Make Traveling A Lot Less Stressful With the Right Type of Car GPS

By:Sandra Stammberger

Navigating using maps can be very frustrating especially if you are doing so while driving your car. This becomes even stressful when you are driving all alone in a strange territory. Sometimes, however, having someone with you won’t help either, because more often than not, your companion would end up confusing you more than helping you navigate the road.

But traveling need not always be this difficult. It doesn’t even have to be stressful. If you think it is the map that is causing you your problems, then better get away with it and throw it outside your vehicle’s window. Instead, go get a new car GPS receiver and use it instead of the map.

Car GPS Devices

Simply said, a car GPS device is a GPS receiver especially designed for cars and their navigation systems. Like all other types of GPS receivers, car GPS devices can also receive signals from GPS satellites and can use the information carried by these signals to determine its current location. But because they are meant to be used on moving vehicles, they must be stuffed with features specific to vehicle navigations systems.

In particular, car GPS devices must be able to give you the best possible route toward a particular destination. It must also be able to recalculate your route in case you miss a particular route instruction. It must also have a text and/or voice system for giving directions. Other basic features that all car GPS devices must have are:

• Map storage system
• Screen or display that can handle images of more than 320x240 pixels in size at a resolution and brightness suitable for driving.
• Address book for storing frequently visited addresses and points of interest
• Detachable or external antenna for better GPS visibility

Now, there are a lot of car GPS devices of different kinds and brands available for every type and brand of car there is today. Because of this, you may find it difficult to select the particular car GPS that would perfectly fit your needs, should you want to experience the functionality of one.

In general, however, you’ve got two options should you want to travel with a car GPS device. The first option is to purchase a vehicle with built-in or fixed car GPS system. The other option is to purchase a portable car GPS device suitable for your car.

Buying a Vehicle with a Fixed Car GPS Device

Built-in or fixed car GPS devices can usually be found only on brand new luxury vehicles. As such, you definitely wouldn’t see this option viable if you don’t have the cash to purchase a luxury vehicle. But for those who can easily afford one, this can be the best option because the GPS device is already integrated in the vehicle’s system. This removes all the hassle of installing the car GPS device on the vehicle and loading additional navigation software on the system.

Buying a Portable Car GPS Device

For those who simply can’t afford a new luxury vehicle but still wants to enjoy the functionality of a car GPS system, the viable option for him is to purchase a portable car GPS device. Now, for this type of car GPS device, you are again given two options: a portable car GPS preloaded with maps or a unit that would require you to transfer map data from your PC to the device.

Since the car GPS device needs to have a map in either option, choosing a car GPS unit preloaded with maps would seem to be a wiser choice. But while this type of car GPS device will save you from all the hassles of loading maps to the system, it also costs higher ($1,000-$1,500) than the other option.

The greatest advantage of portable car GPS units that requires map transfers, on the other hand, is their price, which would generally sell at the $500 to $800 range. Installing the system on your car, however, may be quite difficult and laborious.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article keywords: gps

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

S. Stammberger is the owner of GPS
Navigation Systems. A comprehensive resource center dealing with gps navigation and gps devices.

Top GPS Articles
1). GPS Handheld Mapping Devices - What Is The Difference? By : Dean Shainin So many companies that offered GPS handheld mapping devices are operated today. Some of them are just among those many outstanding GPS handheld mapping providers such as Magellan, Garmin, Lowrance, and much more.
2). GPS Tracking: An Executive Summary-Who, What And Why By : Ken Sink GPS vehicle tracking systems are a popular tool for business owners; Original equipment manufacturers from General Motors to Bobcat are including tracking systems in their vehicles. Here’s some background information to help you: Who uses GPS tracking? GPS tracking systems are used by businesses in the service, transportation and manufacturing industries.
3). Improve Customer Service With GPS Vehicle Tracking Systems By : Ken Sink Business owners: use GPS vehicle tracking systems to improve customer service and bring your business into the Information Age. The Information Age allows us to read breaking news, review up-to-the-minute stock-market information and check on the status of our bank account—all on demand. We take for granted the ability to find what we want to know when we want to know it.
4). Tracking Your Children With GPS By : Sintilia Miecevole From the moment children are born their parents naturally worry about them. Are they hungry? Are they warm enough? Are they sick? Soon parents face the surrounding dangers as toddlers start to crawl, walk and run. The hazards seem to be everywhere. As any parent knows, the concerns only become deeper seated as children get older. Safety is all a parent can think about - especially when their children are not with them.
5). GPS Vehicle Tracking Data: What Do I Get? By : Ken Sink What information is provided by GPS vehicle tracking systems? Here is a summary and examples of how you could use data provided by GPS tracking devices: Location data: Latitude and longitude provided in degrees, minutes and seconds. It is accurate to 33 feet, which is as accurate as any commercial GPS device. A vehicle’s location is updated at intervals of between 2 - 15 minutes.
6). GPS Tracking--the Smart Way to Protect Your Child By : Shawn Davis Whether it is your vehicle or your child, there are GPS tracking devices that can help you keep track of or locate them anytime, anywhere. It is more dangerous today for your children than at any other time in history. So putting a small GPS tracking device on their person to keep track of them is not as silly as it might sound. Today’s GPS tracking devices no longer require a line of site to the sky in order to work.
7). Navigation system Galileo By : erik The Galileo positioning system is a proposed satellite navigation system, to be built by the European Union (EU) as an alternative to the US military-controlled Global Positioning System and the Russian GLONASS. The system should be operational by 2010, two years later than originally anticipated. The Galileo positioning system is not abbreviated to GPS; use of the acronym "GPS", here and elsewhere, refers to the existing United States system.
8). GPS: Applications And Uses By : Gabriel Adams What are the uses for GPS? There are many, both for individuals, corporations, and the government. Military The military uses GPS technology to guide missiles, track and control forces and facilities, and more. GPS has allowed command and control of forces to greatly advance their effectiveness. Using GPS, units can report their exact location to command central, and easily find directions to other locations.
9). I Second that Motion with GPS Tracking By : Shawn Davis If you own a company that utilizes private vehicles, delivery trucks, even whole fleets, then you need to think about GPS tracking. One of the simplest reasons for using GPS tracking systems is that it is a sure fire way to keep track of travel records for tax purposes. But that is just the frosting on the cake. By using a GPS tracking system, you have a quick and easy way to keep tabs on the location of your company vehicles at any given time.
10). Do You Know Where Your Teen Is? You Do With Spy Matrix GPS By : Shawn Davis Spy Matrix GPS is the ultimate in car tracking technology. It is easy to use, easy to hide, and easy to follow. It is the perfect way for you to know where your car is now, and where you car was. Plus, this is a portable device, allowing you to transfer it to different cars at need. You can have peace of mind knowing where your car is it all times. And when you have teenagers, you can know where they have your car, thanks to the Spy Matrix GPS.

