Getting a refurbished GPS has been repeatedly shown to be a good idea. They help you save money on something you were already going to purchase and they have the same functionality as a regular GPS unit. But where can one find a refurbished GPS?
The first location the vast majority of people are going to search is on the internet. This is for good reason. Probably the best place to find what you are looking for is on the internet, if you know how to look. There can be tons of misinformation and even outright lies on the internet so navigating it and picking a trustworthy source is very important.
One very trustworthy source for making online purchases is Amazon. Over the years they have firmly established themselves as an online retailer, gaining the trust of millions of individuals worldwide. The breadth of the products they offer is impressive and you can pretty much find anything you are looking for on its pages. The even have a robust offering of refurbished GPS units. One key to working the Amazon game is to check a lot of different listings and not to assume that a greatly reduced price is an automatic deal. Check around and do price comparisons.
Another big name in online products is eBay. You probably won't find many new refurbished items here, but you can definitely find products for cheap. Products sold on eBay are generally used or unwanted products that are being sold by individuals. There are some retailers on eBay, but they generally don't offer refurbished items and prices are the same as any other online retailer.
In addition to these two massive players in online retailing, Buy.com is also another site that is generally useful for find items. However, in terms of refurbished GPS units this retailer is not very useful. A search on "refurbished GPS" returned many different results and only a very small minority were actually GPS units! This can be very frustrating as a user and really can turn you off to using them to find this type of product.
Besides online stores, you might find what you are looking for at a retailer near where you live. The brands that you might go to are Circuit City, Radio Shack, Best Buy, Staples, or Fry's because these stores offer a slew of consumer electronics, including GPS. However, you might be hard pressed to actually find a refurbished item at one of these stores. It is not everyday that you can walk into a Best Buy and peruse their latest selection of refurbished GPS units.
However, the one place that you might find some refurbished items on a regular basis would be a place like Fry's. They always seem to be having a refurbished this or that lying around somewhere in the corner or on an end cap. These items usually go fairly quickly if they are of the door buster variety (a door buster is an item sold at a loss to get people into the store to buy other items), but you can still find them if you check your local paper often enough.
Where ever you buy your refurbished device you are sure to get a deal on it that will save you money, which is always a good thing.
Places To Buy A Refurbished GPS
Finding the Best GPS Receiver for the Lowest Possible Price
Knowing exactly where you are and where you're headed is something that every person wants, especially if you're driving through streets you are not very familiar with. The best approach in such cases is to use an electronic device called a GPS, these letters stand for global positioning system. While there is a lot of high tech going on in the background these advices are really quite easy to use and are now being integrated in other smaller appliances such as cell phones.
When it comes to cell phones and GPS navigation there is an obvious problem, a GPS system which is integrated into a phone will not do you any good if you're driving, this is because you need to pay attention to the road and not to such small screen; based on this fact several laws have been enacted in order to prevent people from driving and talking on the phone at the same time, this also includes text messaging, browsing the web and yes you guessed it, getting an address to your GPS phone.
The best solution to this problem is to purchase a stand-alone GPS device, some of the benefits a stand-alone unit can provide you are:
-- You will have a bigger screen to look at compared to your cell phone
-- Most GPS devices can literally tell you where you need to go without you having to look at their screen
-- You can avoid getting costly tickets because you're getting GPS information through your cell phone
These are just the most obvious benefits that you'll get when you use a stand-alone GPS device. So how do you find the best deal and GPS navigation systems online? Let's take a look
Finding the best deal
If you are a deal hunter you probably have a pile of newspaper ads all over the place which advertise electronics at a certain price, the problem is that when these ads and promotions are available you may not have the funds to purchase the item that you want; vexing problem indeed.
The solution to this problem is to forget about the newspaper and head towards your computer and find yourself best comparison site, not an auction site but a comparison site; you will do this in order to avoid getting a lesser quality item that may turn out to be more expensive in the long run.
Comparison sites will often get these things straight from websites or from companies that you would normally use such as Circuit City, Best Buy, Tiger direct, Amazon and such. Comparison sites can effectively eliminate the need to look for it the newspaper every single time you want to find electronics on sale. The market for GPS devices is very competitive amongst retailers so in order to get the most attention they will try to come up with special offers which they often advertise through the newspaper and online ads, comparison sites specialize in collecting these deals so that you don't have to go from place to place looking for the best bargain in the best of all, all of the items that are listed in comparison sites are brand-new and on sale.
