Welcom To GPS Reviews




The world of GPS tracking is driven hugely by consumer needs and not necessarily by new technology.  The people who use Global Positioning System (GPS) navigators and devices are more demanding than other consumers in the fact that they use their equipment everyday in order to find their way through large cities, rugged terrain, bodies of water, and sometimes even the stratosphere.  Their equipment rarely sees the indoors, so not only does it have to function, but it also has to be tough enough to adapt to all sorts of conditions. 

This fact has developed a grass roots movement that produces a lot of research and development from the people who use GPS devices.  Manufacturers are very well aware of this and immediately send out prototypes to focus groups for field testing.  This generates a lot of GPS reviews and GPS ratings on the internet.  In fact, there are many websites devoted to the sole purpose of letting others know what really works and doesn’t.  This is great for people who are new to this technology, because there are even real users who will take time to answer their questions.

This is important, because a product description from a company may be accurate, but because there are so many variables when you take a GPS device outdoors to actually use it, it may not work.  This could be due to the area you are in, what you are using it for, or how much you are relying on one particular feature to work.  Reading GPS reviews and GPS ratings will give you a better understanding of what to expect from a particular model.  Once you have narrowed down your choices to a few different models, it is easy to ask the experts online to get a real picture of what specific GPS tracking device will work for you.

The price for a GPS device is one of the first considerations that a product reviewer will talk about.  This is usually in regard to what a buyer is getting as opposed to what they really need.  If you are looking for a basic travel navigator like the Garmin nuvi 200, you will notice that the model numbers go all the way up to the nuvi 710, with quite a difference in price and list of features in the models.  Since this kind of navigator is generally used by people who travel for a living, a reviewer will find out how the more expensive model in this series works in cities and foreign countries and if the extra features are really worth the price.  They may come back and report that while it is nice to be able to pull up the public transportation map in Tokyo, a model with fewer features works just as well. 

The specs of the GPS navigator being reviewed also come into play when it gets a ranking.  When ranking the Magellan Triton 2000, which is a GPS navigator specifically used for hunting, hiking and fishing, a person ranking this device will actually put it to the test.   They will discuss things like whether the 2.7 inch color touch screen is easy to operate when you are out in the field wearing gloves; if it really does transmit accurately through thick tree coverage and fog; and if the Triton 2000 is as waterproof as Magellan says it is.  They will also talk about that the fact that the batteries last for eight hours and what effect, if any, this had on their trip.

When the more expensive GPS products claim to be compatible with other devices like computers, accessories, software and networks, a reviewer will test this out and may even get some feedback from friends who have purchased the product themselves.  For instance, Lowrance claims that their GlobalMap 9300 HD GPS Chartplotter is compatible with different external marine radar and satellite systems.  A good reviewer will find out how important this is to navigating a boat.  If so, they will also ask about whether this technology is available in areas where someone might need outside radar or satellite signals along with their GPS unit in order to navigate their boat safely.  They will also check into how dedicated the company is to developing Lowrance radar and the LowranceNet networking systems that the company is promising for the future.

GPS enthusiasts are fascinated by the combination of using technology to make their time in the outdoors or on the road more enjoyable and love to share their stories, photos and adventures they have had while using GPS devices.   If you are planning on purchasing equipment, start with a price range and a purpose for using it.  After that, with GPS, the sky is the limit.  There are thousands of devices, accessories, and software packages that you can enjoy for almost any activity.  Talking to the right people will make all the difference in how GPS products can work for you.