Interfacing Your PDA to a GPS Receiver

If you’ve decided that a PDA navigation system meets your needs (or maybe you just love cool high-tech toys), the first step is to decide how you’re going to use to get GPS data into your PDA. Options for doing so include

• Handheld GPS receivers connected to the PDA with a serial (or USB) cable.
• Mouse GPS receivers (a GPS receiver with no display screen and a serial or USB cable).
• GPS receivers built into PC or memory cards.
• GPS receiver sleeves (expansion devices that slide on the back of certain models of PDAs).
• Wireless GPS receivers that transmit data with Bluetooth radio signals.
• Integrated GPS receivers built directly into a PDA. I’m assuming you already have a PDA or are currently shopping for one and have a pretty good idea what you’re going to buy. Just keep in mind that most PDAs can be interfaced with a GPS receiver one way or another.

Look at the types of GPS receivers you can use with a PDA. Most of the GPS receivers designed for use with PDAs cost as much as low-end to mid-range handheld GPS receivers. Some also work with laptop computers, which provide the ultimate big-screen GPS display.