GPS: Top Buying Factor...

Buying  a GPS may not seem to be a tough decision, but you have so many good devices on the market that sometimes it’s tough to figure out which device to go with. Some people prefer bigger screens. Others prefer traffic GPS systems over other models. With the introduction of mobile GPS systems to the market, consumers have more choices now than ever. Whether you are looking for a portable GPS or just one that gets you to your destination easily, there are plenty of good models to chooce from. So here is my question. What’s the biggest deciding factor for you when it comes to buying a GPS. If you were to rate a GPS, what feature would you be interested in the most?

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Why Personal GPS Devices are Doomed?...

A few months ago, when industry experts started bringing up the idea of doomsday for GPS manufacturers, many discounted the idea at sight. The idea that GPS makers would struggle to make sales was unthinkable just a year ago. But devices such as the iPhone have changed many minds. iPhone is the type of device that can give personal GPS devices a lot of trouble. It’s not only capable of providing people with directions, it can do much more. You can make calls, play games, surf the Internet, get your work done as well. Personal GPS devices have gotten better in branching out and providing more than just driving directions to their owners, but they are still very one dimensional, which is why they are struggling to keep up with their mobile counter-parts.

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Are Factory GPS Systems Overrated?...

Credit Toyota

I remember when I got my first car a while back. I was so excited about owning a new car and having the chance to get all the bells and whistles that came with it. I was naive and wanted to have the best factory package available with my car. Now if you have bought a new car recently, you probably how costs can add up with those expensive packages. You get a leather seat, an in-car GPS, and XM Satellite Radio, and the next thing you know your $20,000 car turns into a $30,000 car. In reality, a lot of these features are not worth it, and that includes the in car GPS.

It’s very convenient to have the in-car GPS system, and there is no question some of these systems are more than capable of getting you to where you need to go. But at some point, one needs to realize that paying $2000 for a system that is worth only $200 is not a good business decision. A lot of these factory-installed systems don’t come with the bells and whistles that you get from top portable GPS systems on the market. And worst of all, they are not portable, so you can’t get directions from your GPS if you decide to borrow someone else’s car.

In car GPS systems are not exactly secure against car thieves either. Thieves may not be able to take your GPS out of your car, but they may not hesitate to give your car a make over in the process. The in-car GPS systems are simply not worth it these days. Not only they are  non-portable, and less capable than their portable counterparts, they cost as much as an iPhone + its 2 year contract. With all the value that you can get from an iPhone, why would you want to invest in a factory-installed GPS?

Celestron SkyScout: There Is More To Sky Than Meet...

Have you ever looked at the sky in a clear night and wondered what all these stars are named and what’s their history? Not everyone’s can be an astronomer but almost everyone is fascinated with the stars and what they are all about. Thanks to the power of GPS technology, you can now figure out what all those stars are named. SkyScout is not a new gadget by any means. It’s been around for years, but it’s still one of the few gadgets on the market that lets you learn something new about the sky every night.

Celestron SkyScout Personal Planetarium allows you to identify up to 6000 objects in the sky. All you have to do is point your gadget towards an object in the sky, and the device will tell you what you are looking at. And if you are looking for a specific object, the device can tell you where to look by using its on-board GPS technology.

If you are a fan of astronomy or just love looking at stars at night, you are going to love SkyScout. Not only it helps you find out more about your favorite objects in the sky, it comes with educational expansion kits to help you learn even more about the sky, the field of astronomy, and those who have been involved in it. Devices such as SkyScout prove that there is more to GPS than auto GPS solutions. SkyScout doesn’t provide you with driving directions but the directions that it does provide are just as useful.

The Truth About Cheap GPS Systems...

You don’t have to be a genius to realize that prices have been dropping on GPS devices in the few months. Top GPS systems that used to cost $800+ a couple of years ago now only cost a couple of hundred dollars. If you asked me a few years ago that people could get GPS devices for as low as $100, I wouldn’t have believed you. And who could have foreseen the economic recession and what has happened to many technology companies, including navigation device makers. You can still get a top in-dash GPS for as much as a few thousand dollars, but is that a wise choice?

A lot of people assume that buying a $100 GPS is a big mistake. After all, you get what you pay for, and paying a $100 for a GPS doesn’t seem to be a smart idea. In reality, a lot of these cheap GPS systems are capable of providing you with the same directions as those at the top of the line. The performance will differ from brand to brand, but just because you are paying $100 for a GPS doesn’t mean you are never going to get to your destination using one of these gadgets. The main difference between cheap and expensive GPS systems is value-added service. A premium GPS system comes with traffic and local features that you don’t get with a $100 device. If you are a big talker, you can always use the blue-tooth functionality that you get with more expensive GPS systems.

None of these features keep you from getting to your destination. A $100 GPS can help you get to your destination without too much trouble, but it does not help you get their faster by avoiding traffic nor does it tell you how you can save money on gas or catch a movie on your way home. Cheap GPS models are not for everyone, but the ones made by reputable companies get the job done. Of course, if you afford more expensive GPS systems, you should go for them as the traffic and local information you get on some of those can be invaluable. But don’t underestimate the power of cheaper GPS systems. They may not be as rich in features as the premium models on the market, but they do get you to where you want to go. Who says GPS devices are not recession-friendly?

GPS Ratings Launched...

If you have following this blog for a while, you may have noticed that we have introduced a new feature to help you find the GPS that is right for you and your needs. GPS Ratings is a smart engine that lets you compare GPS devices side by side and find out which one’s right for you. The engine allows you to compare Golf, Pet, and Auto GPS all in one place.