Portable GPS Receiver Buying Guide
With the rising popularity of GPS receivers, they have almost become a necessity to those that are fed up with getting lost while trying to reach a destination. But GPS (Global Positioning System) receivers do much more than simply letting you know where you are. With many models you can have turn-by-turn voice prompts telling you where to turn, how soon to expect the turn, the angle of the turn, and even which lane you should be in. On some models you also have access to hundreds of thousands of points of interest. Examples of points of interest are restaurants, department stores, gas stations, banks, etc.
There are many other features that are available on today's portable GPS receivers, though knowing what you want before making a purchase will help you decide on which ones are most important to you, and which ones are just added bonuses. Below is a list of things that our product specialists recommend our customers to look for before making a purchasing decision when shopping for portable GPS receivers.
Screen Size: It is important to consider the screen size of a portable GPS receiver because if your not able to see the roads you need to take, there's no point of having GPS. Make sure to get a receiver with a screen that will be large enough for you to be able to see street names with ease. Keep in mind though; there is always the zoom feature which gives you close ups of the map being displayed.
Touch Screen Controls: You should consider a receiver with touch screen controls, which makes it easier for you to input your information, and saves space because there is no need for extra buttons elsewhere.
Voice Prompts: If you plan on using the GPS receiver mainly while driving, it would be best to get one that features turn-by-turn voice prompts so you don't have to take your eyes off the road.
Battery: If you plan on using the GPS system that is not connected to something for power, consider the battery life of the receiver. If the battery doesn't last you long enough, you may just end up lost in the middle of nowhere.
Re-Routing Capabilities: Re-routing capabilities on a GPS receiver is a feature that re-calculates another route for you when you miss a turn. Getting a receiver with re-routing capabilities is important because if you miss a turn and the GPS doesn't automatically re-route, then you will have to go back follow the receivers exact route which can be very inefficient. Most portable GPS receivers designed for use in a car have re-routing capabilities, though some may not so its always good to double check.
Points of Interest: Having a GPS receiver with a high amount of POI (Points of Interest) can be very helpful to you in finding locations that you don't know the exact address to. The points of interest usually include things like gas stations, banks, stores, restaurants, ATM machines, etc.
Included Accessories: Check to see whether the GPS receiver comes with the accessories you need such as an AC/DC adapter, car mount, cables, cases, etc.
GPS: A receiver that calculates its absolute geographic position by determining its relative position to a set of at least three satellites.
GPS Is The Perfect Automobile Accessory
Honey, are we lost? Just maybe, with the right GPS system, you will never have to ask for directions again or hear the dreaded question. Your male ego might just stay intact and save your marriage at the same time.
Does this scenario seem familiar to you? Have you entered the twilight zone? It is time to drive to a new destination and all too many times you find out your map is outdated, the roads are torn up by construction, or you find your self seeing some new parts of the country that is no way related to where you are suppose to be going. Again, I ask, does this scenario seem familiar to you when you have had to drive to a new destination? Take heart, new knowledge is here to help us destination challenge individuals. Having the right Garmin GPS Navigation System, getting from point A to point B (and beyond) no longer has to be an exercise in frustration. No more "going where no one has gone before".
What does GPS stands for? Global Positioning System is a worldwide radio-navigation system of 24 satellites and their earth stations on earth. Airplanes, astronauts, hikers are using this great GPS devices. The satellites are used as orientation points for locations on earth. By measuring the distance from three satellites, GPS devices can triangulate a location anywhere on earth. That is pretty cool if you think about it.
Where did GPS come from? GPS is funded by and controlled by the U. S. Department of Defense (DOD). Can you believe that? While there are many thousands of civil users of GPS world-wide, the system was intended for and is operated by the U. S. military. GPS provides specifically coded satellite signals that can be processed in a GPS receiver, enabling the receiver to compute position, velocity and time. Four GPS satellite signals are used to compute positions in three dimensions and the time offset in the receiver clock. This is really a very neat product that provides an exceptional reliable service.
GPS is speedily becoming an integral component of the up-and-coming Global Information Infrastructure, with applications ranging from mapping and surveying to international air traffic management and global change study. The growing demand from military, civil, commercial, and scientific users has generated a U.S. commercial GPS equipment and service industry that leads the world. Augmentations to enhance basic GPS services could further enlarge these civil and commercial markets.
GPS is managed by the National Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Executive Committee, supported by the PNT Executive Secretariat. The PNT manages GPS and U.S. Government augmentations to GPS, reliable with national policy, to sustain and augment U.S. economic competitiveness and productivity while shielding national security and foreign policy interests.
