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With the explosion in consumer GPS over the last few years, there have only been a few brands that have maintained their leadership in this very competitive marketplace - these are Garmin and TomTom. The fact that they are so competitive is good for you and I because it means that we see new and better features and significant enhancements on a regular basis - in fact, you should not be too surprised to see the newest generation of portable GPS units feature WiFi or 3g support with direct updates to services like Twitter and having the GPS Tweet your every mile. There are several types of GPS units available on the market: vehicle GPS units - generally very portable, handheld GPS receivers, wearable GPS receivers (like wearing a watch), marine GPS, GPS designed for golfers, and wearable GPS designed for sports enthusiasts like cyclers and runners. While a unit meant for a vehicle may work for a cycler, that is not what it is intended for and the results may not be what you expect - so no, you cannot use a GPS for one purpose for something else, they just do not work that way - unless they have been designed with that in mind. Vehicle GPS Units Most units are very portable, and the newer models are thin and light enough to be carried in your shirt pocket. Some of the newer units are multi-purpose, meaning you can use it in your car or walk around the town with it to help you find places. Vehicle GPS units can range in price from $75.00 for refurbished units to over $500.00 for a multi-purpose unit that has all the latest features such as voice control navigation and cameras. Handheld GPS Receivers These are built a little more rugged that what you would use in your car and are used by hikers and cyclists. For example the Garmin GPS 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator is really meant for hikers and people that spend a lot of time in the outdoors (the rugged outdoors). Many of these units are also waterproof, and with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver by SiRF you can track your position even in tree cover and canyons. Handheld GPS receivers are not meant to be used in vehicles. Wearable GPS Receivers These are ideally suited for runners, and cyclists as many contain heart rate monitors as well. The Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver comes with a Heart Rate Monitor. In addition to cycling, and running this type of receiver is ideal for cross-country skiers, and windsurfers. There are many advanced features in this particular GPS receiver such as the ability to download workout data for detailed analysis. Marine GPS Units There are two types of marine GPS units - one that is used to find fish, so ideal for the fisherman and the other is for chart plotting - so you don't get lost on the open seas. These units will only appeal to a specific niche and most marine GPS units are worth several hundred to thousand dollars due to the type of functionality needed. For example the Standard Horizon CP180I Chartplotter sells for around $400.00 and is highly rated among sailors. Golf GPS Units You would think that a golfer knows where they are, and would not need a GPS. Golf GPS units are designed to help improve a golfers course management skills. Most will provide the golfer with aerial or satellite photographs of their favorite golf courses, the built-in GPS will locate golf course hazards and flagsticks and most will be able to connect to a central server to obtain golf course downloads. Like marine GPS units, golf GPS units are a specialized niche so these will be a little more expensive. A popular unit, the Garmin Approach G5 GPS-Enabled Golf Handheld sells for around $360.00 and is rated highly by golfers. While it may seem a waste having multiple GPS units for different purposes, it's no different than having the right tool for the job. When thought of in this manner, it makes perfect sense to have the right GPS suited for the right purpose.
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