.

Auto GPS Comparison Guide

When buying a GPS receiver, you need an auto gps comparison guide. There’s just too much to know about these devices. Also, the features they have and the prices they’re offered at change rapidly. If you want to save yourself some time learning about all of this, then read this article.

This article is specifically about after-market GPS receivers. You know, the kind you see on people’s dashboards. I’m not talking about the in-dash variety, nor am I talking about the hand-held variety–the kind you take hiking.

GPS receivers have really caught on lately. And with the spike in gas prices, I think they’ll be a hot item for quite a while. They sell anywhere from $200 to almost $1,000. But with gas at over $4.00 a gallon, that could easily pay for itself!

The best way to understand how to pick out the right GPS receiver is to do a quick auto gps comparison. Let’s talk about who the best manufacturers for these things are, and then about the features you get when you buy one.

There are three main manufacturers of GPS receivers, Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan. All three make a great product, and all three are very competitive with each other both on features and price. Garmin is the industry leader. Magellan was actually one of the first companies to figure out this technology, and Tom Tom is the new kid on the block.

When you buy a GPS receiver, you get the same basic features.

All GPS devices can do the following:

* Show you were you are on an electronic map
* Tell you where to turn to get to where you want to go
* Interface with you via a touch screen
* Tell you where certain things are like gas stations, restaurants, and other Points of Interest (POIs)
* Include maps of the lower 48 US states
* Calculate the shortest or fastest route

So, even the cheapest GPS receiver can do all of this. If that’s all you need, then you can get a device that can do this for right around $150!

But before you buy, you might want to think about some of these cool upgraded features. For not too much more money, your GPS receiver can do a whole lot more.

For more money you can get:

* More extensive maps, including Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, and Europe
* Bigger screen
* Bluetooth technology integrated in the system, for hands-free calling
* Real-time traffic and weather
* FM transmission, so you can hear your device through your car’s own stereo sound system
* Much larger and more extensive POI database
* Multiple route calculation, so you can enter more than one destination in at one time

These upgrades are worth looking into. You can get a lot of this stuff for under $350! That might be money well spent, because you’re going to be happier with your choice and want to keep it for a longer time–before you trade it in for a more powerful model.

Now that you’re read this auto gps comparison, your next step is to find an informative website where you can read about individual devices and learn more about prices.

To read more great GPS Reviews, check out my website.

Lee Cole is a true GPS enthusiast! Take a look at his website to find out more information!

Tips for Buying Your First GPS

It seems like just about everyone has a GPS these days, everyone but you! If you are interested in buying one you may find that the market is a bit intimidating. There are a lot of really great products out there and you just may not be sure of what you need or even what you want! Long gone are the days of the paper maps, now you can have your very own machine tell you how to get from point A to point B with relative ease!

Shopping for Your GPS

One of the first things you will notice when you start shopping for your GPS is the wide range in prices. Today you can find models that start right around $100 and yet there are other models that cost $700 or more! Which one is the right one for you, and how will you know it when you see it?

Which GPS is right for you really depends on what you will be using it for. If you are looking for one that will help guide you on short trips or will help get you around town occasionally you probably don’t need anything in the $700 range, in fact you will generally find that the units in the $200 to $300 range are suitable for you. The point is, if you are not going to be taking long trips or using the system every day, a more expensive system won’t pay for itself.

If you work in sales or if you work with the deliveries of products you may need to get a GPS unit that is a bit more costly. The reason is that the more costly units are able to help you with intricate directions and will provide a screen that will help you get from your starting point to your destination without any hiccups.

When you start comparing the features of each of the GPS units you will soon find that you are attracted to a certain quality unit. Be sure to ask yourself if the amount of use that you will get out of the unit justifies its cost, if not you can probably scale back again and still get a really great product. When shopping, be sure that you do shop around as prices can vary from retailer to retailer and your goal should always be to get the very best product for the most affordable price.

Heather recommends getting a GPS for motorcycle travel. Get a motorcycle GPS today!

Pink Electronics - There Is A Pink Everything (Almost) - Part I

So you got that nice, shiny pink laptop and it really is quite spectacular. But what about the rest of your electronics? Don’t they look a bit dull in comparison? No worries, you can soon be surrounded by colorful gadgets! Having said that, I have to add that I have not yet found a pink printer or scanner. There was a Barbie printer on the market a few years back, but it seems to have disappeared.

