Before you go shopping a portable GPS device, make sure you know what to look for. Here is the Portable GPS Devices Guide and Tips:
Map availability. Make sure to check that you can buy maps for other countries if you like to travel.
Free map update. The Manufacture of Portable GPS device should allow you to download free map corrections, because 15% of the road network changes every year.
Traffic congestion support. Look for traffic software TMC-RDS support in any navigator you will buy that will help you avoid traffic hotspots and allow you to receive the Suna Traffic Channel broadcasts.
“Where am I?” feature is important when you get stranded on a remote country road at night.
User interface. Try out a few to see how easy it is to do basic things, such as switch between day-night brightness, navigate to a new destination and access your favorite destinations.
Touch-screen quality. A navigator touch screen should respond to a light touch; that makes typing addresses very easy.
Windscreen mount. The best Windscreen mount for Portable GPS Devices are simple: compact one-piece mounts that the navigator clips onto easily, allowing tilting and swiveling.
Computer syncing capabilities. Get Portable GPS devices that come with software to help you upload maps, back up your favorite locations and so on. And make sure it works on your computer (especially if you have Windows Vista or a Mac).
Speaker loudness. Check the navigator has a loud enough speaker if you have a car that doesn’t seal out noise from the outside world perfectly.
Handsfree features. Portable GPS devices that can double as a handsfree speaker-mic for your mobile phone is a great value-add to look for.
As I was writing the above article, it struck me that you may be interested in reading this too: Using a Portable GPS System and Most Noticeable the Benefits of a Car GPS System I hope you find it useful.
]]>Now What Do I Choose?
Now that you’ve learned about the differences between the systems, let’s look at a few brands with great reputations for being simple to use with a lot of great features:
Garmin – If price is an issue to you, you may want to turn away from this often expensive, yet always reliable
Garmin GPS
company with a reputation for selling the best GPS systems in the world. Most of their products range from $350 – $750, but you’ll always get plenty for your money, including wide screens, long battery life (if portable), extensive mapping and directory options, accurate navigation, and even MP3 and Bluetooth features.
Magellan – Another company known for selling some of the best GPS systems on the market, Magellan offers a wide variety of products for mapping directions and accurate navigational instruction.
TomTom – This company ranks fairly high as well for its features and offers standard options as well as a Map Sharing tool that gives very accurate and up-to-date information on roads around the country.
Learning which companies offer the best GPS systems in the industry takes time and effort on your part.
Also, check out my other guide on The TomTom One XL – A Portable GPS Car Navigation System and The Review of Magellan GPS Receiver
]]>Decide What You’re Looking For
Some of the decision-making process falls in the laps of the companies selling you their product. But I believe firmly that one way to help you determine which are the best GPS systems on the market is to decide which ones are best for you – and you make this decision by choosing the features you most need.
There are four main categories of systems out there to choose from, however most companies combine at least two or more features into one device for versatility. To clearly learn about the differences though, we’ll view them separately.
Mapping – There are tons of mapping devices that fall under the category of best GPS systems. This is because more people are usually interested in mapping features, which means companies work harder to make sure this feature is especially accurate and reliable. However, do understand that there is a difference between a device with mapping features and a mapping system. The mapping system is different because it is used to collect data for field work such as farming, timbering, and wetlands/marsh work. Instead, you may want to pursue a system with a mapping feature for directions only, because you could find you’ve bought a device with a lot of “stuff” you just don’t need.
Surveying – Surveying devices can be similar to those for mapping in that they can be pretty complex beasts for the everyday person simply trying to accomplish a few minor tasks. Models that focus primarily on this feature are also used more so for professional surveyors in the field who are looking to collect data on property and land. While you can find these devices among the others available, for everyday navigational purposes, these would probably be too advanced for your needs.
Tracking – These systems can come in the more professional version, but many everyday people are finding them to
GPS Navigation
come in handy when they want to keep track of their children, and keep criminals away. These models can come in a variety of forms ranging from a small device put in a car to track its whereabouts at all times, to a cell phone or watch you can give to your child that can be viewed from a remote location.
Navigating – Many people would say the best GPS systems come as standard navigating devices because they are used to help them navigate through unfamiliar territories with simple and convenient voice turn-by-turn instructions.
Of course, as mentioned with the above options, you are likely to have more than one feature in one, but the main idea is to make sure you are getting the features you want – and not a lot of unusable features – for your money.
You may want to check out my other guide on Auto GPS Systems and The TomTom ONE 125, a Portable GPS Navigator
]]>