By George Prince

The first men to travel across the globe used only what they knew to navigate around. They traveled across land and sea with only the sun, moon and earth to provide a sense of direction. We even used to think the earth was flat. How times have changed.

Early explorers made use of the compass to sail the wide open seas safe in the knowledge that they at least knew which direction to travel in and which direction lead home. Maps showed the way on land that was already discovered, and a compass was a necessary tool.

Today, we have a little piece of equipment that renders all those things irrelevant. It's called GPS, which stands for Global Positioning System. With this little handheld device, which resembles a cellular phone, we can key in exact locations and be directed there via satellites an electronic map. Minimal fuss.

Modern luxury vehicles come equipped with GPS systems at the front of the car, making it nearly impossible to get lost on the road. It's easy to use, as all you have to do is key in or select the place you'd like to go and an electronic map shows you the route. There are also voice prompts to guide you further.

People who have owned cars with a GPS navigation system built in would never want to revert back to a car that doesn't have one. The reason is simple. It's so much easier to travel somewhere you've never been before if you have a reliable, visual and audio guide right in front of you.

As modern technology keeps improving, we are always being provided with ways to make our lives easier. After the desktop computer came the laptop. After the telephone came the mobile phone, and so on and so on. GPS is the digital technology that solves all our navigation needs.

The capabilities of GPS have been used in military operations since the 1990's. The ability to pinpoint targets via GPS is also available from GPS handsets. So now, if you go to a public place and want to find somebody with another GPS device, you can do it. There's no more getting lost with GPS technology.

As we seek adventure, we can enhance those experiences in the great outdoors with better technology. Having a GPS system in your car or on your person means you will be able to find people or places faster and easier. If you love traveling or the outdoors, you should make the most of the technology available.

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