Free GPS Guidance
Posts Tagged ‘automotive GPS unit’
Hey, I was just at a party and met some folks who had come quite a distance to be there. It is summer, and with summer comes lots of road work and detours and with that much confusion on unfamiliar roads. I overheard two of the guests who were comparing notes on their automotive GPS systems and their experiences on the trip. As one of them had just gotten her first automotive GPS unit, and this was her first experience it, it was fun to hear her new friend explaining the ins and outs of using their GPS units. The newbie missed a turn, and her unit told her so and suggested that she turn around and make that turn while the second person explained that their GPS navigation system recalculated for her when she was sent on a detour because of road construction. Explanations continued as to the fact that the GPS unit would calculate the fastest route or the most economical. It was just fun to hear people comparing notes and educating each other on the use of their automotive GPS systems. It is also really nice to see strangers find common ground and help each other out along the way. As ever, happy traveling!
School’s out, the kids are home. I wonder if I can use my GPS unit to get away from the kids and find myself? Well, maybe I should use it to find adventure with the kids, in so doing perhaps to help us find each other? We can grab the handheld GPS device and take off on foot exploring the trails nearby. I like to pack a picnic and head out after work and do just that. Or we could do a day trip and take off exploring in the car using the automotive GPS unit to do that. Actually, now that I think of it I probably really don’t need to leave those kids behind to find myself after all. There are some great spots here in the Adirondacks for hiking and boating or just sightseeing, even to sit beside the lake and read while the kids splash around in the water. See ya later – its a pretty day – time for me to go pack that picnic lunch and get wandering with the kids…
My friend and I went to a seminar away from home recently, held in a conference room at a hotel in an unfamiliar town. Well, wouldn’t you know that when we went out for lunch we took a wrong turn and got lost getting back. Who hasn’t ever done that? Anyway, we realized that the solution to our dilemma was to use her automotive GPS unit. Not having the exact address of the hotel with us, we just put in the town and the name of the hotel chain into the GPS device. This worked great! Step by step we got closer to our goal only to find that we were at another branch of that hotel chain, albeit still within the same city. I guess the moral of the story is to be as specific as possible, looking perhaps for the exit off the highway which was nearly across the street from the hotel rather than the name of the chain. Who knew that such a small city would have two? Well, lesson learned, we followed our GPS unit’s instructions back to the correct hotel just in time for our seminar to begin again. We live and learn; still, the GPS actually took us exactly where we asked it to, twice. I hope others will learn from my mistakes. Enjoy your travel with automotive GPS!
When looking for automotive GPS systems, it will all seem confusing at first due to the wide variety of pricing, features and brands. In fact, there are probably hundreds of models available today. Also, the price can vary greatly from model to model, depending on the features. When searching for automotive GPS units, you first have to know what options are available. Do you want just a standard system that can help you travel from one place to another, or do you want something more sophisticated with additional capabilities? If you just need something basic, then you should look at a price range at the lower end of the scale.
Some of the options available for automotive GPS include widescreen versus standard size, preloaded maps, touch screen to easily look up addresses and services, voice-prompted, turn-by-turn directions that speak street names to your destination, and some will calculate a more fuel-efficient route for you. Another thing to consider is if it is small enough and light enough to carry it with you when you get to your destination and the ability to continue to use your automotive GPS unit while wandering on foot.
Our daughter-in-law had quite a drive ahead of her this weekend to visit her mom. It would take at least two hours each way on strange roads. Mom had moved to a new place, and she did not know how to get there yet. The roads were strange and it started raining heavily while she was on the way. Traffic was building, and things were getting pretty confusing. It was a good thing she had her automotive GPS unit with her that announced the streets by name for her and told her which lane to be in for the upcoming turn.
Also, while she was on the road, our son called to check to see where to find their son’s shoes. With the Bluetooth technology on her automotive GPS, she was able to tap the screen to answer the phone and keep on driving. What a mom. She sure is a pro at multitasking!