by Kasey Endsley

Created on: December 04, 2008   Last Updated: November 22, 2010

Global Positioning Systems - better known as GPS's - are revolutionizing the way we get around. Using satellites to direct them, they can save you hours of frustration and the overwhelming feeling of being lost. Most brand-new cars come already installed with a medium grade GPS, which perform all of the basic functions and then some. These useful little devices will pinpoint your location and show a map of your surrounding area, offering quick routes to your selected destination.

DO YOU NEED ONE?: A GPS is not for everyone. They're fairly expensive, ranging anywhere from $60 for the novice, portable ones to $500. While many features are included depending on which type of GPS you choose, not everyone really needs one. If you are not a person who likes to travel, and know your way around well, there is no point in purchasing something you will never use. However, if you are a someone who travels or are a business person, a GPS will make your life much, much easier.

WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY: The typical performance of a GPS is, or course, to help you find your way. Using a map that recognizes geographical coordinates (street & house, business names), the GPS will take voice or typed-in commands and find the easiest and quickest route available. The more expensive systems will use radio broadcast to recognize and avoid routes that are traffic jammed. Points of Interest (POI) are also included in the database. These POI's include gas stations, public parking, speed cameras to watch for, restaurants, hospitals, hotel's, etc, so that you can always find nearby remedies for whatever problem you may have while on the road.

THE DOWNSIDE: Sat Nav Systems (Satellite Navigation Systems) have been linked to a few accidents involving misdirection on the product's part. One such case is that of a women driving at night obeying her Sat Nav System, who was hit by a train that did not appear on the system. Vehicles produced by Subaru, Lexus, and Toyota that include GPS's will not let the driver insert destination information or use the device for other services while the vehicle is in motion, which they say is a safety feature. If directions are already typed in, it will still show you the way, it will simply not let you insert new information.

WHAT I RECOMMEND: For a GPS on the more thrifty side, I recommend the TomTom ONE XL 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator. This system costs $129.99 and has the basic necessities; a large, easy to view display, radio based real time traffic information, map coverage in all states as well as Canada, and Bluetooth capabilities. For a more expensive, extravagant purchase, I recommend the Navigon 7200T 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigation with Bluetooth, Text-to-Speech, and Free Traffic Alerts. This has all of the same feature as the TomTom, as well as text-to-speech technology, NAVIGON Sync (which imports all of your contacts for easy address finding) and auto Day/Night mode.

Buying your first GPS, whether for your car or for your pocket, is a daunting, sometimes costly process. Make sure that whatever you buy is right for you.

Learn more about this author, Kasey Endsley.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.