Amy's Take on Tech
Now for the directionally challenged.
Amy Glover
Issue date: 9/4/09 Section: Opinion
I don't believe I'm alone when saying I haven't got a clue how to navigate.
Perhaps it's because I was never a Girl Scout, and maybe it's indicative of my low map skills score in elementary school, but when I'm in a maze like Atlanta, I'm bound to get lost.
GPS systems are becoming a norm, much like cell phones have escalated to a state of normalcy - in fact, many people have more than one phone to separate business from pleasure.
Since last attending a concert in the metropolitan area, and losing hours driving through dark and unfamiliar streets, I decided it was high time to look at purchasing a GPS.
The GPS offers many advantages: finding a location for the first time becomes much less frustrating. It reminds you of speed limits. Some offer traffic information. And finding the nearest theater or Italian restaurant is a simple search away.
But which one should I buy? The major brand names include Garmin, TomTom and Magellan, to name a few. Then you've got to determine whether you want an in-dash setup, a portable system or one designed for outdoors.
Bestbuy.com lists over 100 GPS systems below the $200 mark, indicating a more accessible range of products for the everyman, or everywoman.
Garmin seems the dominant system on the market - everywhere that's anywhere selling a GPS system will likely have Garmin products shelved. Most review sites give them at least 4 out of 5 stars, and of course it allows you to modify your little car icon.
I have to admit, all the voice options kind of scare me - the American English sounds very demanding, though the Australian English is kind enough to say please when giving directions.
TomTom is the system I've opted to purchase. Why? My decision comes down to personalization. I'm frivolous enough to want my car icon to be Hello Kitty's face, and use the option to download different voices (I've got my heart set on John Cleese - yes, he really did record for the TomTom).
Pay attention to screen sizes when you choose your GPS - bigger screens are becoming more affordable, making the directions much more visible to reference as you drive.
Now, if only they made them in pink.
Perhaps it's because I was never a Girl Scout, and maybe it's indicative of my low map skills score in elementary school, but when I'm in a maze like Atlanta, I'm bound to get lost.
GPS systems are becoming a norm, much like cell phones have escalated to a state of normalcy - in fact, many people have more than one phone to separate business from pleasure.
Since last attending a concert in the metropolitan area, and losing hours driving through dark and unfamiliar streets, I decided it was high time to look at purchasing a GPS.
The GPS offers many advantages: finding a location for the first time becomes much less frustrating. It reminds you of speed limits. Some offer traffic information. And finding the nearest theater or Italian restaurant is a simple search away.
But which one should I buy? The major brand names include Garmin, TomTom and Magellan, to name a few. Then you've got to determine whether you want an in-dash setup, a portable system or one designed for outdoors.
Bestbuy.com lists over 100 GPS systems below the $200 mark, indicating a more accessible range of products for the everyman, or everywoman.
Garmin seems the dominant system on the market - everywhere that's anywhere selling a GPS system will likely have Garmin products shelved. Most review sites give them at least 4 out of 5 stars, and of course it allows you to modify your little car icon.
I have to admit, all the voice options kind of scare me - the American English sounds very demanding, though the Australian English is kind enough to say please when giving directions.
TomTom is the system I've opted to purchase. Why? My decision comes down to personalization. I'm frivolous enough to want my car icon to be Hello Kitty's face, and use the option to download different voices (I've got my heart set on John Cleese - yes, he really did record for the TomTom).
Pay attention to screen sizes when you choose your GPS - bigger screens are becoming more affordable, making the directions much more visible to reference as you drive.
Now, if only they made them in pink.
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