In the meantime, here are some accessories that will get you started on your quest to make your home office a rose-colored dream:

Mice
I don’t know about you, but I still have a hard time operating the touchpad on laptops, I need a mouse to be able to work efficiently. Fortunately, there is no shortage of colorful mice available. If you don’t mind a cord, check out the Saitek Notebook Optical Mouse in hot pink, the EeePC Optical Mouse in Blush, the Sony Vaio USB Mobile in Cosmopolitan Pink or, for the younger crowd, the Hello Kitty KT4090 with fuchsia, flower-decorated buttons,

For those who prefer a cordless mouse, good choices include the Logitech V450 Nano Cordless Laser Mouse in Flamingo Pink, the pink Razer Pro Click Mobile Wireless Mouse, the Kensington SI750M LE Wireless 3 Button Notebook Mouse in metallic pink and silver, the HP Wireless Laser Mini Mouse in metallic blush, Microsoft’s Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 in Dragon Fruit Pink, and the Hello Kitty Pink Bling Wireless Mouse with RF Receiver.

Speakers
Speakers come in all shapes and colors these days. Here are some choices in classic and not so classic shapes: Creative Labs’ Inspire T10 speakers in Flamingo Pink and their SBS Vivid 60 Speakers in Blush, the pink, dog-shaped Tech Art sDog Computer/ iPod/ Mp3 Speakers, the Twin Box Stereo Speakers in pink and silver, the totally adorable, flower-shaped JBL/Harman Kardon 2.1 Spyro Speaker System, the space-age looking BOYNQ Vase Acoustic Lens Speaker in pale pink (it does look like a vase), and of course, the Hello Kitty speakers in the shape of Kitty’s head (ears and all). If you are looking for wireless speakers, you have to check out Audio Unlimited’s pink Ka-Bling speakers which can be used indoors or out. And you can feel really good about buying them too - Audio Unlimited is a sponsor of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Headphones
To listen to music a bit more privately, try one of these cute headphones: JBuds hot pink Hi-Fi Noise Reducing Ear Buds, Philips SHE3620/27 Bubbles Headphones in bright pink, Sony MDR-EX51LP Fontopia ear buds in pale, barely-there pink, and, here’s Kitty again: the Hello Kitty Bluetooth wireless earphones. They’re white, but they do have Kitty in her pink dress and bow on them, so I think they qualify for this category.

Cattie provides information about pink laptops and the pink gadgets that go along with them.

Pink Electronics - There Is A Pink Everything (Almost) - Part II

Gone are the days when your office was a drab color palate of grays and blacks. These days, you can make it as cheerful as you want with electronics in every color. Today, I’m going to share my findings on some pink peripherals for your office (or on the go).

Desktop Computers
Considering the increasing amount of colorful laptops available, I was surprised to find that the pickings for desktop computers in various colors are slim to say the least. I have not been able to find a single desktop tower offered in pink! Raidmax have pink computer cases in two different designs, and you can buy a custom-built computer housed in one of those cases from KidComputers, but that is it.

Keyboards
There aren’t a whole lot of pink keyboards out there either, but I did find a few: Saitek makes a fuchsia keyboard with white keys (and a matching mouse); there is the Hello Kitty Multimedia Keyboard with a built-in (detachable) plaid wrist pad (there are several other types of Hello Kitty keyboards available as well, but I thought one would be enough here), and, my absolute favorite, the ultra cool, hot pink, flexible Bendi Board by Desklamations. It’s made out of totally flexible silicone (you can roll it up and put it in your bag if you want to take it with you), and if you should happen to knock your soda or coffee over while you’re working, no problem - you can wipe it clean with a damp cloth. Perfect!

For younger children, there is the kid-sized hot pink Little Princess keyboard, with purple and blush keys (and a matching mini-mouse), in a layout that prevents Repetitive Strain Injury! I really hope children don’t spend enough time in front of a computer to be at risk for that. There’s plenty of time to develop those kinds of things once you’re a working adult.

USB Hubs
GE makes a really smart (hot pink) hub with 4 ports set up as cubes. The smart part is that 2 of them rotate, so if you have oversized plugs, you will still be able to use the same hub for all your connections. Saitek’s Mini UFO hub is a round, fuchsia disk with 4 ports, while the Small Rodents pink hub is in the shape of (surprise) a mouse and is actually kind of cute. The animated Hello Kitty USB hub features Kitty herself talking to you (in Japanese or English, your choice), emailing her friends and playing puzzles while you’re typing away.

