GPS Buyers Guide
Yes there are six things you need to know before you buy a GPS for your
car or truck. What do most people use a car GPS for? The most popular
use is to get turn-by-turn directions while driving from point A to
point B. Some popular car navigational units are the Magellan
Roadmates, the Tomtom, the Garmin Nuvi units, and the new Navigon gps
units.
1 - Screen Size and sound are important. Especially while driving.
The screen should be readable and bright, Also Make sure the buttons
are big enough for your fingers, so that you aren't pressing multiple
buttons at the same time. Vehicles are noisier than you may think.
Driving noise can make it difficult to hear weak audio. Be sure to
check out the sound quality to make sure you can understand what is
being said. It should be clear and loud so that you can hear it in your
vehicle.
2 - Downloadable Maps and memory. Most gps units come with maps
built in. A lot of them can download maps as well. It is a good idea to
puchase one that has the ability to download maps, so that you map
doesn't get outdated.
Memory - the more memory the gps unit has, the more locations, waypoints, landmarks, and maps you can save.
3 - The time it takes a GPS to find and display information. This
depends on the number of channels a GPS has. The more channels the unit
has the better the reception. Take this into consideration. You don't
want to have to pull over and wait for it to get map data if you make a
wrong turn.
4 - Does the unit speak street names? This is very helpful. If it does
not say the street names and it tells you to turn right. You may have
to glance at the unit to check the street name. This can be dangerous.
5 - What type of batteries are used with the GPS? Are they normal
rechargeable AA batteries or are they special manufacturer batteries?
Also how long do they last.
6 - Bluetooth is great for those who need to use cell phones while
driving, With Bluetooth the driver can make and receive hands-free
calls through the unit's speaker and microphone, and view their
telephone book and access caller ID on the screen. What an amazing
feature. Of course blue-tooth enabled units are little more expensive.
Those are the six things you need to know before you buy a GPS.
Heres a quick note about mapping data:
All Magellan Garmin and NAVIGON GPS units use NAVTEQ mapping data,
while TomTom uses Tele Atlas. I've done research online and found that
both NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas are both good and I would not base my
decision on which mapping data the gps uses.
Where to buy?
A good place to check prices is at: www.gpsreviewvideos.com
This website has video reviews of numerous gps units and links to
compare prices. That way you can watch a video of the gps unit, compare
prices from multiple sources online and get the best price.
By : Jason W
car or truck. What do most people use a car GPS for? The most popular
use is to get turn-by-turn directions while driving from point A to
point B. Some popular car navigational units are the Magellan
Roadmates, the Tomtom, the Garmin Nuvi units, and the new Navigon gps
units.
1 - Screen Size and sound are important. Especially while driving.
The screen should be readable and bright, Also Make sure the buttons
are big enough for your fingers, so that you aren't pressing multiple
buttons at the same time. Vehicles are noisier than you may think.
Driving noise can make it difficult to hear weak audio. Be sure to
check out the sound quality to make sure you can understand what is
being said. It should be clear and loud so that you can hear it in your
vehicle.
2 - Downloadable Maps and memory. Most gps units come with maps
built in. A lot of them can download maps as well. It is a good idea to
puchase one that has the ability to download maps, so that you map
doesn't get outdated.
Memory - the more memory the gps unit has, the more locations, waypoints, landmarks, and maps you can save.
3 - The time it takes a GPS to find and display information. This
depends on the number of channels a GPS has. The more channels the unit
has the better the reception. Take this into consideration. You don't
want to have to pull over and wait for it to get map data if you make a
wrong turn.
4 - Does the unit speak street names? This is very helpful. If it does
not say the street names and it tells you to turn right. You may have
to glance at the unit to check the street name. This can be dangerous.
5 - What type of batteries are used with the GPS? Are they normal
rechargeable AA batteries or are they special manufacturer batteries?
Also how long do they last.
6 - Bluetooth is great for those who need to use cell phones while
driving, With Bluetooth the driver can make and receive hands-free
calls through the unit's speaker and microphone, and view their
telephone book and access caller ID on the screen. What an amazing
feature. Of course blue-tooth enabled units are little more expensive.
Those are the six things you need to know before you buy a GPS.
Heres a quick note about mapping data:
All Magellan Garmin and NAVIGON GPS units use NAVTEQ mapping data,
while TomTom uses Tele Atlas. I've done research online and found that
both NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas are both good and I would not base my
decision on which mapping data the gps uses.
Where to buy?
A good place to check prices is at: www.gpsreviewvideos.com
This website has video reviews of numerous gps units and links to
compare prices. That way you can watch a video of the gps unit, compare
prices from multiple sources online and get the best price.
By : Jason W
