Find the Best Handheld GPS for You


In the 21st Century, people have to be in more and more places more often, and in faster times than ever before. Meetings, lunch dates, dinners, dates, movies, weekend getaways, weddings – they all require getting to, and usually there’s just no directory close by when you need it.

Well, solve the problem. Make your life a million times easier with a new handheld GPS. You’ll never find yourself in another situation where you’ve had an important meeting to get to but arrived late or missed it because of useless directions. Never argue with your wife again about stopping to ask for directions either, because a GPS handheld unit will navigate you to any and every destination point you will ever need to go to.

We’ve all seen the movies where government task teams have the technology to pinpoint the locations of targets all from their control room via global positioning satellites. Well, now you can too, but not from a control room, from the palm of your hand! Finding your way around has never been easier than with a GPS handheld.

Top of the range cars have GPS systems built in but if you don’t have one of those, you’ll be able to find the best handheld GPS to suit your needs. Imagine being able to see exactly where the location of your new friend’s house is before setting off. Not only will you be able to see the location on a map, you’ll also be given audible direction from your handheld all the way there. So you’ll never miss a turn. Your GPS will always warn you of upcoming turns, as well as calculate the distance to your destination. It makes traveling a dream when you know exactly where you’re going.

Some top of the range GPS handhelds even have a feature where you can track the location of other GPS users in your area. Knowing the location of people around you in a traveling party at bust amusement parks or shopping malls could save you a lot of time and lead to a much more enjoyable outing.

If you like to be in control of your own destiny, owning and utilizing your own GPS handheld is the only way to truly satisfy that need. You need to know where you’re going, and with a GPS handheld you’ll never feel like you’re in the dark again. Everything you need to know will be available at the touch of a screen in your very hand.


GPS Handheld Guide Introduction


Welcome to the GPS Handheld Guide. What is a handheld GPS? Any device that you can carry around that has GPS functionality built into it. These can be anything from GPS PDAs, GPS cell phone, GPS laptops and GPS navigation systems. Handheld GPS units have become very popular in recent years and they now come in many models and purposes. The first thing we will talk about is what GPS is and how it works.

GPS in an acronym that stands for “Global Positioning System”. It was first developed by the US Navy in 1960 and it became publicly available in 1983. The way the GPS systems work is that there a multiple satellites orbiting earth and they each send a signal that your GPS receiver picks up and then does a calculation on to determine how long it took to arrive from the satellite. The length of travel time determines the distance the signal traveled from the satellites and with 4 signals the receiver does a geometric triangulation calculation to discover exactly where you are located. From that knowledge all kinds of mapping and navigation applications are possible.

GPS based mobile phones have come on strong due to FCC requirements that all mobile emergency calls require positioning information to be broadcast with the 911 call. Mobile phone applications that take advantage of the GPS features are still relatively new and are still maturing.

Key features of GPS Handheld Units

When you are looking to buy a handheld GPS system, there are a key set of common features that you will want to review. If your primary purpose for an GPS unit is automotive navigation then you needs will be different that somebody looking to buy a GPS handheld unit primarily for hiking. Key features include…

  • Points of Interest
  • Audible turn by turn directions
  • Traffic Updates>
  • Downloadable maps (and computer connectivity)
  • Battery life
  • Weight
  • Waterproof
  • Color – yes this can big a big issue if you set your handheld GPS down while out in the woods and can’t find it again because is blends in with the environment!

Major brands of GPS Handheld Systems

  • DeLorme GPS
  • Garmin handheld GPS – One of the more popular Garmin models is the Garmin Etrex GPS handheld.
  • Magellan handheld GPS
  • Mio handheld GPS
  • Tomtom handheld GPS
  • Lowrance handheld GPS

GPS Handheld Accessories

Here is a short list of some common GPS handheld accessories…

  • GPS Antennas
  • GPS Maps
  • GPS Carrying cases
  • GPS Mounts and Mounting stands