Archive for November, 2008

Benefits and Advantages of GPS Handheld Units

Friday, November 28th, 2008

There are many types of GPS units available today, with different sizes, functions, and features. GPS can be in automotive, handheld, aviation, marine, laptop, and PDA unit. One of the most popular and least expensive choices is GPS handheld units.

Simple GPS handheld units are less expensive than more sophisticated models, and some could even be priced as low as a hundred dollars. But, these units are usually not equipped with a lot of special features. Anyhow, they can still give you crucial information such as your location, a compass heading, elevation above sea level, the accurate time, distance traveled, route navigation, and so on. But if you have the financial resources to get you more advanced features, you can buy the more sophisticated GPS handheld units that have mapping capabilities.

A benefit of handheld units is that they are very portable and they come in various sizes. So, you can easily find one that best suits your needs. There are those GPS handheld units that even go as small as your basic cell phone! This way, you can take your GPS unit anywhere with you, without much hassle and inconvenience on your part.

Also, handheld units are entirely self-contained, so you don’t have to lug around additional external attachments that could only bother you. But, there are also exceptions, since some handheld units could have receivers that require external power to run, or those units with external antennae.

So if you’re looking for an inexpensive, functional, and highly portable GPS unit, your best bet would be to go for GPS handheld units. Just remember to get the brand and model that best suits your needs and budget.

Tracking Kids With GPS

Thursday, November 27th, 2008

I’m sure you’ve seen stories on the news and in the newspapers about children that have gone missing. There is nothing sadder than a parent who experiences the loss of their child like this. The good news is that you don’t have to endure something like this because there are ways to avoid lost children with todays technology. I’m talking about GPS tracking for children. Through the Global Positioning System we can rest at ease knowing that our kids location can be tracked within several yards.

Kids GPS devices today are small devices and they can be in cell phones, backpacks, watches; even placed directly on the child’s clothing. The GPS device will then send out a signal allowing you to track the location of your children at all times. You can program the GPS device to send signals at intervals as short as 15 seconds for near real time tracking of your kids.

GPS technology works great for tracking kids that are at high risk due to child custody issues or similar problems. It is possible to set the device up so that it will alert you not only to the child’s location, but also if the child leaves a predesignated area or boundary. So you can know if your child leaves their school or the neighborhood playground or pool.

Imagine the peace of mind you’ll have when you know that you can simply log into your computer and instantly know where your child is thanks to the GPS tracking device. Some GPS devices also come with panic buttons that the child can use in case of an emergency. The alerts go not only to you, but also to the tracking service so the authorities can be notified in a timely manner.

Often when children are kidnapped the kidnapper will immediately get rid of any cell phone the child may be carrying to avoid being tracked. With a small unseen GPS tracking device attached to the child’s clothing you’ll still be able to track them and locate them quickly. You and more importantly the p0olice will know exactly where to locate the child and this increases the chances they will be found unharmed dramatically.

GPS devices for small children can be as small as a watch or pager and they run on rechargeable batteries that last up to 24 hours. If you want something with a longer battery life you can get larger GPS tracking units that can transmit for up to 2 weeks on a single charge. Older children like teens can have the GPS units placed in their car to keep track of their locations and driving habits. Some auto GPS units can be programmed to send an alert when the car exceeds a certain speed limit.

While personal GPS units are not cheap you really can’t put a price on the peace of mind you’ll get knowing you can locate your child in case of some emergency. When the safety of your child is at risk nothing is too expensive. In addition to the cost of the GPS device itself you’ll also need to pay a tracking service which will run anywhere from $25-100 a month depending on the service and features. Having a GPS device tracking your child can be a great way to grant yourself peace of mind.

Compare Golf GPS Models

Wednesday, November 26th, 2008

Until fairly recently I did not know that one could even use a GPS to assist with playing golf. Once I found out though it became quite a task to compare the different golf GPS models.

Firstly let me say I think it is a brilliant idea for a number of reasons:

  1. It definitely helps speed up play. I found this to be especially true when I was a bit off line and could not see the green for trees that were in my way. A GPS tells you exactly how far you have to fly the ball to get to the green or your intended landing area.
  2. It gave me complete confidence knowing exactly what distance I had left either to the green or to hazards which I needed to avoid.
  3. I soon learned exactly how far I hit my clubs. This was quite a humbling experience at first because my male ego had to accept that I don’t hit the ball as far as I thought I did.
  4. A lot of negative thought was removed from my mind when I knew exactly how far I needed to carry a shot and also exactly which club (when hit normally) would carry my ball the required distance. I could concentrate on accuracy alone.
  5. Even though I am often asked distances by the rest of the 4 ball I still have an advantage over them as they normally spend time comparing with the markers on the sprinkler heads - something I now totally ignore. If the advice is conflicting a little bit of doubt sets in and causes them to over or under club.

I digress, but those are some of the positives I have found since I have been using my Golf GPS.

Initially I wanted a GPS for golf just as a toy. I did think it would come in handy for those “away” games but not much use at my home course which I know like the back of my hand. I was wrong because it was extremely helpful on my home course and I shot my best round ever at the time. Coincidence? I think not as I have since beaten that score on no less than 6 occasions!

Once the decision was made to look into buying one I suddenly discovered that there was a lot to learn as there are a lot of different models out there all with different features:

  • Did I want a color screen?
  • Did I want to pay an annual subscription?
  • Did I want to map the courses myself?
  • What courses were available?
  • Where did I play most of my golf?
  • Is it legal to use a Golf GPS?
  • What and how many distance markers were available?
  • Could they keep my score and analyze my golf?
  • What didn’t I know about these things?
  • Why did they vary in price from $150.00 to as much as $500.00?
  • How accurate were they? This is dependent on the number of satellite signals available to the particular unit - this was news to me.

In all honesty it was pretty confusing until I decided on a budget. That eliminated half the available models and meant I could compare apples with apples.

It took me a good couple of weeks to compare Golf GPS models and I eventually settled for an inexpensive model that is extremely accurate, keeps my score and analyzes my game and it fits in my pocket without losing the signals. I have unlimited courses to choose from, which is fantastic for the odd occasion that I travel, and I do not have to pay an annual fee.

If you are considering joining the happy brigand of Golf GPS uses make sure you do your homework - actually if you go for any of the top name brands you won’t be too disappointed. Research and compare Golf GPS models. Do some in depth research and remember that like computers they are forever bringing out newer, better and cheaper models so if you don’t want to spend too much first time out then don’t.

Get cracking today and compare Golf GPS models so that you can buy this fantastic addition to your golf bag and really start giving it to your mates on Saturday. You will not be sorry.