| What to Look for in an Auto GPS
Are you looking for a unit for use in the car, a camping/hiking model or something in between? Let these considerations help you choose.
- Quantity and quality of maps. The more in number and quality, the better. Built-in and detailed road maps of your areas of interest are must have's in a good automobile GPS receiver. Map uploads through a nifty USB cable or memory card is another plus factor. Some units have SD card slots.
- Automatic destination routing. Some inexpensive units can only handle point-to-point routing, compared to multi-segment trips.
- Text-to-speech capability. Some models with text-to-speech can even pronounce street names.
- Secure mount on dashboard. Aside from the convenience, ensure also that the mounted device is not in the way of the airbags.
- Multimedia features. examples are MP3 playback, photo storage, integrated speakers, FM transmitter. However, some models cannot (and perhaps were designed not to) play music and navigate at the same time.
- Capable of receiving live traffic reports and alerts. Examples of live-traffic data providers on subscription basis are FM TMC, MSN Direct service, Tele Atlas and Clear Channel. Compatible GPS units need to have a built-in or external receiver -- or team up with a Bluetooth-compatible phone -- to download the service and incorporate it into routing. Inquire about extent of coverage, however.
- Screen size. Check what is suited for your dashboard space: the more common 3.5-inch displays, or larger displays like in the newer Garmin?
- Weight and bulk. If you plan to use the (presumably feature-packed) device inside and outside the car, portability is important. If you don't prioritize this, you may want to be able to take it out of the car to avoid its theft.
- Large POI database (five million or more). Points of interest range from tourist attractions, hotels and restaurants to gas stations and ATMs.
- Convenience features. Aside from the touchscreen, predictive text input is also another.
Handheld GPS vs. Auto GPS
Outdoor handheld GPS
- Outdoors-oriented GPS receivers are rough-ready -- most are rubberized and water resistant
- Handheld GPS units are also made to be lightweight, can be held with one hand, with smaller (sometimes black and white) screens, and longer battery life
- Handheld models are sometimes equipped with the most basic maps, and some don't come with maps at all.
- with a windshield or dash mount, while most handheld GPS units don't
Auto GPS
- less portable than handheld GPS
- aren't water resistant
- large screens (average weight is less than half a pound).
- battery life compromised if used most of the time outside the car
- most can plug into a cigarette lighter
- come with highway maps and give audio directions
- GPS units mounted on dashboards or windshields are invitations to larceny.
- factory-installed units can't receiving new routing data nor be updated and can only be
- used in one car.
- factory-installed GPS units have two advantages: they offer a clean, integrated installation and they are much more difficult to steal than aftermarket auto GPS units
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