Great GPS - Very nice features Excellent ProductBasic MSN Direct Content Features Traffic Reports Gas Prices Weather Reports Movie Times Enhanced MSN Direct Content Web Favorites (Send custom destinations to your GPS with Live Search Maps) Local Events Stock Quotes News Headlines MSN Direct Coverage Map -- get detailed info for your Zip Code at the MSN Direct website Customer Reviews
This is a very good GPS with very nice features. Like said on other reviews the only thing missing is better traffic alert which hopefully will come with time.
I was one of those that didn't saw the use for a GPS, until my wife wanted one and my opinion has changed. Not only for the basic map functions, but for the point of interest, MP3 player, the MSN service with weather info etc, plus it is a portable unit, which makes it handy to move between cars.
My husband used his garmin on a cross country trip. He loved it. The msn direct connection kept him in the loop about everything including hotels and gas prices along the way. It was very user friendly. I would recommend to anyone.
I never ceased to be amazed with Hi-tech gadgets. I am a little surprised because living in Eastern North Carolina leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to consistent signal coverage for anything that communicates. As for MSN Direct's traffic update, it is not available in Wilmington and Jacksonville, I am curious to see what the traffic services are in and around Chapel Hill next week.
So far my Garmin 780 has been, without exception, dead on accurate. MSN Direct services aside I am tickled pink with my Garmin 780. Now I can go where I want to go comfortably and confidently.
The nuvi 780 4.3" GPS Personal Travel Assistant has advanced navigation features, a widescreen display, preloaded maps, an FM transmitter and hands-free calling, plus real-time local weather, traffic, movie times, stock information, gas prices, news and local events. Its premium navigation capabilities, like route planning and a handy locator, give you peace of mind on the go. With next-generation dynamic content from MSN Direct, nuvi 780 is one resourceful personal travel assistant. You'll always get the big picture with nuvi 780's widescreen display. View map detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight-readable, 4.3" display is easy to read from any direction. In addition, nuvi 780 accepts custom points of interest, such as school zones and safety cameras, and lets you set proximity alerts to warn you of upcoming POIs. nuvi 780 includes advanced navigational features to take the worry out of traveling. It also comes with Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map. High-sensitivity receiver Built-in memory - Internal solid state with optional SD Card Slot Voice prompts Speaks street names Auto sort multiple destinations (provides most direct route) Auto re-route (fast off-route and detour recalculation) Choice of route setup (faster time, shorter distance, off road) Custom POIs (ability to add additional points of interest) MSN Direct for U.S. compatible MP3 player Audio book player Configurable vehicle icons (select car-shaped icons for map navigation) World travel clock, currency & measurement converter, and calculator Headphone jack/audio lineout Unit Dimensions - Width 4.8 x Height 3.0 x Depth 0.8 (12.2x7.6x2.0cm) Weight - 6.2 ounces (176 grams) Amazon.com Product Description -- January 8, 2008 Which nüvi is Best for You?: Click here to see a quick, simple comparison of features for all Garmin nuvi GPS navigators Multi-Destination Routing This lets you enter several spots into the device (day care - supermarket-cleaners - office - day care, for example) and it will plot the fastest route. And once you've found the best router, the "Route Planning" feature lets you save up to 10 different routes, Garmin touts the feature for providing, "the most efficient route for errands, deliveries and sales calls." The feature also makes this an instant essential accessory for anyone who shops garage sales (you know what we're talking about). Where Am I? Where's My Car? At any time, with a single tap of the screen, drivers can display their exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations. And to help drivers find their car in an unfamiliar spot or vast parking lot, the nüvis in the 700 series automatically mark the position in which they were last removed from the mount. The widescreen format gives you 70% more actual screen area than a 3.5-inch screen. Primarily this translates into a better view of the area through which you are driving. This is especially useful in showing you what parks, restaurants, ATM, gas stations, etc. are nearby, or in letting you know whether a detour is a good idea. Also, the device itself is larger, meaning controls on the screen are more widely spaced and somewhat easier to push. Easy To Use Interface Navigation is just the beginning. nüvi 780 features travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, MP3 player, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. It also comes with Garmin Lock, an anti-theft feature, and configurable vehicle icons that let you select car-shaped graphics to show