Men, Gps And Directions
So, what is GPS? Well, the abbreviation refers to the global position system. The system is a collection of satellites that circle the globe. Sailors of antiquity used to figure their position on the sea by looking to the stars since they moved predictably in relation to the Earth. GPS does much the same thing, but in a distinctly modern way.A GPS system finds your location by triangulating it. This is accomplished by receiving signals from the various satellites circling overhead. So long as three signals can be located by the unit [which is simple], the software in the unit can figure out your current location by calculating how far the satellites are away and so on. This is very helpful when you get los...need to adapt, but it gets better.
Your average handy, dandy GPS unit will also figure out the best route for you to follow when trying to get somewhere. It does this by accessing a database of maps much like you use when you try to pinpoint a location using the various sites like Mapquest that let you do it online. The difference is the GPS unit will actually tell you when to turn and where.
Now comes the part that will make you drop to your knees and give thanks to the God, tree, bush or whatever it is you pray to. Modern GPS units will also access traffic data in real time. The unit will then adjust your route to avoid areas where traffic has come to a crawl. For those of us that still have jobs and drive in rush hour traffic, this is a gift from above and worth more than dollars. Well, everything is worth more than the dollar these days, so lets say it is worth more than gold!
As a man, the decision to buy a GPS unit can cause conflict. On one hand, we don"t need no stinking directions. On the other, we like cool gadgets. I feel I can speak as an authority figure here in suggesting that the coolness of the gadget wins out over the functionality of actually knowing where we are going!