Twitter, the service you either love or hate, will be offering a geo-location service soon. This is something other web sites like BrightKite have tried to get other people to start using. You go somewhere then announce where you are by means of GPS coordinates.

Consumer location-aware tech is still something that’s relatively new. There are certain things you should practice so the tech is used to your best advantage.

1. Don’t mark a location in front of your house.

Most people test the technology on a smartphone right from their own home. The tech is designed to be 100% public with the option of making it private. Most people forget about that option. When performing your test, do so at another location else everybody knows where you live – including the people you don’t want knowing this information.

2. Be wary of auto-updating features.

Several location-aware services have the option of auto-updating. This is convenient, but you may forget you have it on, thereby having it serve to your disadvantage.

Example: You’re a husband that decides to surprise your wife by going to get her flowers that day. If your wife sees that you went to the flower shop by means of a web site showing your location, the surprise is ruined.

3. If it’s public, your boss is tracking you.

Many companies today routinely scan the internet for any scrap of information about you, especially if you’re an employed by them. Heck, it almost saves them from having to do periodic background checks! If you’re on the clock and sending out location data, chances are high the boss will be following your movements.

4. Thieves can easily know when you’re not at home.

Years ago it made news that when you set your email signature to a vacation response that said, "I won’t be home from dates X to Y, but will be checking my mail as soon as I get back", thieves would purposely email people just to get this information so they knew certain homes were free and clear to rob from.

If a thief is following your movements via your location broadcasts, it can lead to the same disastrous results for you. This is especially true if you broadcasted your location from your house (see point 1 above). The thief knows where you live, knows when you’re not at home and knows exactly when to go and break into your house – even in broad daylight. In fact he can even study your location patterns to determine the best time to "do the job", so to speak.

5. Know all options for private location broadcasting.

This is the best piece of advice on the list. Don’t just start broadcasting without knowing how to protect your location information, should the need arise.

Location-aware? Good? Bad? Useful? Worthless? Dangerous?

Let us know what you think.

The Garmin nüvi 255W GPS has been on the market for some time now, but I just got one (upgraded from my nüvi 205), so here’s the scoop on it. I’ll be concentrating on what matters most to the PCMech audience (and if I miss anything you want to know about it, chime in with a comment as I’m very familiar with the nüvi line of products.)

In addition I’ll be talking about the things you can do with Garmin GPSes now that you couldn’t do before.

All nüvi models that start with 2 and end with 5 (even if there are letters after it) have the same core GPS functionality. There is no distinct advantage signal-wise between them. And yes, this does mean the 205 has the exact same GPS performance as a 265WT. What differentiates one model from the next is features and nothing more.

For example, what the 265WT has that the 205 doesn’t is:

• Widescreen 480×272 pixel display instead of 320×240
• Full North American map data set (includes Canada and not just lower 48 US states)
• SD card slot instead of microSD
• Speaks street names (i.e. "Turn right on Smith Street" instead of "Turn right")
• Bluetooth
• Has receiver for FM traffic reporting built-in
• Available QWERTY layout for on-screen keyboard instead of ABCDE

Everything else between the two is the same. Both hold 1,000 favorites, have the same battery life, have ecoRoute, etc.

Is widescreen really worth it?

There is only one thing that determines whether or not you want a widescreen model, and that’s the QWERTY layout.

This is what it looks like when punching in an address:

Standard screen models use an ABCDE layout.

If you absolutely gotta-gotta-gotta have QWERTY, then yes, the widescreen is absolutely worth it.

If not, then there really is no reason to have it. The map information displayed on-screen truly does not give you anything the standard screen wouldn’t. The extra 160 pixels horizontal and 32 pixels vertical really don’t accommodate for much extra map information, which is what counts most.

Is map updating getting better?

Yes. The way in which Garmin does map updates is far superior compared to yesteryear.

The first map upgrade is free within first 90 days of use. It’s a huge download (somewhere in the neighborhood of 2GB). Before running it you must close out all your other apps to ensure the transfer goes smoothly. This update takes a very long time because all the data is being transferred via a USB 2.0 connection to the GPS. And as anybody who uses USB drives is aware, sending that amount of data over USB isn’t exactly fast.

