What to Think About When Shopping for GPS Navigation

First Things First! Why Do I Want GPS Navigation?

Stop wasting hours debating with your family which restaurant to eat at -- find restaurants nearby! A quick search for restaurants on your GPS system will come up with directions to all of your local favorites (and maybe even a few you haven't tried before). Additionally, when traveling, personal GPS systems can help you find a rest stop to break up your journey, a nearby hotel, or the closest gas station. Going shopping? You can even find the store location of your nearest Sears! With thousands of Points of Interest (POI) stored in each handheld device, GPS users can find whatever they want, whenever they want. Returning to a specific location? You can even save it as a favorite for later!

Yet the benefits of GPS tracking do not stop at ease; as GPS units can determine your location within a few feet, you will always know where you are. Knowing your exact location enables you to report that location to authorities in case of an emergency. Hikers -- say goodbye to getting lost in the woods! Owning a GPS navigation system will not only aid your personal convenience, it will improve your personal safety. But how should you start shopping for GPS?

Getting Started - Things to Consider:

Whether you are a parent, a frequent traveler, a hiker, or a homebody, GPS can do wonders for your life. A military-perfected technology, GPS systems are now more accurate than they have ever been before. The right GPS navigation system can make your life easier, safer, and a lot more convenient. What do you need to consider when shopping for a GPS? What type of GPS system would you like? Are you going to be traveling a lot or just using the GPS around town? Would you prefer a GPS system built into the dash or a handheld GPS that you can bring wherever you go? How many features do you need?


Types of GPS Navigation Systems:

There are two main types of GPS systems to shop for, full featured GPS and handheld GPS systems.

• Full Featured GPS Systems: Full featured GPS devices are larger and brighter and can be mounted on your car's dashboard or windshield. Full GPS may provide voice guidance or voice recognition and have the broadest range of maps and Points of Interest. If your GPS is being used primarily as a car GPS, full featured GPS navigation systems are generally preferred.
• Handheld GPS Systems: Handheld systems are smaller and more portable, but tend to have less features. They are battery powered and ideal for the person who wants to take the GPS unit on the go. If you are shopping for a GPS system to use hiking, exercising, or during frequent travel, the Handheld GPS may be the way to go.

GPS System Features:

When shopping for a GPS navigation system, consider which features are most important to you. This will enable you to shop for GPS systems that best fit your interests. Also consider GPS price -- how much are you willing to spend to get the GPS features you would like?

• Maps: Will you need nationwide maps, local, or international? How accurate are the maps and how much will it cost you to update them? GPS system map packages range from only the US to all of North America to even Europe. In addition, how often does the company update their maps? How much will you have to pay to keep yours up to date? Some navigation systems come with frequent free updates whereas others may demand a small charge or subscription fee.

• Points of Interest: Points of Interest, or POIs, are businesses or landmarks that may be of interest to you. How many POIs will you need your maps to come with? Do you want a GPS that warns you about upcoming landmarks such as churches and schools? A navigation system that can direct you to the nearest bank or mall? Your GPS system could have no points of interest stored or it could have more than 6 million POIs. If you will be searching for smaller businesses, navigation systems with less than 1 or 2 million searchable points of interest may not have the businesses you are looking for. If you are only going to be searching for larger, more well known businesses, landmarks, and corporations, you should be fine at any level.

• Voice Navigation and Voice Recognition: Are you shopping for a GPS with voice navigation so you can keep your eyes on the road? Voice recognition so you can use it hands free? What languages do you speak? Many GPS navigation systems offer verbal directions in a variety of accents and languages, but some even offer voice recognition capabilities that allow you to tell it verbally where you want to go -- hands free.

• Traffic Reports: Some GPS systems offer local and national traffic and weather reports. Are you shopping for a device that gives you all this information or do you just want to get from point A to point B? Are you frequently commuting during rush hour? Are you going to need to subscribe to any extra services? For long or time sensitive trips, or even just your morning commute, shopping for GPS with traffic reports could be a good idea for you. There are three ways that traffic reports can be received:
  • Bluetooth: Bluetooth traffic reports are received through your phone, so having the right phone with a data plan is necessary. If you do not have a compatible phone, but still want traffic reports, you would be better off with FM or XM radio.
  • FM Radio: FM radio updates are received through your standard car radio. A few offer this service for free, yet some may require a subscription or an extra antenna. This is the most basic and the least expensive way to receive traffic reports.
  • XM Radio: Though you do not have to have XM radio to receive this service, you will have to pay a subscription. For those who do have XM radio already, the subscription will be a cheaper fee added on to your usual XM bill.

• Accuracy: Just as GPS systems vary in the features they include, they vary in accuracy as well. If you frequently get lost or are not great with maps and directions, it may be important for you to have pin point accuracy in your GPS. If you are great with direction, however, GPS accuracy may not be as important for you. Accuracy can be assessed through the time it takes to find a signal as well as the literal accuracy of your location -- are you where it says you are? The best GPS systems will be accurate to within just a few meters whereas less expensive models may be closer to 15 meters.

• Extras: Finally, make sure to check out what extras you will be paying for. GPS navigation systems are often not a one time fee. When shopping, look for the prices of service plans, warranties, updates, upgrades, and anything else. Use our handy compare tool to compare and contrast the descriptions of a number of different GPS systems to see what extras you will need.

Before deciding on a GPS navigation system, figure out which features are most important to you. If you are not good with directions or don't know an area well, it may be worth it to spring for a more expensive, more feature packed console. If you are just interested in GPS as a digital atlas, a basic GPS model should be fine. Now that you know what to look for, you can begin shopping by brand.

GPS Brands:

Are you loyal to a specific brand? How much are you willing to spend on a GPS navigation system? How does coverage differ between brands? Features? Browse and compare popular GPS brands at Sears.com

• Garmin GPS Systems
• Magellan GPS Systems
• Tom Tom GPS Systems
• Sony GPS Systems
• Navigon GPS Systems
• Nextar GPS Systems
• Mio GPS Systems