Essential Buying Guide For Wearable GPS Gadgets
TheLoudestVoice | December 1, 2011GPS devices have come a long way, and a number of them have nonautomotive functions, and can even be worn like accessories. There are GPS gadgets made especially for golfers, runners, swimmers, and backpackers. They have different special features but in most cases come pre-installed with rudimentary mapping, routing, and waypoint tracking capabilities.
They will record your route as well as elevation changes. They also have several other features, some more essential to others. Those who run competitively for instance, will benefit greatly from a gadget that can record heart rate, distance, and speed. If the same gadget can be synchronized with a computer, the runner can see if he is improving or not by comparing past and present data. A backcountry backpacker or geocaching aficionado on the other hand, would find these features less important and instead would go for a device which has an electronic compass, expandable topographic map database, and external battery packs.
There are so many handheld GPS devices available in the market today. Ascertaining your needs and identifying which features you are willing to pay extra for will help narrow down your choices. For instance, if you love sailing, go for a handheld GPS with sunlight-readable screen to provide you with easy daytime, on-the-water navigation.
If you compete in triathlons, buy a water-resistant GPS device that you can wear, such as Garmin 910XT. This product comes from Garmin’s impressive lineup of Forerunner watches that have a quick release feature so they can be fitted over a bicycle’s handle when needed. Garmin 910XT reviews are very encouraging. Consumers who have submitted Garmin 910XT reviews rave about the fact that the device can transition seamlessly from swimming, biking, and running modes with just a push of a button.
However, handheld GPS devices should have the following essential features. First would be long battery life. Garmin’s Forerunner 110 for example is known to have an eight hours worth of battery life, and if you use the power saver mode, it can last for three long weeks before you need to recharge it. This remarkable feature garnered positive Garmin 110 reviews. Consumer-generated Garmin 110 reviews also point out the product’s high sensitivity receivers. This brings us to our second important GPS gadget feature, its speed in acquiring a signal.
Look for the TTFF data when you shop for one as this will give you a good idea as to how fast it can compute and refresh on-screen information. Also, since it is made for outdoor use, it should be durable.