Successive map updates used to cost $75 each and were mailed to you in the form of a DVD. You can still opt to do this if you want. However the difference now is an optional nuMaps Lifetime subscription. For $119.99 you get map updates for the life of the device.

What does this exactly mean?

1. It will only work for one registered Garmin device. You can’t transfer a subscription from nüvi to nüvi.
2. It’s a one-time cost.
3. It is a cost on top of the price of the GPS itself.

Bear in mind you are not required to buy nuMaps Lifetime, and your first map update is free, so you can mull it over and decide whether to go with it or not. If you do, the one-time cost covers map updates for as long as the nüvi lasts (which is a pretty long time as they have excellent build quality).

How often are map updates available?

Garmin labels map updates as "seasonal". In plain English, that means around 3 to 4 updates per year. Considering it cost $75 for each update before, nuMaps Lifetime pays for itself in less than six months.

And for those of you who would say, "RIP OFF!", it would only be a rip off if you were required to buy the subscription. You’re not. It’s completely optional. And even without it, you’ve still got a fully functional GPS.

Is firmware updating getting better?

Yes. Previously what you had to do is download WebUpdater to update the firmware on a nüvi.

That’s not required any longer, although you could still optionally use it if you wanted to.

Garmin has it in such a way where a nüvi can now be updated right from the browser (and yes it works in Firefox as well as IE).

What you need to do is register your GPS with my.garmin.com, then click the myDashboard link once logged in. The web site will prompt you to plug in your GPS via USB and will check for updates from there. If it finds any, it will ask whether or not you want to update.

I performed updates on my 255W via this method and it worked fine. No hassles at all.

How does the 255W perform compared to older Garmin GPSes?

Two things make the nüvi 2×5 series better than older nüvis and StreetPilots:

1. SiRF
2. Garmin Hotfix

SiRF is an enhanced positional technology that allows the nüvi to get a GPS signal faster than models without it. This first appeared in the StreetPilot c5xx series.

In plain English: SiRF is the difference between 30 seconds until a signal acquisition and 3 minutes. And while 3 minutes may not sound like a long time, when sitting in the car waiting for the signal so you can go… you get the idea.

Garmin Hotfix technology allows the nüvi to guesstimate where GPS satellites are in relation to the Earth’s rotation in order to acquire a signal faster.

Example: You arrive home from work at 7pm and turn the nüvi off. The next morning at 7am you turn the nüvi on. The nüvi will guess what satellites will be in range at that time of day and purposely seek them out. This results in the nüvi acquiring a GPS signal much quicker.

Plain English: Garmin nüvi 2×5 GPSes acquire a signal really, really fast compared to older models. I have even seen it get a signal in less than 10 seconds after a cold boot. That’s fast.

Does it still take you on "weird" routes to get to places?

Yes. But then again there isn’t any GPS made that routes perfectly. It is a computer, after all.

There will be times when the nüvi will suggest a route, and you’ll think to yourself, "Okay, the way it’s telling me to go is stupid. I know a better way." Chances are you’re correct.

In addition, even with SiRF and Garmin Hotfix, there will be instances where signal will get weak (such as near skyscrapers and dense foliage). No GPS has been able to overcome this – yet.

Does the text-to-speech voice sound any better?

Garmin had television commercials in which the text-to-speech voices sounded perfect but users of the devices were sorely disappointed when they heard the voice for the first time. Each had a tone that for all intents and purposes sounded "digitally raspy".

The old female US voice was Jill; the old UK female voice was called Emily. The new voices are Samantha (US) and Serena (UK). Both are humongous improvements over their predecessors. Using either sounds decidedly less "computery".

These voices do sound like the television commercials portray them to be.

Is there room for improvement?

Always.

But in all seriousness, Garmin does tend to "pull a Microsoft" by offering way too many versions of the same thing.

