GPS vs Smartphones
Anyone asking for GPS for Christmas this year? If you are I would ask you think twice about it and probably check it off your list. Consider this for just a second, most smart phones and even more then a few phones from the generation before, have a built in GPS navigation system of some sort of another. Take it a step further when you consider the GPS is a basically a single (or perhaps double) function device for at least $100 if not closer to $150 or more.
I am sure right now a few of you are thinking first, what the heck am I talking about? Well GPS is a device that using satellite technology can locate your position with a remarkable degree of accuracy. Then using that technology it can give you step by step directions to another specific location or general area. Those specific locations may or may not be able to be found by a web type of interface by asking for pizza in somewhere, USA. Further, the most recent round of devices offers a bonus of traffic routing information – specifically aimed at finding high congestion areas and routing around those.
My question is simply this though? Given that the stand alone devices start at around $100 and the more advanced ones head up to around $150 and beyond, why? I can understand it if you are not a cell phone user or are still using the cell technology from three years back and just not interested in an update (well the later, I doubt you will keep for much longer to be honest – but that is a different story). Bottom line is most of the new mid-range and upper-end phones have some sort of GPS technology built into them or with the smart phones have an application that will support some sort of it. Indeed, the I-Phone has had such for awhile and the new Android phone has the same kind of technology, reviews perhaps even giving it an edge.
One argument I suppose could be the additional expense of a data plan that you need with the smart phones. However, a lot of carriers are requiring those on smart phones these days. Beyond that, if you are getting a higher end phone don’t you want that anyway? Take it one step beyond that though, you get the technology including in the phone without shelling out the $100 or more for a standalone single app device.
And I will take the argument one step further. The environment. Thing of the resources used to create the single use device and compare that to the multi-use phone. Now consider the single use devices in a landfill or other type of final resting place. Now imagine if none of those existed, but were instead including on a phone that most folks are migrating toward already. Also consider that those devices have limited ability to be upgraded, where as new things come along in an app it is easy to do an update to the system to get the newest bells and whistles!
Okay, I know that some folks are going to continue to pursue the purchase of a device that is stand alone like the GPS and there will be hangers on just as there in some other technologies. The one that comes to mind I will leave alone, but I am sure there are some people that still lament coal fired steam engines and telegraph systems too, and quite possibly a few that miss their star charts and sextants.
December 10th, 2009 at 8:05 am
We have an excellent navigation system in our car and purchased this Garmin strictly for traveling and use in rental vehicles. We recently used it for a trip to New Mexico and traveled from Albuquerque through Santa Fe and north to Durango, Colorado. We visited many remote areas and found that the maps were extremely reliable. The database seemed to be up-to-date and was useful for researching places to stop for gas or grab a bite to eat. It was VERY user friendly and it captures the satellites a little better than some of the other portables that we have used (but not nearly as good as the built-in navigation system in our Acura; however, we don’t expect that from any portable GPS device like Garmin). We had a bit of trouble activating the MSN service and were told by customer service that parts of Brooklyn, NY, have gaps in the broadcast service. It took a while but finally connected and activated and we haven’t had a problem since then. Overall, we give it 5 stars because it completely lives up to expectations and is very easy to use.
December 19th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
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