GPS devices are amazingly popular, not only with law-abiding consumers, but also with the people who deal in less than honest selling practices. Because GPS devices are in demand, thieves really like them too.

GPS devices are being stolen at alarming rates–with some thieves who go searching specifically for these devices. They are not only being taken from the cars of everyday people, but the drivers of emergency and law enforcement vehicles have found that their GPS devices were stolen as well.

Here are some tips to prevent the theft of your GPS device:

Hide your GPS device
Think of a GPS device as an invisible eye, one that can help you see but one that need not be seen by others. Don’t leave it in plain sight because the majority of thefts occur because someone sees that it is there for the taking. Mounting the GPS device on your dashboard keeps the GPS unit out of sight.

Take it when you leave
You can also opt to take the GPS device with you when you exit your car. That may or may not be cumbersome depending on what else you have to carry, but you will know the GPS device is with you.

Wipe away the evidence
If your GPS device has suction cups to adhere it to the windshield, the rings left by the suction cups advertise the presence of a GPS device. Even if you take it with you, someone may vandalize your car in search of a GPS device after seeing the rings left by the suction cups. You can keep towelettes on hand to wipe away these rings.

GPS manufacturers are also taking the lead in helping users protect their units. Newer Garmin units are pre-loaded with a feature called Garmin Lock™. This is Garmin’s anti-theft feature which disables the unit from functioning until a 4 digit PIN is entered or the unit is taken to a pre-set secure location. Each time you turn on the GPS, you enter your PIN to unlock the GPS.  The PIN cannot be overridden by reseting the unit. If you forget your PIN, you can go to your pre-set Location to unlock the device.

Some of you out there are well aware of the advantages of using a GPS device when you travel or when you have to go to an unfamiliar place. There is nothing like knowing you have a guide to keep you on track when you are away from home. But did you know that a GPS device can also be invaluable on your daily commute?

GPS devices have become increasingly sophisticated. They are not the in-car equivalent of the online mapping programs that people use to get directions before leaving home. Instead, they are dynamic tools designed to help you make the most efficient use of the time you spend on the road.

Some GPS devices not only have maps, they also have tools that can help you navigate traffic. Some come equipped to access information on the way traffic patterns work in your area and help you avoid bottlenecks. GPS systems are becoming more and more interactive, allowing users to input real-time traffic alerts, so that even unexpected traffic snags can be incorporated into your route.

Even when you travel the same route day after day surprises may occur. Some roads and highways seem like they will never change, but nothing is set in stone. I check traffic and I am fairly confident that I am aware of what is going on, but even I have been re-routed by an unforeseen bridge closing or found that I missed the memo about a parade or charity race. These are the times when I am very glad for GPS technology.

This blog is here to give the basics and the latest about GPS devices, but that doesn’t mean we can’t tell you how to have a little fun. We like to make the most of technology, so that the devices we use can be both fun and functional. Geocaching is one way to make a very useful GPS device into something that can be used for amusement (and prizes).

Geocaching is like a high-tech scavenger hunt. In fact, another name for it is the GPS Stash Hunt. People and groups put things all over the world and inform people about where they’ve hidden their stash on the internet. If you have a GPS device, you can find the cache, using the location coordinates provided.

You never know that your reward will be, so it is definitely worth it to try to find a cache. In the spirit of camaraderie, you are asked to leave something for the cache, you know, to keep it going. More often than not, the cache has trinkets and a log book in a waterproof container. The log book is important because it is a record of who has been there. If you find a cache, you can also alert the cache’s owner via e-mail that you’ve found it. The fun is in the game, so you don’t do it for the prizes, you do it for the adventure. It may sound easy, but it is not. A cache can be buried deep in the ground. They cannot be hidden in obvious places because then they’d be easily disturbed by animals or by passersby.

So if you find a cache, you get the ultimate prize: bragging rights.

GPS devices are good for people who value their time and money. Whether you have a great sense of direction or no sense of direction at all, you can benefit from using a GPS tracking device. GPS devices help you get where you are going. Once you get one, you’ll find that you spend less time getting places. You will also make the most efficient use of gas when you spend less time getting lost and the savings will make a difference.

A GPS device is great for people traveling in unfamiliar territory, be it a city you are visiting for the first time or your hometown. (There is no shame there, plenty of people cannot find their way around the city where they live.)

Printing up maps from online sources or relying on your own excellent memory can get you to where you want to go, but these online programs and even your brain have their limits. Try as they might, these two excellent resources cannot always be up to the minute because things change so quickly with highway and road construction.

Depending on where you live, new streets may be popping up all the time. Just recently, I visited a friend in a new development that wasn’t even on the maps yet. An online mapping source had no idea that this place even existed. The friend had been giving people a nearby address, telling them to type that in and they’d be close. GPS is much more up to date than online software.

One of the biggest advantages to GPS is that it can re-route you. Your computer printout cannot do that. Even with the most detailed online directions, it is still possible to miss a turn or get lost. A GPS tracking device knows exactly where you are and where you are trying to go. It can help you get back on track should you find that you have gotten of course.

Whether you already own a GPS device or are thinking about buying one, you may not be fully aware of how the system developed and you may not know that the U.S. played a pivotal role in developing this technology that is now used all over the world.

The U.S. States Department of Defense developed the GPS and the system’s official name is NAVSTAR GPS. NAVSTAR is not an acronym, it is the name that was chosen for the program. “GPS,” however is an acronym. The letters in “GPS” stand for Global Positioning System.

The GPS is a system is made up of satellites that orbit the Earth from more than ten thousand miles away. Each on of these satellites has a computer atomic clock and a radio.

Down here on Earth we use receivers that also contain computers. Receivers are things like cell phones and GPS tracking devices. The satellites and the receivers inform each other and that information can be used in a variety of ways. For example, a receiver, such as a GPS navigation system, gets bearings from the GPS satellites that are orbiting the Earth. If you have instructed your GPS to direct you to a certain destination and you get off course, some GPS devices will compare the bearings to your current location. Then the GPS can redirect you to make sure that you still get to where you want to go.

If you are looking for information on GPS devices, this blog can direct you and help you get your bearings. Visit us for interesting information on how to use GPS devices and the latest on new GPS products, including some that are being tested, but are not yet available to the general public. You can also stop by our Web site to learn more and order GPS devices.