These are all the 2×5 models:

• 205
• 205W
• 255
• 255W
• 265T
• 265WT
• 275T

Seven models. There only needs to be one. A widescreen with all the features and "World" maps instead of seven different models that are watered down versions of the "best" model.

This is one of my very few gripes about Garmin as a company. Few people want to take the time and effort to examine seven different versions of the same thing just to decide which one is best for them. This is not one of those "choice is good" scenarios. What it does is confuse the crap out of consumers and moreover disenchants the brand as a whole – even if it is a good quality product.

Like I said, there should only be one 2×5 "global" model.

Is a standalone GPS still better than a cell phone GPS?

It always was.

There is no GPS available on any cell phone that can compete with Garmin’s NAVTEQ map data set (unless by Garmin/NAVTEQ directly), SiRF and Hotfix technology.

The only time GPS availability on a cell phone is worth paying for is when you can connect your position other data mediums, such as brightkite.

Strictly speaking as navigator vs. navigator, the standalone will always do a better job as a navigator.

Is Garmin still king of the hill in GPS?

In the United States they are. They have the best phone support; warranty issues (should any occur) are always handled well. My standard advice for anybody that has any problem with a Garmin GPS is not to go back to the vendor but rather West Marine. Why? Because they’re an authorized Garmin seller and can take in warranty issues easily – even if you didn’t buy from them originally. And there’s usually no line when you go and you don’t have to call before going. Big plus.

The way Garmin GPSes route is still best-of-breed even if it lacks other whiz-bang features other GPS makers have.

This I know: When somebody uses GPS for the first time in the US and it’s not a Garmin, the overall experience is usually disappointing. But when they experience the way a Garmin routes, that’s the sell on the technology.

The reason I said "in the United States" above is because while Garmin with its NAVTEQ map data set routes best here stateside, in the UK not-so much. TomTom with its TeleAtlas map set seems to do much better across the pond, but doesn’t perform as well in the US.

This is not to say Garmin GPSes don’t work in the UK and TomTom GPSes don’t work in the US. Both work fine for what they do. But in the US (and Canada), Garmin will do a better job.

Got a question about the 255W or other nüvi? Ask!

I’ll also field questions about MapSource if you happen to use that Garmin software as it is not the most user-friendly thing in the world.

The typical tech people put into cars are music players, DVD decks, PNDs (personal navigation devices) and smartphones. And the most annoying thing is how to mount it.

You have seven basic options for mounting tech in a car:

1. Proprietary in-dash
2. Semi-proprietary in-dash
3. In-mirror
4. Gooseneck/Bracket
5. Suction mount to adhesive plate
6. Suction mount to glass
7. Friction mount (a.k.a. "bean bag" mount)

Here’s each one of these in detail.

Proprietary in-dash

This is any tech you buy that is specifically made for in-dash use and the most expensive of the bunch. Ordinarily you’re going to spend at least $400 (installation not included) for one of these setups. Better ones have a DVD player, GPS and options to pair to your phone via Bluetooth.

The major problem with tech of this type is that it suffers from the "last in line" curse. Any tech that is current now (such as on Blackberries and iPhones) won’t be available in the in-dash units until a year or two later. And by that time the tech is already obsolete.

Semi-proprietary in-dash

The difference between this and the fully proprietary in-dash setups is that certain pieces can be taken out and used elsewhere. The one seen above has a 4.3-inch TomTom GPS device that can be removed by a simple click-in/click-out (which means it can also be upgraded easily, avoiding some of the last-in-line curse). It also has a ton of other features. If I were searching for an in-dash solution, I would take this over the fully proprietary any day.

 In-mirror

A rear-view mirror that’s a touchscreen monitor? Believe it. The operating system is Windows CE and there are mounting brackets for Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Ford, Mazda and Chevrolet.

To note: These are not easy to acquire and are usually reserved for builders who buy 100 of them at a time. We’ll see tech like this become more readily available for consumers as time goes on, possibly in the form of a super-thin OLED screen that "sticks" to your mirror without having to swap it out.

