12 PRACTICAL USES OF GPS FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE

12 PRACTICAL USES OF GPS FOR EVERYDAY PEOPLE
BY: SIMON WYRYZOWSKI


GPS OR GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEMS IS A TERM THAT
most commonly conjures up images of vehicle
navigation systems, space-age satellite
TECHNOLOGY, AND INTERACTIVE MAPS FOR
outdoors-types and sportsmen. but the reality is
that there are far more applications of global
POSITIONING SYSTEMS BEYOND GPS VEHICLE TRACKING
or map navigation that everyday people like us
can benefit from. all it takes is a bit of
CREATIVITY, AND SOME TRIAL AND ERROR. HERE ARE A
few of the many possibilities that can benefit
you right now in your busy and hectic life.

1. know where your children are using services
from companies like ulocate communications.

2. keep track of elderly members of your family,
so that they don't wander off alone.

3. plan a road trip around interesting points of
interests, landmarks, campsites, diners, etc,
AND HEAR FEWER "ARE WE THERE YETS?"- AND OF
course get the most out of that expensive gas.

4. GET EMERGENCY ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE AT A TOUCH
of a button from your vehicle, so you can get
help exactly where and when you need it.

5. keep a visual journal and bookmark collection
of your favorite hot spots, sceneries, and
POINTS OF INTERESTS, THAT MAY NOT BE LISTED IN
any travel guide (you can create your own mini
travel guides and memories).

6. find lost pets easily using collars with
built-in gps, better than running around in your
PAJAMAS HOLLERING LIKE A MANIAC.

7. feel safer with cellular phone 911 calls, so
EMERGENCY PERSONNEL CAN PINPOINT YOUR LOCATION
once you make an emergency call. please double
check your carrier service to see that it has
GPS FEATURES AND GET A PRIMER ON HOW IT WORKS IF
possible.

8. GET TO YOUR INTERVIEW, OR ANY IMPORTANT TIME
sensitive destination or engagement, faster by
finding shortcuts and correct directions.

9. find a good italian restaurant near your
movie theatre on the fly.

10. track your luggage, laptops, and anything of
importance while traveling.

11. track and find family, friends in a crowded
concert, graduation, or any social gathering.

12. when going on a vacation, feel free to
separate from group for a while to venture on
YOUR OWN BASED ON YOUR OWN INTERESTS AND FIND
them later on with your gps enabled device- even
in an unfamiliar place.

our ability to use gps so far is limited by the
relatively poor connection to the satellite
FEEDS WHEN WE ARE INDOORS IN BUILDINGS, HOMES,
or behind anything that could obstruct the gps
connection. however with the investment and
DEVELOPMENT IN A NEW SATELLITE NETWORK CALLED
galileo which should be completed in the near
future, these problems should be eliminated
DRASTICALLY. DESPITE THESE PROBLEMS, GPS STILL
offers a world of benefits as mentioned earlier,
and with any technology, it will only get
BETTER.

in addition to more practical usage
APPLICATIONS, GPS WILL MAKE A GREAT EDUCATIONAL
and fun gift for your loved one's and friends as
well. consider just two of the many creative and
EDUCATIONAL USES OF GPS:

1. stay physically active and fit by playing
RAYGUN! A LOCATIONAL BASED CELL PHONE GAME BASED
on gps technology.

2. BECOME MORE CULTURED, MAKE GLOBAL FRIENDS,
and learn about the world playing geocache, a
global gps based treasure hunt.

with many affordable feature-rich models to
satisfy anyone's preferences and budgets, now is
AS GOOD A TIME AS ANY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GPS
technologies, which are surely to become more
assimilated into the mainstream within the
DECADE. ONE DAY WE WILL TAKE THESE THINGS FOR
granted just like we do now for the internet and
cell phones. the key is to dive in, without
PARALYZING YOURSELF WITH THE OVERWHELMING ARRAY
of choices in the gps market, and enjoying some
truly amazing technology.

*about the author*

simon wyryzowski is a gps
ENTHUSIAST AND REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR
to gpszoom.com [2]. for even more
practical, creative, and common
USES INCLUDING GPS TRACKING
services for people, please visit
http://www.gpszoom.com/.

copyright 2005 gpszoom. this
article may be reprinted as long
AS IT'S CONTENTS ARE NOT MODIFIED
and the author's credits and live
link are left intact.

_this article was posted on october 06, 2005_