We could report what the national average for gas price is, but chances are it will be 5 cents higher by the end of the day. But most GPS units can give you a rundown of the gas prices in your driving area, and a brand new model -- the TomTom 920 -- can do you one better by finding the lowest- priced gas in the area. ABC News reports the 920 finds "the cheapest gas stations within a 30-mile radius." ABC affiliate WLAJ-TV explains the 920 "uses satellites to search for the cheapest gas prices."
According to GPSLodge, GPS manufacturers acquire gas prices through a combination of satellite and transaction monitoring. "A company called OpisNet scans the credit card transaction streams for fleet vehicles and watches for gas transactions, checking for gas prices and reporting them," they report. GPS Magazine says, "MSN Direct enabled devices, such as Garmin's StreetPilot c580, nuvi 680, 780, and 880, as well as GPS units from TomTom and Dash Navigation can download this data and display along side each gas station."
TomTom 920T also has Enhanced Positioning Technology, to estimate your location and continue to provide directions for you should its receiver lose its signal. PC Magazine notes, "the estimate isn't as accurate as the location determined when actually tracking three or more satellites, but until you regain a signal, it's far better than having your screen frozen at your last known location."
The new TomTom is currently available in stores, with pricing starting in the mid $300s.
