Since GPS technology became available, the types of devices that can contain one, has increased in amazing ways. You probably have or know someone who has a GPS unit in the car. Technically, a car GPS is a portable GPS system since it has wheels and moves around. Other, newer devices that contain a portable GPS system are just as popular.

Serious Portable GPS Systems

many of the devices containing a portable GPS system are used for business, emergencies services and other very serious matters. The mobile phone is the one that you’re most likely to have. After several people called 911 but were unable to give their location, a law was passed requiring mobile phones to contain a GPS signal emitter. Now, a 911 cell phone caller can be located as surely as someone calling from a home phone. PDAs can be used by delivery people, sales people, repair people and others who need to find their way, have their positions tracked or keep track of their calls. Some software can work with a GPS to create routes that are efficient by grouping customers together by location.

Surveyors use a very precise portable GPS system to plan roads, map fields, and locate survey markers and boundaries. Besides PDAs, laptops can be equipped with a Global Positioning System as well as software to use the signal for mapping, traveling and many other purposes. Police and Fire services find new ways to save lives with different types of portable GPS system every day.

Fun Stuff

All technology eventually gets turned into playthings and the portable GPS system is no different. Remember that tracking your own position isn’t the only way to use a portable GPS system. You can track the position of something – or someone – else, too.

Competitive glider pilots use a portable GPS system to prove that they reached race markers. Geocaching is a game where a small item emitting a GPS signal is hidden and players with PDAs compete to find it. Now that watches and cameras can be found with a portable GPS system, the possibilities are endless.

The camera can imprint photos with the latitude and longitude of the place where they were taken. This is very useful for vacations. Small units can be used to track pets and other things that might wander off. Besides doing fun things, just having some of the odder new items equipped with a portable GPS system is pretty fun, too.

It seems that GPS is here to stay. And if it isn’t here, well, we can probably track it.