A Guide to GPS Car Navigation Systems
It may seem like everyone is interested in GPS car navigation systems these days. Makes total sense! GPS devices let you know where you are and give you turn-by-turn directions to inform how to get to the place you want to go, anywhere in the United States, Canada, Europe, or Mexico.
Plus they come with all sorts of cool features. And right there where area of the problem is for anyone enthusiastic about purchasing one.
There are essentially way too many manufacturers with way too many products that do way too many things.
Buying a GPS car navigation system seems like getting a master's degree in engineering.
Well, should you give me a few moments of their time, I can reduce this all confusion to a few issues you will need to think through so that you can pick out the right GPS in your case and your budget.
Right journey bat, there are three major GPS manufacturers, Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan. Garmin is definitely the big dog in the profession, selling around 70% of the GPS devices. Tom Tom is really a new arrival, but they've grabbed a great deal of market share with excellent products at excellent prices. While Magellan is definitely the older company, and not to be outdone within the features department.
There are also manufacturers, but personally I prefer to stick with the industry winners.
As far as what this stuff do, let's take a peek base features first.
All GPS units is able to do the following:
Tell you in which you are and how to get where you're going via voice instructions Access a considerable database of pre-programmed destinations (called Tourist attractions, or POIs) Interface using the user via a touch screen and an icon-based operating system Auto-calculate either the shortest or fastest route
If that's all you need to do, then for $150, you can get all this and even more. Things like digital picture viewer capability and audiobook capability are essentially standard features.
If you need to spend more, however, look what all you can get!
Bluetooth for hands-free calling FM transmission, in order to hear your device through your car's stereo system More extensive maps, Canada, Europe, Mexico Real-time weather and traffic (usually via subscription)
And, there's more!
As you decide to go up in price what each company offers really starts to differentiate itself.
Lowrance 140 26 5 Inch offroad Chartplotter Garmin Astro Tracking Collar Bundle Rosen Video DSGM1010P11 INDASH CABLE Navionics NAV MSD HM S HotMaps Southern Garmin 010 11043 00 City Navigator Europe Garmin Replacement Premium Strap Electrodes Magellan RoadMate 2036 4 3 Inch Navigator Garmin GMR 18 Marine Radar Garmin 35811 BlueChart HXUS039R Marine GPS Waterproof Receiver Enabled indicator Lowrance XOG 3 5 Inch Crossover Navigator uPro 31600 01 Soft Case Lexerd Approach TrueVue Anti Glare Protector Garmin Data Programmer Cards 010 10776 00 New eTrex Legend HCx GPS ETREXLEGENDHCX TomTom 4 3 Inch Portable Navigator Lifetime Humminbird XNT Transom Mount Transducer Magellan Leather Case 4 3 4 7 Inch Garmin 4 3 Inch Portable Navigator Lifetime Bracketron UFM 200 BL Dash Mat Universal Device GPS Chargercity ChargerCity Manufacture Replacement TETRAX X WAY MAGNETIC MOUNT PHONES Lowrance Waterproof Chartplotter transducer Enhanced Garmin Edge 605 Bicycle Monitor RAM Mounting Systems RAP B 166 2U Composite RAM Mounting Systems RAM B 166 202AU Universal Garmin compatible Rino Neoprene Carrying Windshield Mount Garmin Nuvi 1450 Garmin USA Speed Cadence Sensor rooCASE Neoprene Sleeve TomTom Navigator Garmin Heart monitor elastic strap PLANTRONIC PLN 81961 01 PLANTRONICS AUDIO646 81961 01 Garmin Wisconsin Michigan Illinois Indiana Navigator Vehicle Cigarette Comparable 010 10747 03 Sky Golf Car Charger SkyCaddie Lexerd 3450LMT 3490LMT Anti Glare Protector Garmin GPSMAP 60Cx Handheld Navigator TOMTOM Original Mount Charger Navigators Magellan eXplorist 100 Resistant Hiking GPS Navigation Dummies FD 220 Navigator Garmin GPSMAP 5 Inch Waterproof Chartplotter Pyle PLDNV78I Touchscreen Monitor Bluetooth Black Pouch Cover Garmin 1390T UNIVERSAL MAGNETIC phones TETRAX 72010 TomTom Portable Bluetooth Navigator Lifetime RAM Mounting Systems RAM HOL AQ2U Medium Magellan Roadmate 9020T LM Portable Auto PhantomALERT Detector Software Magellan Subscription Charger Power Adapter Cord Garmin Garmin eTrex Vista Waterproof Hiking
What you should do now is get on a beneficial website where you can actually have a look at specific devices, see precisely what their features are, to investigate their prices.