When shopping for a GPS, salesmen, marketers and makers alike will bombard you with features which they say will rock your world. Here's a cold hard look at what's available.
Display
As far as displays go, bigger is generally better, although the clarity and aesthetic appeal of the on-screen graphics plays a big part too.
Screen size will be primarily determined by which type of GPS you choose. Most factory or aftermarket GPS units sport large screens ranging from five to seven-inches diagonally. Factory-fit units are often integrated with the car's stereo and either mounted flush along the dash, in a recessed cubby atop the dash or, even, as pop-up unit. Generally, aftermarket devices come as either double-DIN units with front mounted screen or single-DIN units with pop-up screens.
If you decide on a portable device, there are two screen sizes offered on dedicated GPS units: 3.5-inch on entry-level models and 4.3-inch widescreen on all other units. PDAs doubling as satellite navigators will most likely have screen sizes between 2.7 and 3.5-inches. While phones with GPS typically have screens between two and 2.5-inches.
Route Guidance
Most brand-name GPS devices will provide directions via voice-prompts and on-screen instructions (both graphical and textual). These days more and more systems are shipping with text-to-speech technology to deliver specific street names rather than more generic instructions, so "turn right in 400 feet" becomes a helpful "turn right in 400 feet on to George Street."
Many GPS devices tout the comprehensiveness of their point-of-interest (POI) database. Most will feature airports, hospitals, dining options, shopping, gas stations, and more, which is useful if you're travelling in unfamiliar territory. However, there's usually little difference between brands because most of the POIs are provided by the map makers.
When you're shopping for a GPS navigator, be sure to go to a store and check out models that you're interested in. Get sales staff to put those models into demonstration mode -- this way you can see route graphics and listen to direction instructions. You might discover that certain brands appeal to you more than others.
Other features
Like anything else, the more bells and whistles included, the more you'll end up paying. We've mentioned text-to-speech already, but there are many other features out there hoping to extract extra cash out of your wallet.
Many portable and in-dash units now offer Bluetooth. This allows you to pair up a Bluetooth-equipped mobile phone with your GPS navigator, allowing for hands-free usage. Be careful, some devices, such as lower end models from TomTom, come with Bluetooth but only for data services not hands-free.
A lot of portable navigators proudly extol their multimedia credentials. These, in our experience, are next to useless. MP3 playback through a portable device's tinny mono speaker is unsatisfying in the extreme, while video and photo playback suffers from a lack of screen resolution and processing power. On the other hand, when these same features are offered in an in-dash model they make a much more compelling case. Being part of the stereo system, MP3 playback should be almost on par with listening to CDs. And the big screens of in-dash systems should provide a much more satisfying movie watching experience -- when you're parked, of course.
Beware when some mid-range, and higher, portable GPS units claim to be "traffic-enabled" or "traffic-ready." Some will require the purchase of a subscription to access traffic information.
Accessories
Most in-car navigation systems are ready to use right out of the box and come with everything you need to get up and running in a matter of minutes. Still, there are accessories available that will help you get the most out of your investment, including auxiliary antennas that can be mounted at the base of your windshield to improve signal reception and carry cases to protect your GPS unit when not in use. You can also pick up various mounting devices, including motorcycle-mounting kits and low-profile external antenna mounts that adhere to the trunk of your car. Additionally, you can purchase overseas maps.
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