GPS or Global Positioning System was first invented by the U.S Military. A GPS system can tell position, speed and time through some specifically coded signals. The satellites that receive these signals move around the earth 24*7. Today, even the civilians can also use GPS to navigate their position free of cost and the service of the GPS is totally accurate.

Although the accuracy of the GPS signal is totally up to the mark, sometimes they get blocked in front of a tall building or in underground or underwater. GPS devices can receive as many signals under a clear sky. In recent times, we have seen many cell phones to incorporate GPS signals.

A GPS device proves out to be very useful when you are at an unknown place or are travelling to a foreign country. Not only that, it also helps you find your wandering toddler or your old parents, even in crowded places. In case of an emergency, or extreme conditions, GPS systems could save lives.

GPS systems can be installed in a vehicle to provide audio voice prompts, bright colorful maps, and can locate your car if it is parked in a jam-packed parking lot. The GPS devices these days have become so user friendly that anyone can install them and uninstall them and also programme them in just about any vehicle.

Buying a GPS device is a big investment and the reliability and the warranty of the device should also be checked by reading reviews. GPS devices come in these basic types namely, hand-held, automotive, marine and tracking. Automotive devices are mainly installed in cars while hand-held ones are used when travelling. Marine GPS devices are installed in boats to navigate on the water and tracking devices are used to track the movement of a running vehicle.

Dutch GPS manufacturer TomTom produces the most popular GPS system today, called the TomTom ONE. The TomTom ONE is loaded with features like customization options, multi-destination routing, emergency locator service, text-to-speech, and places of interest near your position. It is a good idea to browse through the number places of interests offered by the GPS device you are planning to buy. The usual number is round about 6 million.

Basic features of the TomTom GO: 

The TomTom GO has a processor from Intel, 32 MB RAM, A TFT or LCD touchscreen, a 12 channel GPS unit with a built-in-antenna, SD memory slots, integral loudspeakers, a mini-USB device port, 3D maps, and a roadblock interface. The system is based on Linux. The device weighs only 11 ounce. The battery gives upto 5 hours of backup.

The 12 channel GPS unit of the TomTom GO comes with‘assisted satellite navigation’ which helps the device to find the location if a tall building is nearby or if a tunnel is approaching.

The latest version of the The TomTom GO has preloaded maps of the U.S.A and Europe, 4 GB of internal memory, an SD card for extending the memory, Bluetooth, MP3 player, FM transmitter and many more features.

Now you can get an ultra advanced and problem-free GPS navigation in the form of the small TomTom GO which also has a remote control!

Enjoy travelling!

Want to go on a stress-free road trip without stopping for directions? The TomTom ONE 130 GPS Navigator from Nebraska Furniture Mart offers complete car navigation for your trip. If you need a basic navigation device, we suggest you go for the TomTom ONE 130 GPS Navigation System, an economical means to guide you incessantly, point by point.

Designed to perfection, this compact navigation system can be simply plugged on and the 3.5 inch Active Matrix TFT color LCD touch screen comes alive with 360×240 display resolution. The plug on option offers easy installation. The TomTom ONE 130 GPS Navigation System is equipped with the FM Traffic Message Channel (TMC), which receives instantaneous traffic information, cracks it, and delivers through a voice aided instruction to the driver. The audio delivered is clear, loud, and without distortion. The real time traffic update helps you avoid any likely setback in your journey.

The TomTom ONE 130 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator comes pre-installed with up-to-date maps of the US and Canada and also displays important points such as restaurants, gas stations, and a lot more. The navigation system also provides easy access to emergency numbers and directions to reach immediate help providers.

The TOMTOM ONE 130 Automobile Navigator from Nebraska Furniture Mart features 1GB flash memory and a 32 MB RAM. This navigation system has a battery life of two hours and can be recharged using the car charger which comes along with the navigation system.

The TomTom ONE 130 3.5-inch Portable GPS Navigator has a port mount which folds back neatly on to the device and readily fits into any niche. The navigation system is accompanied by a car charger, a USB cable, and necessary documentation. Shop Nebraska Furniture Mart for the best prices. Enter the address and enjoy an effortless drive with the TomTom ONE 130 3.5-inch Portable GPS Navigator.

Although I have always been a fan of Garmin GPS devices, with all its competitors (Such as Navigon, Magellan and TomTom) catching up in terms of design and features, one can’t help but to wonder if Garmin is slowly loosing its edge. In this article, we are going to take a closer look at the TomTom Go 740 Live GPS navigator. At the time of writing, I think that it is just one of the most advanced GPD device in the market.

