Why your next GPS device should have Bluetooth

We get a lot of email here at Sympatico MSN and Sync, and one common question is on what to look for in a GPS device. Here I’ll explain why I think Bluetooth is a must-have feature.

While it won’t help you navigate to your destination any faster, a GPS device with Bluetooth connectivity might just make for a safer ride.

This is because this feature turns your GPS unit into a hands-free speakerphone — so if you must use the phone while driving at least your eyes remain on the road and hands on the wheel. By pairing with your Bluetooth-enabled cell phone, you can now hear – and be heard – on the GPS unit if your phone is somewhere in the car.

The second advantage of integrated Bluetooth technology is the GPS unit can splash the caller’s information on the GPS screen (such as a phone number or name), so, with a quick glance you can see who’s calling and decide to take the call or not. Again, it’s never ideal to take your eyes away from the road but we’ve all seen those drivers fumble for a ringing phone in their pocket, look at the screen and decide to answer it (so consider this feature the lesser of two evils). Some GPS devices can also show incoming text messages on its screen.

Finally, Bluetooth-enabled GPS devices can also be used to call points of interest (POI), such as restaurants, hotels, banks or gas stations. If your phone is somewhere in the car, simply tap the phone number on the GPS screen and you’ll hear the number being dialled immediately.