I'm a bit of a GPS collector. I have six presently. Some are handheld that I use for Geocaching, two are the navigation type that are popping up on windshields of cars and one is part of my so called "Smartphone".

Since learning navigation back in my piloting days, GPS has been a huge step ahead and now that it is becoming very affordable, paper maps are quickly becoming an artifact from the past.

If you are going shopping for an automotive navigation GPS, you will usually find a confusingly large assortment of brands and models. I'm going to make some suggestions that I hope will make shopping for one easier for you and the person receiving it happy.

There are several brands available. The most popular is Garmin. Next is TomTom and a distant third but gaining in popularity is Navigon. Each will have more than several models to choose from though the store you shop at may carry a limited number of them. That would be a blessing. There are other brands. Sony is getting into GPS. Audiophiles will recognize Blauplunkt. They are making a GPS with a camera that gives you a fighter jet heads up view of the navigational situation and even reads some signs, such as speed limits. Currently this is available in Europe only.

First of all, ANY of them will get you from where you are to where you want to go. Beyond that most basic feature, the first step up you should consider is the size of the screen. There are two sizes. Three by three and four and a half by three. I prefer the wider screen. Next is the ability to speak the name of the road rather than just saying "turn left in 500 feet". I think that is a worthwhile upgrade. From there are many options that will keep a gadget freak happy for many miles.

If the user drives the expressways during rush hours or takes trips through big cities from time to time, the traffic reception feature is worth considering. Traffic data is available through bluetooth wireless connections to some smartphones with data service or through an antenna cable that receives traffic information embedded in FM radio stations. This feature can route you around traffic jams and suggest alternative routes that are presently faster. It isn't perfected yet but worth getting.

Another feature is Bluetooth connectivity to a compatible cell phone.  When In my car, all my phone calls come through the GPS. It's hands free and good audio quality. Another feature is voice recognition. Some top of the line models have this where you don't have to punch in addresses. Just speak to the windshield and the GPS hears you.  Some allow you to store your music and pod-casts in them and will transmit the audio to your FM radio. Some have a remote control, yes, a remote control, in case your GPS is too far to easily reach. I find it much safer to use with a remote than trying to poke at the screen while I'm driving. Yes, I should pull over when doing anything but glancing at the screen. Usually features like traffic information are a subscription service but if your unit is capable of it, a free trial is usually included.

What do I recommend? A Garmin is my first choice and TomTom is a runner up. I have a top of the line TomTom 930 but had to spend another $100 to buy a traffic receiver antenna because my Motorola Q smartphone and Sprint service are not compatible with it. TomTom also advertises some "IQ" features and advance lane guidance. These features got me so interested that I had to buy one. I have found that many of these features are not in Wisconsin yet and even in Chicago they are on only a few places of the interstate. More marketing hype than usable substance. To be fair, they are adding to these navigation features often.

If you want more information, I recommend an excellent and unbiased website, www.gpsreview.net .