Handhelds
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.
Why a Handheld GPS Unit Maybe Your Best Buy
It seems these days GPS systems come in all sizes, prices, and designs. You can get them for a vehicle or your wrist and even to hold in your hand. The real question though, which is really best for you. We have looked at all three different types and we have come up with why the handheld is really your best option. Read further to find out why the handheld GPS system is the way to go.
Handheld GPS systems are very popular these days and in my opinion probably, your best buy right now. Let us look a little closer and see why that is. First most handhelds are so portable that you can toss them in your pocket, purse, or even briefcase. These are much tougher to steal as you can hide them where a car unit that is mounted many ties cannot be.
Do you love to hike? Ride a bike? Or even go fishing? Than the handheld is the model for you. Most handheld GPS systems now can be used for a variety of different applications. This means no matter where you are or what you want to do just toss it in your pocket and you are ready to go. Other portable units do not let you do that.
Handheld portable GPS systems are fast becoming the units of choice. There use to be a time when the screens on these models were small and ugly looking, but that has really changed. The Screen resolutions are much better and many models have introduced color, which have been big selling points for these units, but it does not stop there. Map selection in many of these models also has improved and you can almost get any map you want. This means no matter if you’re traveling on the highway or deep into the mountains, you can access the map that you need.
Other big changes that have come to the handheld GPS unit are the SD memory card slot. This means you will be able to add more things to the unit as well. You can actually change memory cards and have certain data on each one. This means you no longer have to worry about searching all the time or running out of room on a certain memory card. Battery life is something else that a handheld has a big advantage over. Most portable units have a real short battery life while these units have a much longer time. This is very important as you need them to last a long time especially if you’re away from home or have no way to charge your battery.
Many of the newer handhelds also now use replaceable AAA or AA batteries so you can carry extra ones with you and never have to worry about your unit going dead. Prices are another area that has really seen a drop recently. When handhelds first came out they were on the expensive end, but that has change and they are much cheaper than ever before. I think that has a lot to do with the popularity of handheld GPS systems these days.
As you can see, handhelds have really changed since you first looked at them. They are much cheaper than when they first came out. You get many more extras than you can imagine. Battery life is also much longer so you can spend even more time wherever you are at. Lighted display even lets you do things at night without any worries about ever getting lost. Toss in SD memory cards and you can see why the handheld GPS system probably is the best deal for your money.
It is true that portable GPS systems have bigger screens and maybe able to do some really nice things, but short battery life really makes these not practical for long time use outdoors. This is why more people are turning to handheld units than ever before. The ability of these to do so many things make them very enticing for people and that is why sales are really taking off for these types of models.
Overall, if you want the best product for your dollar than probably the handheld is the way to go. You get so much for your money they are really hard to beat these days. As more features are added to them, they will just become even more popular. Grab yours today and you will see why people love the portable electronic powerhouses.
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