We have tried to fit as many columns as possible in our ranking table. At the same time, you can’t fit them all in one page, which is why you should use the compare option to get more information on these devices. The algorithm automatically ranks GPS devices based on screen size, price, user ratings, and other features, so your ratings are very important as well.

Overall, this engine should be an easy way to compare GPS devices to find out which one is right for you. But your feedback is as always appreciated.

Will Amazon Take Kindle GPS To The Next Level?...

If you have been following the gadget market, you have probably seen the new Amazon Kindle DX and heard all the hype around it. I still remember the first day I got my Kindle 1.0. It was supposed to just an e-book reader, but it turned out to have a few hidden features (including GPS). The new Kindles are also capable of telling you where you are but Amazon has not gone out of its way to tout Kindle’s GPS capability. In reality, Kindle owners can use a fully-fledged GPS on their device. Amazon has yet to incorporate cool GPS features into Kindle, but the opportunity is there. For instance, what if you could send your location on a map to your friends and colleagues from your Kindle without having to jump through hoops? How about Amazon developing GPS applications for Kindle (similar to those of iPhone) that let you find a bookstore or coffee shop near you when you are on the move?

Amazon does not charge for Whispernet wireless service, so I am sure it wants to keep the load on the wireless network more manageable. At the same time, I am sure some people would pay a monthly fee to take advantage of their Kindle’s GPS capability. Amazon Kindle may be an e-book reader but it’s a connected device which means it can be used to accomplish a lot of things other mobile devices are capable of. Amazon must have included the GPS capability for a reason. It’s maybe time for Amazon to build on its momentum and introduce some game-changing software innovations. Will we see these features on Kindle 3.0? We shall wait and see.

The Poor Excuse That Is Navigon...

I usually try to stay away from causing controversy on this blog. Companies such as Garmin and TomTom may not have the perfect systems, but they are making improvements year after year, and they have some of the best GPS gadgets on the market. But when you see a reputable company abuse its customers’ trust and cutting corners with them, you need to call them out on it. Navigon used to be one of my favorite GPS companies. It had some of the most innovative GPS gadgets on the market, and the devices are very capable too. I have been using Navigon products for as long as I can remember. But recently the company announced that it was getting out of the personal GPS business to focus on the software side of things. When I first heard the news, I wondered who would support the existing Navigon customers. Navigon GPS systems may not be as popular as their Garmin or TomTom counterparts, but there are still people who use them. Without proper support, a lot of Navigon GPS owners will be left out in the cold. My first hunch was that Navigon may support the devices for a while before pulling the plug on them. I was mistaken!

A while ago I contacted Navigon about their official replacement mount for Navigon 7100. This is not something you can buy on Amazon, and it’s very hard to come by on eBay. I was hoping for Navigon to point me to the right direction or sell me one if they had any left. Here is what Navigon told me:

Unfortunately we don’t have information concerning the availability of these products at other major retail shops.

NAVIGON Inc. will be reallocating resources from its branded line of portable navigation devices to focus on more profitable segments within the navigation sector in North America. This transition will place an increased emphasis on NAVIGON’s heritage, software development – the core of any navigation experience. NAVIGON Inc. will focus on software with an enthusiastic push into mobile and smartphone segments, as well as a continuation of support for both OEM and automotive sectors. NAVIGON Inc. believes that software development is our core competence.

That’s not smart customer support if you ask me. For a company that wants to have a future in the GPS business, it’s very disappointing that Navigon has forsaken its loyal customers. It’s great that Navigon is focusing on its core competency, software, but by providing lousy support to its former customers, Navigon has now shown its true colors. I don’t know about you, but that’s not a company I am looking to do business with again. Regardless of how fun their GPS application for iPhone is going to be, I won’t be falling for Navigon’s trick again.

GPS and the Diminishing Privacy Rights...

There was a time when the police had to get a court order to search a house or wiretap our phone calls. Unfortunately, the last U.S. administration made huge strides in diminishing our privacy rights. Now the courts are struggling to figure out whether it is acceptable to allow the police to track suspects without a court order. I am a big fan of GPS technologies and have been following them for years. But it’s disappointing to see courts around the nation allow warrant-less GPS tracking without even being slightly troubled.

The courts’ decision to allow warrant-less GPS tracking reminds me how we justified warrant-less wiretapping a few years ago. Unfortunately, it seems we all will have to accept the goods with the bads when it comes to new technologies. If you’ve got nothing to hide, you probably won’t mind being tracked. But the sense of losing privacy can be very tough to handle.

Your take: should the government be allowed to GPS track people without a warrant?

iFound: Find New Places On Your iPhone...

A few analysts have predicted that many GPS manufacturers are struggling to cope with the momentum that iPhone has generated in the smart phone market. iPhone is more than just a pretty phone. It’s highly capable, and it goes beyond anything a regular Mobile GPS device has to offer. With applications such as iFound, you no longer need to carry a GPS device with you on the go. All you need is your iPhone.

iFound makes it easy to pinpoint your current location on the map and find new places to eat or hang out, especially if you are new to your city. The POI database helps you find small businesses and shops around you, so you are never out of options. And you can get walking and driving directions.

The iPhone platform is still in its infancy, but you still have access to a whole array of cool GPS mobile applications that can help you navigate your city and get yourself out of trouble when you are lost. iPhone doesn’t completely replace top GPS devices, but it certainly makes people think bit before investing in an expensive mobile GPS gadget.