The GPS bandwagon

A couple of good articles summing up the growth and popularity of end-user GPS systems. The Lawrence Journal-World outlines the changes we’ve seen in GPS, and observes:

GPS quickly is becoming ubiquitous, making it possible for:

• fitness enthusiasts to know how exactly far they’ve run or walked or biked without measuring their strides (Ed: combine that with Favourite Run);
• hikers never to get lost and always find their way back to camp;
• anglers to return precisely to their favorite fishing hole;
• golfers to know how far their drive traveled and how far to the hole;
• hunters to find their way back to their fallen game;
• and drivers to find their way, turn-by-turn, without so much as a missed turn.

One of the reasons for the growing popularity of GPS is attributed to its falling cost, and that’s where my next article comes in. Consumer Affairs has noted that prices of portable GPS units have dropped dramatically.

The top-rated Garmin nuvi 350, for example, costs $600, 25 percent less than when it was rated six months ago. The TomTom One is a CR Best Buy and costs $450.

Only four more shopping days till Christmas!