Men hate asking for directions when they're lost; women are terrified of being lost. For both, a global positioning system (GPS) device is the modern-age answer. This year, GPS reached some sort of tipping point. According to Amazon, sales doubled. GPS devices are selling like hotcakes, and they're now affordably priced.
The basic GPS device determines your location based on signals that it receives from satellites. But just knowing your latitude and longitude coordinates isn't all that helpful without a map, so GPS devices also include large databases of map information built in. Because they know where you are, where you're going, and what roads lie in between, they can map out a very detailed route for you.
GPS devices are quite versatile in how they deliver your information. They all provide a map onscreen that looks like a conventional paper map, usually with your route and position highlighted. You can zoom in and out for detailed views and the big picture. Or you can switch to a view that looks as if you're driving in a game or one from overhead.
GPS devices also can convey directions using turn-by-turn voice instructions. If you've ever been in a car with a GPS you've heard the lovely, well-modulated voice of the GPS unit, telling you where to turn next.
In the last few years, GPS has extended its reach with all sorts of new features. Color displays, selectable voices, waypoints on the road to where you're headed—and that's only the tip of the iceberg. Some GPS devices can now read the names of streets aloud to you. Others have 3D maps that make it seem as though you're navigating in a video game. Others have built-in walkie-talkie radios (a favorite with hunters), music and video players, or the ability to answer cell phone calls. Many are starting to carry information about local points of interest or shopping. Best of all, you can get a solid GPS for as little as $80, although the more exciting and versatile units will cost a few hundred.
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