Versatile GPS navigators
17 August 2005
It can be surprisingly easy to lose your way in an unfamiliar city even when you have a good map and instructions to follow. Not to mention surviving a hike on a single path, a cycling trip along back roads, or paddling along lakes and rivers that require more experience with navigation. GPS navigation products that are installed in a car or in a boat are available, but we want a small, portable product that can be used for many different activities.
GPS technology has been available for all of us (and not only for the military) for a few years now and has quickly found its way into many electronic devices, such as boat and car navigation systems, PDAs, phones and fitness watches. For locating its geographic location, the GPS device must have an open view to the sky in order to pick up signals from GPS satellites. The satellites are high up in the sky, the signal is fairly weak, and the device must establish connection to four satellites before it can pinpoint its location anywhere in the world to within a few meters/feet.
With this critical requirement in mind, manufacturers have designed GPS products for different activities: some products you can wear like a wrist watch (Suunto X9), carry in your pocket (GPS equipment for PDAs and phones), attach to the dashboard, or take along in a bag. Another major difference between GPS products is whether they can show maps, or only display location coordinates. Nonetheless, we want to find a product that can help us in hiking, cycling, boating and driving.
Hiking
Carrying any extra weight on a hike into the great outdoors is something every adventurer wants to avoid. Still, in addition to a good map and a phone, a small and light GPS navigator is a worthwhile equipment to be included in the bag. Companies like Garmin and Magellan manufacture small handheld GPS devices specifically designed for hikers and trekkers. Products that can show maps are available, as well as models that can only show the direction, and these are good low cost choices for experienced navigators.
Another popular way to navigate is to wear an outdoors watch like Suunto X9 that can also show altitude and weather information in addition to the GPS location.
Since a phone should be taken along on a hike for safety reasons alone, connecting a small GPS module into the phone adds very little extra weight to the backpack. You can download maps on the phone, or bring them along on memory cards. Wayfinder and TomTom offer products for Symbian OS and Windows Mobile smartphones that convert your phone into a GPS navigator.
Boating
There are no road signs that you could follow on a kayak, canoe, or boat, and navigation skills are essential for finding your destination when traveling along waters. Sailing boats and larger motorboats often come with factory-installed GPS, but if you are powering the boat yourself, you also have to take your own portable GPS along.
Protection from water is a must in boating, it inevitably will splash over you and your precious electronics. If it's easy for you to check the map while traveling, a device that can show your location and direction is a smart choice. Suunto wrist computers are examples of waterproof products that don't take extra space and are easily accessible right there on the wrist.
A rugged GPS device, such as Garmin eTrex or Magellan eXplorist 500, is a good choice when you have a holder or a bag where you can keep the unit. It is also possible, but not as convenient to use a PDA, or a phone-based GPS solution in a waterproof case like Aquapac.
Cycling
Riding a mountain bike along nature paths and exploring quiet back roads in the middle of nowhere is fun as long as you don't get lost. Fortunately, there are GPS solutions available for cyclists as well. On a leisurely cycling trip you have time to stop, get the map and the GPS navigator out from the bag and decide where to head next. On the other hand, cyclists who want to go faster don't want to stop only to read a map. Instead, they need a GPS unit that can be attached to the handlebar and can be viewed while pedaling.
It's a good idea to take the phone along on a bike trip, because you never know what happens. When you connect a small GPS module to your smartphone and download maps to the phone, you have a truly lightweight GPS system. Wayfinder and TomTom have introduced products for Symbian OS/Series 60 and Windows Mobile-powered phones. Just find a holder that can be attached on the handlebar for the phone, or keep the phone in a bag or in your jersey pocket. Another option is a PDA with a GPS module that's attached to the handlebar. Rain can damage your GPS system, so you have to keep waterproof gear with you in order to protect the unit.
Driving
When you are in the driver's seat, you have to concentrate on the traffic – there are no excuses for that (not even having a phone conversation). A GPS navigator can tell you exactly where to turn and when, but the unit must be securely attached to the dashboard so you can hear the instructions and quickly glance at the screen for visual information.
Valid choices for drivers are dedicated car units, or GPS-equipped PDAs that can be attached to the dashboard and that give directions by audio. Navigation for PDAs comes in two flavors: external GPS modules that are available for Palm and iPaq handhelds, and integrated products where the GPS is packaged inside the unit.
It is also possible to use a phone with an external GPS module and navigation software when driving. However, the phone's limited screen size and processing power are not ideal for car navigation.
The all-purpose GPS product
As of today, there's no single GPS product that could handle all requirements for all different activities. A rugged, waterproof dedicated GPS unit that can display maps will please outdoors enthusiast. This solution is more durable, batteries last longer, has less hassle with external modules and requires less protection than systems built on a phone or a PDA, but maybe difficult to use when driving.
A phone-GPS solution is an excellent choice for those who want to save space and weight (if you take your phone with you anywhere you go). It can be used for hiking, cycling and driving, but boating requires waterproof gear for the phone and is somewhat troublesome. Availability of topographic maps and limited battery life of phone-GPS systems may cause problems for hikers planning long treks.
A GPS solution built on a PDA is another good all-around choice. Typically, PDAs come with a large, bright screen that is excellent for viewing maps and they have more processing power than phones to manage navigation and voice instructions. If you already own an iPaq or Palm handheld, check out if there's GPS available as an add-on for your PDA. Just remember that battery life is shorter than in dedicated GPS products and you must have a cigarette lighter adapter for extra power. If you are shopping for a new product, take a look at integrated GPS-PDA products like Acer n35, Garmin Quest, Mio and Navman.
Related stories:
Take a GPS navigator on a hike
Let a GPS watch navigate you home
Wear a fitness watch with style
Product reviews:
Suunto X9 outdoors computer and GPS navigator
TomTom Mobile 5 GPS maps and voice navigation