The TomTom Go 740 Live has a built-in wireless data connection. This connection allows the access of a variety of information on the device. For instance, you can perform a local search (powered by Google). You can search for restaurants, points of interest, and other local destinations. The search results come with a whole array of information on the destination, such as telephone number and modes of payments accepted (for restaurants) and many more. It can also search for the latest fuel prices in a particular locality.

Another cool feature found on the TomTom Go 740 Live is the TomTom Buddies feature that allows you to share your location with other TomTom Go users. Using this feature, you can also send messages to one another on the device. The price of purchase comes with 3 months of live services. After that, you will need to pay a $10 monthly fee for the services.

The TomTom Go 740 Live also uses IQ Route technology to calculate the best route to your destination. This feature goes through the historical data of the routes taken by you and other TomTom users and maps out the best route to take. For example, if the device calculated that a particular route is congested during lunchtime on weekends, it will provide a route that by-pass the area if you happen to travel during that time frame. You can also correct mistakes on the map and share it with other users. Other features on the TomTom Go 740 Live include voice command, text-to-speech, and Bluetooth features. All in all, the use of a live wireless data connection brings this navigational device to a whole new level.

Do you often lose you way? Do you have very little sense of direction? Do you find it difficult to go and travel around new places and even old ones that you’ve been in?

If you answered YES to all or most of the questions above, then there is only one solution to your directions problem: the TomTom ONE 130S GPS, a smart navigation in your pocket!

The TomTom One 130S GPS is an entry-level navigation device that provides accurate positioning, navigation, and timing information. It is best used by frequent travelers and explorers who want to keep track of their location and do not want to lose their way on their journeys.

Why choose the TomTom One 130S for a global positioning system? Though considered a basic navigation tool, the TomTom One 130S is built with useful and convenient features that make it easy to use even while even on the go! An upgrade to previous TomTom GPS models, the 130S version comes with a text-to-speech feature, full-size touchscreen display, and lots more in a slim, lightweight design. Available at Apple stores and other consumer electronics shop, TomTom GPS units are priced from $60 to $100, depending on the model and specifications.

Here are some of the many amazing features of the TomTom One 130S, your smart navigation in your pocket!

Text-to-Speech function: The TomTom GPS will read aloud street names and traffic information, so you won’t read it anymore and you can focus on your driving.

Plug and Go set-up: Start using the device by plugging in and tapping the touch screen! It couldn’t be any easier. Plus, with its intuitive user interface, you won’t get lost navigating through the device.

Points of Interests: With the pre-installed maps that come along the device, you can be sure to find whatever Points of Interests you need, such as gas stations, hospitals, hotels, and the likes. For additional POI sets, you can download them from the TomTom official website.

RDS-TMC Traffic Ready: The TomTom GPS device is compatible with the RDS-TMC Traffic Receiver, thus optimizing your route for the traffic situation ahead.

Re-route Calculation: If you deviate from your original route, the device would quickly recalculate the new route you are taking.

You’ll get all these and more from the TomTom ONE 130S GPS device. So, if you don’t want to get lost again or if you simply don’t want to ask for any more directions from other people, you might as well head on to Apple stores, invest in a TomTom GPS device and keep a smart navigation tool in your pocket everywhere you go!

TomTom ONE 125 – GPS receiver

The TomTom One 125 isn’t the newest or flashiest portable navigation device on the market, but that’s OK. Not everyone needs the latest or greatest. What the One 125 offers is a solid, entry-level GPS for first-time buyers or for those looking for the most basic navigation functions. Similar to the TomTom One 130S (except it doesn’t include Canadian maps or text-to-speech functionality), the GPS is easy to use and affordably priced at $179.99. There are some trade-offs, of course. For example, you get a 3.5-inch display instead of a 4.3-inch screen and, as we noted earlier, you don’t get text-to-speech functionality. However, it delivers where it counts, with accurate tracking and clear, audible directions.

Design

One thing you’ll notice about the TomTom One 125 right out of the box is its simple and compact design. It’s similar in shape to the TomTom One 130S, measuring just 3.8 inches wide by 3.2 inches tall by 1 inch thick and weighs 6.7 ounces. It’s small enough that you could hold it in your hand for navigating on foot or mount it to a bicycle, and the GPS has pedestrian and bicycle routing modes as a bonus.

On front, you’ll find a 3.5-inch WVGA touch screen. With a 64,000-color output and 320×240 pixel resolution, the picture is pretty sharp, though the display is on the smaller side. After having reviewed a number of 4.3-inch models recently, the One 125’s screen looks particularly tiny. Still, we were able see maps clearly and read the menus easily. The user interface is simple and intuitive, with two main menu pages and large, easy-to-understand icons. Under the Preferences menu, you’ll also be able to change map colors, adjust the position of the status bar on the map screen, choose night mode, and more.