 Gooseneck mount

Mounts of this type can either be held in place via a suction to the glass or drilled into the floor. You will either love or hate the gooseneck.

Suction mount to adhesive plate

This is the most convenient option for most people. Automotive GPS makers have got this down pat. For example, when you buy a Garmin GPS, it comes with a plate with adhesive that you can stick to the dashboard. Then you mount the GPS to it with its suction mount. Works well and is certainly better than putting it on the glass.

Suction mount to glass

Whether it’s a gooseneck or other type of mount, suction mounting to glass is an imperfect solution at best, mainly due to the fact it can "take a dive" without warning.

  Friction mount (the "bean bag")

This mount setup sits anywhere and has rubber padding under it to prevent sliding from all over the place.

Which is best for you?

For those who are cheap: Suction mount to glass. Readily available, easy install.

For those who have odd-shaped devices: Gooseneck with adjustable bracket. Ham radio guys have been doing this forever, because a mobile ICOM isn’t the same size as a Kenwood isn’t the same size as a Yaesu, etc.

BONUS TIP for hams: Consider using a gooseneck floor mount that attaches to the passenger seat bolt. No drilling necessary. Takes minutes to install. Cheap and rock-solid. Looks good, too.

For those that want the easiest to use: Use the friction mount. It can be moved from car to car easily and moved anywhere you like at whim. Bear in mind friction mounts come for a variety of different mobile devices including almost all cell phones.

For those that don’t like friction mounts: Use a suction mount to a plate. This is what I use personally because the bean bag liked to jump around when going over things like bumpy railroad tracks – even at slow speed.

For those that like to show off: Use the in-mirror (assuming you can even get one) or in-dash. But remember that this is a very permanent thing. All the rest can be moved from car to car, but not this method. Not easily, anyway. Once it’s in there, it’s really in there if you catch my meaning.

It’s an ever-increasing mobile world, and with it comes all the tech stuff we need to get things done. Being mobile means your tech will run off a battery or two. However there are certain items when you should care and other times when you don’t have to.

Point-And-Shoot Digital Cameras

Should you care? Yes.

I won’t buy a point-and-shoot digital camera unless it runs off AA batteries. It is the best and cheapest way to keep taking pictures. Yes, it does add bulk to the camera for the battery compartment, but that small inconvenience is more than worth it.

Camcorders

Should you care? Yes.

It’s always smart to purchase a secondary battery for your camcorder. If possible, buy the secondary with the camcorder at the same time.

Automotive GPS

Should you care? No.

Battery life for automotive GPS devices such as from Garmin, TomTom, Magellan or any other have always been terrible, and it doesn’t look like that will change any time soon. With the screen at full brightness (required for daytime driving use) and the speaker volume at 70% or higher, you’ll get at most 2 hours out of the battery no matter who made the GPS. Furthermore it’s always used in the car, so when the battery dies you just plug in the charger and keep on going.

Battery life on GPS matters for units other than for automotive use, such as for trail or maritime. The Garmin Oregon 550t for example runs off 2 AA batteries, and that matters a lot for a GPS of that type given its particular purpose (it does both trail and maritime).

Cell Phone

Should you care? No.

I know no one that carries around a spare cell phone battery with them. All wireless phones today have a relatively decent talk time concerning battery life. And yes, if you talk for three hours straight, of course the battery will die on you. But for shorter calls and texting, the battery should last for days so it’s not a huge consideration.

What’s more important with a wireless phone purchase is the rated talk talk time and standby time. This doesn’t necessarily depend on battery type, because two phones by two different manufacturers that use the same type of battery will have different talk/standby times.

General rule of thumb: The less features a wireless phone has, the longer the battery will last due to the fact the phone doesn’t have to "think" as much. This is why 10-dollar TracFones have unbelievably good standby times, since the phone has only the most basic of features. It’s also the reason older less-featured cell phones with a new battery in them seem to "last forever".

Laptop Computers

Should you care? Depends on type.

With laptops there are basically three flavors: The netbook, standard and the gamer.

