All You Need To Know About GPS & GPS Devices

The worldwide Global Positioning System (GPS) network is becoming more and more popular each day. Known as a useful tool for mapmaking, land surveying, commerce, and scientific uses, GPS is now a widely used navigation aid world wide.

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is the fully functional Global Navigational Satellite System which will help in determining the location, speed/direction and time with the assistance of 24 medium earth orbit satellites. The GPS network consists of 24 navigation satellites, which orbit the planet at a height of approximately 12,000 miles. These satellites each orbit the earth twice every 24 hours, and they are set up in such a way that they can send signals to any location on the planet, whether it be land or sea, and no matter how remote.

The current GPS is divided into three major segments called space segment (SS), control segment (CS), and user segment (US).It is the navigation message broadcasted by GPS satellites that provides the time-of-day, GPS week number and satellite health information.

How Does GPS Work?

The software once created, gets improved by getting smaller. GPS device requires a radio emitter and a clock to work. The emitter sends the time of the clock to the satellite overhead. The satellite then calculates the amount of time it took for the radio signal to reach them and then figures the distance from that. Three or four satellites compare their location and the time involved. They then show the location within about six inches depending on the accuracy of the unit's clock. While the GPS technology does not really need a lot of space, the software that adds the functionalities expected by the consumer, actually does.

Uses Of GPS

In the advanced modern world, GPS is mainly used in various daily life equipments including mobile phones and more popularly in cars. The military uses GPS technology to guide missiles, track and control forces and facilities, and more. Many newer vehicle models come with a GPS feature, which can be used to get customized maps and directions from your current location, to a specified location. Just like automobiles, many boats and ships use GPS for navigation. On top of that, GPS may be especially helpful during darkness, fog, or other low visibility conditions. Hunters, wilderness explorers, and other outdoor sportsmen may use GPS for navigation purposes, and / or to help find their way when lost. Many surveyors use GPS units to survey and establish boundaries and other locations or markers. And for those who loves fishing, with a GPS unit you can just plot the points and you will have that spot marked on your GPS so that you can go back to the same spot or just go find another good spot and mark that down on the GPS. Or perhaps if you are in your boat and you are lost you should have a plot that says home so that you can just activate home and it will send you in that direction. The list of the benefits and importance of GPS in our daily life grows as we speak.

GPS On Iphone

What doesnt the new iPhone have, this new modern day electronic smartphone that has become all the new rage is missing an all important feature - the GPS. You would almost consider this function an actual requirement for a mobile phone but the only requirement a mobile phone needs to have is to be able to call 911 in an emergency. The GPS feature is considered an important one and most smartphones on the market do have it so you ask yourself why Apple didnt include it in its design features.

How Can You Get GPS?

The expectation of a GPS was always there before its original releases. It was clear that the iPhone has a bluetooth connectivity. People thought their problems were solved just get a Bluetooth receiver and connect it to the iPhone then get the correct GPS software and the problem solved. But not so it turned out that the GPS blue tooth could not connect to the iPhone as Apple products do not traditionally comply with other products this was also the case with the GPS software. What is needed is the additional support through Apple for third-party applications other wise trying to solve the problem of adding an GPS onto the iPhone is impossible.

Of course, there is GoogleMaps you can use to a limited extent only where you can find wireless internet, so obviously not everywhere.

Navizon GPS On Iphone

In 2007 September, Navizon eventually released a virtual GPS navigation system on iPhones. This relies on a Wi-fi and cellular tower triangulation, and is basically a peer to peer system in which users in possession of the software can contribute data. Some say that because of the way it operates it is not as good as the real GPS . The one good thing is that Navizon has a 15 day trial period which lets you test it out and if you are happy with it you can get GPS for the iPhone for less than $25.00. The firmware version 1.1.1. update reportedly rendered the software useless. However, a new version was released, and users can also get a scaled down version of this iPhone GPS for free.

It is rumored that with the new release of the 3G iphone later in 2008, Apple have planned to included in the design of the new phone a GPS realizing that it was a feature that should have been included in the original version. Well all we can do is wait and see if the 3G phone lives up to the expectation.

The GPS feature is considered an important one and most smartphones on the market do have it so you ask yourself why Apple didnt include it in its design features.