Sunday, March 18, 2012

4 Reasons Why GPS Makes You A Better Driver

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Having a GPS is a huge boon in this day and age. The ability to not only navigate without the worry of getting lost, but also be able to find the right lane and drive with confidence has the potential to make anyone a better and even a safer driver.

However, there are definitely some downsides to using GPS on the road. Distracted driving is the big one, and not using common sense. But, let’s be honest… even without GPS, the people who fall prey to those dangerous activities would probably still be distracted by something (like a phone) or lack common sense. After all, it is people, not the GPS, which cause accidents. Generally speaking, I think that GPS actually makes you a better driver. Here are four reasons why:

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This Week in GPS — December 16, 2016

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This week in GPS is a weekly link roundup of (mostly) GPS related odds and ends, from GPS Tracklog and other places around the Web. This week’s featured image is a rendering of a Galileo satellite in honor of the EU’s navigational constellation finally going live this week! Read more about this and other GPS news below: read more

Garmin Fitness Trackers Get New Safety Feature

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Whether you’re into biking or jogging, going out for a morning run or an afternoon ride can be one of the best times of the day. Just you and the road as you push yourself to get a little further, go a little faster, or try out a new route. However, for loved ones at home and your own peace of mind, it’s important to make sure someone knows where you are going and when you’ll be back.

Recently, Strava’s safety feature Beacon was integrated with Garmin’s LiveTrack so riders and runners can share their location with up to three trusted contacts. First launched as part of the Strava app, the Beacon feature is compatible with the following devices: read more

Galileo Set To Go Live Thursday, December 15, 2016

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Although it has undergone numerous setbacks, launch miscalculations, and is over budget by more than 8 billion euro, it looks like Europe’s Galileo satellite constellation is finally complete enough to begin sending out signals. In fact, according to GPS Daily, the constellation is set to begin transmitting as soon as tomorrow, December 15, 2016, and it’s been a long time in coming.

This project has been in progress for at least 17 years and cost European taxpayers an estimated 10 billion euros ($11 billion) although it was originally expected to cost around 1.8 billion Euros. Of course, the numerous errors, including launching two satellites into the wrong orbit in 2014, caused the entire program to take nearly twice as long as initially intended.
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GPS FAQ: Who Owns and Operates GPS?

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GPS is probably one of the most useful technologies to date. Most users—even if they aren’t GPS enthusiasts with dedicated automotive or handheld devices—use it on a daily basis. From getting accurate weather predictions based on your GPS location to finding your way around the city or even locating a new restaurant, GPS is pretty much everywhere. But, a surprisingly small number of people actually know anything about GPS.

Now, this is something that we have written about before here on GPS Tracklog, but as GPS is becoming more and more mainstream as time goes on, it’s something that is worth going over once again. If you’re here to try and find out how GPS works, then check out this post for a more in-depth discussion. Below, you’ll find some of the questions that I get asked the most. read more

GPS Jamming Becomes Big Problem in Europe

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Although GPS is one of the most important technologies of our age, it is surprisingly susceptible to tampering and failure. GPS signals are actually surprisingly weak with leaves them vulnerable to not only spoofing, but jamming. While spoofing is the process of sending fake signals to a GPS device to make it think that it is in a different location, jamming completely scrambles the signals so that they become unusable.

In the United States, both jamming and spoofing are illegal, but other countries (which often use GPS as it was the first and arguably most reliable system) the laws vary and are sometimes nonexistent. This has led to many problems with GPS jamming and spoofing in other countries and here in the US.  read more

Top 10 Bestselling Automotive GPS

Whether you’re looking for a great automotive GPS for that special someone or simply wanting to get one for yourself, this list features some of the most popular and most purchased GPS devices available, using Amazon’s statistics. It’s worth noting that the devices may vary slightly from day-to-day, but since this list is generated in December—when most people buy electronics—it is probably pretty accurate. The prices displayed are before any relevant discounts which, of course, Amazon nearly always offers on GPS products.

