Global Positioning System (GPS) technology first appeared in the 1980s. At that time, however, it was mostly used by the military. Next, it became widely available as GPS car tracking. Now, GPS devices can be very tiny, and they are used for a variety of purposes from going on treasure hunts to tracking teenagers. However, GPS car tracking remains one of the most popular and widespread uses of GPS technology.
One of the reasons GPS car tracking is so popular is for its navigation benefits. A car-tracking device is most often used, not to actually track the car by someone other than the person driving the car, but to help the driver navigate. An on board computer helps to contact a satellite that in turn finds the information on the vehicles location and then communicates that information to the car’s computer. After the information has been received, it is displayed on a navigation screen. Often it is displayed in map form for a more effective visual representation of where the car is.
GPS car tracking is very useful when navigating a new place. It is especially helpful on vacations. Even if someone has never before visited a locale, he or she can figure out where to go using the GPS navigation in the car. Such a tool is very efficient in mapping the best route to sightseeing attractions. It is also very useful in finding the way back to the hotel.
Tourists are not the only people that make use of GPS car tracking systems, however. Many commuters use such devices in the morning to find the best way to work. Some systems are equipped to find out traffic conditions and then map out alternative routes. This can save the commuter a lot of frustration and time sitting in traffic. These systems make for more tolerable morning and evening drives.
So, while it can be used to effectively apprehend auto thieves and recover stolen vehicles, it also has the ability to help its own navigate through the parts of life that involve driving from one place to the other with the help of GPS car tracking.
GPS Car Tracking And Navigation
Not Your Ordinary Bluetooth: The Latest Bluetooth GPS Devices
Bluetooth devices have certainly gone a long way since their introduction to the world just a few years ago. Thanks to innovative technological advances in electronics, Bluetooth - named after an ancient King of Denmark - has become so much more than a wireless method of communication between personal devices.
Now, Bluetooth devices can play your favorite music, record handwritten notes and even play slideshows of your favorite pictures. Yet here's the real treat -Bluetooth products have gone from primarily functioning as a personal communication tool to a navigator's dream, thanks to Bluetooth GPS devices that can plug directly into your laptop or PDA. We've outlined some of the best and most affordable Bluetooth GPS devices on the market today, so you'll never need to go to the trouble of asking for directions again!
TomTom's done it again. One of the major GPS product manufacturers out there, they've turned Bluetooth technology into a GPS goldmine, thanks to the TomTom Bluetooth GPS Sensor. Created specifically for PDAs and pocket pcs, this sleek device completely eliminates the need for those complicated connection cables, as the Sensor is 100% wireless. Perfect for city and suburb dwellers, the TomTom Bluetooth GPS Sensor offers clear and detailed street maps in real-time and is compatible with a majority of popular PDAs, pocket pcs and smartphones. You can buy this Bluetooth GPS device at your local electronic store for under $200, or shop online for even greater savings!
Not to be outdone by their competitors, Garmin has unleashed their own Bluetooth technology with the Garmin Mobile 10 Wireless Bluetooth GPS Deluxe Package. While this may be a mouthful, Garmin Bluetooth technology offers powerful navigation solutions for your PDA, laptop, pocket pc or smartphone. With detailed street maps of cities and suburbs in North America, simple operating instructions and a battery life that could put the Energizer Bunny to shame, you can journey with confidence and ease no matter where your travels may take you.
Still haven't had enough? Magellan has the perfect product for when you look to buy Bluetooth GPS devices -the Magellan RoadMate 6000T Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator and MP3 Player. With a brilliant color display screen and over six million preloaded points of interests - including restaurants, movie theaters, gas stations and ATMS - you'll never need to worry about getting lost again. Plus, with the ability to play digital music files, you can travel while listening to all of your favorite tunes! It's truly a product that knows how to multi-task, but keep in mind that this product is a little more expensive than most of its competitors: online prices average around $699.
As you can see, your favorite Bluetooth product doesn't have to be limited to just personal communication devices. With major brands like Garmin, TomTom and Magellan all offering superior products at prices that can fit every budget, you won't need to find a reason to buy Bluetooth GPS devices today!
GPS Satellite Navigation
Do you find that you have a lot of speeding tickets? Maybe you even have trouble remembering where to reduce your speed? There are of course many ways to solve your problems. Even if you don’t have speeding problems you probably find you have navigation problems when you are in a
new area of the city. Undetected is just one company that offers satellite navigation and speed camera detectors. If you are interested in GPS satellite navigation you should check out the products available and compare pricing.
Undetected offers you a range of products including a dual satellite navigation system and speed camera. These units will help you navigate the city as well as reduce you speeding tickets, traffic violation fines, and traffic accidents. The Indic8tor is one of the latest GPS satellite navigation systems.
This GPS will warn you when you enter a new speed zone, aid you in safe driving, and give you voice alerts. The voice will allow you to know when you are exceeding the limits as well as
offer guidance. Another GPS navigation system is the Snooper S3 GPS. This GPS stores geographical coordinates and even tells you of "black spots" on the road. A black spot is usually considered an area where a lot of accidents happen. The Snooper S3 GPS will compare your position with a GPS antenna to give you the most up to date information on speeds and accident spots.
There are many other GPS satellite navigation systems available and tips on how to use them. You will want to understand the laws of your area as well as how these systems can help you reduce accidents or violations. Undetected will offer you information about the law as well as facts about the products they sell to help you find the best product for your vehicle.
