Virtual Earth

The search for the perfect global positioning system is on! You have been looking and looking and looking, but haven’t really known how to narrow down your search to the one that is right for you. You keep hearing that there are some great ones out there, but you can’t help but wonder what determines the best GPS systems? Answering this question is not easy because while there can be strong recommendations for better quality units, no one can tell you what is perfect for you. In this article, we will look at some features that tend to place some of these devices in higher rankings than others then explore a few thought to be of a better quality.

What Do Reviewers and Consumers Look For?

So you’re looking for the answer to what determines the best GPS systems. Below are a few things that both reviewers of these products and consumers alike look for when deciding which are better than others.

Accuracy – The main reason that you want one a mapping or navigation unit is for it to accurately give you information on your coordinates on this planet. While all of these units communicate with the satellites orbiting the Earth, and thus are likely to display accurate information, some companies like Magellan and Garmin are better known for offering devices with supreme precision in mapping, navigating, and tracking.

The Basic Features – There are some features that many reviewers and consumers look for to help decide what determines the best GPS systems. These features include preloaded maps of at least the continental United States, 2D and 3D viewing options, turn-by-turn navigation (not applicable for mapping systems), and a POI (points of interest) database. However, those that tend to top lists offer features like Bluetooth hands-free calling, MP3 or audiobook players, JPEG picture viewing, and traffic or weather alerts.

What Do You Look For?

Now that we’ve looked at some of what determines the best GPS systems for reviewers and consumers, let’s examine what you look for. Don’t know? Now is the time to figure it out. The best way to get started is to look at the reason you think you want a unit. Could it be because you’re a business person traveling more frequently and need quick and easy navigation instruction? Or is it because you are a fan of hiking unseen trails, but are afraid to go at it without some type of assistance. It could be that you are looking for a way to keep track of your favorite dog that has developed a recent talent as a backyard escape artist. Or you might just want to keep track of your vehicle, even when you’re not in it. Whatever the reason may be, there is a unit out there for you. Let’s look briefly at some top units under each of the categories just named.

Products Considered the Best

The following products offer what determines the best GPS systems for many. Let’s take a closer look:

Garmin Nuvi 660 – This portable navigation system offers tons of features, including 2D and 3D preloaded maps of the United States, turn-by-turn voice navigation, Bluetooth capabilities, MP3 player, FM transmitter, and photo viewing options – perfect for the busy professional on the go.

Magellan SportTrack – This handheld unit is perfect for the outdoorsperson who loves hiking, boating, fishing, hunting, and more. It offers nine large graphic navigation displays, is easy to hold, and is extremely durable in case it is ever dropped.

Garmin Astro – This pet tracking device allows you to place a collar around your dogs neck then keep track of him if he runs off. With this device you can see where he’s located in real time, as well as whether he is walking, running, or sitting.

T-Trac XS – This vehicle tracker helps you keep up with your car when you’re not in it. By viewing a virtual map online, you can see where the car is, and how fast it is traveling, in real time. It is a great option for those who let their kids drive, or live in an area where theft is possible.

Deciding what determines the best GPS systems is a collective effort between the experts in the field, and you, the consumer. Of course, your decision comes from knowing what you want in a device. So examine your motivation for wanting to purchase one then revisit what determines the best GPS systems, this time with your own list of desires to better compare. Between you and the experts, you should be able to find the unit you truly want and need.

With so many great GPS watches available the question of which is the best GPS watch for running or hiking is a tricky one to answer. Perhaps a better question to ask is which are the most popular GPS watches currently on the market?

Some might balk at forking out additional money for what amounts to just a fancy wrist watch, well these “fancy” timepieces are technology packed devices that use the “Global Positioning System” of satellites, a network of 24 satellites that permanently orbit the earth and beam back positioning information that can be used by a GPS receiver to accurately calculate your position on earth. By measuring changes in your position, it is then possible to calculate a host of other statistics like speed, distance and elevation.

Joggers and runners can benefit from knowing this sort of information and as the Global Positioning System can pinpoint ones location to within three meters which is accurate enough to track an athlete’s motion and facilitate the tracking of their performances, set exercise goals and save data for monitoring their performances.

If you are a hiker who likes to go deep into the wilderness, a GPS watch is an invaluable backup tool in case you get lost, and can certainly be used in place of a map and compass to direct you along your desired path. A GPS watch gives you peace of mind against a serious incident like getting lost in foul weather.

The type of GPS watch vary depending on purpose. We will review two prominent GPS watches that are suited to very different types of activities.

The Suunto X10 GPS Watch

The Suunto X10 is an outdoors GPS watch that is packed with an incredible range of high-tech features.

Suunto is a Finnish based company that has been around for over 70 years and currently heads the modern portable computer-based navigation sector. The X10 has all the functions that are useful for outdoor treks and adventures. These include:

• Barometer
• Barometric Altimeter
• Digital Compas
• Adjustable Declination
• Chronograph Stopwatch
• Thermometer
• Altitude and Time Alarms

The X10 features some sports watch features that runners could use, but this is not it’s main purpose. The watch is capable of tracking waypoints along a route, can measure speed, altitude, distance covered and the weather. Route maps can be uploaded to a personal computer and viewed in a mapping program like Google Earth.

The Garmin Forerunner 405CX

Garmin is the current leading running GPS watch for endurance sports. The watch does not support many outdoor features, but has an abundance of features that runners can use, or bike riders or skiers for that matter. The 405CX does not support a map mode within the watch, but in terms of fitness features offers the following highly beneficial features that athletes can utilize to their advantage:

• Virtual Partner (compete against your previous route times or a predetermined pace)
• Advanced workouts (goal-oriented session stages)
• Pace/Speed Alerts (sounds an alarm if your pace gets off track)
• Time/Distance alerts (sounds an alarm at a predetermined distance or time)
• Linkup with personal Computer – can upload a variety of data.

Both these options offer something to their specific target market. The Suunto X10 is amongst the world’s most sophisticated outdoors watch, whereas the Garmin Forerunner 405CX is one of the best athletics GPS watches around. Either of these watches will not disappoint you should a running or hiking GPS system be what you are looking for.