Flash Drives
There are many vividly colored choices available when it comes to flash drives. Tiny as they are, they add a lot of style to your setup. SanDisk’s 2GB Cruzer Gator is adorable in alligator-patterned dark pink, and their 4GB Cruzer Fleur is white with pink flowers and a hot pink cover. Tribeca’s Splash Drives are bright fuchsia with butterflies, and while not as fanciful as the others I’ve mentioned here, Kingston’s DataTraveler 101 with it’s attached cover (you just move it to the side when using the drive) is great for people like me, who tend to lose small parts… ATP’s special edition Pink Petito Flash Drive in pale, shiny pink with a ribbon design is not only cute; it supports breast cancer research, 10% of the price goes to the Susan G. Komen foundation.

Cables
Cables Unlimited’s KaBling High-Speed USB 2.0 Mini 5pin B cables are adorable in bright fuchsia with crystals at each end. The company also makes a bright pink Universal AC Power Cord, a Cat5e Patch Cable, a HDMI 1.3 Home Theatre Cable, a Stereo Audio Cable (all pink with crystals of course). And you can feel good about adding these pieces of bling to your home - Cables Unlimited is a sponsor of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

If bling is not your thing (yes, that was on purpose), Belkin makes a CAT-5e Patch Cable in bright pink, and GE sells a kit with three pink cables (a USB 2.0, a Cat 5e and a Mini-USB).

As you can see, there are plenty of pink gadgets out there. If you’re looking for a particular item and can’t find it in pink - keep you eyes open. I think we’re going to see more and more electronics in every color imaginable in the not so distant future.

Cattie provides information about pink laptops and how to choose the right one for you.

A Guide to GPS Car Navigation Systems

It seems like everyone is interested in GPS car navigation systems these days. Makes total sense! GPS devices can tell you where you are and give you turn-by-turn directions to tell how to get to where you want to go, anywhere in the United States, Canada, Europe, or Mexico.

Plus they come with all sorts of cool features. And it’s right there where part of the problem is for anyone interested in purchasing one.

There are essentially too many manufacturers with too many products that do too many things.

Buying a GPS car navigation system feels like getting a master’s degree in engineering.

Well, if you’ll give me a few moments of your time, I can reduce all of this confusion to a few things you will need to think through in order to pick out the right GPS for you and your budget.

Right off the bat, there are three major GPS manufacturers, Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan. Garmin is the big dog in the industry, selling around 70% of all GPS devices. Tom Tom is a new arrival, but they’ve grabbed a lot of market share with excellent products at excellent prices. While Magellan is the older company, but not to be outdone in the features department.

There are other manufacturers, but personally I prefer to stick with the industry winners.

As far as what these things do, let’s take a look base features first.

All GPS units can do the following:

* Tell you where you are and how to get where you’re going via voice instructions
* Access a large database of pre-programmed destinations (called Points of Interest, or POIs)
* Interface with the user via a touch screen and an icon-based operating system
* Auto-calculate either the shortest or fastest route

If that’s all you need to do, then for about $150, you can get all this and more. Things like digital picture viewer capability and audiobook capability are essentially standard features.

If you want to spend more, however, look what all you can get!

* Bluetooth for hands-free calling
* FM transmission, so you can hear your device through your car’s stereo system
* More extensive maps, Canada, Europe, Mexico
* Real-time weather and traffic (usually via subscription)

And, there’s more!

As you go up in price what each company offers really starts to differentiate itself.

What you need to do now is get on an informative website where you can actually look at specific devices, see exactly what their features are, and check out their prices.

To read more great GPS Reviews, check out my website.

Lee Cole is a true GPS enthusiast! Take a look at his website to find out more information!

What You Must Know About Car GPS Navigation Systems

Car GPS navigation systems are probably one of the hottest electronic gadgets to come to market in the past few years! It’s no wonder why! These compact devices can do everything from tell you how to drive cross-country to let you know how to detour a traffic jam on the freeway.

Prices have dropped considerably in the past 18 months. Now, you can get a basic GPS system for around $150! If you want a more fully featured model, you can get that for $250 to $350, according to the model and the exact features.

That’s not a bad price for never having to be lost again!

The problem with buying a car GPS navigation system is there are so many manufacturers, and so many models to choose from. Unless you’re a GPS aficionado like me, you’re might be put off by all of the new technologies these things bring together and all of the buzz words you need to know to even understand what you’re buying.

Not to worry!

This little article is going to straighten you out!

