Portable GPS Mysteries: What Is GUI?

When you are looking at functionality and convenience, it's hard to beat today's portable GPS navigators. Many of these units feature capabilities and functions not even thought about a few years ago. The screens are large enough to be easily read, and the graphics are clear and concise.

One way to interact with portable GPS navigators is through a GUI, also known as a "graphical user interface". Exploring GUI is definitely something worth looking into.

Nearly every computer enthusiast or geek even knows that the term "GUI" is not normally spelled out, but rather pronounced phonetically - "gooey".

GUI enables a computer user or, in our case, a portable GPS user, to make use of a screen that allows you to interface with its functions, to easily control your device, without the need to know complicated programming information.

In addition to computer operating systems, GUI is a standard feature on many portable GPS units, and it works within the touchscreen, allowing you to tap on the face to select a choice from the GPS menu.

Many of the newer and more high-tech GPS devices go beyond the point and click ability that nearly anyone who has used a computer will understand. All you need to do with modern GPS devices is use a cursor or director button, place your arrow over the GUI and click, to get to the interface.

You don't need to feel like the GUI workings are sneaking up on you, forcing you to display your computer ignorance, if that is a problem you think you may have. Simply look at the cell phones, high-def TV's and any other devices that require you to interact with them.

You can look at GUI like an office building directory terminal if it helps you, or any other place where you have been using graphical user interfaces for years.

There is also basically no difference between a computer GUI and one in a cell phone screen or GPS device, other than the way GUI works behind the "scenes" to bring up and display information for you. You don't really need to understand a lot more than that, in order to use GUI effectively.

Because portable GPS navigators work with a small amount of memory, usually using Windows CE or a similar operating system, they can suffer from prioritization and memory recall issues, just like any other GUI.

When your GPS unit malfunctions, you'll need to re-enter the unit's operating system through a menu, and then reboot it. It's not a big deal, since the whole process takes only a minute or so.

Truthfully, GUI interfaces have allowed makers of GPS devices to offer the units to you at prices that were unheard of just a few years ago. Add a portable GPS navigator to your car (and your boat, if you have one) as soon as you can, to join the digital revolution.