I have always subscribed to learning as much as possible about a vacation spot and to travel within a city as a local would instead of a tourist. This means avoiding the tourist traps as much as possible or accessing local hot spots in the way locals do. For example, when I went to San Farncisco with the family, I would see hundreds of people lined up to buy tickets to the famous cable car by 10 am. at the bottom of Powell St and Market St. Talking to a local, I quickly discovered that around the corner and down the stairs leading to the BART subway station, there is an Information Centre that also sells tickets to ride on the famous cable cars. Absolutely no lineup and friendly service. Instead of waiting in line for over 1 hour, I was able to get tickets and in minutes I was on my way to the Fisherman’s Wharf area. Talking to a local means someone that does not work in the typical hospitality industry. Many of these people will direct you to tourist traps and not always to what is the most convenient or cost affective places. You will be surprised to find panhandlers are well informed and helpful about local information. You can avoid sudden closures of popular entertainment spots and find cost affective means of transportaion.

If you are into geocaching at home, you can certainly extend this activity and passion on your next vacation destination. Simple research before you travel on vacation can add hours of outdoor fun and excitement geocaching an area you have never traversed before. Geocaching is a very inexpensive way to tour a vacation spot for that added uniqueness.  You can go to http://www.geocaching.com/ and enter the city that you will be visiting for details on available cache deposits in that city. Some vacation spots have little activity happening on Sunday or Monday therefore these days are good for a geocache outing. These are some of the other websites that offer great information on geocaching.

• http://www.factsfacts.com/geocacher.htm
• http://www.wikihow.com/Go-Geocaching
• http://www.navicache.com/
• http://www.geocachenavigator.com/
• http://www.geocachingonline.com/
• http://www.geocacher-u.com/

You can also Google for city, state or country specific geochaching sites that have loads of information and geocaching activities specific to their location.

Knowing exactly what you need in a GPS device is very important before making the leap to buying one. There are car navigation versions, mobile versions, marine plus GPS add-ons for PDA and computers. All can be used or adapted for use in the car but none are suited specifically for use in the car like a true car navigation GPS.

TIPS When Buying:

• Buy one that has voice navigation. This will help you to avoid prolonged viewing of the GPS screen while driving.
• Buy one with an external antenna to ensure the clearest reception. Most comes with a magnetic or suction cup mount to avoid damage to the car or for mounting outside the car. A clear reception means better accuracy and a faster response to changes. Antenna should be waterproof and design for cold weather if mounted outside.
• Good clear screen.
• Hands free voice operation. Touch screens are cool but encourages you to use the GPS while driving which increases the chance of an accident.
• Point A to pont B auto route mapping with alternate suggestions. It is always a pain to have a route mapped out to suddenly find out you have to deal with construction or an accident that brings traffic to a crawl. The ability to have an alternate route selected for you is crucial.
• A good database of important locations and points of interest if you frequently travel on business.
• Operates on both battery and AC Adapter for emergency use outsde of the car.
• Comes with a simple mounting system that is secure and does not require damage to the automobile.
• Ability to update the software via a computer with minimal work and at a reasonable cost for new maps.

TIPS When Using.

• Do not enter your exact home address or mark it as HOME to prevent burglars from figuring out where you  live if your car is ever stolen.
• Clear out the memory often if the GPS automatically records your routes. This is important again if you routinely travel to the same location. It only reduces the available memory but also gives burglars added information on where you live and when you will not be at home.
• Place the unit where you have a good view of the screen without losing vision of the road.
• Record routes of unfamiliar or rural destinations to allow for easy navigation back home later.
• Determine the distance traveled to schedule breaks and gas fill ups for long trips.
• Avoid adjusting the GPS when driving, stopped at a stop sign or red light to avoid unnecessary accidents.

The next generation of social lifestyle tool is now available. The product is called Yellowpin and originally appeared on Facebook as an add-on application. It’s a very simple application to use and take advantage of. Anyone with a SMS capable phone can easily send a text message and have their activity and location made available to all their buddies in the social network.

- Pinpoints exactly where you are.

- No GPS tracking or montioring.

