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We’ve just added new gps units to our store. What is exciting about the new Oregon 550 is it can take pictures. When it takes the picture, it stores the location so you can go back there again. Pretty cool I think.

Garmin has taken social networking seriously and is adding a lot of features around Twitter, Facebook and has developed Garmin Connect as a way to help with geocaching. Gps units are getting much more advanced! Lots to choose from to.

Garmin has unveiled a new line of GPS units geared towards the outdoors enthusiasts. The new Garmin Dakota line has a lot of features for hikers, hunters, geocachers, scouts and surveyors. It’s waterproof and has 20 hours of battery life. Great for if you’re out camping. We’ll look forward to seeing more of the Dakota 10 and Dakota 20.

Today’s GPS’s aren’t just for the car, truck, or SUV. More and more manufacturers are discovering that offering drivers the option of taking their navigation systems off road is an incredible boon to sales. With this realization they are delivering on many levels previously unheard of. There are even GPS and navigation systems that are designed in order to assist in finding a great catch. Perfect for the fisherman in your life.

Seriously if you’re looking for creative ways in which to justify the expenditure of a GPS, perhaps the following activities and ideas can help:

1) Biking. Biking isn’t limited to sidewalks and roadsides any more. People are becoming much more adventurous and demanding of their bicycle travel today and taking the tour off road. This means that there isn’t always a clearly defined path to guide you to your destination or even to find your way back to civilization. A good GPS or auto navigation system can help you find your way back home no matter how far you’ve strayed.

2) Geocaching. This is a relatively new pass time activity that seems to be taking on a life of its own. For those who enjoy this activity I am sure you are well aware that it occasionally takes you well away from the ordinary beaten path. Not all of us are as observant as we should be while looking for something and discover all too late that we have no real clue as to how to get back to the point we began. You will use your GPS system for the purpose of geocaching, but if you purchase a minor upgrade you can also use it to guide you back to your point of origin should you find yourself lost in the woods.

3) Hunting. There is no rule anywhere that even remotely indicates a necessity for navigational skills in order to make an excellent hunter. In fact, I’ve known more than a few hunters who have a difficult time finding their way home some days. For these fellows and femmes, there is hope and a way to save face. Navigational assistance is a great way to discover where you are, where you’ve been, and get your where you want to go.

4) Boating. If you’ve ever been in the open sea I’m sure you’ll understand what I am saying when I say it is very easy to become disoriented as to where you are headed. Now, those who are seasoned at navigation will tell you it’s a piece of cake. I’m here to tell you that they must have learned it at their daddy’s knee because I certainly tried to learn as an adult and it still seems completely Greek to me (of course, perhaps it is, I’ve heard that the Greeks are phenomenal sailors). Regardless, GPS and auto navigation systems can make your journey by sea a much safer experience while helping insure that you reach your destination, preferably without incident with any sandbars in the region.

By car, land, bike, and sea, GPS’s have a great deal to offer the savvy consumer. Take the time to study the many options for GPS equipment and find the one that will suit the inner explorer in you. You will find it is well worth the investment if you use it often and use it well.

There is a great amount of concern about the privacy aspect of GPS and auto navigation systems and devices. Many people are strict guardians of their privacy as it has become so sacred and so easily invaded. I for one, certainly understand that desire to maintain one’s privacy and do not endorse on any level using these types of devices in order to invade the privacy of total strangers or bending the law and legal protections we have in place in order to protect people from actions such as this.

On the other hand, it is great to know that if I make a 911 call from my GPS enabled cell phone, I can be found even if I have no clue as to where I am actually located. The same holds true for On Star. You can be located by the GPS information that the company has access to. The really good news is that you are not completely sacrificing your privacy or your right to that privacy for the sake of security. There are very strict laws in place to protect your privacy from invasive eyes, even during a legal preceding and there is also case law and precedence to support the understanding that your GPS coordinates cannot be given out even if there is credible evidence or reasonable suspicion.

Privacy is so important in America that it has been guaranteed to our citizens. In this day and age of big brother and with the fear of the horrible things that could happen being sensationalized in Hollywood, the idea of privacy isn’t as foreign of a concept as we thought it was.

The idea of privacy and invading privacy is another reason that many parents are more than a little hesitant about utilizing the GPS tracking capabilities of their children’s cell phones. While we struggle with the notion of invading the privacy of our children we also know without a doubt that we want to protect our children from potential harm with every fiber of our beings. That protection includes protecting them from themselves on occasion no matter how distasteful that process may be.

Knowing where our children are at all times is one of many ways that we can help protect them from the evils of the world while also being available at a moments notice. The flip side of course is that our children can find us whenever they need us also so we are essentially sacrificing some degree of our privacy in order to be available to our children at all times and to know where they are. Be sure to remind your teen or preteen of this whenever they grumble that you are checking up on them.

