GPS gadgets as trip essentials

You have reached your destination…

Hearing a voice that directs you which way to go is becoming part of most drivers’ life on the road nowadays. The GPS navigator or Sat Nav is more than just an interactive high-tech road map though, it has become the driver’s dashboard companion, where he can play with the different voices provided by some GPS software. “After five hundred meters, turn right…” You can have the voice of Darth Vader to scare you a bit or Bart Simpson aside from the default no-nonsense female voice. Thus, you can listen to a calm, funny, or dreadful guide on the road, just take your pick!

Preparing your GPS for the trip

The night before our road trip to Berlin, I was already browsing the web for the exact street locations of the places we plan to visit. It helped us in preparing the GPS for the trip instead of tinkering with it and searching for the location while on the road. The exact street number and address is better information than the church, museum or building name. Synchronizing your GPS with your trip itinerary saves you from a lot of hassle during the trip. Once the locations are inputted into the device, you’re ready to go.

GPS gadgets to choose from…which is which?

There are so many brands and models of Sat Nav systems available in the market today. It really depends on your preferred functionality, design and of course your budget. Here are some Sat Navs and their highlighted features:

Garmin Nuvi 765T – 765
Dubbed as their latest City Navigator, this model offers not just lane assist and turn-by-turn directions, but also includes 3D building view, quick screen redraws, route planning and more. Other features include mp3 player, world travel clock, currency converter, and more.

TomTom GO 520
This model has a sleek design which makes it easier to carry around especially in your pocket. It’s Map Share™ Technology easily facilitates drivers to improve their own maps and share this with other users. Other features include enhanced hands-free kit, with software that provides up-to-date traffic information, and owners can have fun recording their own voices (or their kids’) for the driving instructions.

HP iPAQ 314 Travel Companion
This model is an attractive one for the travel bug with its feature of a web based trip planning. The trip itinerary can be customized in your PC and downloaded to the GPS to provide a step by step guide for the inputted destinations. Other features include digital music and video player, world clock, photo viewer, games and more.

These are just some of the featured GPS gadgets at Hand Tec (www.handtec.co.uk) where you can browse for other Sat Nav brands and models such as Pioneer SatNav, Snooper Sat Nav, Becker Navigation and more.

Photo credits: www.handtec.co.uk