The essential GPS is defined as the assemblage of satellites, the navigation payloads which generate the GPS signals, ground stations, data links, and associated command and control facilities which are operated and maintained by the Department of Defense; the Standard Positioning Service (SPS) as the civil and commercial service provided by the basic GPS; and augmentations as those systems founded on the GPS that provide real-time accuracy better than the SPS. GPS permits land, sea, and airborne users to determine their three dimensional point, speed, and point in time, 24 hours a day in all weather, everywhere in the world.
Mom and Dads are putting in GPS vehicle tracking systems in their children cars so they can make sure they are staying away from places they shouldn't be visiting. Trucking companies are installing GPS fleet tracking systems to resolve where there trucks are at all times. Naturally some privacy issues can occur with this capability to keep an eye on movement but the payback definitely over shadow the concerns. Hiking out in the wilderness is much easier and now safer with the GPS handheld units.
Where can you find GPS systems? A good place to start is the internet. Not only is the internet a good source to start where but also you can learn more about GPS and how it works. All the major retail stores carry the major brands such as Magellan, Garmin GPS Navigational System, TomTom, DeLorme, and Lowrance. There are handheld GPS units, dash mounted automotive GPS units, fish finders GPS, and even GPS for PDA's and cell phones.
The United States Government has acknowledged that GPS plays a key role around the world as part of the global information infrastructure and takes sincerely their accountability to provide the best possible service to civil and commercial users worldwide. This is as true in times of conflict as it is in times of peace.
The U.S. Government also upholds the capability to prevent hostile use of GPS and its augmentations while preserving a military advantage in a theater of operations without disrupting or degrading civilian uses outside the theater of operations. The believe they can ensure that GPS continues to be available as an invaluable global utility at all times, while at the same time, protecting U.S. and coalition security requirements. Who said the U.S. Government didn't care?
GPS – a Valuable Tool in Navigation
Picture this: you’re lost in the middle of a storm on country roads or you’re hunting in the middle of nowhere and can’t find your way home. You check your compass, but still can’t find your exact location. You look at your map, but it’s too difficult to determine where you are in the first place! Save yourself the trouble and discover the world of GPS navigation systems.
Put away your compass and don’t bother with your maps, a GPS tracking system will take care of all your navigation needs. Quite simply, a GPS system is the most effective navigation tool on the market today. Using satellite systems around the world, a GPS navigation system is able to locate your exact position in the world, no matter where you are.
GPS is a satellite-based radionavigation system developed and operated by the U.S. Department of Defense. GPS allows land, sea, and airborne users to determine their position, velocity, and time 24 hours a day, in all weather, anywhere in the world with a precision and accuracy far better than other systems available today or in the foreseeable future.
GPS has become a widely used program used for map-making, commerce, land surveying, hunting, and scientific research. Not only is it used for civilian purposes, it is also used for military and naval exercises. Most importantly, what is trusted by the military and navy is now available to the average person. With technological advances and improvements in on-screen maps, there has never been a better time to use a GPS navigation system.
Developed by the Department of Defense in the United States, GPS is officially known as the NAVSTAR GPS. The satellite constellation is managed by the United States Air Force and has been used as navigation tool for quite some time.
A GPS receiver calculates its position by measuring the distance between itself and three or more GPS satellites. By measuring the time delay between transmission and reception of each GPS microwave signal, the GPS calculates the distance based on the time delay.
GPS receivers come in a variety of formats and, due to the increase in technological advancements with regards to GPS, can be integrated into cars, phones, and even watches. GPS systems have become easy to use and easy to care for – people all across the world are taking the time to understand the benefits the GPS navigation system can bring to one’s life.
Because the GPS system is owned completely by the government, the GPS will be free as stated in the Presidential Decision Document of 1996 – which indicates that the U.S. will continue to provide the GPS Stand Positioning Service for peaceful civil, commercial and scientific use on a continuous, worldwide basis, free of direct user fees.
Who would use a GPS system? There are many different uses for GPS devices:
Farming – For navigation during the night time on tractors
Balloon Tracking – to identify your location while high in the sky
Cell Phone Tracking – Used by 911 emergency assistants to locate the whereabouts of a missing person with a cell phone
Roadside assistance – to tell the towing company exactly where you are
Hunting – to track your location and your hunt
Boating – to help you find your location whenever fog rolls into your area
Consider asking yourself why you don’t have a GPS navigation system. And by considering all the benefits of GPS systems, you may begin to realize how a GPS navigation system could improve your life.