With the netbook (9 to 12-inch screen), yes, battery options definitely count because it’s meant to be ultra-mobile. You should stuff a netbook with longest-lasting battery possible.

With the standard (13 to 15-inch screens), yes it counts. You should stuff that one with a 9-cell. Yes it will cost a pretty penny but it’s more than worth it.

With the gamer laptop (17-inch or higher with a powerful graphics card), no. Gamer laptops are well known to have inferior battery life because of the horsepower required to run them. And even if you stuff in the best battery available, you’d be lucky to get more than 2.5 hours of life before it needs a charge.

Due to an accident that permanently damaged my nuvi 270 (don’t ask, but it was totally my fault), I was put in the situation where I had to buy another GPS. The base model from Garmin right now is the nüvi 205 and that’s the one I bought. The 2×5 (i.e. 205, 215, 255, etc.) is the updated generation from the older 2×0 line (200, 250, 260, 270, etc.) If a nüvi model starts with a 2 and ends with a 0, that’s the older one. If it starts with a 2 and ends with 5, that’s the current generation. Continued

This story is a bit old but still pretty darned good. And being this is a Florida story (where PCMech is based) makes it even better.

Every year during the holiday season there are Nativity scenes placed out for public display. And, sure enough, some fool thinks it’s a laugh to go and steal the Baby Jesus figurine.

Fed up, one church (of many) decided to mount a GPS device inside the Savior. And it worked. Sure enough, Jesus was stolen but this time He was tracked down in short order. An 18-year-old girl who did the dastardly deed was quickly found and arrested.

If GPS is good enough for the King of Kings, it’s definitely good enough for you. Remember, GPS technology is available to anyone who wants to use it. If the tech confuses you at all, don’t worry, there are places that will happily do the dirty work for you.

A few days ago I acquired a new GPS unit, the Garmin nüvi 270. Since my StreetPilot c580 is now a discontinued model I figured it was time for an upgrade to one of the newer and (much) thinner nüvi models.

A few notes before continuing: Continued

Upon recent acquisition of a Garmin nüvi 270 I found that I had the ability to manually enter in longitude and latitude coordinates for locations. This is a very convenient feature because you can enter in coordinates directly without having to connect the GPS to the computer at all.

For those that would ask “Why can’t I just enter in a street address instead?” You could do that, but this is useful when you’re browsing the map in Google Earth and don’t know what the street address is (but do know the coordinates).

See video below for details.

Garmin will at times post stuff for their GPS units that has absolutely nothing to do with GPS functionality and all to do with fun.

For Halloween this year they’ve released six vehicle icons called a Boo! Bundle for use in your nuvi (any nuvi), StreetPilot c510, c530, c550 or c580.

These icons replace the standard arrow that’s on the map display when driving.

The six icons are:

"Dead End" (a hearse)

"FrankenScooter" (a green-skinned Frankenstein looking kid)

"Knuckle" (skeleton hand, pictured in this post)

"Sugar Rush" (candy corn)

"Scary Scooter" (kid in ghost costume)

"Vroom Broom" (flying witch’s broomstick)

For those unfamiliar with how to use Garmin custom vehicle icons, this is the process:

1. Connect the GPS to your computer. This will create a drive letter for the GPS (most likely drive E or F, labeled "GARMIN").
2. Each icon file ends in SRF. Copy the icon file to the directory labeled "vehicle".
3. Disconnect the GPS from the computer.
4. Go to the "Tools" section of your GPS and change your vehicle icon there (usually from "Map"). The way to change vehicle icons is also listen in your manual.

For those out there that use a GPS that find the glare from the sun (whether in warm or cold weather) is a bit too much to read that screen, a really cheap and really effective way to make it much more readable is to simply put a "hoody" on it, that being a Glarestopper.

The Glarestopper is made for a ton of different GPS units, so chances are you’re covered (yes, I know, bad pun..)

The way it works is simple. It’s just self-adhesive velcro strips you put on one time and then attach the shade (you can take it on/off at whim after that). Takes only a few minutes to do. No screws or holes or anything like that.

