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Global Positioning Systems have been around for several years. Originally started for use by the military, this Department of Defense controlled system now allows private sector use.

GPS navigation information is used by the aircraft industry, ocean vessels, car navigation systems, and private individuals.

GPS receivers come in various sizes ranging from the main control systems to hand-held versions for individuals.

Accuracy of the receivers used by the private sector: 100 meter horizontal, 156 meter vertical, and 340 nanoseconds time.

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The TomTom Go 910 is the first device with installed maps of the US, Canada, and Europe. Bluetooth and iPod compatibility are just two of the features this user-friendly item comes with. It's also lightweight.

It's a bit expensive, around $799, so if that is too much, they offer the TomTom Go 510. CNET review rating: 7.7 out of 10

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A smaller and less expensive version of the Lowrance iWay 500c, the 350c combines GPS and MP3 technology. It is missing some of the more hi-tech features, such as text-to-speech, but it has a battery life that is double that of the competitors. At around $499, it's a fairly inexpensive way to enjoy GPS and MP3.

CNET review rating: 7.3 out of 10

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Garmin, one of the leading companies for GPS technology, has come out with this device for people who have to have the newest gadgets. The Nuvi 350 not only provides navigation features, it also contains a digital entertainment center. There are travel tools available for it, but you will have to pay extra for those features.

It's expensive for a small GPS device at around $969.

CNET review rating: 8.3 out of 10

kitkat86

In a search for a birthday present for my husband, I came across this unit from Garmin. The Rino 520 is a combination GPS receiver and two-way radio. The communication range is 14 miles; it comes with maps of North and South America and automatic route generation.

This would be an ideal piece of equipment for anyone who has kids and likes to camp and/or hike. The suggested price is almost $500, so it's a bit expensive, but something that I think would be well worth the cost.

Bruno

I think you would need to take an awful lot of road trips to make the $500 GPS system worth it. Whenever I go anywhere, I map out my course in advance. Don't forget, there are always gas stations to stop and ask for directions!

kitkat86

LOL!!! It is a little pricey. What I like about it is that my husband can play with the GPS features, and we can keep in contact if we get separated. He won't have to carry two different items (he can be a bit absent-minded).

Biyun

Following someone who is clueless with directions is definitely a hard thing to do! I think in the case of 2 cars that are separated, it's nice to have the GPS system in place.

Biyun

Handheld GPS receivers have longer battery life and are built to resist the elements. In a pinch, you could use a handheld GPS in a car, but the screen is really too small for this use (unless you have a copilot), and most handheld GPS receivers don't give audio driving directions.

Bruno

The Magellan Roadmate is a portable GPS system featuring a huge 20GB hard drive that includes a preinstalled street-level map database of all 50 states plus Puerto Rico and Canada.

The Smart Detour™ feature automatically routes you around stopped freeway traffic.

It includes multi-destination routing — up to 20 per trip — with a route optimizer that automatically guides you along the shortest path between all points.

The high-resolution, touch-screen LCD automatically adjusts to surrounding light so it's always clear.