1. Type of Tracking System
There are various types of vehicle tracking systems available. For individual users, the most common system is an on-board navigation system that uses GPS technology to provide the best route from point A to point B. Other GPS systems fitted to cars and vehicles monitor the vehicle’s position at any time (usually to within inches of the vehicle’s real-time position) and are particularly useful for fleet management. Many GPS devices can be activated in case of an accident, alerting the emergency services to the exact location of the vehicle. This is particularly useful if the vehicle has left the road and is hidden from view or has crashed in a remote location.

2. Real Time Tracking
Good GPS tracking systems have an ability to utilise a ‘real-time’ wireless network that allows information via a visual representation. This allows the user to verify that they are taking the correct route as indicated by the system. For fleet managers, it also allows a visual representation of the location of any fleet vehicle at any time, giving them the ability to send the nearest vehicle to a pick up point or track the progress of a delivery.

3. Speed Limit Monitor
Some vehicle tracking systems also have a speed limit monitor, which can notify fleet managers if their vehicles are using excessive speed. Not only does speeding cost a company money in wasted fuel, but can lead to a tarnished reputation and possible prosecution of drivers breaking the speed limits. A speed limit monitor can allow fleet managers to stop drivers who constantly break the speed limits from wasting company money and, more importantly, endangering the lives of themselves and other road users.

4. Voice instructions
Although still in its infancy, voice activation is a developing technology that allows instructions to be spoken into the GPS device. This may not be as useful for fleet management operations, so it may be better to choose a system that can accept remote instructions from a central control unit. In this way a GPS vehicle tracking system can also double up as a receiver for instructions relayed to the driver, particularly in remote locations where mobile phone reception may be non-existent.

5. Quality versus price
Although it may be tempting to go for the cheapest vehicle tracking system you can buy, the more you pay for a system the better the quality. Cheaper systems may be adequate, but they will have limited functions and will certainly perform poorly as compared to a higher quality and more expensive system. If you are planning to install a GPS tracking system into a fleet management strategy, remember that it is a business investment (and therefore tax deductible) that is designed to improve the efficiency of a major part of your business. A larger investment in the beginning will lead to a larger saving overall in the long term. As GPS devices can also play an important part in your safety and in speedy recovery if the vehicle is stolen, a cheap system may let you down when you most need it.

By thinking carefully about your GPS investment and choosing the right one for your requirements, a vehicle tracking system can become an important part of your daily life, giving you peace of mind and a more efficient business operation. Its value as an investment will mean that it should pay for itself in no time at all.

Kent Stabler - Marketing Manager - Chameleon Direct are suppliers of gps vehicle tracking systems, gps tracking devices, hands free car kits and speed camera detector equipment. Our vehicle tracking aims at helping improve your fleet management. With over 1 Million UK customers Chameleon Direct also provide hands free installation services

A hiking GPS is useless on your trip if the map does not cover your travel area. Some hiking GPS systems offer downloads for different maps and locations. In addition, some offer topographical map downloads; very handy in rugged wilderness. Other units are basic, offing longitude and latitude, relying on you to carry the map and determine your exact location.

A GPS system is also useless if its to cumbersome to bring on your hike. Weight and size are critical, and a balancing factor in determining other features. Lighter is better, but will have a trade off in features, screen size and quality, and battery life. Pick a hiking GPS that has the features you will need, but is still light enough that it will not get left back at camp.

Battery life is an additional factor when choosing the right hiking GPS for your adventure. If you are camping with a generator or rv, and only taking 1-2 hour hikes, battery life is not critical. If you are performing a three day mountain climb, battery life is extremely important. Look for a GPS with a battery life twice as long as you anticipate needing, and all should be well. More battery life is better, but will come with a trade off in features and weight.

Finally, consider other features you might want. Color screens are handy and easier to read. Some hiking GPS systems track your path, nice for helping you find your way back and tracking how far to yet to go. Information such as sun/moon cycles, and hunting/fishing cycles are available, with more features being added all the time.

As a GPS consumer, you must weigh these factors, as well as price, to determine the proper hiking GPS for you. If your needs are basic, a watch GPS tracking your longitude and latitude works wonders with a quality map. Others will want the full features from a high tech hiking GPS. The choice is yours; ;choose wisely and a hiking GPS will help your wilderness adventure end in a safe and exciting trip.