GPS Travel Tips
With all the technology available to us, there's no excuse for getting the family lost in an unfamiliar place or stuck in hours of traffic on holidays. GPS is a great devise for in-car use and it’s just as useful when on foot plus it's a great way to get around a foreign city too. With GPS Rental services this device became even more available and useful. Drivers can find their way through city streets; long reserve trekkers and hikers use the technology to navigate unfamiliar terrain. GPS devices are even more helpful for planning a trip, whether it's a cross-country trek or a hopscotch tour of your routine stops.
But GPS not only gets you from point A to point B with minimum hassle, it also makes your holiday come alive; with ways to plan your itinerary, track down the best restaurants, and make your holiday more enjoyable.
Here's a few handy GPS travel tips to help you get the most out of the holiday and avoid the travel woes.
GPS TIPS
1. If you intend to rely on your GPS unit, take time to learn it before needing it. Get the manual out, work with setting waypoints and determining position. This will save you time on the road and prevent you from loading incorrect information or deleting valuable information by mistake.
2. Ensure that you install the maps prior to travel. This will enable you to browse and test the maps prior to embarking on your trip. Make sure you are familiar with the route calculation settings of your device.
3. Power is an issue. All GPS models will need to be recharged. Make sure you have enough batteries for the trip or pack a universal adapter in your luggage. Battery life of GPS devices vary, so it is important to have a cigarette lighter charger as you do not want to run out of juice when you are on the road.
4. Avoid leaving GPS device mounted on the windshield in a hot car for long periods of time. It is also a good way to prevent the device from being stolen, since even leaving the window screen mount in view is an advertisement that a GPS device may be in the car.
5. Most car navigation systems include an extensive POI database including restaurants along the interstate. Choose the cuisine you want and your GPS will display a list of results by proximity. Filter out only those along your route and your forward seeking food radar will update faster.
6. Some GPS devices also contain useful travel advice which can be very helpful if you are unfamiliar with road rules in other countries. For example, some device menus contain guides for multiple countries and cover local road rules, public holidays, accommodation advice and more.
7. When navigating to a place, it may be easier to search for a place by name rather than address. For example if you wish to visit the British Museum in London you can find it listed under museums as a point of interest and be able to navigate there without knowing the exact address.
8. And most importantly, make sure you dust off your GPS-knowledge and get the upper hand on your pending trip before you embark. Just be smart and make good use of your GPS.
Did you Know you Can Use your Cell Phone for GPS Tracking?
Among the biggest advances in Global Positioning System technology is the power to turn your mobile phone into a cellular GPS phone tracking device. In essence, all you have to do is get the appropriate software to give your mobile phone the capacity to understand the signals which transmit from your GPS device and display them on your mobile phone. Cellular GPS phone tracking is made simple nowadays since people require convenience and most people use their mobile phone every single day. If you can use your mobile phone as a GPS tracking device, you're doing multiple application with none of the expense and all of the convenience.
If you prefer to use your cell phone as a tracking system, you will be able to make mobile phone GPS tracking a fact with the assistance of software which makes your mobile phone into a GPS tracking device. Generally, what happens is that you obtain a mobile phone that's fitted with GPS technology and then download the software to your phone and you will be able to have a tracking device that employs GPS to keep track of your vehicle regardless of where you are.
This sort of mobile phone GPS tracking could be very valuable in several ways. With only a simple mobile phone and a simple disk with the proper software, you will be able to keep track of nearly any vehicle as long as they're fitted with a GPS tracking device. The vehicle would transmit a signal to the space satellites which would then transmit a signal back to the device. If you have a mobile phone GPS tracking system, you will be able to then determine where the vehicle is during all times.
What types of uses could this technology offer you? In reality, the uses are endless. The first utilization of having mobile phone GPS tracking is when you have a teen driver. When you fit your teen’s vehicle with a Global Positioning System device, simply take out your mobile phone and you will be able to determine where they are, when they reached there, and also how they drove on their way there.
Law enforcement and private detective love the thought of mobile phone GPS tracking since it makes their job a great deal simpler. All they require is a software program and a mobile phone and they could determine whosoever they need to with little or no effort. There are a lot of uses for mobile phone GPS tracking technology that it could truly revolutionize the industry of law enforcement in addition to just day-to-day people.