Find the Right GPS Model to Fit Your Budget
GPS systems (or receivers) are electronic devices that show you where you are on an electronic map and tell you how to get where you want to go with some sort of voice instructions.
All GPS receivers also have a database of Points of Interest (POI). These are pre-programmed locations of gas stations, restaurants, state parks, hospitals, well known buildings, etc. Basically these are public destinations.
GPS receivers also all come with the following:
* A touch screen interface
* A choice of "views"- either 2d, which looks just like a map, or 3d, which looks a little more realistic
* All of these devices auto- calulate your route to your destination. Usually you can choose between shortest or fastest route.
* Come pre-loaded with maps. Even most of the base price units have maps of the lower 48 states.
Upgrades
Popular upgrades are:
* A wider screen, 4.3 inches diagonally as opposed to 3.5 inches
* Sayins the names of the streets, instead of just saying "turn here"
* More maps
* Bluetooth integration for hands-free calling
* Real-time traffic and weather
* Millions of POIs, instead of a few hundred thousand
* Multiple route calculation
GPS Price Comparison
GPS systems range in price from aound $150 for base units to $1,000 for the top of the line. You can get a lot of bells and whistles for $200 to $300.
Magellan's Maestro line currently runs anywhere from $299 for the Maestro 3250, which has a 3.5 screen, maps of the lower 48 states, and about 750,000 POIs. The top of the line Maestro 4250, currently runs $425. With the 4250, you get a 4.3 inch screen, maps of the U.S. and Canada, 6 million POIs, real- time traffic capability and Bluetooth.
Garmin's GPS receivers are comparatively priced. Their introductory model, the Nuvi 200W does about the same thing as the Maestro 3250, and runs about the same amount of money. Their top of the line Nuvi 880 currently costs slightly less than $700, but it has every feature imaginable-4.3 inch screen, more maps, huge POI database, says street names, real-time traffic and weather, Bluetooth, and much,much more.
To learn more, your next step is to browse Bestaro GPS Market where you can actually look at pictures with descriptions, then compare the models and find that perfect GPS that will fit into your budget.
