GPS and Bluetooth

Bluetooth enabled GPS products allow you to find your way wirelessly and effortlessly around town or in a strange city. Just pair your laptop, personal digital assistant (PDA), or even your mobile phone with a Bluetooth GPS device and you're ready to explore. With a wireless connection between these devices, you can position the GPS wherever it will have the best line of sight to the sky. And you can position the display device (laptop, PDA, mobile phone) wherever it will have the best line of sight to you. You won't have to worry about cables wrapping around the parking brake or becoming unattached at a critical moment due to a careless wave of your hand.

A handheld, wireless GPS device, sometimes as small as a computer mouse, can make getting lost a thing of the past. Using satellite technology and cutting edge software, these devices can provide you with step by step voice instructions about which turns to take and how far it is to your destination. Meanwhile, on the screen of your laptop, PDA, or phone, those instructions are repeated in text form along with a map to show you where you are and the route to where your destination is.

A good GPS system will have a moving map display, not merely a static depiction of your route. It will also give you estimates of how long it will take from your current point to get to your destination.

Since the GPS software is interactive, it doesn't just give you the instructions and hope you can follow them. If you make a wrong turn, the system will alert you to that fact and give you step by step instructions on how to get back on track.

With detailed information about the whole United States, GPS programs can tell you where the nearest ATM is and how to get there. It can find hotels, airports, gas stations, shopping, restaurants, tourist attractions, and even golf courses. In an emergency, it can direct you to the nearest hospital or police station.

Some Bluetooth GPS devices emit a weak FM signal that can be picked up by your car's radio tuner. This is a great advantage since it means you can turn the volume up as loud as you need it without draining the battery of your wireless device.

It's a good idea to get a GPS device that can be charged from your car's cigarette lighter while you drive. That way you don't have to worry about running out of battery at all. You can also get a GPS with a long life battery to address this concern. Some of them can give you as much as 25 hours or continuous use before needing to be recharged.

Bluetooth GPS can also take you off the beaten path. A rugged GPS device can be taken up mountain trails and deep into the woods. Using the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), these devices can extrapolate your position from multiple satellites and ground systems. You can take these devices deep into the forest and still find your way.