GPS :

Automotive GPS systems can provide voice guidance and detailed turn-by-turn instructions on
how to get from one place to another. Software and maps (either stored locally or externally on
DVD or HDD) compare your current whereabouts to known map coordinates and overlay this
information onto interactive maps that can be used in many ways.

Route guidance is perhaps the most significant benefit of any automotive GPS system. On most
systems, it's as easy as inputting your desired destination and then letting it determine the best
route from your current location based on some default settings.

The majority of high-end vehicle navigation systems have touchscreen displays that allow users
to enter an address, waypoint or destination quite easily. Some, however, require additional
software, a computer and an Internet connection before you can head out into undiscovered
country.

Many systems allow users to specify their own route preferences based on certain parameters.
Instead of going the most direct route possible, for example, you could ask it to plot a more
scenic route. Perhaps you want to avoid freeways, toll routes, roads with speed limits below 35
mph and/or vice versa.

There are many benefits to having a GPS navigation system in your vehicle. That said, this
technology is a navigation “aid” that's been designed to enhance your driving experience. It is
not an automatic pilot system and, just because the navigation is turned on, doesn't mean you can
turn off your brain. There's still something to be said about researching and planning your route
ahead of time.

Many vehicles come with GPS navigation built right in. Some offer it only as an option while
there are others that don't offer it at all. Of course, you can add a GPS system to any vehicle any
time you feel like it.

MOBILE PHONES, PDAs AND ADD-ONS

Advances in GPS technology have been happening at a torrid pace since “Selective Availability”
ended and the civilian GPS signal strengthened in 2000, when at the flick of a switch, accuracy
of non-military devices went from 100 meters to just 20 meters. While the latter could be
considered one of the most significant advances to date, a more recent trend is making a strong
case to change all that.

More and more, GPS navigation is being used in a growing number of personal communications
and computing devices. So, if you don't need or want a dedicated portable GPS or a navigation
system for your vehicle, there are alternatives.

Garmin's nüvi series may have started the trend toward full-featured portable Personal
Navigation Devices (PNDs), but it's not the only game anymore. Much of the competition,
including the TomTom Go and Magellan Maestro 3225, shares the same basic feature set and are
as adept as many in-car systems – detailed maps, voice routing, extensive POI database, on-the-
fly information – but are more useful in a variety of situations in and out of your vehicle.

Location-based services, subscription services, the availability of different locales and types of
maps (satellite imagery, topographic maps, maps of other continents, marine maps – you get it!)
and various different-but-specific functions/softwares/applications that extend the usage of any
given device will continue to differentiate these products at the consumer level. What you need
and how much you're willing to pay is up to you