your location on the map. This device is compatible with optional content plug-ins available via SD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide provide detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts, so you can customize nüvi for your travel needs. Garmin has also added the ability for customers to add custom points of interest (POI’s) from third parties such as school zones and safety cameras. With this GPS system on board you'll be prepared to steer clear of traffic with the integrated FM TMC traffic receiver. The nüvi is designed to receive alerts about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. All you have to do is simply touch the screen to view traffic details and you'll be ready to detour around any problem area. And if you end up missing a turn, or you're forced into a detour that is not relayed through the traffic receiver, the nüvi's sophisticated automatic routing will get you back on track in no time. What's in the Box NotesGarmin nüvi 780 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with MSN Direct Service
From GarminProduct Description
Product Details
Features
Editorial Reviews
The nüvi 780 adds enhanced MSN direct content to themulti-destination routing and "Where Am I?" features and gorgeous widescreen display of other nüvi 700s to create a superior navigation device for business as well as casual drivers. As with all nüvis, you get Garmin reliability, the fast satellite lock of an integrated high-sensitivity receiver, a slim, pocket-sized design with a gorgeous display, an easy, intuitive interface, and detailed NAVTEQ maps for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico with more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest. All of the 700-series navigators also feature a rich array of features including spoken directions in real street names, integrated traffic receivers, MP3 player and photo viewer, and an FM transmitter that will play voice prompts, MP3s, audio books, and more, directly through your vehicle's stereo system.
New Features -- Enhanced MSN Direct Content (3-month free subscription)
Garmin's nüvis pack top of the line features into a slim form factor.
An integrated receiver allows you to access enhanced dynamic content from the MSN Direct service. Check the weather, avoid traffic backups, compare local gas prices, get enhanced movie listings, stock information, news and local events when you travel with your unit. Even plan trips from the convenience of your computer, via Windows Live Local, and wirelessly send custom to your nüvi.
Check out a full description of MSN Direct content features, or a coverage map for MSN Direct services.
A 3-month subscription to MSN Direct is included with the device. After that, subscription fees are $49.95 per year, or $129.95 for a lifetime subscription.Wider screen lets you see more of what's around. Compare these actual size views of a 3-inch (diagonal) screen
and a 4.3-inch diagonal widescreen
A trip log provides an electronic bread crumb trail of up to 10,000 points, so you can see where you've been on the map.
The nüvi 700 series is the first to answer two common questions: "Where am I?" and "Where’s my car?"
The super-bright, 4.3-inch (diagonal) touchscreen display gives is anti-glare for ease of viewing during the day and automatically changes its color profile for easy viewing at night or in dim light. It offers 2d or 3D perspective views.
The nüvi 780 is preloaded with highly detailed City Navigator NT road maps for the entire United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. This map database features nearly six million points of interest (POIs), including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs, and attractions. Garmin gets its map data from NAVTEQ, a world leader in premium-quality mapping.
Important note about map updates: Due to our high volume of sales, almost every Garmin portable GPS navigator sold by Amazon.com will come with the most recent map version. If you ever do need a map update, you can purchase one from Amazon.com at our Garmin Store.
Hands-Free Calling
In more and more places, it is becoming illegal to use cell phones while driving without a hands-free kit. The nüvi 780's Bluetooth capability, microphone and speaker lets match it to any bluetooth-capable phone to make hands-free mobile phone calls. Simply dial the phone number with the nüvi's touch screen keypad to make a call on a compatible phone. To answer an incoming call, just tap the screen and speak into the built-in microphone. Making and taking calls on the road has never been easier, or safer. In addition, Garmin makes it a breeze to look-up and dial numbers from your personalized phone book or even tap into your cell phone's call history log.
Garmin Lock
Garmin's patent pending theft prevention system that disables the unit from performing any functions until the user types in a specific 4-digit PIN or takes the unit to a predetermined secure location
Garmin's interface is a key to their success and one of the things that makes their devices such a pleasure to use. Simple controls and sub-screens make it easy to enter or search for destinations and get data about your trip.
