Tips for Buying a GPS Device

Imagine what it would be like to never be lost again. If you or someone you know does a lot of driving or traveling, or spends a fair amount of time outdoors, then you understand the need to know where you are. Maps are nice, but if you don't know where you are, you won't be able to tell much from the map. A compass would help a little, but without understanding how to use one properly, it won't yield much information. A GPS device can tell you everything a map and compass can plus much more.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a network of satellites orbiting the Earth. A GPS device uses those satellites to figure out exactly where you are on the planet, down to a few feet. Just about any GPS device on the market can tell you where you are, where you came from, and how far, long and fast you've been traveling. If you're out in the wilderness or driving in a strange place, this kind of information can literally save your life. Not all GPS devices do the same things in the same manner so before you head out to purchase one, take a few minutes to review this handy guide.

There are two ways to determine what sort of GPS device to purchase: price and use. Simply put, you can pick one by determining how much money you want to spend or by the activity in question. For this article we'll break things down by use. Once you know what the recipient will use the GPS for, you can find one that fits your budget.

If you do a lot of driving, you'll want a device that will give clear audio directions and has access to plenty of street maps. There are a number of vehicle manufacturers that sell cars with GPS devices built-in. In this article, I'm assuming that this purchase is for someone else and you're looking for a portable device. This has several advantages. First, you can move them from vehicle to vehicle without any hassle. Secondly, the cost a lot less while still giving you the service you want. No matter what you're price range, there are still some things you'll want to look for when buying a GPS device.

Look for one with a good color display. Find one with a low-glare screen that you can see in any kind of light. Obviously, the bigger the screen, the better off you'll be but keep in mind that you could be paying more for the additional size. Find one that can easily upload all kinds of maps, especially street maps. The more maps you can access the better. You can use your computer to download maps onto most GPS devices. Most companies charge for this service, however. For the casual driver, consider purchasing a Secure Digital (SD) card to store maps as you need them. For serious, long-distance driving, look for a GPS device that has a dedicated hard drive that you can store a lot of maps in, giving the user easy access to any area he or she requires. Don't bother with any in-car GPS device that doesn't provide both text and voice directions. Many of the better models will actually use street names instead of simply telling you to take the next left. Better still; find one with a good Places of Interest (POI) list. This will contain things like local shopping, gas stations, hospitals, etc. Touch-screen controls, auto-rerouting and adjustable perspectives are also nice features. Some GPS devices even offer weather and traffic alerts. Of course, the more features you want, the higher the cost. Some GPS companies offer fee-based options that you can purchase later on. Most new devices will come with chargers and dash mounts. Look for mounts that won't damage your dashboard.

If this purchase is for someone that spends a lot of time on the water, you'll want a Marine GPS. Look for ones that plot charts and have both onshore and off shore mapping. This will help find your way around shallow waterways and underwater obstacles. Find one that is waterproof and buoyant to help ensure it doesn't get lost or damaged by the elements. Make sure the device is NMEA compatible as well. If this is going to be a gift for an outdoors-man, consider a smaller one with a built-in compass and maps.

No matter what you're using it for, a good GPS device should have 12 parallel receiver channels for accuracy. More memory equals more maps or at least maps with more detail. Look for one with around 8 megabytes or better, unless it has a memory card slot. It's always a good idea to find a device that will accept multiple power sources. GPS devices can range anywhere from around $80 for the most basic model to over $1000 for a good marine GPS. If you want quality and money isn't an issue, you can't go wrong with a Garmin. If you're not willing to pay for the best, Magellan also has a very good line of products at more reasonable prices. If money is an issue but you still want something decent, check out Lowrance. No matter what your price range, do enough research to ensure you're getting what you want in a GPS device. In the end, you'll be glad you took the time to get the right one.