Thursday, June 5, 2008

Portable Gps Navigation Systems to Fit Your Budget

By Brad Seabourne

The addition of portable GPS navigation in your vehicle is relatively inexpensive especially when compared to the overpriced dealership charge that comes when you order a factory navigation system. After market units use the most current technology and maps to help you get where you want to go with the greatest accuracy.

Many of the portable GPS navigation devices can be used for much more than just getting directions. Expandability features permit for numerous upgrades together with DVD, Mp3, I-pod integration, and Bluetooth. The after market units are really well worth the investment. Portable GPS navigation units are presently one type of navigation available in the market. These sorts of GPS units are mainly made to be suctioned to your windshield and powered from your car's DC outlet. The most important feature of these units is their versatility. The device can be easily unplugged to be moved from one vehicle to another.

There are Garmin portable GPS systems available with built-in batteries to eliminate the need for an external power source. The popular and versatile Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS Navigator's rechargeable lithium-ion battery can last up to 8 hours. It is compact without sacrificing screen size unlike some of the other navigation systems that are available. Moreover, it is not just a navigation system. In addition to providing directions, it also serves as an Mp3 player and audio book player.

Another system for navigation is the in-dash. These units often have touch-screen capabilities. Touch screens make it possible to enter your destination with a finger. Often, you can replace your car radio, in order to gain control of the whole radio system.

With systems designed to fit both standard and big radios it is now possible to find a system for any vehicle. Options like Bluetooth, iPod integration, satellite radio and TV tuners let you to outfit your vehicle with all the options at a fraction of the cost that your dealership would charge you.

If more points of interest are loaded into the unit the better the chances of you finding a destination with minimal information. Hard drive maps are actually loaded on your unit; updates are as easy as downloading new maps from your home system and loading them onto your hard drive via SD Card or DVD. Actually maps are loaded onto a DVD which must be inserted into the system. New updated DVDs must be bought as time goes by in order to stay current with the growth of your area.

The newer portable GPS units offer convenience, affordability and more advanced functions than earlier models. They may include such features as internal, rechargeable batteries, pre-loaded North America map databases and real time traffic reporting.

There are take-along GPS systems that are available at all cost levels. For a little money, you can avoid getting lost in the future, as well as have the entertainment and usefulness factor of a GPS.

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