A recent survey says that the expected GPS sale by the end of year 2012 will be around 3 billion Euros. The next generation satellite navigation system is expected to hit the market within a couple of years. With the improved artificial intelligence and information relay system, the Satellite Navigation technology is expected to reach the apex in the near future. The cutting edge technology like dubbed CADRE (Congestion Avoidance Dynamic Routine Engine) is some of the recent innovation in the GPS system. Let us discuss some of the advanced features which are dominating the Sat Nav technologies in the UK market. more…

To find the best car GPS, you must first define what you need and expect from the GPS.

There are many options available in car GPS units and manufacturers are adding additional options with each new model that is released.

Currently, here are some of the available options to consider:

·        Text to speech (speaks street names)
·        Wide screen
·        Lane assist
·        Land assist with junction view
·        Bluetooth® wireless
·        MP3 player
·        Photo viewer
·        FM lifetime traffic
·        Preloaded map options
·        MSN® Direct

and the list goes on and on.

First, define what options you need. The most important one is “text to speech”. I highly recommend that you pay the additional amount to purchase a GPS that speaks street names. If the GPS tells you “turn right in 400 feet” but does not tell you the street name on which to turn, and there are two possible turns close together, you will have to look on the display for your street name. Taking your eyes off the road for only a few seconds is very dangerous. Don’t take the chance of rear ending the car in front of you or hitting someone.

Consider the other options. If you live in a metro area where you have to contend with daily traffic problems, then consider the FM lifetime traffic option. If you want to use the GPS with other Bluetooth® capable devices, then consider that option.

Once you have defined your selection criteria, you are ready to start your search for the best car GPS that will satisfy your requirements.

The best place to search for your best car GPS is on Amazon. Most people think of Amazon as a store. It is that, but it also has very powerful search and sort functions that let you find the best car GPS with only a few clicks.

On Amazon, GPS units are listed in the Electronics Department so begin by selecting “Electronics” in the left drop down search box. Then enter “gps” in the right search input box and click the orange “Go” button to the right of the search boxes.

When the page loads, you will see a rectangle across the top of the search results. Look in the rectangle for “See Most Popular in:” with a list of GPS types listed across the page. Click the “Vehicle” link in this list.

This will display all vehicle GPS sorted in bestselling order. The search results will fill several pages so you can browse through these search results pages to find the best car GPS that meets your requirements in your price range.

Recently at the market there are four major types of GPS receivers - the Standalone GPS receivers, Bluetooth GPS receivers, CompactFlash GPS expansion cards and Combo devices. In this article we give you one very quick to read but good for novice or future becoming GPS users guide.

Standalone GPS receiver

Standalone GPS receivers come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit different budgets from the basic monochrome screen ones to full-colour handheld and car navigation systems. There are quite a number of manufacturers in the market, but the more well-known ones are Magellan and Garmin, and they produce a bewildering array of standalone receivers, even down to wristwatch-sized ones specifically meant to monitor activities like jogging and cycling. Some issues to consider when buying a standalone GPS receiver is how much built-in memory it has - normally 1MB to 4MB of internal memory is not a good idea if you’re planning to load a lot of maps into the receiver as most maps tend to take up about 2MB to 5MB. High-end models also feature barometric pressure sensors and even digital compasses to augment the information provided by the GPS unit. Most standalone GPS units are also built to be very tough and water resistant which makes them ideal for hiking and water activities like sailing. more…

Garmin nuvi 360 bluetooth portable GPS navigator and personal travel sssistant is a GPS navigator, personal translator, multi-media entertainer and tour guide all wrapped into one. In addition to all the advanced features of the Garmin nuvi 360 - including automatic routing, turn-by-turn voice directions, an MP3 player and audio book player, JPEG picture viewer, and much more - this pocket-sized personal travel assistant comes with hands-free Bluetooth wireless technology, making it the hands-down go-anywhere travel companion.

Make Hands-Free Calls
The nuvi 360 integrates wireless technology with a microphone and speaker that lets you make hands-free mobile phone calls using your compatible Bluetooth-enabled phone. In addition, you can easily look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or from your phone’s call history log.

Navigation and Entertainment with Ease
For starters, the nuvi 360 includes a high-sensitivity integrated GPS receiver that offers exceptional performance and reception. A built-in Travel Kit that includes sample MP3s and audio books will get you started with entertainment, and with the unit’s SD memory card expansion slot you can add optional software, such as language and travel guides. A USB port is also included for loading and updating data. The unit also features Garmin Lock - an advanced anti-theft feature that disables the unit from performing any functions until you type in a specific four-digit PIN or take the unit to a predetermined location. A built-in lithium ion battery will give you up to eight hours of power, and an included 12/24 volt adapter cable will let you run the navigator off your vehicle’s power. An AC battery charger is also included.

Garmin GPS navigation systems are one of the most reliable and dependable navigation devices today. The Garmin Foretrex 201 is the most sophisticated of the Garmin Handheld GPS units of it’s kind. It is very much different than its fore runner, as it is so lightweight, that it is much lighter than many watches. It only weights 2. 75 oz.

This GPS unit uses a rechargeable lithium ion battery, so you do not need to worry about the battery running down. It actually has a 15 hour battery life. The great thing about the Foretrex 201 is that it easily mounts on your wrist just like your wrist watch. Its size is 3.3 inch X 1.7 inch x 0.7 inch (8.4 x 4.3 x 1.8 cm). The black and white LCD screen is 1.4 inch x 0.92 inch (3.6 x 2.3cm), which uses 100 x 64 pixels screen resolution.

If you are in a party and the other party members have another Garmin Handheld GPS receivers, they can pinpoint your exact location. The screen shows a small dotted line, right to where you are. So they can all ways keep track of you. Plus if you were to get lost in your surrounding all you have to do is to use the TracBack feature that is always there and the screen will show you the way back to your beginning.

If you are in a competition of some kind, you can set the timer to count down. The screen has a large number display which is great for looking at any data with a quick glance. The waterproof Garmin Foretrex 201 is tough to beat, and a must have on any type of outing. However, it does not float. It has a high sensitivity receiver, so you should have no trouble at all picking up other party members.

It is programmable, ( up to 500 locations can be added) so you can input your favorite waypoints and other points of interest. It can not only connect to your computer, using a serial cable. It has a trip computer already built in. This trip computer allows you to input all the current fishing and hunting maps that are available online, and if you are farther away than the location on the map, other Garmin Handheld GPS systems will still pick up your location. You can also input the location of your camp and where your vehicle is parked.

Once you get the box that the Garmin Foretrex 201 comes in, do not throw the owner’s manual or the quick start guide away; they will be very helpful in the future. As far as Garmin Handheld GPS accessories are concerned such as holsters and clips, as well as adapters; you will have to purchase them separately.

With all the new gadgets that are manufactured for outdoor fun, The Garmin Foretrex 201 is definitely one that everyone should own.

Author: LaZinnia Manley