Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Portable GPS And Its Many Uses

By Robbie Stone

You possibly have ridden with someone who has a portable GPS device in his car, and are now wondering if you should consider getting one for yourself. Surprisingly, you may not be aware of it, but you probably already own a portable GPS device.

The letters GPS stand for Global Positioning Satellite. Portable GPS devices are simply those that are not permanently placed in one location. Both permanent and portable GPS devices use the many satellites that are currently in a low orbit with earth to triangulate signals and pinpoint any location for which the appropriate data has been entered.

Many cell phones now have portable GPS capabilities. While these devices may not be as sophisticated as those found in cars and other places, they still receive and transmit signals strong enough and accurate enough to allow for GPS tracking. Simply turning the phone on activates the portable GPS, thus allowing one to know a person's exact location at any given moment

GPS in cell phones are also used to locate you if you call for emergency assistance. If you are stranded somewhere and don't know where you are, calling 911 will give the operator the ability to track your location via the portable GPS in the phone so they can send help your way.

Other uses for portable GPS include providing directions to a specific location or giving other location information. In addition, applications for use with portable GPS devices are now available in amusement parks and other tourist attractions, making navigation through the venue even easier.

Information transmitted by a portable GPS is usually given in longitude and latitude points. The entire earth has these points, thus making it possible to locate a site anywhere on the planet. This may account for some of the popularity of portable GPS devices.

If you decide to purchase a portable GPS device, first take some time to determine exactly how, when, and where it will be used. You will then be able to make a wiser decision on which portable GPS model is right for you.

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