Conclusions

My driving tests clearly showed that GPS offerings for in-car applications vary in performance and quality. The Saab and Navman GPS systems, which only offered GPS capabilities without additional multimedia or PDA functionality, proved problematic in some cases during my tests, while the BMW 3-Series, the Garmin Nüvi and the HP rx1950 Navigator PDA navigation systems worked well.

This is good news in that vendors have opportunities to add features and to improve the performance of their devices vis-à-vis the competition. The GPS consumer electronics sector has yet to become commoditized like the MP3 player market in which there is little differentiation between offerings. The caveat is that you stand to lose by investing in a dud GPS solution when great products exist for less than £800.

Like almost any other electronic device, of course, personal taste and your needs should be factored in before you make a purchase decision. The Nüvi's navigation capabilities may be superior to those of the other systems tested, but the device may still not offer the best value for your money. You may instead, for example, opt for the PDA functionality of the HP rx1950 Navigator for email, spreadsheets and word processing with the addition of an adequate GPS feature to guide you to your next location when you are on the road. The HP unit also retails for almost one third of the cost of the Nüvi. You might still choose the Nüvi almost exclusively for its GPS-guidance features, while taking advantage of its photo storage, MP3 player, audio book or restaurant and hotel guidance capabilities as an added benefit. In the case of the BMW 3 Series GPS system, its robust and intuitive user interface may sway some users who are not so worried about the cost and appreciate the convenience of a GPS interface that is ready to go as soon as you start up the car's engine.

Meanwhile, in-car and after-market GPS navigation offerings will likely continue to get cheaper, better and more diverse. Look for GPS functionality to show up in different form factors and devices. While this review did not touch on telephone handsets, semiconductor maker Qualcomm and others are designing components that add GPS functionality to your cell phone. Expect other electronic device makers, such as MP3 and multimedia player vendors, to follow suit. Down the road a bit, anything is conceivable. For example it is not unlikely that watches, ink pens or other objects you carry around will soon offer navigation help.

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