Beyond Navigation
Browse your stored pictures with an easy-to-use JPEG viewer.
Like all nüvis, the 780 supports configurable vehicle icons. These fun, customized car-shaped icons come in a variety of colors to add a personal touch to your vehicle's position on the map.
Custom vehicle icons let you ride in style, at least inside your GPS.
See more icon option
nüvi 780, Preloaded City Navigator NT for North America*, MSN Direct receiver with integrated vehicle power cable, 3 months free MSN Direct service*, Vehicle suction cup mount*, USB cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual
Motorcycle GPS Systems Have To Be The Hottest Motorcycle Accessory On The Planet
Posts by OwenMotorcycle GPS overcomes one of the problems of comfortable motorcycle riding. Navigation. It's not easy navigating if you're out on a trip on your bike when you don't know where you're going.
Of course you carry a map on your bike, everyone needs a map. However it's sometimes not all that easy to use a map on a good motorcycle ride. How about when it's raining, for example? You end up sitting on the side of the road looking at a soggy map.
Motorcycle navigation has always been more difficult than navigating a car, when for example, you usually have a passenger who can just tell you when to turn left for right.
When GPS technology, or Global Positioning System technology, became available to the general public it wasn't totally user friendly, and certainly wasn't all that useful for a motorcycle rider.
GPS works by using signals from satellites to triangulate your position on the globe. Unfortunately with early versions of GPS that was what you got. Your position on the globe. Useful perhaps for some, but not ideal for good car or motorcycle navigation.
However over the years GPS technology has been combined with modern computer software and mapping software to turn GPS in general, and motorcycle GPS in particular, into a total navigation solution for you or I.
And there are now dedicated motorcycle GPS systems that are specifically designed to be mounted on motorcycle handlebars which offer this motorbike navigation solution at an extremely attractive price. And as it is specifically designed to be used on a motorbike the best motorcycle GPS systems are vibration resistant and waterproof too.
You get a unit that mounts right where you can see it and it displays a map of exactly where you are going. Good GPS navigators are able to communicate to the motorcycle rider directly by way of bluetooth technology to an earpiece in the helmet, and directions are given right to the riders ear so he or she doesn't even need to look down for visual directions, enhancing safety.
Program your ride right into your navigator before the ride and it will take you right across the country to where you want to go telling you every turn along the way. Ask it to take you past any one or more of thousands of points of interest, accomodation stops, fuel stops or a range of other destinations along the way and it will do so.
Subscribe to a service for real time traffic information and it will download information on traffic jams and automatically route you around them.
Then download your whole ride at the end and keep it for the future or share it with friends. Oh, and along the way perhaps you'd like your motorcycle GPS system to play you some music or give you hands free phone calling via bluetooth capability. And it will do lots lots more as well.
There's no doubt that modern motorcycle GPS navigation systems have come a long way since the days of old Global Positioning System technology. For well under $1000 you can buy one of the best GPS motorcycle navigators and make navigating your next long ride a breeze.
MOTERCYCLE OWEN Thank Motorcycle GPS Systems Have To Be The Hottest Motorcycle Accessory On The Planet by Peter Clark http://motorcyclegpsdeals.com
Motorcycle GPS is like auto GPS. It's fast becoming an essential accessory for any biker who likes long rides without getting lost.
Because it's not quite as easy to navigate on a motorbike. You can't just hand the map over your shoulder to your girlfriend behind and ask her to tell you where to turn. Navigating on a motorcycle involves stopping. You need to take the map out, work out where you're going and put it away. While you're stopped.
Not so good when it's raining, for example, or on the side of a busy road, or even just when you're in a real hurry.
A good motorcycle GPS unit can take all that away and make motorcycle navigation a breeze. And the Garmin Zumo 55o is a good motorcycle GPS unit. A very good motorcycle GPS unit.
