How To: Pick the Right PDA/GPS System

This article helps you to determine if you want a dedicate GPS system or a PDA/GPS combination. In general, a PDA/GPS solution is somewhat more expensive, but you get a lot more features.

1. Does a standalone Handheld GPS has more capabilities and features than a PDA-based GPS product?

All GPS receivers compute the basic PVT solution; Position, Velocity, and Time. All other things are add-on features. A standalone GPS without a display is very dependent on the program you use to determine the features. In general, standalone GPS receivers tend to focus more on supporting traditional GPS features such as a compass display or saving locations. PDA software tends to focus on a particular application of the GPS rather than traditional GPS features. Therefore the features are entirely different

2. If I already have a PDA and want to add a GPS receiver, what are the things I should consider?

You need to determine the answers to these questions

• Do I want it primarily for vehicle use?
• Are cables a problem for me?
• What are my choices for my PDA?
• How much do I want to spend?