1. Garmin Nuvi 57LM

nuvi-57lmtBuy on Amazon (regular price $149.99)

This rather affordable device is one of the more simple GPS devices Garmin offers. As you can tell from the name, the device includes lifetime map updates—a standard in today’s GPS devices. Other Garmin features include Real Directions, which uses street names and landmarks; Up Ahead, which shows nearby food and gas stations; preloaded Foursquare data; Lane Assist with Junction View; and School Zone Warnings, to name a few.

At the time of writing, the price of this awesome device was discounted by around 40% to $89.99.

2. TomTom VIA1535TM

tomtom-via-1535tmBuy on Amazon (regular price $119.99)

This device is listed as not only #2 in automotive, but also #1 in powersport GPS units. As the name implies, it comes with lifetime maps and traffic. Other features include voice recognition, hands-free Bluetooth calling, advanced lane guidance, preloaded POIs, TomTom’s roadside assistance, and IQ resistance. It is a little surprising that this device made it to the Top 10 as it’s actually an older device and was released in 2011. The updated version of this device, the TomTom 1515TM, is also on this list (see #9).

At the time of writing, the price of this device has been discounted by 25% to $89.99.

3. Garmin Nuvi 2589LMT

nuvi-2589lmtBuy on Amazon (regular price $229.99)

There are actually several different versions of this device which have slightly different features. However, the version that has made our list is the 5 inch device with Bluetooth and voice control. As the name implies, it also comes with lifetime maps and traffic. Other Garmin features include Free Lifetime Traffic Avoidance, to see where delays are; Up Ahead, to see gas and food nearby; Active Lane Guidance, Smartphone compatibility; Garmin Real Directions; and compatibility to add a wireless backup camera, to name a few.

At the time of writing, Amazon did not have this in stock, but the listed price was discounted by 43% to $129.99.

4. TomTom VIA 1515M

tomtom-via-1515mBuy on Amazon (regular price $119.99)

This popular TomTom device is so popular, it is on this list twice. This version features lifetime map updates (at least four a year) and a 5 inch touchscreen display with split screen junction view. The device focuses on ease of ues and features Map Share, IQ Routes for faster travel, pre-loaded POIs, Lane Assist, and spoken street names so you won’t miss a turn.

At the time of writing, this device was discounted by 29% to $84.99.

5. Dinly 7 inch Car GPS

dinlyBuy on Amazon (regular price $66.99)

Of all of the devices on the list, I have to say this one surprised me the most. Unlike the others, which are from larger recognizable companies, this GPS device is definitely an outlier. However, it has extremely  mixed reviews, and from what it looks like, the device is basically just a smartphone that is dedicated to GPS. There aren’t any specific GPS-related features listed, although it does come with an 8 GB memory card and free map updates. Personally, I’ve never even heard of this, so I would definitely do your research before purchasing.

At the time of writing, this device was in stock, and not discounted.

6. Garmin Nuvi 55LMT

nuvi-55lmtBuy on Amazon (regular price $139.98)

This is an upgraded version of the Nuvi 55, and it features lifetime maps and traffic updates. Additionally, the device features the sorts of things you’d expect on a Garmin device including a bright 5 inch dual-orientation display, touchscreen navigation, Lane Assist with Junction View, School Zone Warnings, Up Ahead to show nearby locations, quick search, and Garmin Real Voice, which sounds more like a human when giving directions than most devices.

At the time of writing, the device was in stock and not discounted. Used devices could be purchased for $116.94, however.

7. Garmin Nuvi 57LMT

Buy on Amazon (regular price $169.99)

This Garmin nuvi device is extremely popular—so much so that it’s actually on our list twice! Unlike the bestselling version at the top of the page, this device is slightly upgraded and features lifetime traffic updates so that users can see where the current slowdowns are and avoid as much of it as possible. Additionally, the device supports a backup camera. Other Garmin features include Real Directions, which uses street names and landmarks; Up Ahead, which shows nearby food and gas stations; preloaded Foursquare data; Lane Assist with Junction View; and School Zone Warnings.