Why? Well first up is it's design. It's not an auto GPS device that's adapted for use on a motorcycle. It's designed specifically with the motorcyclist in mind. For example it has a simple user friendly touch screen with large icons so it can be operated on the ride with gloves on. And with the left hand.
And unlike someone using a car GPS, a motorcycle GPS unit has some other requirements for bikers as well. For example you're trying to read the screen in the sun, so it's usually harder to read.
Not the Garmin Zumo 550 motorcycle GPS. It's designed to be readable from the saddle even in bright sunlight, so the motorcyclist doesn't need to do contortions to read it. And it's UV friendly so the sun won't break it down. And it's waterproof so the rain won't kill it. And it's fuel resistant too.
After all you don't want your bike GPS to break down from something like the effects of the sun do you?
Another issue specific to motorcycle riders is the mount. In the past a good mount was quite in issue, and many motorbike riders had to adapt some type of car GPS mount to mount the motorcycle GPS unit on the handlebars, or anywhere.
But the Garmin Zumo 550 comes with it's own motorcycle mount for the handlebars. And it's vibration resistant too, an issue for bikers but not for car drivers. It's got integrated speakers so you can listen to your directions via bluetooth technology so you don't even need to look down.
City navigator maps are loaded from the start so all your maps are already right there. There's a comprehensive database of points of interest like motels, fuel stops, restaurants and more, and you can even load your own points of interest, or maps.
with an XM subscription and an antenna you can even get real time traffic and weather and radio, so you can avoid all those pesky traffic jams. Traffic jam ahead? Push a button and your Zumo will calculate a new route for you without even needing to get off your bike.
Use your phone via the 550, and you don't even need to take off your gloves or helmet. And you get the voice commands right to your helmet too. Need to turn left soon? Just wait for the command. And why not upload your favorite music and listen to that while you ride as well?
A good motorcycle GPS unit like the Garmin Zumo 550 will allow you to plan your rides, store your best rides and even share them with your friends. If you've found motorcycle navigation a drag in the past, invest in a great motorcycle GPS unit and motorbike navigation becomes a breeze.
Motercycle The Garmin Zumo 550 Motorcycle Gps. Motorcycle Navigation at It's Finest by Peter Clark...http://motorcyclegpsdeals.com
The Global Positioning System (GPS) consists of a number of satellites which are used to track the position of an object, person or item to which a GPS receiver is attached to.
GPS devices are the new face of navigation technology, since they have all the relevant geographical information of the world neatly fed into their data systems. The information is readily available for reference when they are displayed on a GPS device.
Motorcycle GPS units are gadgets that are attached to motorcycles and cross-country riders to trace where they are and where they are going. The motorcycle GPS devices are like microcomputers with internet, since you can even download maps of various places while you are out discovering.
Advantages of Motorcycle GPS Devices
Motorcycle GPS units have a number of uses besides navigation. The units can help in tracking colleagues when you are out on an adventure or on a scouting experience. They are also used as an antitheft system whereby a bike that is stolen and which has the GPS system is able to be tracked. It even helps in tracing accidents deep in forests, sand or ice.
They act as guides and in case you are lost they can retrace the route you followed. They even calculate the distance to your destination and the amount of fuel you use to get there. This is an amazing gadget to use, since it has an easily designed power system where it has a battery which is easily rechargeable. Many motorcycle GPS systems are Bluetooth enabled and thus they can receive information from long distances without necessarily being wired. This means you can even use your cell phone with a motorcycle GPS.
The motorcycle GPS systems can easily be fed new data, like the nearest government offices or other places of public interest like hospitals and cash machines. Some motorcycle GPS come equipped with music players and games to make you enjoy outdoor adventures even more.
Most GPS systems are very are affordable. They can range from $100 to over $300 and their prices rise in proportion to their functions and features. Typically, the cheaper models are usually handheld devices that are attached to the motorcycle using specific mounts or devices used for mountain biking. The more expensive models are specifically designed for motorcycles and are vibration resistant.
