Blue tooth GPS System

Blue tooth GPS units are another uncomplicated and effective means by which to make use of navigational software. Blue tooth GPS receivers work in conjunction with a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) to plot courses with the aid of mapping software. In addition to being wireless, Bluetooth GPS receivers are also fully automated. This makes them simpler to use than most other types of GPS receivers.

Named after one of the early kings of Denmark , Harald Bluetooth , Bluetooth technology involves the automatic transfer of data between electronic devices. Mobile phones, PCs, PDAs, and other types of electrical equipment are fitted with miniscule radio chips that allow them to communicate with each other on specified frequencies.

GPS receivers making use of Blue tooth technology will pinpoint an individual's position and automatically relay the exact coordinates to a Bluetooth enabled PDA. Software will then take the coordinates and convert them into an exact location on a map. This information can aid drivers in navigate their way to restaurants or interesting locations in an unfamiliar town. Alternatively, it can also prevent hikers from getting lost in out of the way locations by automatically plotting a course back to the starting point of the hike.

There are a number of manufacturers that specialize in the production of Bluetooth GPS units. Most receivers are able to support Palm and Pocket PC systems as well as PCs, although some are make specific and therefore function only with certain models. EMTAC and Socket BT were among the first to manufacture Bluetooth GPS receivers that are compatible with both Palm and Pocket PC PDAs. Manufacturers including TomTom, Delorme , Fortuna , Belkin, Holux and NAVMAN soon followed suit.

Dell currently manufactures a receiver specifically for Windows Mobile PDAs, while Garmin have gone the extra mile and created a combined Personal Digital Assistant and GPS receiver into a single unit. In addition to being a single compact unit, the Garmin 3600 also features a built-in MP3 player, voice commands and an integrated GPS patch antenna which allows for maximum reception under difficult conditions.

Using a Bluetooth enabled GPS receiver has a number of advantages. Because receivers act as location finders only, they are usually pocket sized. This makes them far easier to transport than other types of GPS receivers. But don't get too excited, keep in mind that receivers can only function in conjunction with mapping software stored on a PDA. Everywhere the receiver goes, the software needs to go too. The user therefore constantly needs to cart around two separate pieces of equipment which can be especially inconvenient during outdoor trips. In addition, most Bluetooth receivers only make use of three or four of the twenty four Global Positioning System Satellites. This results in some Bluetooth models taking longer to establish signal lock that handheld or in-car GPS systems.