When a technology becomes the “IT” product of the holiday season, there's bound to be some misinformation out there. This year's hot product is the consumer GPS – and it can truly do some amazing things, including: provide directions with real-time turn-by-turn navigation, help you avoid traffic and even make hands-free cell phone calls with Bluetooth. But there are also some things about GPS that just aren't true. Here's a look at some of the biggest myths about GPS technology.



5 Most Common Misconceptions about GPS

Myth #1: The weather can affect your GPS

Fact: Cloudy or rainy conditions have nothing to do with the performance of your GPS device. Think about it like this: airplanes using GPS devices to navigate through cloudy conditions thousands of times a day. Last time we checked, the commercial aviation system was running without too many GPS-related problems. Well, the same technology they use is found in your car's GPS devices. The only thing that can truly keep your GPS device from operating at peak performance are tall buildings, mountains and other large structures that may block it's signal.

Myth #2: The government can track you because of your GPS device

Fact: It is true that some commercial grade GPS devices send out a signal about your whereabouts, the consumer GPS devices sold by Garmin, Magellan and other companies only receive information from satellite systems. While this news will be no doubt disconcerting to conspiracy theorists, the rest of us can breathe a little easier knowing that our whereabouts are private.

Myth #3: GPS devices mean you don't have to watch the road

Fact: Just because you have a helpful GPS device in your car doesn't mean you should be any less vigilant as a driver. It is important to watch the road and always pay attention to where you are in journey. In fact, some directions provided by your GPS device may take you through areas in which you don't want to travel. It is always important to use these directions in conjunction with what you can see with your own eyes, and of course, common sense.

Myth #4: GPS devices don't work outside of a local area

Fact: The beauty of GPS devices for your car is that they work almost anywhere. That means you can take your family for a cross-country drive and the GPS will provide with information every step of your journey. In fact, many GPS devices can help you find local points-of-interest along the way including parks, museums, restaurants and more.

Myth #5: GPS devices are too expensive

Fact: Of all the falsehoods out there about GPS devices, this one might be the most out of touch. Currently, there are more inexpensive GPS devices out there that at any time in the technology's history. Even the high end models from Tom Tom, Garmin and others are reasonably priced, and the “basic” units (which are still packed with features) are affordable enough for almost any budget.