The Garmin Zumo 550 and TomTom Rider
There are two original types of motorcycle GPS units, which are the Garmin Zumo 550 and the TomTom rider. Both are resistant to vibration which means they are very robust and will not be effected by the reverberation from your bike. They have a touch screen which you can use, even with your gloves on. They are also able to give voice commands through a special wireless Bluetooth earpiece that fits inside the helmet.
Motorcycle GPS devices make riding in the saddle an even more exciting and worthwhile experience. It is advisable that all bikers whether scouts, researchers or racers should get these GPS systems, since discovering new locations and journeys is an experience like no other.
Motorcycle GPS Devices - Make Riding in the Saddle an Adventure : Richard Neesal
The Garmin Zumo 550 Motorcycle Gps. Motorcycle Navigation at It's Finest
Motorcycle GPS is like auto GPS. It's fast becoming an essential accessory for any biker who likes long rides without getting lost.
Because it's not quite as easy to navigate on a motorbike. You can't just hand the map over your shoulder to your girlfriend behind and ask her to tell you where to turn. Navigating on a motorcycle involves stopping. You need to take the map out, work out where you're going and put it away. While you're stopped.
Not so good when it's raining, for example, or on the side of a busy road, or even just when you're in a real hurry.
A good motorcycle GPS unit can take all that away and make motorcycle navigation a breeze. And the Garmin Zumo 55o is a good motorcycle GPS unit. A very good motorcycle GPS unit.
Why? Well first up is it's design. It's not an auto GPS device that's adapted for use on a motorcycle. It's designed specifically with the motorcyclist in mind. For example it has a simple user friendly touch screen with large icons so it can be operated on the ride with gloves on. And with the left hand.
And unlike someone using a car GPS, a motorcycle GPS unit has some other requirements for bikers as well. For example you're trying to read the screen in the sun, so it's usually harder to read.
Not the Garmin Zumo 550 motorcycle GPS. It's designed to be readable from the saddle even in bright sunlight, so the motorcyclist doesn't need to do contortions to read it. And it's UV friendly so the sun won't break it down. And it's waterproof so the rain won't kill it. And it's fuel resistant too.
After all you don't want your bike GPS to break down from something like the effects of the sun do you?
Another issue specific to motorcycle riders is the mount. In the past a good mount was quite in issue, and many motorbike riders had to adapt some type of car GPS mount to mount the motorcycle GPS unit on the handlebars, or anywhere.
But the Garmin Zumo 550 comes with it's own motorcycle mount for the handlebars. And it's vibration resistant too, an issue for bikers but not for car drivers. It's got integrated speakers so you can listen to your directions via bluetooth technology so you don't even need to look down.
City navigator maps are loaded from the start so all your maps are already right there. There's a comprehensive database of points of interest like motels, fuel stops, restaurants and more, and you can even load your own points of interest, or maps.
with an XM subscription and an antenna you can even get real time traffic and weather and radio, so you can avoid all those pesky traffic jams. Traffic jam ahead? Push a button and your Zumo will calculate a new route for you without even needing to get off your bike.
Use your phone via the 550, and you don't even need to take off your gloves or helmet. And you get the voice commands right to your helmet too. Need to turn left soon? Just wait for the command. And why not upload your favorite music and listen to that while you ride as well?
A good motorcycle GPS unit like the Garmin Zumo 550 will allow you to plan your rides, store your best rides and even share them with your friends. If you've found motorcycle navigation a drag in the past, invest in a great motorcycle GPS unit and motorbike navigation becomes a breeze.
The Garmin Zumo 550 Motorcycle Gps. Motorcycle Navigation at It's Finest by Peter Clark
You are racing down the highway from Oregon to Washington and end up taking a wrong turn. What do you do? If you BMW Garmin Zumo motorcycle navigator GPS on you then you don't have to do much because the GPS will take care of almost except driving the bike. One of the good things about the BMW Garmin Zumo is that it can be mounted on a bike as well as on your BMW special edition super car!
It all started one fine day when BMW introduced a helping device for drivers that could show the road map. Of course this didn't mean that people could drive in their sleep - it simply meant that even if you tried hard, you wouldn't get lost. BMW first came out with their original Motorrad Navigator GPS that caused a downfall in sales of paper maps to BMW riders. Since then several generations of the Navigator has been launched including the Navigator II, Navigator II Plus and Navigator III GPS systems.
