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Find your destination every time with GPS
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Ever find yourself lost? Wondering how to go around a roadblock or heavy traffic, asking for directions every time someone gives you an address, or trying to figure out just at which Starbucks you are supposed to meet your friends?
Maps used to be the only solution, lots of maps. Also lots of time spent researching routes, lots of juggling directions while driving, lots of fighting over navigation (if you were lucky enough to have a copilot). Unexpected detours or spur-of-the-moment outings could be a nightmare.
Technology to the rescue! These days luxury cars come equipped with built-in GPS units. Fortunately there are also solutions for more modest budgets, arguably better solutions. Handheld GPS units are legion, with new models being churned out on a monthly basis, every one with better features than the one before. A handheld unit of course has the advantage of being portable and it can come with you in any car or no car at all, a common feature will even help you find the car.
Two brands dominate the market of handheld units, Garmin and TomTom, with others like Magellan close at their heels. Garmin even provides a nice summary of how GPS works here. Price is always important and there are always units available on sale, but since they are rarely the newest, make sure you check the discontinued models. Garmin churns out so many new units so frequently that their "discontinued" label may be tagged on something not yet a year old.
There are many choices and even more features. Determining what is worth your hard-earned cash takes some research, but just like when buying a computer, the first step should be defining your expectations. What do you really need? True, some things you may not learn about until after gaining some experience, but that is why the research should always include asking experienced users. An informed choice is always the right one. And don't forget that map reliability is priority one!
One extremely useful feature you may not find on the manual: You probably already know that online mapping services like Google Maps and Yahoo Maps can send any found spot and/or directions by e-mail or to an internet-enabled phone, Google Maps can also communicate directly with most GPS units, saving you the trouble of looking up an address twice.
Welcome to the wonderful world of personal satellite navigation and don't forget to look up Geocatching.
