ShowUhow Blog

10 Things Smartphones Can Do for You

Here are some of the many features available from today’s smartphones. For more information on how to set up and use your smartphone, you can watch VIGs at www.ShowUhow.com.

Phone calls. People think of smartphones are PDAs combined with cell phones. Most smartphones on the market are very easy to use to make phone calls, and have excellent call quality. If you are driving, you can even use voice dialing.

Messages. Just like a regular cell phone, you can send and receive text messages on your smartphone. You can also send picture, video and audio messages just as easily.

Cameras. Smartphones now can take decent quality pictures and videos. Don’t forget to share good moments by quickly sending them to your friends or posting them on your Facebook page.

Emails. Sending emails with smartphones is just as easy as sending text messages. Either touch-screens or keypads make composing emails simple and fast.

Web browsing. Smartpones let you surf the Internet just like using your computer. Current smartphones have big screens and fast connections that will give you a great user experience. 

GPS. Your smartphone either comes with GPS and maps, or you can download them. Either way, you will be able to get directions anytime, anywhere.

MP3 players. You can either download or transfer music from your computer onto your smartphone. If you really like a song, make it your ring tone, too.           

Games. Smartphones all come with some games. But you can always download more.

Day planners. No need to carry a thick day planner anymore. You can just enter your tasks and appointments into your calendar.  Your smartphone will even send you reminders

Office applications. Smartphones come with Microsoft^® Word, Excel and PowerPoint. You can work anywhere.

Top GPS manufacturers

With so many companies adding GPS systems to their product lines it’s hard to know which companies specialize in navigation systems, and which ones are the copycats. No need to worry, we’ve done the research for you. Here’s a list of major, reputable GPS system manufacturers.

Garmin is the largest consumer GPS manufacturer, and is one of the major players in the market, producing systems for vehicles, including cars and motorcycles, cell phones, handhelds for hiking, golf, running, and cycling, and models for aviation and marine sports. The Garmin Nuvi is one of the most highly purchased and highly rated GPS systems on the market.

TomTom is the second largest GPS manufacturer in the U.S., and is the leading manufacturer of GPS systems in Europe. Like Garmin, they produce both portable navigation devices and software for PDAs and mobile phones. Their devices are known for having more advanced features than their competitor’s.  Not interested in purchasing a device? TomTom has an iPhone application, where, for $99.99, you can download the software directly to your phone and utilize the same benefits of their portable navigation devices. Starting at just above $100, the TomTom One is one of the most popular, highly rated, basic GPS models on the market.

Magellan, the third largest GPS manufacturer in the U.S., is know for it’s navigation extras and large display screens. They also produce aftermarket, in-car navigation systems and were the first to offer new services, like voice command capabilities. The Magellan Maestro 4370 is one of their most popular models because of its one-click access to your favorite destinations, text-to-speech, and integrated Bluetooth capabilities.

Check out the ShowUhow September newsletter for a list of top-rated GPS systems. All the newsletter are available on www.ShowUhow.com. Sign up for free, and you will have access to all the Video Instruction Guides (VIGs) and newsletters.

Direct yourself to the right GPS System

On top of the obvious considerations while choosing a GPS system, like screen size, features, and price, there are a few other not-so-obvious items you’ll want to ponder prior to purchasing your GPS system.

If you plan on keeping your system for a long time you’ll also want to review the warranty and costs to update the system. It is recommended that you update your system mapping software once a year. The frequency of your updates, of course, varies by how often you’ll be traveling in new areas. If you only use it to drive around your city, you probably won’t need updates as often as someone who uses their GPS system to guide them across the country on a regular basis. Some systems include free updates for a limited amount of time, while others charge $50 to $150 and up, depending on size of region selected for updating. If you want a system that is guaranteed to last you’ll want to review the warranty before purchase. Most systems include a one-year warranty, and allow for the addition of an extended warranty, sometimes through the retailer, for an added cost.

Ratings and customer reviews are a great way to measure customer satisfaction for particular models. Popular non-biased websites that conduct professional product reviews are CNET.com, pcmag.com gpsreview.com and consumerreports.com, to name a few. There are also an infinite number of blogs and websites dedicated to customer reviews and feedback. Even some retailer sites, like Amazon.com and Costco.com, are designed to allow customer feedback about products. Be an informed shopper and read some reviews before purchase!