Go Gadgets

Travel Forward in Time

When it comes to using a GPS device, the when is almost as important as the where. New features and refined functionality in the TomTom GO 930 T take already-good GPS functionality and improve it greatly.

The Go 930, TomTom’s flagship device, operates like most other GPS units with voice address input, and the 4.3-inch touch screen is typical. But once you get on the road, the TomTom kicks into high gear. On the highways, its lane assist feature is surprisingly effective, by flashing realistic animations of upcoming turns and illustrating whether lanes are turn-only or straight-ahead. The unit’s traffic detection functionality, previously an add-on accessory, has been bundled into this model. And in addition to congestion information, the unit can update gas price data and maps on the fly. A new feature called IQ Routes may be the most valuable of all. This one aggregates actual real-time drive data from other equipped TomTom devices to create accurate route drive times, effectively pairing the when with the where. After all, if your GPS routes you on a path that makes you late, what good is it? ($499; tomtom.com)

Hard Drivin’

Many new cars come standard with hookups for MP3 players, but the Azentek Atlas takes it a step further. This in-dash radio-replacement brings all the benefits of a desktop computer — an Intel 1.83 GHz Core Duo processor, a 120 GB hard drive, I GB of RAM, a DVD-ROM drive, and a 6.5-inch touch screen — within reach of the driver’s seat. The device also includes almost every imaginable service, from GPS to satellite radio, and can output DVI video as well as sound files. However, one point of caution — the Atlas comes preloaded with Windows Vista, which has been known at times to, well, crash. (price unavailable at press time; azentekonline.com)

All Jacked Up

Auto exhaust gets a bad rap — and for the most part it’s deserved. But the Titan Exhaust Air Jack is at least putting those carbon dioxide emissions to good use. This brilliant balloon basically lifts up cars, SUVs, and trucks using the vehicle’s exhaust, which is pumped from a hose connected to the muffler. The Exhaust Air Jack lifts a vehicle in less than two minutes, and it gently lets the vehicle back down as the gas is released. While many motorists are intimidated by the idea of assembling and working a mechanical jack, you only need to attach a hose to a pipe to make this one work. ($129; ajprindle.com)

How Do GPS Devices Work?

In a way, the adage “the name says it all” applies very well to GPS, which stands for Global Positioning System. “There are really only two components,” says Joanne Aliber, director of product management for TomTom, “the satellite up in the sky and the receiver, which could be a cell phone or a portable navigation device.”

The use of GPS devices has skyrocketed, so to speak. For example, in 2005, only 750,000 GPS devices were sold. Last year, 10 million were sold, and it’s projected that 15 million will sell in 2008.

According to Aliber, the GPS comprises about 30 satellites in orbit approximately 12,500 feet above the earth. Originally developed by the Department of Defense for government and military purposes, the system was made available for civilian use in the 1980s.

Each GPS unit has a chip that receives signals from the satellites. In general, the devices tend to be accurate within 10 feet. In order to get an accurate reading, a GPS device needs to receive signals from multiple satellites. But the number of satellite signals needed to activate a GPS device is not a gauge of how accurate the device is. “TomTom doesn’t own a satellite on its own; Garmin doesn’t own a satellite on it’s own; and Magellan doesn’t have more satellites than TomTom,” says Aliber. “We all access the same ones, and we share them with the military.” — J.P.P.