WHAT KIND OF GPS SHOULD I BUY?

Everyone has different needs and wants, so your choice of receiver will naturally vary.

What you need to do to answer this question is figure out what you want to use the receiver for, and how much you are wanting to spend on a GPS.  Knowing what each receiver can do will take some research.  There are a lot on the market and each one has their own special capabilities.

At the very least decide what you will be using your GPS system for.  Will it be for Driving, Hiking, Hunting, Boating, Fishing?  Is the battery life important?  What about the maps?  Do you want, or need, turn-by-turn directions?  Do you want it to be waterproof?  Is size and weight important?  Will it only be connected to the Laptop Computer?

WHAT ARE PRELOADED MAPS?

Preloaded Maps are ready to go right out of the box.  They will generally have detailed maps of at least the U.S. or North America (many also have Europe) plus millions of points of interest such as Hotels, Hospitals, Gas Stations, Shopping Centers, ATM's, etc.  Units without preloaded maps require you to upload sections of maps from your computer.

WHAT ARE TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAYS?

Touch Screen Display is extremely convenient and makes entering your data such as your destination very simple.  Units without  the touch screen feature require you to input data utilizing scroll wheels and buttons on the body of the unit.

WHAT IS TEXT TO SPEECH?

This is a very unique feature where as it will tell you WHAT specific road to turn onto "Turn left in 500 feet on Spruce Drive".  All other car GPS devices will give voice prompts but will not mention the ROAD.  I.E.  "Turn left in 500 feet".

WHAT DOES IT MEAN BY BLUETOOTH ENABLED?

BlueTooth enabled GPS Systems allow you to use your compatable BlueTooth phone from your GPS for hands free calling and more.

WHAT IS GPS WITH TRAFFIC REPORTING?

This adds another dimension to your GPS.  Radio networks transmit traffic data (only available in certain areas) to your GPS.  If you are headed towards conjested traffic for whatever reason, your GPS alerts you and gives you an option to pick an alternate route that avoids the traffic problem.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I SPEND?

You can spend about $100.00 to $3500.00.  It mainly depends on the functions and features you require.

Increasingly, cell-phone carriers offer basic navigation and location services for selected phones, typically starting at about $10.00 per month.

Dedicated GPS devices offer more features and specialization, and typically do not require a monthly subscription fee.

A basic handheld GPS unit will cost between $100 and $400.  Units at the lower end of this price range typically have some basic navigation functionality, but usually will have monochrome displays and no back ground maps.  Closer to $400, you get a bright color display, background maps (depicting roads and highways, points of interest, marine navigation charts, etc.) and sometimes even a built-in barometric sensor and electronic compass.  Also, some units within this price range offer roadmaps with turn-by-turn directions.

Above $400, there is a wide range of units with impressive features.  Most are designed with turn-by-turn directions, millions of points of interests (gas stations, ATM's, Shopping Malls, etc.)  and larger color displays.  At the upper end of the scale, mulit-function becomes more typical:  some have MP3 players, calculators/currency converters, or the ability to display digital photos, and some can be used for hands-free calling with a built-in microphone, speaker and Bluetooth Technology.

FEATURES TO CONSIDER

Once you have decided upon the use you will be using your GPS for and the price you can budget, then it is time to decide which specific makes and models fit you best.  If the device is going to stay permanently in your vehicle for navigation, then the size of the screen, sound and vehicle mounting are important.  Be sure to check out screen readability attributes such as brightness, font size, map clarity and so forth from all angles. 

If you plan on taking your GPS unit out of the vehicle, then battery power is  very important.  Batteries are expensive so make sure they are rechargeable and have a reasonalbe charge life  (at least 8 hours of continuous use).  If they are not rechargeable, make sure to budget for after market rechargeable batteries and a battery charger.