An analysis of searches conducted by TeleNav users in December 2009 indicated that Walmart topped the list as the number one U.S. business TeleNav customers sought out while using their GPS service. Starbucks took a close second, proving Americans’ obsession with morning lattes and mochaccinos is still quite strong. Two more large retailers, Target and Best Buy, took the third and fourth spots respectively, while Bank of America rounded out the top five most searched destinations in the country.

TeleNav data from all GPS point of interest (POI) searches for the entire 2009 year indicates that drivers living in or visiting some U.S. cities need more assistance locating local hotspots than in others. Los Angeles took the number one position as the city where most GPS searches occurred in 2009. The Dallas/Ft. Worth area followed in a close second, indicating that while things may be bigger in Texas, it doesn’t always mean they’re easier to find. Chicago, Houston and Atlanta, respectively, rounded out the top five U.S. cities where most GPS searches took place.

TeleNav’s GPS search data also sheds some light on the cuisine preferences of American drivers. Search data from December 2009 showed that pizza is the top food item searched for by customers using TeleNav’s GPS applications. Residents of Chicago led the way in GPS searches for pizza while residents of New York City were most likely to search for the nation’s second preferred cuisine type, Chinese food. Rounding out the top five of America’s most searched food types are burgers, American food and Mexican food, respectively.

“Every month our users are conducting millions of searches while using GPS navigation applications. This data provides a very interesting look into the locations people across the country are searching for while on the road,” said Sal Dhanani, co-founder and vice president, products and marketing for TeleNav. “In addition to searches, our customers are relying on our products to complete millions of trips each month. The data we’ve collected from these trips has helped us identify the features that are most relied on by our users and provides an intriguing look into how GPS usage differs across the country.”

While users in every state depended on GPS guidance to travel, TeleNav’s usage data for the entire 2009 year indicates that residents of Maryland were the most frequent users of GPS guidance, using the technology for twice as many trips per month than the national average. Completing the top five areas with residents relying heavily on GPS navigation to guide them are the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, North Carolina and California.

Traffic remains an issue that many American drivers deal with on a daily basis. To help ease the stress of traffic, TeleNav provides users with real-time traffic information and the option to route around traffic incidents. As one of the nation’s most traffic-plagued cities, it may not be surprising that TeleNav users in Los Angeles chose to use GPS navigation to reroute around traffic more than any other city in the nation. Other top five cities where drivers preferred to use GPS to get around traffic instead of sitting in gridlock included Washington D.C., New York City, Chicago and Atlanta, respectively.

Because TeleNav products are connected, users receive real-time information such as searching for gas stations based on current prices. Data from December 2009 indicates that residents of Phoenix may be the most cost conscious drivers in America, as residents of that city averaged more Gas by Price searches than any other city. In a close second, residents of San Antonio were also looking to save a buck at the pump through Gas by Price searches. Cleveland, Detroit and Jacksonville, respectively, rounded out the top five cities with such economical drivers.

For more information, additional GPS usage rankings and downloadable graphics, visit www.telenav.com/about/pr-national-gps-usage.

* National GPS usage data was collected anonymously from users of TeleNav GPS navigation products.

Did you know that Garmin has a fleet management interface so you can turn the Garmin GPS device into a messaging terminal. Whether its delivery vans or taxi cabs, we team with many third parties in order to provide PND-based offerings that help operators make sure their vehicles are achieving maximum efficiency. Today, Navtrack announced they will use Garmin devices for real-time vehicle tracking and fleet management.

Our fleet management interface makes it possible for dispatchers to send multiple destinations and other instructions directly to drivers. By using the Garmin device as a screen in their vehicle, drivers get real-time voice prompted navigation, messaging and job dispatch capabilities at their fingertips. Using a third party sensor, fleet managers can also track vital GPS information like vehicle location, speed and direction of travel, distance traveled, elapsed time, number of stops and fuel status. 

