If you’re wondering which GPS to buy, then you’ve come to the right place. I’ve been covering the GPS marketplace for various websites and also publications for two years. A lot has changed in those two years. If you’re like most folks the GPS marketplace is a little difficult to understand. So, in this article I’m going to give you a feel for what you need to be looking for and also leave you with a few suggestions about which GPS to buy in 2010.

Which GPS to Buy: Features

Gone are the days when GPS systems were just about the novelty of having electronic maps at your disposal. Nowadays buying a GPS is all about the features. There are tons of neat features that I’m not going to mention. I do, however, want to alert you to the most popular features—the ones that make a difference in the cost of the GPS.

First off if you’re wondering about which GPS to buy for 2010, I’m sure you’re going to run into “text-to-speech”. Text-to-speech means your GPS can actually say the name of the street you’re to turn on, instead of just saying “turn right,” or something like that. Virtually all Garmin’s now have text-to-speech, many Magellans, and a whole slew of TomToms. The lesser known manufacturers have text-to-speech, also.

Other features to consider are more maps, Bluetooth connectivity and FM transmission. Bluetooth is pretty self-explanatory. This just means you can use your cell phone through the device. FM transmission means you can route your GPS’s output through your car’s stereo system. This definitely makes it easier for you to hear the directions as you drive.

More features you want to consider are multi-point routing, and real time traffic and weather. Multi-point routing is great for someone like a salesperson who makes more than one stop per outing. This basically means you can put more than one destination in your machine and the GPS will calculate the optimal route. Real time traffic and weather means you can get information sent directly to your GPS via satellite, which will tell you of weather and road conditions up ahead. Real time traffic and weather is a biggie, with companies such as Garmin coming out with some really nice subscription services, such as their nuLink subscription.

Which GPS to Buy: Manufacturers

There are several manufacturers of GPS devices. The top three continue to be Garmin, TomTom, and Magellan. Garmin is by far the market leader not only in number of models, but in features as well. TomTom is a distant second, but you can get a great price for some awesome features with TomTom. Magellan has some excellent products, too. So, don’t forget them when you consider buying a GPS. As far as the lesser manufacturers, I’m biased. I’ve heard good things, but for which GPS to buy in 2010, I’ll stick with the top three.

To learn more about which GPS to buy for 2010, check out what for sale on Amazon, today!