The Navigator GPS system revolutionized a market that catered to the long distance riders. Using the Navigator especially the BMW Garmin Zumo motorcycle navigator GPS system, riders were able to drive on longer routes without having to stop for directions. This was no mean achievement! One of the highlight of the Navigator GPS systems was that it had a water-resistant casing and could be easily mounted on a unique mounting cradle, which enhanced the overall portability as well as its operation.
The benchmark for motorcycle and long distance route finders was actually laid by the advanced BMW Garmin Zumo motorcycle navigator GPS system. Rugged and compact, this is a GPS system that is considered to be one of the best ever manufactured by BMW Garmin and it was loaded with high end navigational functions and features, ready to use maps and a big enough display screen.
Some of the key features of the new BMW Garmin Zumo motorcycle navigator GPS include:
A slick full black body design that looked good and felt good too
The glove-friendly touch screen made it easier for bikers to use it
Left hand controls have been designed for motorcyclists
A special programming lock can limit re-programming during driving
BMW Dealer database
BMW specific software
TMC - Traffic Receiver included with 3-month subscription
Mounting base plate compatible with BMW mounting brackets
Custom BMW caps included in three sets of designs
Water resistant and shockproof
Replaceable lithium ion rechargeable battery for use off the bike up to 5 hours (included)
Vibration-tested and built with fuel-resistant plastics to withstand the elements
Bluetooth wireless technology for phone communication
Compass feature equivalent to Navigator III
MP-3 Player for storing music
High brightness, sunlight-readable, and UV-resistant display screen
The new BMW Garmin Zumo motorcycle navigator GPS system has been specially engineered by Garmin for BMW and it has certain proprietary features, which are unavailable on the standard Garmin Zumo systems and this includes the 3-year warranty.
Are you looking to find all the newest automotive-gps up for auction, as well as many other electronic gadgets come take look at what's up for grabs at http://GadgetsAuction.com
A GPS system for your motorcycle can turn your journeys, into adventures. Opening up a whole new experience, you can find amazing places to explore by planning your trips at home, and downloading your routes to your GPS device. New landscapes, destinations, and road trips await; with the security and confidence of never getting lost again.
A GPS system for your motorcycle can also help to make your journeys as comfortable, and stress-free as possible. If you fancy a break, or you're running out of petrol, your GPS can help. More importantly, your GPS unit can guide you back to safety when you get lost, or accidentally take the wrong turning. With voice guided directions, and software brimming with points of interest (POI), such as petrol stations, restaurants, service stations, and hotels; your GPS can guarantee you a journey of uninterrupted enjoyment.
Sound like the perfect toy? Well, with GPS systems becoming mainstream, and new features and models endlessly hitting the shelves, it can be a hard task deciphering which GPS device best suits your needs.
To help you out, it's worth considering the following points before you go ahead and purchase your first GPS for your motorcycle.
What Type of GPS Do You Need For Your Motorcycle?
Are Its Reception Capabilities Suitable For Your Needs?
Does the Battery Life Of Your GPS Suit Your Needs?
How Resistant Is Your GPS To Vibration & Hard Ware?
Do You Want 2-Way-Communication?
How Easy Is Your GPS To Update?
How Easy Is Your GPS To Update?
What Price Is Suitable?
What Type of GPS Do You Need For Your Motorcycle?
There are 3 types of GPS units for motorbikes; portable outdoor units, GPS units designed specifically for your motorcycle/ scooter, and GPS/PDA hybrids.
If you also enjoy outdoor activities such as mountain biking, rambling, or even camping; a portable GPS that can be taken anywhere with you would be ideal. As well as navigating your off-road persuits, versatile Sat Nav's, like the Garmin Quest 2, operate in any vehicle. As well as motorcycling, you can take it in your car, on your boat, or even on a plane with you.
