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 GPS and PDA Bring TLC to Your Travels |
| GPS and PDA Bring TLC to Your Travels
by Rainer Cassell
Remember family vacations when you were a kid? Waiting in a stuffy car while mom and dad pored over those massive road maps? Or, watching as they tried to decipher the directions given by the guy at the gas station? Makes us wonder how we ever found the cottage! Thankfully, modern travelers can use a GPS receiver to find their way quickly and easily.
The need for traditional maps and navigational devices has virtually disappeared since GPS devices hit the market. Now, travelers can simply refer to the GPS screen to access clear direction on where they need to go.
GPS receivers are small electronic devices that work by calculating your precise location on earth. This location is found by decoding signals received from satellites in outer space. Using additional electronics and software, it's then possible for the GPS to pinpoint an exact location on a map. This incredible technology is available at a relatively small price.
For increased convenience and usefulness, GPS receivers are often paired with other mobile devices. The PDA is one of the most popular mobile products used for this purpose. With a colored screen that can clearly display maps, and some hard drive space for map storage, PDAs are wonderful partners to GPS receivers. Consider the small size and light weight of a PDA as compared to other options like notebook and laptop computers, and it's easy to see why PDAs have become the first choice of modern navigators.
There is sometimes a problem with the integration of GPS receivers with PDAs. Connection between the two units is usually made using either conventional USB wires, or a CompactFlash (CF) CARD. The size of the GPS and PDA units together, and added to the added bulk of the CF card, can create a cumbersome traveler's tool. On the other hand, using USB wires is inconvenient and limits the overall usability of the navigation device. Many people, therefore, are turning to Bluetooth technology as the perfect traveler's companion.
Bluetooth to the Rescue
Bluetooth technology is the new standard for wireless communications. With Bluetooth technology, two electronic devices are able to communicate by sending and retrieving signals and transferring data from as many as ten meters away. The information is transmitted without any wires at all.
Bluetooth GPS Receivers
A Bluetooth GPS receiver is a device that uses wireless Bluetooth technology or Bluetooth electronics to transmit GPS data to a second mobile device that is capable of handling the same technology. In other words, a Bluetooth GPS receiver can only send data to a PDA that is also enabled with built-in Bluetooth capabilities.
In addition to the ease and convenience of avoiding bulky CompactFlash cards and messy wires, there are other benefits to using Bluetooth technology with your GPS/PDA combination:
Flexible Freedom
It's not always best to have your PDA and your GPS receiver located in the same position. Without wires to bind the devices, you can position your PDA and GPS separately in the most strategic locations, to provide the best results. For example, if you are using your GPS while driving, you can position the Bluetooth GPS receiver in a spot where it has a clear view of the sky, while mounting the PDA to your dashboard where you have a clear view of the screen. There are no wires to get in the way of your vision, or hamper your driving in any way.
Added Storage
If you are using Bluetooth technology to transmit data, you'll have no need to plug in a CompactFlash card. The empty CF slot, therefore, can be used as a storage space for software or maps to further optimize the results of your GPS.
Bluetooth GPS manufacturers will offer further benefits with their equipment. For example, many Bluetooth GPS receivers feature a POI (points of interest) database, pre-stored maps and route re-calculation function.
Shop around to learn as much as you can, and compare models to find the one that suits you best. Your GPS will likely soon become a trusted travel companion.
Writer Rainer Cassell writes for several well-known online magazines, on tech gadgets and product to sell topics. This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights.
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