At the time of writing, there were only about 20 devices left in stock, and they were discounted 21% to $133.81.

8. Garmin Nuvi 67LMT

nuvi-67lmtBuy on Amazon (regular price $199.99)

This device is actually very similar to the above device, however it is simply a more recent version. The device features a 6 inch screen with dual-orientation display, a high-sensitivity receiver, preloaded maps with lifetime updates, and lifetime traffic updates to avoid the snarls. Other features include Lane Assist with Junction Views, Foursquare POIs, Garmin Real Directions, and School Zone Warnings. The device is also compatible with some backup cameras.

At the time of writing, the device was temporarily out of stock, but the price was discounted by 40% to $119.99

9. TomTom VIA 1515TM

tomtom-via-1515tmBuy on Amazon (regular price $139.99)

This device is a top-of-the-line version in the 1515 series and features many of the same features as some of the lower devices. Other features include IQ routes, which provide faster routes; Map Share, which provides daily map updates; free lifetime traffic and map updates; 5 inch screen; split screen views so you don’t miss an exit; an integrated mount so it attaches easily to the windshield or dash; and preloaded POIs. Easily the coolest feature is the constantly-updated maps which might just make this device pay for itself when on the road.

At the time of writing, the device was discounted by 21% to $109.00.

10. Garmin Nuvi 2699LMTHD

nuvi-2699lmthdBuy on Amazon (regular price $269.99)

Much like the above device, this is the top-of-the-line version of the nuvi 2699 series. This device features a 6 inch pinch-to-zoom display with dual orientation, and as the name implies, lifetime maps and lifetime free HD traffic. It comes with Bluetooth and voice control and features other features like Up Ahead, Active Lane Guidance, Direct Access, and Garmin Real Directions. It is also compatible with smartphones and wireless backup cameras.

At the time of writing, the device was discounted 26% to $199.92.

Uber Updates Introduce Background GPS Tracking

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Although it’s not something that I spend a lot of time writing about on this blog, the reality is that GPS tracking is a huge part of what makes GPS such a useful and prevalent technology. Through GPS tracking apps and websites, users are able to get directions and location-based information and other services. But, with that functionality comes the potential for a lot of privacy issues and concerns.

Recently, the popular app Uber, which provides cab rides from private drivers for less than the cost of a regular taxi, came under fire after an update requests permission to track users location constantly. While users can opt out of the tracking, reports indicate that the app becomes basically unusable and nonfunctional. With the release, Uber stated that it only had intention to track users for 5 minutes after drop off, but the legal language of the permission allows always-on tracking, even when the app is closed.

After the most recent update, when users open the app, they are greeted with the following prompt: read more

This Week in GPS — December 9, 2016

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This week in GPS is a weekly link roundup of (mostly) GPS related odds and ends, from GPS Tracklog and other places around the Web. This week’s featured image is the new Waze beacon, which may help provide GPS directions inside of tunnels. Check out what else has been going on in the world of GPS below: read more

Does Overuse of GPS Alter Your Brain?

Auto GPS buyers guide

GPS is simultaneously one of the most important and prevalent technologies of our age. Whether you use a dedicated GPS device, own a smartwatch, have a smartphone in your pocket, or use a computer built in the last couple years, there’s a good chance that GPS is a heavy part of your day-to-day life, whether you realize it or not. And, as with any technology, as the uses grow and the privacy concerns blossom, it leaves people wondering if GPS doesn’t have any unintended consequences.

Overall, GPS is a wonderful thing. I don’t think anyone would argue that the ability to not get lost when driving to your Aunt’s house once a year isn’t useful, or that being able to avoid traffic on your way to that awesome sushi place isn’t nice. But, with the constant outsourcing of mapping and navigational tasks, is it possible that GPS is also affecting your brain? read more