The acronym “GPS” is typically associated with satellite navigation systems, cutting-edge gadgetry, and cutting-edge maps for outdoor enthusiasts and drivers. But the truth is that regular folks like us may profit from a plethora of other uses for Global Positioning Systems technology besides GPS vehicle tracking or map navigation. A little ingenuity and some experimentation are all that’s required. Here are just a few of the options that could improve your stressful life right now.
1 Use a service like uLocate Communications to always know where your kids are.
2. Make sure your older relatives don’t go lost by keeping tabs on them.
Third, to reduce the number of times someone asks “Are we there yet?” while on the road, plan your trip around landmarks, campgrounds, restaurants, and other points of interest along the way.
— and, of course, eke the maximum mileage out of your pricey gas.
Fourth, have instant access to emergency roadside assistance from within your vehicle at the push of a button.
Do not rely on a guidebook to choose where you should go and what you should see; instead, keep a photo journal and bookmark your most memorable locations and sights (You can create your own mini travel guides and memories).
Six, GPS-enabled pet collars make it easier to locate your lost pet than if you were to run around the neighborhood naked and yelling.
7 You can relax knowing that help is on the way thanks to 911 service on your mobile phone, which can immediately locate your location to responders. Verify with your service provider if GPS functionality is included, and if necessary, acquire an introduction to the technology.
Find the quickest and most direct route to your interview or other time-sensitive location or appointment.
9. On the spur of the moment, scout out a decent Italian eatery close to the theater.
Ten. Keep tabs on your essentials—including laptops, bags, and more—while on the road.
11 Locate loved ones in a large group setting such as a concert, a graduation, or a party.
Travel Tip #12: Even in a foreign country, it’s perfectly OK to spend some time exploring on your own, based on your own interests, and then to return to the group.
Our current capacity to use GPS is constrained by our relatively poor connection to the satellite feeds while we are indoors, in residences, or behind anything that could potentially obscure the GPS connection. However, these challenges will soon be much reduced as a result of investments and development in a new satellite network named Galileo. Despite these drawbacks, GPS has several advantages (already discussed), and technological progress guarantees further enhancements.
In addition to its obvious utilitarian value, a GPS device can also be a thoughtful and enjoyable present for someone you care about. Just two of GPS’s numerous innovative and instructive applications are:
1. Play RayGun to maintain your physical fitness. A gps-powered, location-based mobile game.
Second, participate in GeoCache, a global GPS based treasure hunt, to broaden your cultural horizons, expand your social circle, and increase your knowledge of the world.
There has never been a better time to familiarize yourself with GPS technology, which is only going to become more pervasive in the coming decade, than now, when there are so many reasonably priced, feature-rich devices available to meet the needs and budgets of anyone. As with modern conveniences like the internet and mobile phones, we will eventually come to take these innovations for granted. The trick is to plunge in and enjoy some pretty remarkable technology without getting paralyzed by the dizzying variety of options available in the GPS market.
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