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Looking for specific reviews on Hiking GPS systems? Check out the most recent and up to date reviews. For GPS Reviews try GPSreviewblog.net

It all began back in the late 1970’s and early 80’s when the US Department of Defense installed over 24 satellites in orbit over earth to track global positioning. In 1983, former president Ronald Regan began allowing public access to these satellites and a world of GPS opportunities were born.

Soon, technology companies began creating units that were able to interface with these satellites in order to determine the absolute global position of a GPS receiver and they built software programs and devices that made this technology useful for your average person.

These days, there are many useful applications of GPS technology. There are vehicle navigation systems, hand held navigation systems, marine navigation systems and more - and that’s just in consumer products. Of course, there are other applications of this technology in the military and other fields.

When you power up your GPS receiver, it will transmit a signal to the satellites (generally 4 or more at a time) and the computer in your unit will calculate your position based upon a triangulation of the time it takes to receive a signal back from the satellite. More simply put, you can think of it like bouncing a beam out in to space and measuring the time it takes it to bounce back from the different satellite points.

All of the other fancy things that todays GPS receivers do is thanks to the software that they run. Maps, directions and other uses are computer programs that run on the receiver and are based on a database of the GPS coordinates of known places.

While far from a technical explanation of GPS technology, I hope this article helps you better understand your favorite gadget and how it works.

The Vista HCx is also equipped with a host of other features such as a barometric altimeter, electronic compass, microSD card slot and automatic routing for wherever you may rome.  The Vista HCx handheld navigator features a bright color screen for easy visibility in all lighting.

The included barometric altimeter can be used to track changes in pressure to determine your exact altitude, or it can be used to plot barometric pressure over time, keeping you alert to changing weather conditions.

Adding maps to your eTrex Vista HCx is very easy thanks to the Vista HCx’s microSD card slot. Just plug in optional preloaded microSD cards with MapSource data for your land and sea trips. Getting map data is as easy as inserting a MapSource card with detailed street maps.  The Vista HCx provides turn-by-turn directions to your destination. The microSD card slot is inside the waterproof battery compartment, so in the event of wet weather, you don’t have to worry about damage to your card.

What Comes With It?

Inside the box, you will receive… eTrex Vista HCx, basemap, MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager software, USB cable, wrist strap, quick start guide, user’s manual.

Product Benefits & Features

The unit is easy to use with an intuitive menu. You can create and view up to 500 waypoints as well as track and save 10 track logs. There are a number of setup options available for customizing your receiver. There is a detailed basemap included with the unit and you can load your own waypoints and routes from the included MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager software on the 25 MB of internal memory. The eTrex Venture HC GPS unit is compatible with Garmin’s line of extra MapSource mapping products.

The Garmin eTrex Venture HC was designed with the sportsman in mind and can easily be operated with a single hand thanks to it’s unique design which is 5 buttons on either side of the unit. This design also makes more room for the screen which is an easy to read 256-color sunlight readable TFT display.

There are a number of extras for specific uses such as a geocaching mode, hunting and fishing calendar, and sun and moon information. The Garmin eTrex Venture HC includes an IPX7 waterproof housing for outdoor use, even in bad weather.

What Comes With It?

Inside the box, you will receive… eTrex Venture HC, basemap, MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager software, USB cable, wrist strap, quick start guide, user’s manual.

Product Benefits & Features

* Amazon.com’s current price is way below MSRP - Due to manufacturer restrictions on minimum pricing, you must visit Amazon.com and click “show price” to see current low price.

The Garmin 60CSx is expandable with the help of optional MapSource software and the microSD cards sold by Garmin that feature topo maps, nautical charts and city streets. Just about all Garmin MapSource products are compatiable with this GPS unit. The device comes preloaded with an Americas autoroute basemap which provides automatic routing capabilities for highways, exits, and tide data. The device will give turn-by-turn directions when you’re driving, and the integrated trip computer provides odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time, max speed, and more. Downloading new maps and information is quick with the USB or serial port interfaces.

Planning to use your 60CSx at sea? There’s also a preloaded marine point database. In fact, the Garmin 60CSx is so rugged that it is water resistant to IEC 60529 IPX7 standards (can be submerged in one meter of water for 30 minutes).