GPS devices designed exclusively for motorcycles can offer you some very impressive features. Especially designed with you, the motorcyclist, in mind, units like the TomTom RIDER have tough, weather-proof casing, touch-screen options for gloves, and anti-glare screens. One of the latest features introduced by TomTom for effective communication, is a system which transmits your spoken instructions via a built-in Bluetooth audio system, using a headset that sits inside your helmet.
The final type of GPS device that may appeal to you is the PDA/GPS hybrid. Although these devices have been designed primarily with portability in mind, most come with the added bonus of having a large screen. So, like the hand-held outdoor GPS units, this type of GPS would be ideal for those of you who enjoy a range of outdoor activities. With an integrated PDA on top of this, GPS/ PDA devices, like the Mio A201 for example, can be handy for work and play. With features like Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, you will be able to catch up on work anytime, anyplace. If you prefer to listen to music on the move, play games, or store digital photos, a GPS device like this one is an ideal choice
Does the Reception Capabilities of Your Motorcycle GPS Meet Your Needs?
When selecting a GPS for your motorcycle, it is worth thinking about how accurate you want your satellite signals to be, in pinpointing your position.
A lot of GPS units available today have an accuracy of approximately 6-8 meters. However, many of the newer GPS models are designed with a WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) capability, resulting in accuracies of 3-4 meters 95% of the time. The Garmin Quest 2 for example, has a flip up external antenna equipped with a 12-channel WAAS GPS receiver; supplying position accuracy of up to 9 feet.
If you enjoy riding in dense woodlands and urban areas, it is worth noting that GPS devices incorporating the new SiRF Star III Chip Set, are units to look out for. This high performance, low power consumption chipset has superior sensitivity in high foliage surroundings. It is also worth noting that GPS units with external powered antennas are great in maintaining a signal in deep woodlands.
Does the Battery Life of Your Motorcycle GPS Suit Your Needs?
With the freedom to ride just about anywhere with a GPS; battery life is an important component to consider. Most GPS units use 2, 4, or 6 'AA' batteries, which can last up to 6 hours. GPS units with integrated rechargeable batteries are the ideal choice if you occasionally lose track of time. With GPS systems like the TomTom RIDER, you can charge your battery at home, while planning your next route, or continuously keep topped up with power, by charging your GPS directly from your bikes battery.
How Resistant Is Your Motorcycle GPS To Vibration & Hard Ware?
With the freedom to ride just about anywhere and not get lost, it is guaranteed your GPS will get a great deal of use (and reverberation). So, it is important to consider how durable your GPS is, in withstanding such conditions.
GPS devices designed exclusively for Motorcycles, like the TomTom RIDER have been designed with this in mind. Not only weather proof, its tough outer case and rugged shock proof mount has been designed to absorb any external friction.
Although most GPS devices come with a mount, it is an absolute must that you use a vibration isolated mount if your GPS will be used regularly on your motorcycle. The RAM mount by NPI, which is fast becoming the industry standard, manufacture anti-vibration ball and socket mounting systems allowing you to mount practically anything, anywhere with vibration protection and durability. This would be an ideal addition to the Garmin Quest 2 GPS if you were purchasing this portable GPS for a lot of use on your motorcycle.
Do You Want Your Motorcycle GPS To Have 2-Way Communication?
Some of the most recent GPS systems to be launched for motorcycles have taken 2-way communication to a whole new level.
If you own a GPRS Bluetooth enabled mobile phone, it is worth knowing that many Sat Nav's, like the TomTom RIDER, have incorporated a Bluetooth receiver, amongst their many features. With the ability to connect your phone via Bluetooth, and receive incoming phone calls through your GPS and Bluetooth headset, you need never have to take your gloves and helmet off to answer your phone again.
You could even use your Bluetooth enabled phones' wireless Internet, and with certain models of GPS, receive real time information on traffic conditions.
Enjoy riding in groups? It is worth knowing there are some recent hand held units that can offer built in radios that will not only allow you to communicate with other members of your group, but will also display everyone's location on your screen.
How Easy Is Your Motorcycle GPS To Update?
With Roads constantly changing, the ability to update your device easily, and at a reasonable cost, are very important factors to consider when selecting your GPS.
