For a technology that was first invented for military purposes in the 1960s, the global positioning system (GPS) technology has slowly assimilated into the mass consumer market in the form of personal navigational products that we are growing reliant on in our everyday lives getting around on the roads.

However, with personal GPS devices becoming more affordable and portable over the last few years, there are many more uses of such GPS navigators than finding your way around the road.

1. Development of new forms of recreational activities using GPS technology.

Hikers, trekkers and anglers were probably among the first groups of recreational hobbyists that have taken advantage of the technology. But, the accessibility of the technology itself is also giving rise to new forms of recreational activities. One good example is geocaching. It is an individualized, high-tech game of treasure-hunting played by people using GPS devices. Geocaching hobbyists plant containers called caches in all sorts of conceivable places and upload their position co-ordinates onlines for adventure seekers to find. With some creativity, GPS technology can be effectively utilized to change the way games are played or give rise to new forms of social or communal interaction.

2. Never lose your precious beloved with GPS tracking.

With GPS chips becoming smaller, GPS devices in the form of collars have been used by pet owners to track down their beloved pets should they get lost. Some parents are also creatively using these GPS collars on their children for fear of losing them in crowded places. The GPS technology has advanced so much even on the consumer front that you can use a GPS device to effectively track down your children to a vicinity of a couple of metres.

3. Using GPS devices as your personal trainer.

Need to measure the distance you are covering during your runs? Strap a GPS device on your wrist to monitor your running speed and distance. You can even use the GPS to plan your route in advance and know exactly where and when to turn. Some GPS devices even come with in-built MP3 player and FM radio functions which are certainly great for long runs.

The applications of GPS technology are bounded only by creativity. On a personal level, a GPS navigator device is certainly capable of doing much more than simply finding our directions from Point A to Point B. Popular GPS manufacturers such as Garmin, Magellan and TomTom are also continually coming up with multi-function GPS devices equipped with new, integrated features. If you do not own one, it is time to change that today.

Heather Reese is a writer for GPS Navigator Systems. For updated reviews on new GPS navigator devices on the market, visit http://gpsnavigatorsystems.blogspot.com/

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