When most people plan trips they will only use the internet for the most basic of information and not much more. You may use it to print out a map, find a hotel, check flights and not much else.

There’s much more you can do besides just plotting maps and making reservations.

1. Calculate your tolls.

Many (if not all) US states have toll calculators so you will know exactly what you’ll be spending on toll-based interstates. For example, Massachusetts has a toll and mileage calculator.

For a generic list of places where you can calculate tolls, you can perform a Google search for toll calculator. If you want to get more specific, search for "toll calculator [state name]".

2. Check for construction.

Nothing will mess up a trip faster than encountering road construction you didn’t expect. It does nothing but waste time and gas.

Most states have all their road projects (with times, delay listings and so on) listed in plain view. Florida for example has a very comprehensive listing of what goes on, when and where. It even gets more specific per state region. Tampa Bay (a very specific area of Florida) has its own web site that lists all current projects.

3. Push specific destinations to your GPS.

If you use a Garmin or Tom Tom GPS you’re in luck if you use Google Maps. For any location on that site you can click Send then GPS and push the data as a selectable Favorite directly into your GPS unit.

4. Use weather.gov (NOAA) to check weather.

There’s a good choice of weather sites to use, but the one with the most detailed forecast information is and always has been NOAA @ weather.gov. It’s most likely true that the weather site you like the best polls information directly from NOAA to begin with, so you might as well start at the source.

Weather.gov is not as fancy as other weather sites but it’s the information they give that counts the most, even if not "pretty".

5. Use GasBuddy to check fuel prices.

Strangely enough everyone checks GasBuddy for local fuel prices but rarely for places they’re traveling to. If you’re going to be driving around it is in your best interest to check the fuel prices along the way before heading out.

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Here’s what you will be able to accomplish by doing the above:

1. Accurately figure out what your toll costs will be.
2. Be aware of any construction along certain interstates in advance so there aren’t any unwanted surprises.
3. Be able to directly push data to your GPS without having to "type" it manually into the unit (good time saver).
4. Be aware of potential weather hazards.
5. Have a good idea of what to expect for fuel costs along the way and at the destination.

The team over at Autoblog acquired an iPhone 3G that touts new GPS features and tested it out.

The verdict can be easily figured out just by the title of their post:

Should’ve bought a Garmin? Testing the iPhone 3G’s GPS capabilities

Before telling you the worst about iPhone 3G GPS, every single thing I knew was going to suck about GPS on the iPhone is 100% true.

• It is NOT real-time GPS. This is unbelievably ridiculous. Even regular cell phones have real-time GPS, meaning real-time turn-by-turn directions. This is NOT in the iPhone 3G.
• No re-routing. Again, ridiculous. I mean, c’mon.. even a sub-$100 GPS unit has a re-route feature, but iPhone 3G? Nope.

I had a few people state to me that now that iPhone has GPS there’s no reason to have a standalone GPS anymore.

I beg to differ.

GPS on iPhone absolutely sucks. A discontinued Garmin StreetPilot i3 built three years ago could run circles around it.

To Autoblog: Yes, you should’ve bought a Garmin.

Cool-but-tacky GPS of the moment, above is a Mio GPS unit that is based off the television show Knight Rider (the original good one, not the new crappy one). It’s black, it has KITT-like lights and yes that is the voice of William Daniels you hear on this unit.

Now if I could just find an ‘82 Trans Am I could put a red light bar on the front of…

Note: This is the short version. Last week on my personal blog I wrote a very long-winded article about the Garmin City Navigator North America NT Map Update 2009. And yes the title of the product is in fact that long. But anyway, if you want to read up on what I think Garmin needs to do in order to keep up with the times as far as map updating goes, read up if you wish.

If you have a Garmin StreetPilot c3xx, c5xx, the big units like the 2720/2730 or any nuvi series and live in North America, this update applies to you. No, it is not free and yes, that makes people upset they have to pay for it. However that’s the way things are at present with Garmin and map updates.