Although there are tons of manufacturers of these things, there are only three major players, Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan. Gamin sells 70% of the car GPS systems sold; Tom Tom has a really great product at great prices; and Magellan is one of the main pioneers of the whole industry.

All three companies make excellent products at very competitive prices. You can certainly buy a GPS system from anyone you choose. I just like to stay with the big companies. It’s a personal decision. I want to make sure my device will be supported in the future.

To make things really much simpler, it’s good to know that all GPS navigation systems do essentially the same things. As a matter of fact, they all do the following:

* Tell you where you are
* Tell you how to get to where you want to go with spoken directions
* Let you enter information and make choices via a touch screen interface
* Have a large database of destinations already programmed into the device (called Points of Interest, or POI’s)
* Come pre-loaded with maps (older models you have to download the maps)
* auto-calculate the shortest or fastest route

You can get all of this for around $150. The Garmin nuvi 200, the Tom Tom One, or the Magellan Maestro 3100 can do all of this and more for about that price.

You would be pleasantly surprised, however, at how much more you can get for another $100 to $200!

That will buy you a car GPS navigation system that:

* Comes with maps of Canada, Europe, and/or Mexico
* Let’s you use it in conjunction with your cell phone using Bluetooth technology
* Tells you traffic and weather in real time
* Plays music, and serves as an audio book reader
* And, let’s you hear everything through your car’s own stereo system

That’s a lot of features for the money!

We’re not done, however! There’s plenty more these nifty devices can do.

As you go up in price you get things like bigger screens and multiple routing capability. At higher price points each manufacturer starts to really distinguish themselves with proprietary features–like Tom Tom’s POI database where users can actually make changes to reflect current road conditions. (Tom Tom makes those changes available for everyone to see!)

What you need to do next is to start browsing around an informative website where you can read about specific models and check their prices.

To read more great GPS Reviews, check out my website.

Lee Cole is a true GPS enthusiast! Take a look at his website to find out more information!

GPS Review Comparison - How to Buy the Right Model!

The best way to get the right GPS device is with a good GPS review comparison! There are too many manufacturers and too many models to choose from. It all gets very confusing. You need a guide!

If you want to know what these wonderful devices do and how you can save yourself some money, then read on!

But first let’s talk about who makes GPS receivers.

There are a number of manufacturers, but the top three are Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan. Garmin is the top dog; Tom Tom is the new kid on the block; and Magellan was the company that originated the whole concept. All three make a great product! That’s the good news. Because if you buy a device from any of these three you won’t go wrong.

The bad new is this. All three make a great product! Which, of course, makes it really difficult to understand which model to buy.

Hopefully, I can give you some assistance with that dilemma.

GPS devices have really caught on over the last two years! And with gas prices so high, I’m sure the demand is just going to grow and grow.

To really start to understand what you’re buying, you need to know how much these things sell for, what the basic features are, and how much upgraded features are going to cost. Let me sketch out an answer to those questions.

GPS receivers sell anywhere from $150 to $1,000. $150 will get you Garmin and Tom Tom’s basic unit. $1,000 will buy you Garmin’s top of the line model, which had a huge screen and all the bells and whistles.

All GPS devices have the following:

* Touch screen interface
* Auto-calculation of the fastest or shortest route
* A database of Points of Interest (POIs)
* Voice prompts (but that don’t say the street names!)
* Maps of the lower 48 United States

If all you want are these basic features, then get something like the Garmin nuvi 200 or the Tom Tom One. They can both do all of this and more.

For more money you can get:

* Maps of Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico, and Canada
* Bigger screen
* Bluetooth
* Traffic and weather delivered to you in real time
* Much larger POI database
* Ability to route you to multiple routes on the same trip

You can get a lot of these upgrades for under $350. The Garmin 660 currently sells for slightly under $350 and can do all of the above except for the multiple route calculations. That’s a lot of GPS for the money!

Obviously, there’s a certain amount of education you have to go through before you buy your first, or next GPS device.

Although I’m sure this short GPS review comparison helps, to learn more, you need an informative website where you can browse different makes and models and also get a feel for prices.

To read more great GPS Reviews, check out my website.

Lee Cole is a true GPS enthusiast! Take a look at his website to find out more information!

GPS Reviews Comparison - How to Choose the Right Model

If you’re like me, choosing the right GPS receiver is a little daunting. What helps is a good GPS reviews comparison, where you can learn what various models do and how much they cost. In other words, you need a guide!