- Provides a very secure and controlled environment for sharing your location and activities.

- Communicates your activity with the longitude and latitude of where the activitiy is taking place.

- Aggregates friends’ activity to give a user a clearer view of their social landscape.

- Allows access to all functions through the desktop application or SMS.

- You are in complete control of your information.

Yellowpin is available on a 30 day FREE trial and costs only 99 cents month. This is a great add-on application and is very reasonable in cost. You can go to www.yellowpin.com for more details and to register online.

Police Surveillance Tool Now Available For Personal Use.

If you are a fan of TV shows like CSI and Fringe, you will see from time to time, covert monitoring conducted using an individuals cellphone. Examples are tracking the user via the cellphone signal, accessing the internal GPS, turning on the microphone remotely and silently.

Now a company called Retina-X Studios has released a software program for Windows Mobile smartphones which allows you track and access features on your phone if it is ever stolen or lost. The program called RecoveryCop allows you recover your lost or stolen phone by tracking its whereabouts. You can send an SMS message from another phone or access your control panel via the online website.

Capabilities:

- Track the phones location if the device is GPS enabled.

- Have the phone silently call any number so that you can monitor the user via the microphone.

- Keep track of all SMS messages and calls made.

- Be notified of any SIM card changes.

- Automatically lock the phone when the SIM card is changed or activate the lock via a command remotely.

- Backup, erase or restore the data on the phone.

- Record the phone number registered on the new SIM card,

The program could pose some ethical issues if used illegally for spying purposes but certainly has some interesting aspects if you ever lose your very expensive Windows Mobile smartphone. Tracking and locating your phone is quick and simple but the actual recovery is left up to the individual. The software and service is available for $29.97 USD per year. You can go to RecoveryCop for more details.

If you have ever watched any of the Police dramas on TV, you would certainly seen them use  a system online that allows the police to enter a phone number and have the users location detected on a map. Now, you can do this yourself by going to the Mobile Tracker and entering the persons phone number. Actually this is not a real system but a joke system setup by the folks at www.megapranks.com. You can enter a phone number to track or not enter a number at all and click the Start Searching button. You will eventually see a map and then watch the satellite camera zoom right into the actual location of the user. Of course this is just but an intertaining one for a short period. You will certainly see what I mean once you go to the link above and try this out yourself.

Real GPS Tracking Online

There are actually real GPS location services out there and one I came across is even FREE to use. The service is available at www.instamapper.com. All you do is register online for FREE and install a small application onto your GPS enabled mobile phone. Then you can login into your account and track yourself on their map in real-time. You an even share this information with your friends and family. The map can be embedded into a website or Facebbok profile. It’s a great tool that can be used to track kids or the elderly that have special needs and concerns. You nolonger need to purchase specialized hardware, software and services that can be costly to use and maintain. As long as you have a GPS enabled phone or the ability to connect a GPS to your phone can use the FREE service.

Garmin has an very interesting line of GPS units geared mainly for North American usage that will be released in the second quarter of 2009. There are a number of units all with the same external design with specific internal differences. There are currently 8 new models to choose from:

Features	1300	1350	1350T	1370T	1390T	1200	1250	1260T
Screen Size	4.3″	4.3″	4.3″	4.3″	4.3″	3.5″	3.5″	3.5″
Maps Included	Lower 48 States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico	North America	North America	North America + Europe	North America	Lower 48 States, Hawaii, Puerto Rico	North America	North America
Free Lifetime Traffic	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Lane Assist	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Junction View	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	No
Text-To-Speech	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Enhanced Pedestrian Mode	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Public Transit Mode	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
ecoRoute	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bluetooth Support	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes
Price USD	$249	$299	$349	$449	$399	$199	$249	$299

Garmin 1350 GPS - Image: Garmin

The latest models are certainly worth looking at and with a price tag of $249.00 starting point. The prices are very reasonable for a stand alone GPS which includes voice prompting and touch screen capabilities.