The display on the Garmin 60CSx measures 2.6 inches and features a 256-color TFT screen. It is crisp and easy to read in direct sun and low light conditions alike. The unit takes 2 AA alakaline batteries which will give you approximately 20 hours of use.

The Garmin 60CSx wouldn’t be complete without some extra features, just for fun. Are you in to geocaching? There is a dedicated geocaching mode for the GPS treasure hunters out there. There are also indoor and outdoor GPS games to combat boredom and full calendar with ideal hunting and fishing times and information on the moon.

What Comes With It?

Inside the box, you will receive… Garmin 60CSx unit, 64 MB microSD card, belt clip, USB interface cable, MapSource Trip and Waypoint Manager CD, lanyard, owners manual, and quick-start guide.

Product Benefits & Features

Earlier Garmin 200 series models have been improved upon in this newer Garmin GPS. The nüvi 265WT uses a new predictive technology that speeds up satellite locking and features a redesigned screen for better user experience. The Bluetooth connectivity and free Navteq updates also set the 265WT apart from earlier 200’s.

The 265WT has several other exciting features. Out of the box, the 265WT comes with complete maps for North America and the handy Text-to-Speech feature. You can even get turn-by-turn spoken directions with the real names of streets (e.g. “turn left in 50 feet at Central Ave”, rather than merely “turn left in 50 feet”).

What Comes With It?

Inside the box, you will receive… Garmin nüvi 265WT, Preloaded City Navigator NT for North America (full coverage), Lifetime traffic, FM traffic receiver with vehicle power cable, Vehicle suction cup mount, USB cable, Dashboard disc, Quick start manual

Product Benefits & Features

The nüvi 360 supports automatic routing and turn by turn voice directions, making it easy to use even in high stress driving. This model includes a high-sensitivity integrated GPS receiver that offers great reception and the top overall performance that you have come to expect from Garmin devices.

The unit’s flip-up antenna features a MCX-type connector for connecting an optional external GPS antenna. The Garmin nüvi 360 comes loaded with software including maps of Europe or North America, and it includes automatic routing, 2D or 3D map perspective, turn-by-turn voice directions that speak street names, and a fingertip touch screen interface — making navigation as easy as it gets.

The Garmin nüvi 360 doesn’t stop there. It also comes with many bonus features including a fully functional MP3 player, audio book player, and JPEG picture viewer. If you have a Bluetooth enabled cell phone, you will appreciate the ability to make hands free calls with the nüvi 360’s integrated wireless technology.

What Comes With It?

Inside the box, you will receive… Gamin nüvi 360 unit, Preloaded City Navigator NT North America or Europe (full coverage), vehicle suction cup mount, AC charger, 12/24 volt adapter cable, dashboard disk, USB interface cable, carrying case, owner’s manual, and quick reference guide.

Product Benefits & Features

Garmin nüvi’s are best known for their reliability and fast satellite lock. This model features an high-sensitivity receiver and a slim, pocket size design with a crisp and clear display. The interface of the nüvi 760 is intuitive and it has built in more than 6 million name-searchable points of interest thanks to the detailed NAVTEQ maps for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

Like all Garmin 700 series GPS navigators, the nüvi 760 features spoken directions and real street names as well as other extra features such as the MP3 player, photo viewer and an FM transmitter. You can play MP3s and listen to audio books directly through your cars existing stereo system. The Garmin nüvi 760 adds integrated traffic receivers and Bluetooth capability for hands-free calling.

Product Benefits & Features

• Garmin Lock theft prevention
  
• Integrated FM Traffic Receiver
• Hands-free calling
  
• Top of the line map data with 6 million POIs
• Super-bright, 4.3-inch (diagonal) touchscreen
• Multi-Destination Routing
• Where Am I? Where’s My Car? displays your exact latitude and longitude coordinates

Navigation is just the beginning. All nüvi 700s feature travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, MP3 player, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more.

They are also compatible with optional content plug-ins available via SD card, such as the Garmin Travel Guides and Garmin SaversGuide which provides detailed data for attractions and information on nearby merchants offering discounts, so you can customize your nüvi for all your travel and shopping needs.

Example Display