Many people think they can travel safely with GPS navigation but the reality is that you should only use GPS when travelling in an area where your GPS receiver is accurate. You need a GPS with a good coverage area and a backup system. If you are traveling outside Europe then you should use GPS with an EU plug-in as some countries may not allow you to use GPS with the adapter.
GPS Technology:
Many GPS units use cellular data transmission rather than the GPS technology which was developed for the aviation industry. This means that you will need a separate application such as Google Map or Microsoft Live Maps on your phone for this. The GPS should be able to route you along the safest way to get from one point to another. For example, if you are traveling from Paris to London by train then you should enter the train station and follow the signs. You should not enter the destination as it could be a misdirection.
You could also travel from London to Rome using Google Maps and then follow the same route. However, there are a few problems here. If you were to connect your GPS receiver to the internet and use it from there then you could get charged for using the internet connection. This can result in your receiving over monthly data charges even though you did not intend to do so. This can end up being very expensive if you were to do this regularly.
Different Applications:
There are many different applications you can use for both traveling within your country as well as traveling overseas. There is no reason why you cannot get offline maps from these applications such as Google Maps or Microsoft Live Maps. You can either download the offline maps onto your phone or you can access the maps through your Google map application or your Microsoft Live Maps application.
Reliable GPS Signals:
If you are using a computer then you would have been provided with a Wifi hotspot to connect to the internet without using a mobile device. Such a feature comes in very handy for many people who travel regularly and are unable to use GPS. The only thing is that you will not be able to get accurate GPS signals from a computer. On the other hand, a Wifi enabled computer can provide you with reliable GPS signals.
If you already have an iPhone or a tablet and are traveling then there is no need to worry. Most GPS devices that are designed for use with smartphones can also be used with tablets and even with laptops. This means that you can continue to receive GPS signals even when you are away from the source of the GPS signal. You can use your GPS receiver to power your phone.
Most cell phones come with a default GPS receiver and you need not purchase a separate GPS receiver for your travel purposes. However, if your cell phone does not come with a GPS receiver then there are many mobile data navigation apps available in the market that can be used with any type of cell phone. These mobile data navigation apps are capable of providing accurate turn-by-turn navigation and map reading to their users. However, you have to make sure that the mobile navigation app you choose is designed specifically for use with your specific model of cell phone. Otherwise, you might end up with inaccurate data.
Offline Maps:
Many of the mobile maps websites also offer offline maps. Offline maps are the normal maps you get when you use GPS on your home computer or a motorbike. However, these maps will not include street maps so you will have to make do with the city maps that you have downloaded on your phone. Offline maps are especially useful if you intend to use GPS on motorbikes.