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Tips on getting a good GPS
A lot of time has been spent trying out GPS units, Garmin, Tom Tom, Magellan, and several factory GPS units have all been compared. All of these GPS units tell you how to get somewhere and will re-route if you make a wrong turn.
- The most important thing about a GPS units is the user interface. Is it simple to understand and easy to use?
- A built in database of sunrise and sunset times (based upon your location) to change from daylight mode to night-time mode. This is important because the daylight screen is much too bright for use at night.
- Some units withh detect power changes such as plugging or unplugging the unit from your car cigarette lighter.
- Unlike most factory GPS units, Garmin will allow you to select your route and make changes while you are moving.
- While you are driving, the Garmin unit will both prompt you to turn and give you a written explanation of the turn (including the street or highway name and direction) at the top of the screen. The Garmin unit also shows an estimated arrival time (usually a few minutes earlier than you'll actually arrive) and the distance to your next turn. A separate screen gives you detailed trip information, including how far and how long you've been driving and your maximum speed.
- You can often use the Garmin even when driving locally, becase it often finds better, faster ways to get there then the way that you may not usually use or even know about.
- There are a variety of installation options and accessories. One of the favorite is a friction based dashboard mount (three weights connected to a center stand) which is much more convenient than the supplied mounting systems.
- Be sure to check for the latest map and firmware updates at the manufacturers web-site.
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