The price to pay for these services is marginal when compared to the wonderful benefits they offer families with children, teens, or even elderly who may need to be monitored for whatever reason. Protecting our loved ones is one of the many benefits of auto navigation systems and GPS technology that can’t be measured with a price tag or a certain weight in gold.  Whether you decide to make use of this technology for you and your family you should rest assured in the knowledge that you aren’t exposing your day-to-day travels to any passerby. Your privacy is still safe from strangers, while your family may be a different subject all together.

Garmin has just released information about 2 new handheld GPS units in the Oregon series. The Oregon 500 and the Oregon 550t.  The special features they have are a touchscreen and built-in camera – which is waterproof.

And who loves these handhelds? Geocachers of course.  At the most recent “Geowoodstock”, the geocachers were all over them. Looking forward to them coming on the market. Chances are they will make the already fantastic Oregon GPS units less expensive too!

These days, there are a whole lot of GPS units. For the car, for the bike, handheld and more. Some get installed in your car (by using various means like suction cups) while others use a cord from the cigarette lighter and are handheld. Handheld GPS’s are different and function a little different than regular GPS units for the car. And they are cheaper!

If you are a bargain hunter and like to get the most for your money, you may have already noticed the handheld GPS units. Finding a great GPS unit while being thrifty can really make you feel great. Here are some reasons to seriously consider a handheld GPS.

Handheld GPS’s are good for more than just traveling by car. You can also use them when you are off the road as well. For example, you can take a handheld GPS on a hike through the hills, going four wheeling, riding horses or when off biking through cities or mountains. Another great place to take them is on the open water. There are a number of marine handheld GPS units that help you navigate and keep you from getting lost.

Getting lost is a horrible feeling. It can even be scary – especially if you have kids with you. One way to avoid getting lost is by being proactive. What wasn’t possible in the past is now possible. Along with your cellphone, you can grab your handheld GPS on your way out – especially when going somewhere unfamiliar.

If you are looking for a great gift idea, a handheld GPS is a good one. Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, etc. They work well for people who: like fishing, boating, hiking and biking; drive a lot; women who are often on their own with kids; teens who can have a tendency to get lost and more. It’s really a great gift for a lot of different types of people.

Depending on your needs, there’s a different handheld GPS system to suit you. Be sure to compare the different functions and how they compare to what you want to pay. Some extras (like a colour screen) are nice but not necessary. They will make your handheld GPS more versatile and nicer to use though. Good luck in finding the perfect GPS for you!

Have you ever wondered about the benefits of owning a GPS and how it would change your life and how you travel? Well, these days GPS units are more and more sophisticated and have more and more features. They do more than point you from one direction to the next. Today they are like a one-stop travel stop when it comes to finding points of interest, restaurants, fueling stops, and places to sleep along the way.

So how does a GPS work? Perhaps learning more about what they do and can do will give you something to think about when you start researching which device would work for you and your life. One key point to remember is that that all GPS’s are equal. There are different manners of creation along with different manners of functionality and design. They all work on very similar principles however.

GPS systems use satellites that orbit the earth in order to send signals that are received by the GPS device. The GPS has software that interprets the signal and uses that data in order to form conclusions about the current location based on the time it took to receive the signal from the satellite, and the exact location of the satellite that sent the data. So then by combining that information a conclusion can be drawn by the GPS as to where you (the GPS) is exactly. Three satellites are used to determine the point of intersection and a fourth satellite insures the accuracy of the data.

The GPS that you can buy on the market now is much more sohpisticated and has many more features than the original military GPS’s that used to be used. What you can do with your GPS is get directions which guide you on your trip, know where to make detours, get back on track after a wrong turn and even avoid bad traffic. You GPS can also give you information on local destinations, restaurants, hotels, gas stations, and a few other points of interest along the way. Up-to-the-minute traffic, construction delays and weather on your GPS is usually an upgrade. These upgrades are especially valuable for someone constantly on the road.

When you buy a GPS, make sure you get one that is not only fully upgradeable but also easily upgraded. It does no good to have a system that is capable of being upgraded if you can’t figure out how to upgrade it. Many of these systems can be upgraded by using a something as simple as a CD or DVD in order to deliver the information and upgrades. You want to be aware of what maps come installed in your GPS and which ones you may have to buy. My favorite brand is Garmin and if you’re not sure where to start, you can start looking there.

Thanks for visiting the blog. What you’ll find here is the latest news, sales and other Garmin GPS related information.  If you want to get back to shopping for a handheld GPS unit, go to the Garmin handheld GPS store.