As the demand for GPS, or Global Positioning System, navigators is on the rise, the supply of portable GPS navigators also rises. As with any electronic device that accommodates a real need, the number of different manufacturers and models continually increases as well.
Many of the newer GPS receivers do much more than just give directions via a digital map and a friendly voice. Some will help you find restaurants, gas stations, hospitals, and entertainment. Some will give information on areas of construction and congested traffic. Some even have mp3 players and photo viewers for when you need entertainment while away from your vehicle.
To make your buying decision even more difficult, most GPS receivers have many accessories that are sold seperately to enhance your GPS system. Window mounts, carrying cases, chargers, and FM transmittors are just a few of the available GPS accessories.
The pricing of GPS systems is just as varied as the available models. Ranging from $100 to $500 and even higher, you can find a portable GPS navigator that is budget friendly.
So how do you differentiate between the models and find out which one suits you the best? Here are a few things to consider:
- What size display do you need?
- Do you prefer a touchscreen display?
- Do you want voice-prompted directions?
- Which GPS systems have the best warranty?
- Do you need a WAAS-enabled GPS receiver?
- Which receivers have the largest points of interest databases?
- Do you need a dash-mounted or handheld GPS system?
You can search for information relating to specific GPS systems. You can also read customer reviews or leave your own review.
The features of the Sanyo NVM-4050 Easy Street Portable GPS Navigator make it a powerful and easy-to-use assistant when traveling. The 4-inch touch-screen LCD displays an intuitive user menu design which makes accessing the navigation features quick and easy. The NVM-4050 comes pre-loaded with maps of the US (including Alaska, Hawaii, & Puerto Rico) and Canada. The turn-by-turn, text-to-speech operation announces approaching street names and the number of feet or yards until your turn, thus virtually eliminating wrong turns.
The Plenio VXA-3000 portable GPS has a large 7-inch touchscreen that gives a clear view to guide you to your destination. It comes with an SD card pre-loaded with a map of the entire United States. It has a flip up GPS antenna and is ready to go out of the box. The Plenio 3000 offers turn-by-turn voice guidance available in several languages, automatic re-routing and smart detour navigation, and 2D & 3D maps support with day and night-view settings.
The TomTom One 130 Bluetooth portable GPS navigator is much more than a simple GPS receiver. It does provide accurate directions on a 3.5 inch widescreen display with touch sensitive buttons and friendly voice prompts, but that is only the beginning. The physical features of the TomTom One 130 include a sleek design, a large speaker for clear sounding directions, and a fold-out mount.
The Navigon 2120 Portable GPS Navigator packs plenty of features into its compact frame. Spoken driving directions with real street names let you keep your eyes on the road. It also provides realistic 3D views of complex exits and interchanges (including actual road sign text) so you get extra help where you need it most.
The TomTom Go 700 Portable GPS Car Navigation System has a multitude of options that make travelling easy. To start off with, it offers hands-free navigation with built in Bluetooth technology. Make calls and talk through the speakers of the Go 700 with the help of your Bluetooth enabled phone. All the while, the directions and map are still displayed on the 3.5 inch color screen.