With features such as ecoRoute, lifetime traffic and cityXplorer, the ultra-thin and portable nϋvi 1390T is popular for epic road trips and scenic vacations. But The Family Handyman magazine points out that it excels with everyday chores as well. In their April issue, The Family Handyman shines the spotlight on nϋvi as an example of "Brainier navigation."

"Even if you're not map impaired, you need this cool GPS from Garmin," the editors write. "It taps into traffic reports and reroutes you around traffic jams. That'll save you time. Want to pick up food on the way? This baby will pull up all the restaurants along your route and sort them by cuisine. Get the Bluetooth model and you can use it as a speakerphone."

While we all dream of big adventures and exotic excursions, thanks to the folks at Family Handyman for reminding us that little helpers like a pocket-sized nϋvi can keep our daily routine from becoming a nightmare.

Ever since an engineer first strapped one of our outdoor handhelds to handlebars a few years ago, amazing things have been happening to Garmin and our friends on two wheels. GPS-enabled stats are now a must-have for serious cyclists, elite athletes use our Edge devices to train with power data, and commuters navigate to and from their destination with ease. Here are just a few recent highlights, including a redesigned Web site for Team Garmin that was timed perfectly for big news.

Sprinter Robbie Hunter, a new addition to Garmin-Transitions, outhustled an impressive field at the Vuelta a Murcia two days in a row for consecutive stage wins and the honor of donning the leader's yellow jersey. To say this week has been memorable for Robbie would be an understatement as he withdrew from the race when his wife went into labor with their second child.

Using our products to win races is always awesome news, but it's incredibly inspiring to play a role in various charitable efforts. One such event that we're thrilled to be a part of is the Echelon Gran Fondo Series, where cyclists of all skill levels will ride various distances in a festive atmosphere to raise money for cancer survivors, cancer treatment and research. For information about the events in Napa Valley (5/23) and the Portland area (9/26), where pro cyclists Lucas Euser and Chris Horner were recently announced as ride ambassadors, visit www.echelongranfondo.org.

Sometimes it's the little things that make a big difference, and our custom friction mounts fit that saying perfectly. It's no secret that Garmin GPS devices are ready to go out of the box so that you can start navigating as soon as you leave the store. Even though a suction cup mount comes in the box as standard and does its job well, many of our customers are discovering our custom friction mount accessory at the time they purchase their GPS. The mount has become a hit with customers because they don't leave the ring-around-the-windshield mark and the friction mount has a non-skid bottom so it doesn't move around while driving. The team at GPSLodge.com recently looked at our new streamlined friction mount and they pointed out yet another advantage -- "the base is flexible and can conform to your dashboard's contours."

Pilots who own an iPhone or iPod Touch are rejoicing now that Pilot My-Cast by Garmin is available in the App Store. Pilot My-Cast for the iPhone and iPod Touch has been available for a few months, but today we launched a new video that shows it in action -- from customized flight plans and weather reports to flight filing. Pilot My-Cast for the iPhone and iPod Touch is available in the App Store for a monthly fee of $9.99, or an annual subscription of $99.99. And if you don't have an iPhone or iPod Touch, Pilot My-Cast is also available for countless other phones including BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices.

Edge 500 pulled off this feat in Bicycling magazine's Buyer's Guide, hitting newsstands now. Right there on the front of the magazine, under the heading "Get Started: Best Bargains + Smart Shopping Tips" you'll find Edge 500 showing off one of its customizable data fields. And inside, with a lifesize photo, the staff at Bicycling tells us "We love the Edge 500 because it's such an affordable entry point into the world of performance measurement. As a base unit, it's a sophisticated GPS-based computer that tracks your routes to upload to Garmin Connect." The description goes on to explain the various accessories that pair with this "perfect lightweight solution." To see for yourself, grab a copy of the Buyer's Guide. Or better yet, check out Edge 500 yourself. With referrals like this, you don't have to just take our word for it.