Monday, July 1, 2013

Buying Guide: Choosing the Right Car Navigation Device


There are no precise records on who must have produced the first commercial navigation for automobiles. There were claims in the past, but these claims remain to be a subject for dispute even until these days. The only claim which has also been duly proven is that the United States has made available a navigation signal for civilian use in the years 2000. Although in the automobile industry, it was Mitsubishi Electric and Pioneer who has made the claim as the first to use a GPS based navigation systems in cars, and the year was 1990.

The long history of car navigation is a continuous story. There will always be something new that comes out. The world may owe everything to who may have started this invention, but more important than that is its contribution to the current civilization. Navigation has marked a different kind of achievement in the history of man, and it has already been written.  Unfolding year after year, this will be the bases of our acceptance, that indeed, it is in demand. Why is it in demand? Let me answer that later as we go along. Let me enumerate first its capability in general.

·         A car navigation can display maps to show the right direction. Using the same map, it can also show the vehicle’s location. Other navigation system uses sensors for this kind of function.

·         It can relay the gathered location information using a text or speech medium.
·         Lately, it has helped improved traffic conditions and automatically gives a different route option.

Among the major capabilities of a navigation system, two are the most useful when translated into a car navigation system. Car navigation system with a satellite-based navigation is especially designed for automobiles. If you have that in your car, you can search a user on a road using the map-locator system. On the other hand, having that device will also allow others to trace your location. The most convenient version for this, are the hand-held, the one that can be taken out of the car.  Mobility feature can be considered one of the most sough-after features. Again, the question is…why do people need a car navigation system? Let me tackle a few of these reasons.

·         People need car navigation devices to avoid traffic and therefore save time. Knowing the traffic condition in a certain street will give the user all the chance in this world to change into a different direction possible.

·         People need car navigation to feel secure. Getting lost is not a total worry nowadays because of a certain type of car navigation system available online. A search operation is not totally clueless as it makes searching and finding easier.

·         People need car navigation devices to locate a certain destination. This replaces the role of a manual map. Tracing and locating then becomes easy and fast. A lot of workers (mailman, delivery boy, salespersons etc.) that use car navigation benefited from this invention.

·         Early navigators like Magellan and Columbus uses navigation devices like compass to discover more lands and later conquer these lands.

On that note, choosing a car navigation system should not be taken for granted. There should be key points that will serve as a buying guide to car owners.

  • Buying guide #1 – Look for a car navigation system with an easy to use interface.
  • Buying guide#2 – Since you are driving, easy control is required. Touch screen control is best, as well as voice guidance in multi-languages.
  • Buying guide #3- Make sure to check for compact and durability in your chosen car navigation system. It should function no matter what the weather is, be it heavy to moderately wintery conditions.
  • Buying guide #4 – Choose the one with a 2 to 3-dimentional display and the one that has an automatic zoom function.
  • Buying guide #5 – Since anything can happen night and day, it is best to have day/night color mode function, so that locating and feeding direction would not stop during night time.
  • Buying guide#6 – Specify that the car navigation device that you need has a multi-destination search feature. It can accommodate narrowing of searches by entering relevant keywords.
  • Buying guide #7 – A car navigation device with a sensitive receiver is ultimately reliable and lessens worries when travelling. It gives a certain kind of security that no matter what happens you can always send a help signal.
  • Buying guide #8 – A car navigation device that can be held while walking away from the car possessing the best mobility feature is sought-after. It allows more freedom in movement.



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