that people love with this device is its voice command features. In addition, it is extremely accurate and performs well overall, making it a top pick among reviewers.

TomTom GO 720 – This is another one of the recommended car GPS navigation systems available. Like the HP Travel Companion, it is sleek and stylish, which works great if you want one that matches your stylish car. In addition, it has a Map Share community tool that provides you with constant map updates in real time. Also, it has a safety option included that allows you to seek help from your car in the event you have an emergency and are without a cell phone.

Mio C520 Navigation Receiver – Another sleek and stylish model, this device has advanced navigation features and a larger screen than most. It actually has more bang for the buck, offering these additional features at around $250-$350. However, in overall capabilities, some of the competition is more reliable and smooth.

Of course, there are more car GPS navigation systems on the market than these, but the ones listed have the best overall reputation and can provide a more reliable experience. But before you run out to buy one do additional research. There may be some car GPS navigation systems that look great, and even work great, but don’t suit your specific needs. And the last thing you need is to spend a few hundred dollars on something you really can’t use.

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In-Dash and Portable Automotive GPS Systems Make Driving Safe and Fun

Are you looking for some assistance when traveling to your next destination but are tired of using paper maps? Some people have taken on websites like MapQuest or Google Maps to get directions in their area and beyond. But what do you do if the directions you print from your computer fly out of the window while driving? Stop at a convenience store and pick up a paper map, which puts you back a square one. A good way to avoid this drama is by purchasing one of the in-dash or portable automotive GPS systems available. This way, you can always get to your destination without ever having to worry about getting lost.

What Are In-Dash Units?

In-dash automotive GPS systems are those that are either purchased with a new vehicle, or are built into the dashboard of one after it is purchased. Many people prefer these units because they are secure in the vehicle and offer a lot of features that you may not find in the portable unit. For example, the Pioneer AVIC-Z2 unit offers a huge 30 GB hard drive, a size that can rival that of PCs on the market. But that’s not all it offers. You can also take advantage of a huge Tele Atlas with over 12 million points of interest (POIs) such as ATMs, hotels, restaurants, and fuel stations.

A few other features that consumers love about this system are the humungous 7-inch screen, music library, DVD playback, traffic flow lane information, and 3D landmark icons. Also, if you have an iPod, you can control it from this unit. You can also take hands-free calls by utilizing its Bluetooth-compatible functions, and of course, you can take advantage of its stellar navigation feature with turn-by-turn voice instructions and text-to-speech technology.

About Portable Units

Portable units are definitely the most popular among automotive GPS systems because they can be moved from car to car without having the extra cost of purchasing an additional unit. Even more, they don’t require that you pay to have the unit permanently installed, forcing you to potentially have to send it off when you sell your car.

There are a wide variety of portable units available for purchase. Below is a short list of those you can get your hands on today.

Garmin StreetPilot c530 – This unit is relatively inexpensive, especially compared to the in-dash unit listed about which costs around $800. The Garmin device is closer to $250 and offers a lot of features for the price; some include 2D and 3D maps, turn-by-turn voice navigation, and traffic monitoring that alerts you when your route may be driving you toward road construction or something else that may hinder your travel.

Garmin Nuvi 660 – If StreetPilot c530 doesn’t offer enough features for you, then you can up the ante some (in features and price) by picking up the Garmin Nuvi 660. It is one of the most popular navigation systems available today because of the large number of features offered, including turn-by-turn navigation, hands-free calling, traffic alerts, an FM transmitter, preloaded City Navigator color street maps, millions of points of interest, an audio book and MP3 player, text-to-speech technology, language translation SD cards and travel guides to name a few.

Magellan Maestro 3140 – Magellan, like Garmin, offers some of the best automotive GPS systems on the market today. The Maestro 3140 in particular is a great option for those who enjoy navigation features with a little bit more; that “little bit” including turn-by-turn voice audible navigation, text-to-speech technology, hands-free calling, a built-in AAA TourBook with travel information and roadside assistance, and maps of Canada and the United States.

TomTom GO 510 – Where you find Garmin and Magellan units, you will usually find TomTom units as well. This is because their reputation is also great among their competitors. This device specifically is known because it offers a larger 4-inch display screen (portable units normally offer 3.5-inch screens). Also, it comes with hands-free calling, real-time weather and traffic updates, turn-by-turn navigation, and software that allows you to store the routes you’ve traveled in the event you need to return to an exact location and don’t have time to manually retrace your route.

Looking for more about automotive GPS systems? There are tons of online and print sources that can give you a jump start on finding the information you need. Now is the time to get your hands on one of the many great automotive GPS systems. Don’t wait until your next road trip only to be forced into using one of those annoying paper maps.

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