Choosing the right GPS device is critical. Prices have dropped over the past two years, and you can probably get a model with more bells and whistles than you think you can. To help you form your game plan, let’s first talk about who the main manufacturers are, then what various models do and how much they cost.

There are a number of companies that make GPS receivers, but the big three are Garmin, Tom Tom, and Magellan. Garmin is the industry leader with by far the most market share, and also a much broader range of products than anyone else.

Magellan actually was one of the first companies to make these nifty little devices. They were essentially the pioneer. And Tom Tom is the new arrival. Although new, Tom Tom has made great inroads on the market shares of the more established companies by offering great products at great prices.

Any good GPS reviews comparison should tell you what you can expect to buy. So, let’s run over the basic features that you’ll get with any GPS receiver.

All GPS receivers have a touch screen interface, maps of the lower 48 states, and a database of Points of Interest (POIs). All receivers also calculate the best route from where you are to where you want to go, and they give you directions via spoken voice prompts.

The base models of either Garmin, Tom Tom, or Magellan will do all of this and more.

For around $150 you can get the Garmin nuvi 200, the Tom Tom One, or the Magellan Maestro 3100. These three models all cover the basic features I mentioned.

What if you want more? How much is that going to cost?

Well, let’s run over what more you can get.

Upgrades are: more maps (Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Europe, Mexico), bigger screen, Bluetooth, real-time traffic and weather, many more POIs (how about 6 million!), and multiple routing.

You can get most of this stuff for $350! For instance, the Garmin 660 can do all of the above except the multi-route calculations. It sells for slightly under $350.

Magellan’s Maestro 4250 is a direct competitor and can do essentially what the Garmin 660 can. The 4250 is currently selling for slightly more than $250.

Tom Tom’s comparable receiver would be the Tom Tom Go 720, which is currently selling for less than $350.

Of course, you might be willing to spend more!

As you go higher in price, each of these companies offers great proprietary features. Magellan has a deal with AAA, for instance, to include their Tour Book right in the device. (For AAA members only.)

A good GPS reviews comparison can only do so much, however.

Now you need to actually get on an informative website and start browsing.

To read more great GPS Reviews, check out my website.

Lee Cole is a true GPS enthusiast! Take a look at his website to find out more information!

How to Compare GPS Navigation Systems

It’s hard to know which GPS system to buy! There are a ton of manufacturers and there are a zillion models to choose from. To get the right model, you need to know how to compare GPS navigation systems–what each model does, how much they cost, what you can get from each manufacturer.

In this article I’m going to make this seemingly overwhelming process a little easier to fathom. I’ll talk about which manufacturers you should focus on, what they offer, and about how much this all costs.

Let’s start off by talking about all those manufacturers.

There are more manufacturers of GPS navigation systems than you can reasonably keep up with. I simply this by focusing on the top three, Garmin, Magellan, and Tom Tom.

Garmin is by far the industry leader. They sell over 70% of the GPS systems sold. There’s a reason their name is virtually synonymous with “GPS device”. They make a fantastic product, and they have the broadest range of models to choose from. You can get a great Garmin receiver for $150, or you can spend almost $1,000. It’s your choice, and you’ll get your money’s worth either way.

Magellan was one of the pioneers in the business. Having been in business for quite a while, they also have a deep product line. They have a number of great proprietary features like a deal with AAA, where you can access their renowned Tour Book through Magellan’s device. (For AAA members only.)

Tom Tom is in some sense the new kid on the block, but they’re taking more and more market share by offering excellent products at equally excellent prices.

No matter which GPS receiver you buy, it will be able to do the following: tell you where you are, tell you how to get to where you’re going, and interface with you via a touch screen. Also, it will be pre-loaded with a million or so Points of Interest (called POI’s).

You can get all of this and more for $150!

For another $100 to $200, you can add hands-free calling using Bluetooth technology, more extensive maps, real-time traffic and weather, and what’s called FM transmission, or being able to hear your receiver’s output through your car’s stereo system.

As you go up in price, you can get even more features, like multiple route calculation ability, which let’s you enter more than one destination, and the device will tell you the best way to get from where to you are to all of those places.

You won’t go wrong with any of the products sold by the big three. And according to your budget you will be very satisfied with what you can get.

Your next step now needs to be to hop on an informative website where you can actually look at specific products, see what they do, and check their current prices.

To read more great GPS Reviews, check out my website.

Lee Cole is a true GPS enthusiast! Take a look at his website to find out more information!