Virtualpunk is a unique game that takes MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) to a whole new level. Virtualpunk is GPS based therefore is best played  outdoors. Just like other RPG’s you must collect treasure, armor, weapons and fight your way through each level. The graphics are great for a mobile game and certainly well thought out.  If you have ever played a RPG game and enjoy them, you have to try Virtualpunk. For those that have never played a RPG but would like try something very unique while enjoying the outdoors have to give Virtualpunk a try.  One word of warning, on lookers may think you are a little odd walking around in circles.

Virtualpunk Image:Virtualpunk

Virtualpunk works on any phone that supports Java and you must have an active online connection to play the game. You can download the software HERE onto your PC first or go directly to wap.virtualpunk.com from your wap browser on your phone. 

GPS Gaming Console

Here is a new twist to an old design. A chinese manufacturer has combined a car GPS with a gaming console. The two are not designed to work together but when the GPS is not being used, the passengers can play different games.

GPS Game Console - Image: NAVIGADGET

 The device has a 4.3-inch TFT LCD Touch screen with 480 x 272 pixels resolution, and is powered by a Samsung ARM9 400MHz processor. Microsoft Windows CE.NET 4.2 is the operating system and comes with a controller for the games. Inside there’s a 64MB SDRAM ROM and 256MB NAND flash, and a high sensitive SiRF III antenna with 20 channels. You can go to NAVIGADGET for more details.

Many people understand generally what it means when someone says GPS but most people do not know how or what a GPS can be useful for. Typically a GPS is used to determine where you are which is not really a benefit in populated areas since we have street signs and other landmarks to guide us. Inexpensive maps can also show us exactly where we are thus a device costing $100.00 or more is not something the average person is willing to invest in. Keep in mind that street signs and maps are only as good as the person using these tools since the information only provides a point of reference only. The user must use the information effectively to reach the final destination. This method is easily prone to human error.

The GPS technology consists originally of 24 orbiting satellites. Anyone that has a GPS unit can detect anywhere from 6 – 10 satellites which are in direct line of sight from any point on earth theoretically. In actuality, we have to deal with buildings, mountains, and trees therefore the number can easily be anywhere from 0 – 6. For the GPS to correctly triangulate your current location, a minimum of 3 satellites must be continuously detected. 4+ satellite detection ensures a higher level of accuracy.

GPS Satellites - Image: Wikipedia

The GPS unit will determine the longitude and latitude of its location which will then be positioned on top of a regional map. This will provide the user the current location visually. Typically, the accuracy is within 10 meters and I have experienced as good as 5 meters.

Here is a small list of what a GPS unit can be good for:

- Determine current location.

- Determine the location of other people. A cellphone with a built in GPS can be contacted via SMS (text messasging) and another SMS can be relayed back to the origianl SMS sender with location details.

- Surveying: information can be collected about a given region and tagged with specific location information.

- A highly accurate clock is contained within each satellite therefore detailed time and date information can also be recorded with the exact location information.

- Search and rescue: Users or pets with GPS trackers can be quickly located in emergency situations.

- Traffic information can be displayed in conjunction with GPS information to coordinate travel routes to minimize travel time.

- Fish finders nowadays have GPS units combined to track and record suitable fishing locations.

- GPS is very handy for astronomers to determine the exact orientation of the night sky. The location of the stars will vary depending on the longitude and latitude. A GPS will allow you to locate a reference star to guide you through the night sky to locate other stars, constellations and planets.

- By combining the GPS location details and the clock together, a PDA based software program can continuously track an individuals activity thereby allowing details information to be gathered for use in an exercise program. Jogging for example the GPS logger can determine distance travelled in X amount of time therefore details like the estimated amount of calories burned and current level of activity based on previously recorded stats.

Consumer GPS units where typically $300.00 – $1000.00 but have continued to drop in price with the lower price range being under $100.00 nowadays. Keep in mind that the lower priced units will require a computer system of some kind to connect to.

USING AN AUTO BASED GPS

GPS units designed for the automobile can be very useful for those frequent travellers. Exact routing information can be displayed with voice prompts. Great for travelling along unfamiliar territory. Off road 4 X 4 activities can be more envigorating and safe when a GPS can clearly define safe routes ahead. When you are planning on purchasing an auto GPS for your own vehicle. You must take care in purchasing one that is suitable for your specific car.

