How often have you had to stop and ask for directions?
How often have you gone in circles?
Ask Vikash Kumar and he will
tell you how GPS based software has made his travel simple. Vikash began
using a Global Positioning or GPS based software four months ago.
The software installed on windows based smart phone uses
satellites, orbiting the earth to pin point on a detailed road map, just
where you are and where you need to go to.
''I had just moved to
Mumbai and I would have to keep asking for routes and these
autowallahs take you for a ride if they think you are new. So I
bought this. The green symbol shows us where we are and the instrument
gives us instructions on where to go.
''It has a ready list of
things like malls, theatres, even a list of housing societies in the area
where you are,'' said Vikash.
Vikash is just one among over 6,000
professionals across the country who are using GPS based devices to find
their way across cities.
You can buy dedicated devices that range
between Rs 16000 to Rs 22,000.
The device from Mapmyindia.com has
detailed road maps for 18 Indian cities and inter-state maps as well.
''It goes beyond just a navigation device. You can use it for
entertainment purposes as well,'' said Prashant Tandon, Vice-President, CE
Info Systems.
You can also just download the software onto your
smart phone from companies like SatNav for just about Rs 4,000.
If
you are wondering what's the monthly outflow well there is none.
GPS comes free; the only additional cost will be to upgrade your
maps as and when one's avialable.
But in country where names of
roads are changed all the time do these devices really work?
Well
believe it or not they do simply because every time a driver goes off
course the software finds an alternate route.
''There can never be
100 per cent accuracy in the map business. It is always 90 per cent. There
will always be a new flyover or a new no entry being made somewhere,''
said Amit Prasad, Managing Director, SatNav Technologies.
So if you
are one of those who doesn't like asking for directions or just find
yourself in unknown territory all the time and don't mind spending the
money this device is perhaps just for you.