New GPS Articles
1). An Auto GPS System Transforms Geographic Challenges By : Chelsea Aubin Auto GPS Systems can take frustrating road travel and transform it to simple, easy and fun travel.
2). GPS Buyer’s Guide To The Best Systems By : David Stone For drivers in North America who are tired of staring at maps and pulling into gas stations to get directions the new technology of GPS may be the answer. GPS or Global Positioning Systems are an inexpensive and reliable way of finding your exact position on the globe at any given time. For the driver this can mean never having to look a road map again.
3). GPS Tracking--the Smart Way to Protect Your Child By : Shawn Davis Whether it is your vehicle or your child, there are GPS tracking devices that can help you keep track of or locate them anytime, anywhere. It is more dangerous today for your children than at any other time in history. So putting a small GPS tracking device on their person to keep track of them is not as silly as it might sound. Today’s GPS tracking devices no longer require a line of site to the sky in order to work.
4). Navigation system Galileo By : erik The Galileo positioning system is a proposed satellite navigation system, to be built by the European Union (EU) as an alternative to the US military-controlled Global Positioning System and the Russian GLONASS. The system should be operational by 2010, two years later than originally anticipated. The Galileo positioning system is not abbreviated to GPS; use of the acronym "GPS", here and elsewhere, refers to the existing United States system.
5). Child Find with GPS Tracking By : Shawn Davis In today’s modern and fast paced world, so many things have gone high tech; unfortunately, crime has, too. Not only do we have to worry about Internet stalkers going after our children, but it seems as though the number of children who disappear is also on the rise, especially when they are going to and from school. Fortunately, there is a GPS tracking system available that could help prevent child abduction, retrieve lost children and help searchers find missing children.
6). GPS - Why Bother? By : Sebastian Romero Global Positioning System - GPS - devices have become everyday items to many of us as their cost has fallen. Why would you want a system though? These devices communicate with geo-stationary satellites, which tell the device, exactly where on Earth it is. Very useful. GPS devices are now so miniaturized that they can be worn on the wrist, like a watch.
7). GPS Tracking Goes Miniature By : Shawn Davis Do you need your own, personal GPS tracking data logger? Not for your vehicle, necessarily, but for you the individual. A GPS tracking system that can fit into the palm of your hand or hidden on your person so that no matter where you are, no matter where you are going and regardless of how you get there, you will have a complete record available that gives the not only the date, speed, direction, location but also the altitude of your travels.
8). Keeping Tabs With GPS Tracking By : Shawn Davis While most people are aware of how a GPS tracking system is used on cars, trucks, and other types of motor vehicles, not everyone may be aware that GPS tracking is also great for use on boats. You have probably read in the newspaper, online or heard on the local news about people who have gone out on a boat, possibly for a pleasure cruise, possibly for a fishing trip, and have, for some reason or another, gone missing.
9). Automatically Tracking Your Car, Fleet, or Boat with GPS By : Faye Spencer There is a huge quantity of GPS products on the market for various requirements. For example there is a specific grouping of GPS products tailored for vehicle tracking and surveillance- in other words, tracking a car, a fleet, or any other automobile (hey you could even track a boat, etc). Certain product lines are sold only through authorized distributors- these are generally the more higher end GPS units used by heavy industry or manufacturing companies.
10). GPS Tracking Goes Covert By : Shawn Davis GPS tracking has become an important tool for both companies, who need to keep track of their fleets and company vehicles and especially for law enforcement as an instrument for tracking suspicious behavior and for use in the prosecution of criminals. Since the GPS tracking system can be set at longer intervals, you can easily extend the battery life of the unit by placing it at thirty or sixty seconds, while still maintaining enough accurate information of the starts and stops of the vehicle that you need for your investigation.