It is important to realize that each type of GPS will be updated in a different way, and so you need to choose which process is better for you.
Those which are attached to a PDA, like the Mio A201 for example, are usually updated via a PC, whereas dedicated in-vehicle units tend to be updated via a CD. These have to be purchased from the road map data supplier.
Some specific software vendors have solutions for preparing maps which can be downloaded to your GPS unit. Most notably, TomTom operate the TomTom PLUS service.
The Choice: Budget Considerations
In essence, your choice can be reasonably simple: Buy the most expensive GPS that you can afford, that suits your needs.
It is important, using my pointers above, to decide which features are most important to you. If you want an up-to-the-minute GPS for your motorcycle; with features like real-time, on demand traffic information, hands-free calling, turn by turn voice instructions via bluetooth headsets, alerts for speed camera locations, plus thousands of useful points of interest, GPS sytems like the TomTom RIDER start from approximately £550 inc. VAT.
If, however, you are looking for more of a toy to play with, and a GPS that will simply get you from A to B, then a hand held device could be a better choice. With a range of features, like simple voice guidance, compass mode, MP3 player, and essentially portability, GPS devices like the Mio 268 and the Garmin Quest 2 are ideal for motorcycles, and a range of outdoor activities. The Mio 268, and hand held GPS units with similar features, start from approximately £250 inc. VAT.
To browse a variety of discount GPS Sytems For Your Motorcycle, or Accessories & Software For Your Motorcycle GPS Systems, visit http://www.globalpositioningsystems.co.uk.
It is said that had it not been for a GPS tracking device in OJ Simpson’s mobile phone, he would not have been found to be tried on his wife’s murder. A GPS vehicle tracking device is much like driving around in your car with your mobile phone. It allows a person to locate the current position of a moving vehicle or identify where it’s been and as well, where it is heading. This is ideal for chasing criminals who has just fled the scene of the crime or finding where a suspicious vehicle will be heading next.
A GPS tracking device calculates its position by measuring distances between itself and other GPS satellites. In return, the signals emitted by the satellites carry information about the GPS carrier’s location. Aside from absolute location, other civilian benefits from having GPS vehicle tracking devices include relative movement. Relative movement is useful in ships and vessels to calculate certain time distance calculations including velocity made good toward your destination and crosstrac error calculations.
Additional benefits of using GPS vehicle tracking devices is the ability to know let the carrier know exactly where their vehicle is located and its direction of travel. This technology can also create a digital view of the vehicle’s current position in a geographic map. This information can be valuable in remote locations that do not have established road names or where the vehicle may be traveling off road. More advanced GPS devices can even tell you which turn to take or which roads to take to reach a destination. Life is now easier drivers who simply get on their cars and start their engines without knowing where to go. GPS in vehicles has given everyone the ability to navigate to about any location on the earth. As a result the world is a much small place than it was just a few short years ago. Now we can find our present location, where have been or going to, with a simple click of a button.
So, if you ever wonder where your car may be, your GPS can track where it is to within a few meters. If by chance your car gets stolen, you can easily find where it is heading or where it currently is. Suppose a vehicle stops in the middle of nowhere because of some car trouble, the driver could easily ask for help, or his location could easily be tracked for emergency assistance, that is for as long as there is a signal. GPS tracking will not work without it. This feature has the potential to decrease car theft or even robberies with getaway vehicles. This can also give cheating husbands or spouses a second thought on their actions. Moving around in vehicles with GPS can very well ruin a secret affair because of its non-discreet ability to identify one’s exact location.
Having this new and useful technology, GPS tracking devices in your mobile phones or GPS vehicle tracking devices in your vehicle, we are giving away a part of our lives to be known to others for a price. This loss of privacy is of great concern may many people. Basically we are giving away information about our lives for sake of more information. If you do purchase and install GPS vehicle tracking devices, then you should expect that somebody else can use the GPS tracking information you provide for their own benefit. Unless we a doing something illegal or immoral we really have little fear from the misuse of any GPS tracking information we generate each day. GPS Vehicle Tracking Devices by Jim Kesel