GPS for car

Cell Phone Navigation

Because of the FCC mandated E911 program which required cell phone manufacturers to integrate GPS receivers in their cell phone units, cell phone manufacturers today have made it a standard to have GPS navigation as one of their cell phones' major attractions. GPS-enabled cell phones allow you to view and listen to turn-by-turn directions provided by the cellular provider. Cell phones with GPS navigation features are usually loaded with GPS chips that support A-GPS (or Assisted GPS). However, to use the A-GPS feature, cell phone users must subscribe to their cellular providers GPS-services bundle.

Equipped with a cell phone with the A-GPS feature and subscribed to a cellular provider's GPS navigation services, users can receive driving directions on the their cell phones. These driving directions are fully automated and calculated, so much so that when you miss a turn, the driving directions will adjust accordingly and give you new directions to use to get to where you are heading.


Advantages and Disadvantages of Cell Phone Navigation

GPS equipped cell phones offer faster re-routing directions, updated traffic conditions and other location-based features including social networking. In addition, cell phones are affordable even if an A-GPS is included as one of their features. Even the data plans offered by Telco carriers with GPS features are very affordable.

Best of all, cell phone GPS information is quickly and easily updated on a regular basis. On the downside, cell phones have smaller screens so sometimes reading the routes is a pain and the chances of you getting lost is highly probable especially if you are not used to map reading.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Portable GPS

Portable GPS devices generally have bigger screens than cell phones, so the chance of you reading the directional routes properly is much better. However, the hardware cost is higher than using a cell phone with GPS capability. Upgrading maps and the list of business establishments is also quite expensive, but is a must for portable GPS owners, unless they don't mind getting lost due to outdated information.

Conclusion

After knowing the basics of both cell phone navigation and portable GPS navigation, the question of which system is better still depends on your needs and preferences. Portable GPS devices are starting to feel the competition being posted by cell phones with assisted navigation features. Cell phone navigation is less costly and you can bring it with you anywhere. An added point is the fact that cell phones have other uses aside from GPS navigation.

But we still could not discount the fact that portable GPS navigation is still more reliable and dependable for the simple reason that these devices were built solely for navigation purposes. There may be additional costs, but in the long run, with its reliable and dependable information, the portable GPS device's navigation advantages outweighs its disadvantages.

Thanks for information on GPs sweet!!

I still want to know the reviews on the models you are using, what features you like and what you would prefer to have. I am trying to buy GPS in this thanks giving and confused with so many models of Garmin. want to know your expereinces.

thanks,
sujatha.

Hi,

I'm in Australia.We use a lot.GPS is good when we are going to a new place.
We use TomTom.

It depends on your usage.I feel it is quite useful for us.No need to struck on the way and waste your time and patience.

It comes with Red Camera alerts,school zones and so on.

You can go to TomTom, portable GPS car navigation systems website and find out.

any garmin should be fine...it's tough too! (btw there's another one, only slightly pricey but better looking and compact...forgot the name but it was featured/there's an ad for it in last month's FHM mag... )