Finding The Way With GPS Navigation
For any of us who have been lost while driving, the road map has been our guiding light, identifying roadways and landmarks to help us find our way. But gone are the days of tri-folded paper maps that require the use of illumination and attention taken from the road. The modern Global Positioning System – or GPS – has transformed the process by which we find our way. But, contrary to popular belief, GPS navigation is not a new invention designed for strictly consumer use.
The Global Positioning System marked its beginnings in the 1970s but seeds of its existence were sown prior to that. We first saw the possibilities of satellite navigation with the launching of Sputnik in 1957. Russian scientists who were monitoring the progress of Sputnik found that they could track its movement based on radio waves; this set the foundation for GPS. The U.S. Navy used an elementary form of GPS in the 1960s when they used six satellites to help their submarines pinpoint their location. But GPS as we know it was designed and implemented by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1978 when they launched the first operational satellite.
Today, 24 satellites circle the earth and provide an enormous amount of information in terms of plotting location. A derivative of this technology in modern times has been GPS navigation – a system that allows drivers to map their routes. GPS navigation comes in a portable unit that can be removed and transferred from vehicle to vehicle when needed. But because of the growing popularity associated with this system, GPS navigation units are now mounted as standard equipment in newer cars. Of course, GPS navigation is also essential to water navigation as used by boats and ships.
But GPS navigation is not solely for the use of vehicles. Outdoor enthusiasts – with an eye towards safety – will often carry a hand-held GPS navigation device; the modern equivalent of a compass.
GPS navigation has allowed us to explore new terrain as we venture forth with confidence, knowing that, no matter what, we will find our way.
Cool Christmas Gifts – Start With a Discount Gps!
The functionality of the GPS navigation device was recognized ever since the beginning. People welcomed the opportunity to travel without worrying about getting lost or taking the wrong turn. The GPS soon became a very important accessory and the increased demand contributed to the appearance of a genuine industry. Today, there are mind-blowing features that GPS units have, including speech recognition, transfer of real-time information and Bluetooth technology. And what’s more important, anyone can have a cheap GPS!
Don’t think that a discount GPS is not capable to offer interesting features. On the contrary, the price is not connected at all to the quality of service. You have the Internet
and its many specialized virtual stores that try to attract potential customers with cheap GPS offers. These can take you to the destination you desire, offering both verbal and text instructions, having a battery life that varies between three and five hours. They are perfect for car traveling but also for walks, allowing you to always know your position and be able to call for emergency help.
Using the Internet, you are able to shop and compare for different types of GPS systems. In the end, you will definitely agree that finding a discount GPS was not a hard job at all. Just think about owning your own device that calculates the route for you, tells when you will arrive to the destination and the name of the streets you are passing. This guidance can be especially useful on difficult weather conditions, such as heavy rain or constant snowing. It also helps to have a GPS system if just obtained your driving license.
Online, you can browse through all the categories presented for GPS systems. There are specially designed GPS units for cars but also for motorcycles, plus a wide range of accessories. Having so many choices put to your disposal, it’s practically impossible not to find a cheap GPS system that you like. You can find one that has voice recognition, wide touch screen and user-friendly menu. A discount GPS can really add a new perspective to the whole driving experience. Considering that and the great prices these devices have, can you really say no to a brand new and cheap GPS?
Your GPS is useful when it comes to finding the restaurants you’ve made dinner reservations to on a foggy night. It is perfect for rainy days when you have to travel on the country. The discount GPS can take you to the destination of your choice, making sure that you know how far you have to travel and providing with all the details you need regarding the route. With some models, you will also be offered traffic information and be able to avoid streets that are blocked or constructions, not to mention accidents or traffic blockages.
The moment you decide to purchase a GPS system, take into consideration all of the features that such a device presents. Try and find the best price using the Internet to your advantage. Make sure that you read all the information presented regarding the display, the accessories offered (USB cable for example, use it to connect the GPS to the computer
) and other navigation features. Other from that, you are set to go and travel, always having the GPS device by your side!
Satellite Navigation Systems – Past, Present and Future
Satellite Navigation Systems are an extremely useful development that allows a small electronic device to determine it's exact location via sattelite. Once it knows its position, the navigation device can obtain or calculate navigation information, such as directions, terrain, roads, etc, etc.
Satellite navigation devices are used by the military, motor vehicle drivers, boaters, outdoorsmen, and many others. Many vehicles now come with Satellite navigation systems pre-installed in them.
The only Satellite navigation system that is fully functional at the time of this writing is the Global Navigation System, or GPS. GPS is the United State's Satellite Navigation System, and contains between 24 to 27 satellites in orbit.
Russia also has a Satellite navigation system in the works. The Russian system is called GLONASS, which is derived from GLObal NAvigation Satellite System. The first satellites for GLONASS were launched in 1982, but the system was not fully functional until 1995. Due to economic difficulties, the GLONASS system has deteriorated to only 12 satellites, giving less than full coverage. Russia has signed an agreement with India to work on the system together, intending to have GLONASS back to full functionality by 2010.
The European Union is currently working on two Satellite navigation systems. EGNOS, which is expected be function sometime in 2006, will consist of 3 sattelites, which are designed to supplement GPS and GLONASS.
The EU and European Space Agency are also working on an advanced Satellite navigation system, called Galileo, which should be working by 2010. This system will include 30 satellites, and will be compatible with GPS, meaning that ground units can combine data from GPS and Galileo to get highly accurate positions.
Several other countries also have Satellite navigation systems under construction. China's system is called Beidou, and France's is called Doris. Neither are of the caliber that GPS, GLONASS, or Galileo are.