The main focus will be on the manufacturers of automotive GPS and what features you need to be on the look out for before you make a purchase. By the end of this article, you will have the needed knowledge and confidence to find the device that best meets your needs.
Now a few sentences about the top three US companies.
1) Garmin has the deepest and broadest product line. Their Nuvi series is the number one choice for many buyers. These devices pack a lot of advanced features into a sleek design that can fit into your pocket.
2) Tom Tom is Garmin's biggest competitor in the US that has attained this position due to aggressive pricing. Their GO 920T was recently listed by Consumer Reports as one of the best devices to buy. Its current price is just over the $400 mark.
3) Third place is occupied by Magellan, one of the first companies to enter the automotive GPS market. Their most popular line of products is Maestro for reasons similar to Nuvi. Another great selling feature of Magellan is that they have partnered with AAA and use their tour book pre-programmed into their GPS's.
The above three manufacturers of auto GPS units control almost 90% of the US market so anyone that has done some homework will see little reason to buy anything else.
Several features are worthy of consideration.
All advanced auto GPS units have touch screens, pre-loaded maps with at least the lower 48 States and a database of pre-configured destinations, also called Points of Interest (POI's).
Some of the more advanced but optional features are:
1) 4.3-inch wide screens with full color and sunlight absorbing properties. 2) Speech recognition. 3) Full street name pronunciation (instead of just "Turn Here!"). 4) Advanced re-routing or the ability to enter more than one destination. 5) Ability to use GPS hands-free through Bluetooth support. 6) Real-time weather and traffic alerts on your device.
Street name pronunciation, extended maps, real-time weather and traffic alerts (needs subscription) amount to an additional $200. Garmin Nuvi does these very well. The wider display and Bluetooth can increase the price above the $400 mark. Multiple point routing can add another $50 to $100.
Other, relatively superfluous features, like 'photo album', are offered. I have outlined the ones I believe increase the value of your driving experience. In the automotive GPS marketplace, the competition under the $400 is quite fierce. Above the $400 mark, the marketplace is dominated by Garmin. I recommend you look at Garmin's 700 and 800 product lines, if you are willing to spend more.
To a first-time buyer, the automotive GPS marketplace seems overwhelming. It is natural to not consider several things. But reading an article such as this will help you wrap your mind around the automotive GPS market, much better.
Now a few sentences about the top three US companies.
1) Garmin has the deepest and broadest product line. Their Nuvi series is the number one choice for many buyers. These devices pack a lot of advanced features into a sleek design that can fit into your pocket.
2) Tom Tom is Garmin's biggest competitor in the US that has attained this position due to aggressive pricing. Their GO 920T was recently listed by Consumer Reports as one of the best devices to buy. Its current price is just over the $400 mark.
3) Third place is occupied by Magellan, one of the first companies to enter the automotive GPS market. Their most popular line of products is Maestro for reasons similar to Nuvi. Another great selling feature of Magellan is that they have partnered with AAA and use their tour book pre-programmed into their GPS's.
The above three manufacturers of auto GPS units control almost 90% of the US market so anyone that has done some homework will see little reason to buy anything else.
Several features are worthy of consideration.
All advanced auto GPS units have touch screens, pre-loaded maps with at least the lower 48 States and a database of pre-configured destinations, also called Points of Interest (POI's).
Some of the more advanced but optional features are:
1) 4.3-inch wide screens with full color and sunlight absorbing properties. 2) Speech recognition. 3) Full street name pronunciation (instead of just "Turn Here!"). 4) Advanced re-routing or the ability to enter more than one destination. 5) Ability to use GPS hands-free through Bluetooth support. 6) Real-time weather and traffic alerts on your device.
Street name pronunciation, extended maps, real-time weather and traffic alerts (needs subscription) amount to an additional $200. Garmin Nuvi does these very well. The wider display and Bluetooth can increase the price above the $400 mark. Multiple point routing can add another $50 to $100.
Other, relatively superfluous features, like 'photo album', are offered. I have outlined the ones I believe increase the value of your driving experience. In the automotive GPS marketplace, the competition under the $400 is quite fierce. Above the $400 mark, the marketplace is dominated by Garmin. I recommend you look at Garmin's 700 and 800 product lines, if you are willing to spend more.
To a first-time buyer, the automotive GPS marketplace seems overwhelming. It is natural to not consider several things. But reading an article such as this will help you wrap your mind around the automotive GPS market, much better.
About the Author:
Michael Torc is an electrical engineer, a member of Mensa and a GPS enthusiast. He recommends a visit to http://www.automotivegpscentral.com where a prospective buyer can see the top of the line GPS models and read product reviews. Don't reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.
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