Home Holiday Shopping Guide to Buying a GPS

Holiday Shopping Guide to Buying a GPS

holidaysAs the holidays approach, many people are wondering what sort of gift could they give that the recipient will use and appreciate over and over again. For many people, a GPS is just the right choice!

If you don’t know what that is, GPS stands for “global positioning system.” What it looks like is a small electronic device. What it does is help people find their way around, just like a map, but easier to use. A GPS is equipped with a small screen that shows where you are on a map, and also has the capacity to offer spoken directions to help you navigate as you drive. You simply enter the desired destination. If you make a wrong turn, the GPS will “recalculate” and have you on the right road again soon.

Low end GPS units cost around $100 or less. They are a popular choice for presents, so watch holiday sales and you may be able to get a bargain. Even an inexpensive GPS will probably be equipped with many useful features. For instance, the voice used by the unit may be able to be programmed to have a certain accent.

Many of these units are equipped with information about POIs, or Points of Interest, such as gas stations, restaurants, even ATM machines. If you decide you’d like to eat pizza and you’re in a strange city, simply program the GPS to find you a pizza parlor. It’s that easy!

Just think how useful a GPS would be for a college student on your gift list. Or perhaps you’re looking for just the right present for a newly retired couple who intend to do a lot of traveling. In these days of being on the go, virtually anyone would appreciate such a thoughtful gift.

How to Choose the Right GPS to Give
First of all, be aware that brands and models which have received high consumer ratings tend to be easier to use than those that have received lower ratings. Unless you are giving the unit to someone who is very tech-savvy, you will probably want to choose one that you are sure is user-friendly. If it is too hard to figure out, they won’t get much good out of it.

By the way, for those special people who are particularly tech-savvy, you might want to consider a more expensive GPS. Some of the finer units are equipped with blue-tooth hands-free phone capabilities.

To get the information into the GPS requires either a cell phone service or a downloadable app. These apps range in price, and can be found for free, but they may not have the latest information about new highways, etc. If you pay for a cell phone service to provide the information, it will be up to date, but the GPS might not work where there is no signal. Keep these considerations in mind as you choose that gift.