Real data about the GPS:

1. GPS is short for the navigation method known as the Global Positioning System.
2. There was remarkable cooperation between the US Department of Defense and Dr. Ivan Getting of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who created GPS.
3. Originally used by the US military to locate the US military position around the world and was not authorized for public use. No later than 1983, it is made available to the public.
4. Initially, there were 11 satellites to support GPS, but due to increasing demand and need for advanced features, 13 more satellites were launched to make a total of 24 satellites in the sky.
5. Has a map installed to track the location on the map.
6. You can indicate your location on the map, as well as your speed, altitude and compass information.
7. GPS satellites orbit the earth twice a day in a precisely guided orbit. These satellites transmit informative signals to earth and are received by the GPS navigator.
8. The GPS satellites were placed high above the earth’s surface (about 11,000 miles above the earth) to eliminate any interference due to the geometry of the Earth that could cause problems with GPS signal reception.
9. There are several types of GPS navigators which are portable, handheld and in-dash devices.
10. In-dash navigators are devices built into the dashboard of a car and generally help give direction instructions to the driver.
11. Portable navigators are devices that come in the form of smartphones like Waze, Sygic and many more.
12. The portable navigator can be mounted or detached from the car dashboard and can also be used by pedestrians
13. Users can also improve their GPS system reception by purchasing smarter GPS navigators.
14. You can get 2D and 3D GPS systems

GPS Fun Facts:

1. In 1992 it was used by the military in Operations Desert Storm
2. Believe it or not, scientists in Minnesota have used GPS to study the behavior and feeding habits of deer
3. Surveyors used GPS to measure how much buildings had moved after the Oklahoma City bombing
4. It has settled clashes between landowners
5. It is of great help in hunting and locating wrecks
6. He and his data have revealed that Mount Everest is getting taller
7. In fact, it is the only system today that is accurate enough to give the exact position on Earth regardless of chaotic weather outside or at any possible time.
8. A narcotics suspect was arrested after a GPS-enabled boxed turtle helped police in Rock Creek Park.
9. There is a pet tracker, be it a collar or backpack device, so you can track your lost or missing pets and hopefully find them.
10. Now GPS is installing location based games on their handheld units to give the user an interactive way to use the system.
11. You can also put the GPS tracker on your relative’s so that you can locate their position at any time.