We’ll leave the pay factor aside for the time being and concentrate on how to make the map update process smooth and easy.

Step 1. Where to get it?

Register your Garmin GPS at the Garmin web site. All you need is the unit so you can enter in the serial number that’s physically printed on it.

Once registered you will have the option to purchase the update you need.

Step 2. DVD or download?

Get the DVD in the mail. The download takes way too long. Remember, it is a DVD’s worth of information we’re talking about.

Step 3. Install the latest Garmin USB drivers.

Grab those from here. It’s a fast install and painless. To note: Windows (and even OS X) will usually automatically install the drivers, but it’s better to get them manually just to be on the safe side.

Step 4. Plug in the GPS to your computer.

Step 5. CLOSE apps

This is the #1 reason why people have any problem with updating a Garmin GPS. They have a bunch of CRAP running, such as instant messengers, web browsers and so on. This does nothing but SLOW THE PROCESS DOWN. Whether your using Windows or OS X, close those frickin’ apps and KEEP them closed until the update is completed.

Step 6. Pop in the DVD and follow the instructions.

Step 7. Wait. A long time.

The update process takes 1 to 2 hours to complete.

For those wondering why it takes so unbelievably long to complete, remember once again we’re talking about a DVD’s worth of data here transferring over USB. Have you ever transferred over 4GB of data over USB? If you have then you know how long it takes.

There many be instances where the updating program appears to lock up. Trust me when I say it’s not. You just have to wait and be patient. It will complete.

I have performed map updates several times on several different Garmin GPS units. It always takes a long time. As long as you have no apps (or as little apps as possible) running and are patient, the update will complete successfully.

The 2009 update to date has been the easiest by far. The updater app did exactly what it was supposed to do and now I enjoy the latest-and-greatest map data set on my c580.

How to report map inaccuracies

If while driving you see a road that is marked incorrectly, or the intersection that is labeled wrong, or a business listed that is no longer there or the like, remember the following:

Garmin does not provide the map data.

NAVTEQ does.

If you want to report a map inaccuracy, head over to mapreporter.navteq.com. This is where you report inaccuracies. It’s free and stupidly easy to report map errors there.

So if you ever wondered how you can easily report map issues, there you go. No calling or e-mailing necessary.

If you have GPS, you can use it right now to help you save gas when you drive. If not, GPS is not expensive anymore. It’s well under $200 for a well known brand name that does the job and does it well.

1. Set route preference for quickest and not shortest

In the vast majority of GPS devices you have two options for route preference; the quickest or the shortest.

One would assume the shortest is better for saving gas.

Not necessarily.

There are times when the shortest route from point A to B includes many side streets filled with stop signs that increase the stop’n'go and waste fuel rather than save it.

Usually it is better to set your GPS unit to quickest route preference.

2. Use waypoints, use them often

In most GPS units these are called locations or favorites. No matter what they are called, they’re waypoints.

You have the ability to mark hundreds of waypoints in any GPS device. Mark all the locations you normally go to including home (obviously), work, the grocery, any shops/stores you visit and so on.

When running errands or the like, use the GPS to go from place to place you have marked even if you’ve been to these places 1000 times before. Being that the GPS is set to quickest route preference it will most likely introduce to you new ways to get to these places in less periods of time; this saves fuel.

3. Try alternative routes

This tip is for commuters specifically that use highways to get to and from work.

Chances are that there is always one specific section of the highway that gets blocked up and/or bottlenecked every day. During this time the highway turns into a parking lot and you’re sitting there with the engine idling and wasting gas.

You can avoid this entirely by usually taking the exit ramp right before the spot that always gets blocked up, then take non-highway roads to get home or skirt around the bottleneck then re-enter the highway.

The way in which to do this is easy. Just use waypoints.

For example, if you wanted to use the method when you exit then re-enter the highway, the first waypoint would be the exit ramp and the second waypoint the entrance ramp after the bottleneck.

Under most circumstances this will save fuel because you’re keeping the car moving. Granted, this doesn’t always work but hey, it doesn’t hurt to try.