Don’t get lost

GPS systems keep you on track when you don’t know the way
By jonathan masker
2007-07-31
OK, so I just got home from my week long vacation in my home town of Providence, RI. It was great! I got to see old friends, make new ones and see how my family has grown so much. I was born and raised there and moved to Portland about three years ago. The funny thing is, I learned how to drive while living here, so when I made it into Providence, even though I grew up there my whole life, I had no idea how to get around.

So, what did I do? Naturally, like any other technology geek would, I bought a GPS system to navigate me. There are many different types. The most common ones are hard installed or wired directly into your vehicle. They retail at about $300 to $500 and are made by companies like TomTom or Garmin.

Personally, I used a navigation system that goes directly through my cell service. It’s called Telenav.

Telenav is a GPS service that connects to the satellites via a little plastic box that’s a bit smaller than your EZ-Pass. The service provides you with audible turn-by-turn directions via global positioning and also gives you a business directory in the event you need to find a hotel or an ATM.

I use Telenav because it is fairly portable and the mapping system updates automatically via your cell provider. It is available now for most cellular providers or through their webpage directly (www.telenav.com).

The cool thing about GPS is it always knows where you are — and if you travel a lot like me it sure can come in handy. People are always trying to give me directions to there house, work or wherever I’m trying to go, and with GPS the only thing I need is an address and I’ll know my way.

Why should you bother with paper maps, handwritten directions or guessing your way? There are much more viable solutions out there.

You can try Telenav for free for 30 days by visiting their site.

Jonathan Masker is a wireless solution expert and a self-proclaimed gadget guru.