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How to Select a GPS System that is Perfect for You

Have you ever settled behind the wheel of your car wondering whether you really know how to get to your destination? Fear no more. GPS (Global Positioning System) car navigation systems can show and even tell you how to get to any destination. These products use the GPS, which relies on a host of satellites to determine where you are.

What Is a GPS Unit?

Most GPS systems are "plug and play," complete with preloaded maps on a DVD that you can just pop in and use. The GPS unit in your vehicle can determine your coordinates by triangulating the satellite signals it receives. Then it can pinpoint your vehicle's location on the roadmap you've loaded from the DVD, working out the best route for you to use to reach your destination.
For an extra subscription fee, you can also have traffic updates in your city fed to your system automatically. The GPS can then suggest alternate routes if the freeway is grid locked. The GPS is always recalculating your position relative to the map and is usually accurate to within 40 or 50 feet, so the system can alert you to conditions or road closures in plenty of time to take an alternate route.

Do I need a GPS?

It is better to have one. Unless you have an unfailing sense of direction and already know your way around each and every town you visit, you will quickly latch onto the joys of GPS. In no time at all, a GPS can become an electronic necessity second only to your cell phone.
There are several models on the market now that feature an amazingly accurate reading of your location, offering you directions as good as or better than those provided by online mapping services. And, the graphical GPS maps are almost always easier to understand than verbal or handwritten directions.
Once you let GPS technology into your life, you'll find dozens of uses for it, even while you're standing still. Some systems will permit you to program several destinations in advance, or to determine a preset itinerary, such as for running errands, to help you make the best of your time and gasoline usage.

Step One

Decide how often you intend to use the system. Inexpensive systems simply plug in to your car's cigarette lighter and are small enough to store in your glove compartment, but they're not as user-friendly.

Step Two

Consider the layout of your car. Some systems come with a monitor that displays a map. The monitor is commonly installed on the dashboard or on a pedestal extending from the dashboard. In some cars, such an installation may block air vents or make it somewhat uncomfortable for a passenger to enter or exit the vehicle or sit in the passenger seat.

Step Three

Select a system that features multiple ways of getting to your destination. This can include by address, by intersection, by a personal address book or via a location selected directly from the map.

Step Four

Look for a system that gives you vocal as well as graphical directions. The systems that use a map and monitor include arrows that show you the direction of a turn and also indicate where your car is on the map in relation to the destination. Other systems use the head unit or radio to display the name of the street on which you are to make a turn or on which you are traveling. Both of these systems also give you verbal directions as you approach a turn.

Step Five

Select a system that includes point of interest data. Most GPS systems include locations of airports and other transportation services, ATMs and banks, restaurants, hotels and a host of other sites. This programming enables your GPS systems to tell you the best route to the airport, the location of a public park, or even directions to a particular building based on the building name alone. This feature is handy enough in your own town, but if you purchase additional DVDs for other cities, you'll find it indispensable when you travel.

Step Six

Choose a system that offers updates of the point-of-interest data. Make sure the system you choose is also programmed with point-of-interest data for your city, with regular updates to that information. With the updated data of this service, you will always be able to find the closest ATMs, banks, restaurants, and hotels.

Step Seven

Consider installation time if you are working on a tight budget. Systems that rely on maps displayed on monitors are more complicated and take longer to install than other types of systems.