All Entries Tagged With: "portable gps"

2009 GPS Unit Buyers Guide Part Two – Top Portable GPS Units

If there is one characteristic that all of the best-selling portable GPS devices share, it is uniformity. In terms of shape and size, most GPS units look very, very similar, and as discussed in the first part of this two-part portable GPS buying guide, all of these portable GPS units offer very similar functionality.

The portable GPS industry is dominated by two companies: Garmin and TomTom. In fact, of the devices we examined, all but one were produced by Garmin. As such, we’ll analyze Garmin’s offerings first, arranged in descending order by price.

2009 Portable GPS Unit Buyer’s Guide – Part One

Back in the old days – a.k.a. the days before GPS – when you needed to go somewhere you’d never been before there was a process you had to follow. First, you’d ask whoever it was that you were meeting for directions. Next, you’d consult a road atlas or a map. Finally, just in case you got lost, you’d be sure to write down a phone number.

How *did* we survive? 🙂

Garmin's nuvi 885 is a great example of the top-of-the line in portable GPS units.

OK OK, you don’t need GPS…but it sure is nice. GPS navigation systems save time and trouble, and more and more they can be found in cars, computers, and cell phones. While GPS enabled cell-phones are growing dramatically, the most popular GPS navigation option is a portable, dedicated unit. Ranging from $100 to $400, dedicated portable GPS units are a nice accessory for vehicles and a popular holiday gift.

Thus, our buyer’s guide. In part one of this two-part guide, we’ll break down the key features offered on most GPS portable units. In part two, we’ll evaluate some specific models that are popular right now and offer some recommendations. Here we go…