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Sat Nav Buyer Guide With Satellite Navigation technology gaining increasing popularity over the last few years as Sat Nav prices become cheaper and Sat Nav units become smarter, more powerful and packed with more features than ever before it's important to buy the correct Sat Nav unit for your needs. Whether its features, maps, design, or budget the Shop.co.uk Sat Nav Buyer Guide will point you in the right direction.
What Is A Sat NavSatellite Navigation devices also known as GPS Systems or Sat Navs for short are mini computers which come with complex maps and GPS technology to accurately calculate your current location and speed, working out the most time effective routes to get you to your destination. The beauty of Sat Navs is that they actually navigate for you, either via voice commands, on screen displays or a mix of both. Thankfully replacing the need for paper maps and on board passengers for navigation and saving many families from arguments and hard work with a relaxing, stress free drive as the replacement. Global Positioning System (GPS)Sat Navs are often referred to as GPS Systems because they use the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to work. Sat Navs are able to calculate your position and speed by sending a message to 3 or 4 satellites in the Earth’s orbit, these satellites between them work out how long it took to receive the message with gives a triangulated position based on latitude, longitude and altitude. It’s thanks to this precise calculation that the complex mapping technology in Sat Navs are able to show your location on screen to within a few meters and are able to calculate the best routes and estimated journey time. 
Garmin Nuvi 1390T Sat NavModern Day Sat NavsWith ever advancing technology Sat Navs can only get better and more efficient to use. Most Sat Navs are now customisable allowing you to add new maps that were not on the Sat Nav when you bought it. Internal battery times are also improving as well as local information data within the mapping system, allowing Sat Navs to be used out of the car as mini tour guides. With the changes in driving laws over the last few years thanks to increase usage of mobile phones many Sat Navs now come with Bluetooth connectivity so you can have handsfree, safe and legal phone calls whilst still driving to your destination. With more features including up to date traffic information, economical routes and even MP3 playback it’s never been a better time to own a Sat Nav. 
CoPilot iPhone Sat Nav AppFuture Of The Sat NavWith better understanding of how Sat Nav technology works and the ever present trend of making any technology more portable and affordable Sat Nav companies are already looking where to integrate their technology into others uses and devices. Currently Sat Nav technology has found its way into watches as ideal travel companions for climbers and explorers, but Sat Nav technology is also finding its way into more common and hi tech gadgets, including the iPhones, Playstation Portables (PSP) and even small internet media tablets like the Archos ranges. With most of these platforms only requiring a download which is cheaper than a normal Sat Nav the future of Sat Navs could well be in these portable, everyday devices if they can prove to be as good at navigating as a traditional Sat Nav. Sat Nav FeaturesWhen selecting what Sat Nav to purchase it's important to understand what features are available, how they would benefit you, as selecting a Sat Nav with only the features you need will lead to you buying a better, more effective and cheap Sat Nav system. BluetoothIdeal for those who don't want to wear a conventional Bluetooth mobile phone headset, many Sat Navs are now Bluetooth compatible, allowing for connectivity with Bluetooth mobile phones so you can enjoy handsfree calling via the Sat Navs unit speaker. Lane AssistBeing able to calculate you route is great but sometimes to avoid accidents or uncomfortable situations it helps to have some inside knowledge when it comes to placing your car at an upcoming junction or what type of turn is actually coming up. That's why Lane Assistance is a very handy feature, with either on screen or voice prompted lane information. It's like having your own personal co-driver. Traffic UpdatesWe have all been there, stuck in unexpected traffic after an accident, road closure or some other unseen event with creates miles of tailbacks and grinds our car journey to a halt. That's why Traffic Updates direct to your Sat Nav not only help you avoid unexpected problems and keep your journey moving but, the Sat Nav can actually re-direct you away from the problem, keeping you well on time. Voice PromptsVoice Prompts may not seem like such a good move for Sat Navs, as that's the reason we replaced annoying co-drivers in the first place, but built in to the Sat Nav technology and providing sound advice rather than passing judgements on your driving skills, Voice Prompts provide much needed information on approaching turns, points of interest and possible hazards. Some Sat Nav models even tell you which street or road you are currently on or turning into, making navigation even easier. Car TrackingSat Navs can now also be used as tracking devices, remembering the location that you parked, so that when you need to return to your car just turn the Sat Nav on and you will be guided from your current location to the last know position of your vehicle. Perfect if you have parked in a busy shopping centre cap park or have parked in an unfamiliar area. Best Priced Sat NavsIf you’re looking for a Budget Sat Nav, a mid range model or the top of the range Sat Nav then below we have Shop.co.uk's recommended Sat Navs which could well be the answer to your problems.Budget Sat Nav
Garmin Nuvi 215 Sat NavIf you’re working on a tight budget it may seem a nightmare trying to find a Sat Nav for under £100 that gives you good value for money. Luckily Garmin have the superb Nuvi 200 series of Sat Navs, providing the excellent navigation system that has one Garmin so many fans but packed with extras to really give you a real value for money Sat Nav. But our Best Priced Budget Sat Nav is the Garmin Nuvi 215, although not the cheapest Sat Nav on the Shop.co.uk website the Garmin Nuvi 215 Sat Nav provides some advanced features including Bluetooth, 3.5" touchscreen, changeable map icons and FM traffic reports to keep you ahead of all the latest traffic news. Garmin Nuvi 215 Key Features
Mid Range Sat Nav
Garmin Nuvi 1310 Sat NavIf you're looking for a little bit of everything from your Sat Nav but still want value for money then you can't go wrong with the Garmin Nuvi 1310 Sat Nav. The Nuvi 1310's slick design features a wide 4.3" touchscreen, ideal for viewing information on the 1310 from any angle. Bluetooth connectivity allows for safe and legal mobile phone conversations whilst the voice prompts and on screen lane assist information easily guide to you to the fastest possible route. But the 1310 also packs a 4 hours battery life, which combined with the light weight design make the Nuvi 1310 an ideal handheld on foot GPS device thanks to the cityXplorer software, turning your Garmin 1310 into a handheld tour guide of many UK and European cities. Garmin Nuvi 1310 Key Features
Top Of The Range Sat Nav
Garmin Nuvi 1490T Sat NavIf you want more than just a device that sits in your car the Garmin Nuvi 1490T Sat Nav is the ultimate in high end GPS devices. Featuring an incredible 5" touchscreen display the Nuvi 1490T looks amazing with its super slim design. As you would expect with a high end device the Garmin 1490T comes with a host of features including Bluetooth connectivity, FM traffic receiver for live traffic updates, both voice prompts and lane assist information and Garmin ecoRoute which works out the fastest and most fuel efficient journey, ensuring a fast but money saving trip every time. Of course the Garmin Nuvi 1490T also comes with Garmin's cityXplorer software which turns the 1490T into a hand held tour guide, and with a design and screen looking this good you’re going to want to use it in more than one place. Garmin Nuvi 1490T Key Features
Buy A Sat NavHopefully after reading our Sat Nav buyer guide you will have found all the information and answered all your questions about Sat Nav and GPS devices. Shop.co.uk has a wide range of Sat Navs from the best and most popular Sat Nav manufacturers in the UK, including an ever growing outdoor GPS range.
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