The onscreen keyboard is slightly cramped given the smaller screen, so we did make some errors while inputting addresses. The good news is that the One 125 offers predictive text, so it will start to surface possible results as soon as you start entering letters. We appreciate that you can choose between QWERTY and ABC format, and there’s also an option to switch from a larger keyboard to a smaller one, though we can’t imagine any reason why you would want to do so.

There’s not much else to the PND. On top, you’ll find a power button. A mini-USB port/power connector is on the bottom of the device. The speaker is located on the back with the brackets for attaching the car mount.

The TomTom One 125 comes packaged with an EasyPort vehicle mount (windshield and dash), a USB cable, a car charger, and reference material. The EasyPort car mount is the same as the one included with the TomTom One 130S. The accessory consists of a large circular ring that attaches to the back of the GPS and an adjustable arm for securing to the windshield or dashboard disc. To ensure a secure seal, there’s also a knob to lock the accessory in place.

The EasyPort mount doesn’t look particularly sturdy and we did encounter a couple of problems on the road. We used the dashboard method–since technically windshield mounts are prohibited in California–and for the most part, the GPS stayed in place, but there were a couple of times when we drove over some rough parts of the road and the One 125 popped out of the cradle. We understand that TomTom wanted to keep things simple and small, but we’d take a larger accessory if it meant more security.

Features

Like the rest of the company’s One series devices, the TomTom One 125 offers the basic navigation features in an easy-to-use package for first-time buyers and minimalists. The system comes preloaded with maps of the United States only, and you can enter your destination by address, city center, zip code, or intersection. Alternatively, you can choose a location from your Favorites or Recent destination lists and automatically route home from your current location by touching the Home icon.

The One 125 offers various routing options, including quickest or shortest route, with or without toll roads, and so forth. As we mentioned earlier, there are also pedestrian and bicycle modes. Once you’ve entered your trip, you can review the itinerary on the map, as text-based directions, or get a running demo. If at any time you want to avoid a part of your route, you can tap the “Find Alternative” icon to get new directions. The system also supports automatic route recalculations and multidestination trips.

The PND’s points-of-interest database includes all the major categories, including ATMs, gas stations, and lodging. Sadly, you can’t search for restaurants by cuisine type. If you have more specialized interests, the catalog also features entries for beaches, campgrounds, cultural centers, and more. There are various ways to plot to POI: you can search for them along your route, near your destination, or near home.

You can view maps in 2D or 3D mode. A status bar at the bottom of the screen displays useful information, such as the distance and direction of your next turn, remaining distance, and estimated time of arrival. If you crave more or less information, you can customize what is shown on the status bar under the Preferences menu. Tapping the left half of the status bar (where your next instruction is displayed) will repeat the voice directions and give you access to the volume control. There are also two icons in the upper-right and upper-left corners that let you zoom in and out of maps.

In addition to the visual cues, the TomTom One 125 offers voice-guided turn-by-turn directions, but unfortunately, unlike the One 130S, you don’t get text-to-speech functionality. This means you’ll hear more generic instructions, such as “Turn left in 100 feet” instead of specific street names. Even though the One 125 is a basic system, we still would have liked to have seen the inclusion of text-to-speech functionality.

There are some additional goodies. Like the most recent TomTom GPS, the One 125 includes the “Help Me!” safety feature, which gives you access to a number of tools and information in case of an emergency. For example, there’s a “Where am I?” function that will give you your current location, longitude and latitude, and nearest intersections. In addition, you can find the nearest police station, hospital, car repair shop, and other services with just a tap of the screen. It’s very handy and gives you a bit of peace of mind, especially if you are in unfamiliar territory.

Performance

We tested the TomTom One 125 in San Francisco and Los Angeles. From a cold start, it took about two minutes for the GPS to get a fix on our location under partly cloudy skies, while subsequent starts were much faster. As we drove around San Francisco, the unit did a good job of tracking our location and keeping up with our movement. It was also able to keep a GPS fix as we drove through the Financial District, where tall buildings often block a clear view of the sky.

We used the GPS on two trips: one from San Francisco to Los Angeles and the other from the Marina District of San Francisco to CNET’s downtown headquarters. We entered our start and end points on the first journey, and the One 125 returned with a route in less than a minute. Though the route was pretty straightforward, the PND smoothly guided us through several highway interchanges, especially in Los Angeles as we neared our destination.

We experienced similarly positive results on the second trip. The tomtom one 125 offered accurate directions and, unlike the TomTom One 130S, we were able to hear the voice-guided instructions with no problem. They were loud and clear, but again, we wish it had text-to-speech functionality. Finally, we missed several turns along the way to test the route recalculation rate and the GPS was able to get us back on track quickly.