# GPS receiver for laptop? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-receiver-for-laptop/471557 "2008-11-07T00:12:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-receiver-for-laptop/471557/1 "2008-11-07T00:12:13Z")
I am looking for a GPS receiver for my Gigabyte M912 so I can use navigation software on it. I am also hearing about fast GPS receivers that recalculate position 5 times a second or more. These can be used as a cheap alternative to telemetry modules like the [Racelogic Vbox](http://www.racelogic.co.uk/?show=VBOX). Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-receiver-for-laptop/471557/2 "2008-11-07T06:51:40Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > I am looking for a GPS receiver for my Gigabyte M912 so I can use navigation software on it. > > I am also hearing about fast GPS receivers that recalculate position 5 times a second or more. These can be used as a cheap alternative to telemetry modules like the [Racelogic Vbox](http://www.racelogic.co.uk/?show=VBOX). > > Any suggestions? Yes , Microsoft Streets and trips should come with the software, maps and a reciever that plugs into the usb port. It also works with bluetooth if you have that onboard the laptop. Price up in Canada was 60 bucks when I went to pick it up. There are two versions, one with the usb gps and one with just the maps, it will say which on the box. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-receiver-for-laptop/471557/3 "2008-11-07T12:17:40Z")
Is that gps receiver any good? Also I don’t think Streets and Trips has european maps. ---
**Author:** ![Shadowfyre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfyre/32/9972_2.png) [@Shadowfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadowfyre)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-receiver-for-laptop/471557/4 "2008-11-07T16:03:00Z")
[http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0017KEA6W/ref=nosim/3147335-20](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0017KEA6W/ref=nosim/3147335-20) Amazon has Microsoft Streets & Trips for $64.99 with the GPS unit included. However, 3 out of 5 reviewers gave it one star. ---
**Author:** ![3waygeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e95f7d/32.png) [@3waygeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3waygeek)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-receiver-for-laptop/471557/5 "2008-11-07T17:00:31Z")
If your laptop has Bluetooth, there are a number of Bluetooth GPS receivers available from places such as [BuyGPSNow](http://www.buygpsnow.com) and [Semsons](http://www.semsons.com) that will work quite nicely with laptops and PDAs/smartphones. Some of these units also have logging capability, in which position is recorded over time in the device’s memory for later retrieval. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-receiver-for-laptop/471557/6 "2008-11-07T18:16:12Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > Is that gps receiver any good? Also I don’t think Streets and Trips has european maps. Microsoft AutoRoute is S&T with Western Europe maps added (including Greece). ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2008, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gps-receiver-for-laptop/471557/7 "2008-11-07T22:55:37Z")
For someone who hates Microsoft, I loved using Streets and Maps and its GPS receiver while working on Katrina recovery. It always had good signal.