I would recommend a GPS that has a rechargeable battery, a car lighter adapter and a separate cabled GPS antenna.

Having a rechargeable battery included will allow the unit to operate without being connected to the cars battery when the engine is not running.

A separate GPS antenna will allow you to position the reciever in a location that provides the best access to the information displayed plus allowing the antenna to recieve the strongest signal. Features in the car like the defroster build into the windows and thick metal body work can jam or block the GPS signals. Reflected signals will cause inaccurate readings thus a direct line of sight is required for the antenna placement. Suction cups are generally provided with the antenna allowing easily attachment.

As the salesperson if he/she has actually used any or all of the GOS units they carry to get a feel of what will be suitable for your own situation. It is always a good idea to read up on various makes and models ahead of time before heading out to your local dealer. A little research can greatly reduce headaches after the purchase.

Types of GPS Units

There are a number of GPS types to be aware of. The two main categories are stand alone units and a Bluetooth or wired GPS unit designed to be used in conjunction with a PDA, phone or computer. Either way, a GPS unit is more than just a device to get you from point A to point B.

These are some of the uses for GPS systems.

1 - Points of interest location maps. A good GPS unit or a GPS program can inform you of any “points of interest” within the area you currently are located or another area you wish to be at. Then determine the best route to take to get there. http://www.gps-poi-us.com/

2 -- Allows you to pinpoint the location of someone important when they have a GPS unit that you can connect to via an SMS message or via another service. http://www.startrackgps.net/

3 -- You can play location based GPS games. http://www.gpsgames.org/

4 -- Using a GPS to track the location of stars above your current location. GPS for Astronomy

GEOCACHING

Geocaching is a free activity that is great for the lungs, heart and the rest of your body. It’s a way of getting yourself outdoors to search for hidden treasure. When Geocache was first started, a little token of appreciation for finding the hidden box was your reward. You were to either leave the token item for the next person to find it or you take the item and replace it with another of equal or greater value. Nowdays Geocaching is just about  having fun which is great activity for all ages. All you need is a stand alone GPS unit or a portable unit like a PDA or phone with a built in or external GPS unit. The basic idea is you are given waypoints which are the longitude and latitude of where a Geocache or treasure is hidden. Your task is to find the cache/treasure and record that you found it in the log book contained in the cache/treasure container.

This is a huge activity that involves thousands of hidden locations all over the world. You can go to www.geocaching.com and probably find a Geocache in your area. You will certainly discover fun areas around your home or town that you never paid much attention to all these years. Many enthusiasts even travel all over the world to Geocache. It’s one good way to discover the area you have never been to. Next time you are given the opportunity to purchase a GPS unit at a great price, consider Geocaching as one of the potential uses for the GPS.

Garmin GPS Units

Garmin has been one of the original pioneers of GPS technology. Garmin continues to design and manufacture innovative GPS units. You have not envisioned the potential benefits of GPS until you visit the Garmin website. Garmin manufactures a wide range of products with a built in GPS unit lke:

- A GPS for dogs.

- GPS to indicate traffic congestion.

- GPS with two way radios built in.

- GPS with range finders for golfers

- GPS units for extreme sports enthusiasts to track location and activity of your daily exercises.

Plus many other categories.

Toshiba TG01 Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro PDA

The Toshiba Windows Mobile PDA has a built in GOS unit that allows you to install all sorts of software that will take advantage of the GPS technology. The skies the limit to what you can do with any PDA based GPS system. The functionality is only limited by the application software installed. Yesterday I posted the TG01 as one of the interesting PDA devices in my weekly PDA Tuesdays posting. By allowing the GPS unit to interact with a given software program, you can always update the software program with up to date information like “points of interest” and new streets. you can even find games that utilize a GPS unit. One such game is called GPS MISSION which is a multi player game. Watch video below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkPbp9ITCRI

Hope you enjoyed a small glimps of what a GPS is all about. I will be posting this feature weekly and hope to bring you some more interesting tidbits of information from the GPS world.