One of my favorite features is alarm that goes off when it finds a fish - perfect if you want to close your eyes for a short sleep. Of course, alarm can be turned off - it can get annoying if its constantly beeping as it finds fish below you.

This isn't a fish finder for deep-sea fishing - you'll need something more powerful for that - but for lake fishing I don't think you could do better.

The Bottom Line Fishing Buddy - highly recommended."

Prices for automotive GPS start at around $250 US. These provide turn--by--turn guidance. Spend a little more than that and you get voice guidance. These are larger than handhelds in order to accommodate a screen large enough to be seen while driving. They are powered by car's electrical system and because of this, they can only be used in a vehicle.

Many automobile manufacturers now offer built-in GPS receivers as an option. Because they are built-in, big advantages are security and aesthetics. They are quite a bit more expensive than add-on units and often have fewer options. I've also heard some stories of people having a hard time getting map updates.

A PDA/GPS is a good alternative for automotive use. Its screen is about size of an automotive unit, so seeing display is not a problem. They can also be powered by car, eliminating battery worries. The Garmin PDAs mentioned above both come with hardware and software for automotive use.

If you're hiking, a basic handheld unit (without maps) will be fine since you'll always have paper maps with you anyway (you will, won't you?). An advantage to a handheld mapping unit is that they usually have more advanced features than basic units. For driving, you have choice of a handheld, in--car dedicated, or PDA. The handheld does have limited usefulness in a car, as it does not provide turn--by--turn guidance. For a more detailed look at how to choose a GPS, click here.