Monday, December 1, 2008

Bluetooth GPS Vs CompactFlash GPS - Which one suits me?

A common question for Mobile GIS users is whether to purchase a Compact Flash (CF) or Bluetooth (BT) GPS. Basically there is no wrong choice as both GPS receivers are functional devices in their own right and will provide a useful addition to your Mobile GIS system. The majority of BT and CF GPS receivers on the market these days come with chipsets that give them a standard positional accuracy of ±2-5 metres. Here are some points to think about when choosing between a BT and CF GPS receiver:

Compact Flash GPS
Pros
- Fits into the CF Slot of your PDA/UMPC/Laptop to make an ‘all-inclusive’ unit
Cons
- Limited to integrating with devices with a Compact Flash slot
- The battery of your Mobile Device is used to power the CF GPS, resulting in the battery life of your PDA/UMPC/Laptop dropping by up to half its standard lifespan

Bluetooth GPS
Pros
- Has its own battery independent of your PDA/UMPC/Laptop, so the battery life of your mobile device is not compromised
- Adaptable nature of Bluetooth allows integration with an increasing number of devices (e.g. PDA, Camera, Mobile Phone, etc )
Cons
- May be another piece of equipment to worry about in the field in addition to your mobile device (albeit a very small piece)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

According to me option of compact flash is better.