Laptop GPS World

Well, I am totally new to the forum. Just interested in GPS features in laptops as a trend. Anyone know what percent of new laptops come with GPS features?

--Jeremy

Virtually no laptops come with GPS receivers built in. Probably because you would not normally place them where they could receive a good signal. Hard to sell a device with a service which you couldn't guarantee would be reliable.

I have a UMPC with a built-in GPS receiver. However, the hardware is so poorly designed, I imagine that part of it was not one of its selling points. There are other small devices, originally designated UMPCs which do have built-in GPS receivers though.

Placement of the GPS receiver/ antenna plays a large part in how effective the product is with the navigation software. Therefore a better approach is to purchase a seperate GPS unit, Bluetooth or USB. The selection is very good these days and any of the modern GPS devices does an excellent job.

Terry

Jeremy, to Laptop GPS World.

In recent months actually several new laptop models have been announced with built-in GPS receivers, and my hope is that a few years from now most laptops will include it. But I agree with Terry, an external GPS receiver (Bluetooth or USB) will give you considerably better performance.

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Marvin Hlavac

Laptop GPS software reviews | Stores offering discounts to our members: Semsons & Co. Inc. and Deluo Electronics

OK, not to be too naive, but what about phones? Don't a lot of cell phones have GPS built in? More than laptops (I mean)?

Thanks for the quick feedback.

Just trying to get an appreciation for this technology ... something totally new to me!

My guess would be that more cell phones than laptops have integrated GPS functionality today. Perhaps most cell phones and laptops, etc, will include integrated GPS receiver in the future. GPS receiver only adds few dollars to the manufacturing cost of a device, so why not. I think a GPS chipset board costs only around $3 to $5, if you buy enough of them.

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Marvin Hlavac

Laptop GPS software reviews | Stores offering discounts to our members: Semsons & Co. Inc. and Deluo Electronics

I have the Sony Ericsson TM506 that has a built in GPS receiver. It uses cell towers to assist in lock, it's actually called aGPS. I'm running AMAZE mapping, it's a free application. http://www.amazegps.com/welcome.php

I can tell you sometimes it takes a very long time for it to lock standing outside on a clear day. Then other times sitting on my desk somewhat near a window it locks in a few minutes. The other day I left in a destination for 100+ miles and it lost signal twice, took a few minutes each time to lock again. I consider it something to try here and there but no way you could rely on it. It would be much better to buy like a Garmin unit for a couple hundred dollars or less.

I have not yet heard a user say that he/she was impressed with the performance of a GPS receiver built into a PDA/phone/UMPC/laptop, etc. In comparison to an external GPS receiver, an integrated one will most likely disappoint. Unless the laptop (or another device) can accept an external antenna. But in such case you may as well buy your external GPS receiver anyway.

The issue is the small size of the antenna used, and also the position of the antenna, within the device (laptop, phone, etc). When it comes to GPS, the larger antenna the better, but there just isn't enough space for large antenna in a small phone, is there?

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Marvin Hlavac

Laptop GPS software reviews | Stores offering discounts to our members: Semsons & Co. Inc. and Deluo Electronics

The following thoughts on the topic of GPS receivers integrated in laptops come from Patrick Connolly, a senior analyst with IMS Research’s Mobile Technologies group. Patrick’s focus is on the worldwide licensed and unlicensed mobile radio markets, as well as autonomous and network-based/assisted GPS solutions for cellular and portable devices, and emerging location technologies to be used in conjunction with GPS.

Source: http://www.gpsbusinessnews.com/index...le&numero=1092

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Marvin Hlavac

Laptop GPS software reviews | Stores offering discounts to our members: Semsons & Co. Inc. and Deluo Electronics