GPS makes navigation much easier. When you have a GPS unit and an unobstructed view of the sky, you will never be lost again. There are a large variety of GPS devices out there, and purchasing the best one for your needs will help guarantee that you get the most out of your GPS device. After all, a device that does not work well for your requirements tends to stay at home and not get used. This guide will help you ascertain the right type of GPS for you so that you'll get years of utilization from your GPS.
Step 1: Selecting the right type of unit
Before you buy a GPS, you need to know about the different types of GPS devices out there and how each will meet your specific needs. The important types of GPS units are: vehicle, handheld, and PDA attachments. The type of GPS unit you select will vary dependent upon your needs, and the features you should look for will vary based on the type of device you are buying.
Vehicle GPS systems are a huge time save if you drive for a living or make trips to lots of different areas with which you are not familiar. Vehicle GPS systems usually come with features which help make using them in a car much easier: features like automatic route finding which tell you where and when to make turns so that you do not need to take your eyes off the road. Some vehicle GPS units even come with technology that alerts them to real-time traffic-reports and they can re-map your route based on the current traffic. If you plan to use your GPS chiefly in your car, you should consider a device designed specifically for this kind of usage as these systems tend to have bigger, easier-to-read, screens than most handheld devices.
Handheld GPS devices are the most versatile sort of GPS units available. They can be used when walking, camping, driving, really any place you can go. However, this versatility normally comes at the cost of advanced features. Since the entire system needs to be portable, screen size is commonly limited and this can make many features of a GPS (such as map visuals, route marking, breadcrumb trails, etc) harder to use than a device that is fixed in a vehicle or that makes use of a larger screen on a computer or PDA. If you intend on using your GPS primarily in your car, a smaller screen may make it hard to use. If you plan on using your GPS when camping, fishing, or hiking, this is probably the best kind of GPS for you.
GPS systems that plug in directly to a laptop or PDA usually depend on the computer or PDA for all of the advanced GPS functionality aside from the collection of the positioning data from the GPS satellites. Because a significant amount of the functionality is moved to the computer or PDA, the GPS system itself is usually much cheaper than a stand-alone GPS unit. However, if you plan on using your GPS for walking, backpacking, camping, or in a marine environment, bringing your PDA or laptop may make using your GPS unit more trouble than it is worth. As such, GPS systems that connect to another device are more commonly employed in vehicles and for people who navigate by foot in cities. If you are looking for the cheapest GPS system around and you already already have a GPS-compatible computer or PDA, this may be the optimal option for you.
Step 2: Picking GPS Features
Based on the kind of GPS device your are getting, here are some of the features that you will want to examine.
Accuracy -- In general, GPS devices have an accuracy of about 50 feet. If accuracy is something you value (perhaps you are laying out a course for a race and you really want to make sure you get the 5K distance correct), consider a device with WAAS (wide area augmentation system) since this doubles the accuracy of a GPS device. This feature tends to be most useful in handheld units.
Address Finding -- Some GPS devices make it easy for you to enter a specific street address. This is very handy when driving and is a feature most often used in vehicle GPS units or units used in vehicles.
Automatic Route Finding -- This is often used in conjunction with address finding. This feature configures the GPS to tell you where to turn to get to a pre-programmed address. This is a very useful feature for vehicle systems, or systems used in vehicles, as it allows you to use the device without having to take your eyes off the road.
Built-in Maps -- Lots of GPS systems will come with maps that are built-in; for example, all of the United States. If you are buying a device with a pre-installed map, make sure you get a GPS for your area, especially if you are shopping on-line. Also, make sure that the map can be upgraded. If you plan on having your GPS for several years, you can be certain of roads changing during that time.
Compass -- Believe it or not, there are GPS devices that do not have a compass except for when you are traveling above some minimum speed (often faster than a walking speed). But there are GPS devices that provide true compass functionality even when not moving. This feature tends to be most useful in handheld GPS devices.
Computer Compatibility -- If you are looking at a GPS system that connects to a computer (which is most of them), and you are using a non-Windows computer (like a Linux machine or a Mac) be sure that the GPS unit can connect to the type of computer you have. Every GPS device that connects to a computer will support a Windows machine. But compatibility with other operating system varies.
Downloadable Maps -- Most GPS units allow maps to be downloaded onto them. This is very convenient for people who travel far-and-wide. It also allows you to get away with purchasing a GPS with less memory since you can easily swap out the map to fit the area you will be in.
Expandable Memory -- If you plan to use your GPS device with maps, you'll want to be certain that you have sufficient memory to support the number of maps you will wanted loaded in your GPS. As it is with computers, the same is true with GPS systems: the more memory the better. Another option is expandable/swappable memory so that you can be sure you'll never run out.
Extended Battery Life -- If you are going to be getting a handheld or PDA attached GPS system, look closely at the battery life as this may be the limiting factor in your usage of the GPS.
External Antennas -- Some GPS devices provide for an external antenna to be attached. This can be helpful in vehicle systems where the satellite signal may be degraded by the device being in a car. It can also be useful in portable units since it allows you to keep the device packed but still be operating for things like creating trails.
Traffic Alerts -- Some GPS devices include the capability to download real-time traffic information. If you reside in an urban area, this can be an incredibly useful feature even if you are familiar with the area you are in. This feature tends to be available in vehicle systems and in PDA/computer attached units.
Water-Resistant/Proof -- If you are buying a handheld GPS system and you plan on going boating, camping, hiking, fishing, or doing anything outside with your GPS device, consider looking for a system that has some level of resistance to water. Also, know the difference between water-resistant and waterproof. Water-resistant indicates that the unit can be exposed to small amounts of water but it can't be completely submerged. If there is a chance your GPS will be totally submerged, you should consider a waterproof GPS, not one that is water-resistant.
