GPS

GPS stands for Global Positioning System, and I am about to purchase one. How did it strike my mind? Well, 2 weeks or so prior to CNY, I received my regular email on sales around town from www.shoppingnsales.com and that email was introducing a ... SALE .. on GPSBay E668XP gadget at RM499 (a RM300 savings offer for all shopping & sales subscribers). Naturally, it caught my attention.

Imagine 'NEVER EVER GETTING LOST' with a gps in your car!



Like in one of the earlier James Bond movies where the super sexy car James was driving, spoke and caution James to "turn left now, TURN LEFT NOW!!" as he was trying his level best to trick his chasers into a drain or off a cliff or something. Imagine how cool it would be if my car announces the same, minus any one chasing me with their car! ;-)

Fast forward, automobile GPS is now the next best thing, a gadget in your car to make road announcements instead of your car ITSELF making the announcements (actually there are such cars, a super premium car with a built-in GPS -duh-)!

Unlike an impulse buyer, I make sure that I do my research before I proceed to buy, a case of still-an-impulse-buyer-but-delays-a-few-days-or-weeks-before-buying, that's ME!

Search, search, search and I discovered that the more sought after brand of GPS in Malaysia is Garmin, follow by locally produced brand like K-One, GPSBay and such. What are the difference? Well, the key function is the maps they operate on. The frequently used ones are MalSing Map (a free map portal) and MapKing (one which you need to pay a fee to subscribe). Naturally, the free one is not as up to date as the pay one la!



The screen size range from 3.5 inch to as big as 5 inch, or bigger. The price? from as low as RM499 to as high as RM2000+! Now imagine buying a branded Louis Vuitton wallet and a local brand wallet with the price difference of RM100, which would you buy? LV of course!!! and to conclude, that is the same with a Garmin (read LV) and a say GPSBay (read local brand). No prizes for guessing which one I will be purchasing. ;-p

So, with a price comparison, the lowest of range from Garmin, a 205w series, 4.3 inch screen and slim, is selling at RM599 (see la ... RM100 more from GPSBay's 3.5 inch screen) or the 255w series at RM799, same screen size, same slim-slim, the only extra is the 'lane assist / junction view' feature, which technically says 'turn left at Jalan KasualChat' instead of the 205w which announces 'turn left at 500 yeards'!

What liao, RM200 extra just to announce the road name!