Adding GPS functionality for your Vehicle is really very simple and cost effective once you have your Carpc installed. This guide details how to go about getting GPS functionality for your Vehicle as well as lists out the various software options available specifically for GPS in India.

What you require :

• Windows based CarPC / Laptop
• GPS Receiver - Wired (Serial/USB) or Bluetooth
• Software and Maps (India Specific)

A Windows XP based system is preferred here as there are a few options to get GPS working in India for this platform.

The majority of GPS units connect via either a serial port or USB cable.Bluetooth GPS units require you computer to have bluetooth transmission/reception capabilities.

The GPS receiver often requires a a driver to be installed before the computer operating system will recognize it, enabling the navigation software to communicate with the receiver. The navigation software must then be configured to specify the type of receiver and protocol to use before it will function properly.

Our GPS receivers start as low as Rs 3300/- and are very well suited for this application, for more details click here.

Now coming to the GPS Software and Maps, the most common question asked is , " Is GPS Available in India ?" ," What software and maps can i use ? ", "How much do i have to pay for this Service ?" etc.

To sum it up the Global Positioning System (GPS) as the name implies is operational worldwide (Yes,that includes India). The system is maintained by the US and is free for civilian use. For more details on the Global Positioning System, refer wikipedia.

GPS Software for India

Mapking

One of the earliest softwares around along with maps for Indian cities, Mapking offers GPS positioning and routing with support for Windows and Pocket PC Platforms. Indian city GPS maps include Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chenai. While it does a decent job overall, accurracy in some areas leave a lot to be desired.
Download trial version and maps here.

Destinator

Destinator is one of the popular GPS Navigation software in the CarPC community mainly owing to its skinnable interface which can be made touchscreen friendly. While the newer version ( Destinator 6) can be used standalone, earlier versions use FreeDrive or Map Monkey as the frontend.

Of late GPS maps for Indian cities of Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune along with an all India Roadmap are available which can be used with Destinator on your Windows based PC.

Google Earth

Google Earth can be used with a routing program like GooPs to enable real time positioning as well as remote tracking. With features like Autoview and 3D model cursors, Goops offers amazing real time positioning making full use of Google Earth's satellite imagery.

We will also be reviewing the possibilities of GPS on a Linux based PC in a while. Till then, Drive Safe.

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