How to Use a Handheld GPS With Your Tablet (4 Steps)

Use the dedicated handheld GPS unit solely to compute precise coordinates, then plug them into the tablet's mapping software. This is ideal for the many inexpensive tablets that ship without a dedicated GPS radio, but even if your tablet has one, GPS devices often obtain more precise location fixes or latch onto weaker signals than the GPS radios included in many smartphones and tablets. Because the GPS only works for navigation, while phones and tablets balance power consumption against many different features, a handheld GPS usually holds and tracks satellite signals more strongly than non-dedicated devices.
Use the GPS unit to track several waypoints, which you can reconstruct on a map with your tablet to recreate routes or geotag photos. Although GPS-ready tablet mapping applications streamline point-to-point navigation, they aren't optimized for complex routing. If you need to either plot a complicated route or recreate a route you've already traveled -- for example, on a hiking trip -- let the waypoint feature on the handheld GPS unit record several positions, then transcribe them into your map software to present rich and accurate itineraries for your travels. In addition, photo applications increasingly recognize geotagging -- so if you snapped some beautiful photos in a remote wilderness or on a boating trip, record the spot with the GPS and add the coordinates to your photos later using the tablet-based photo editor of your choosing.
Augment your GPS device's limited display with richer maps while on the road. Although portable GPS units only need power and a view of the satellite constellation, all but the most expensive devices usually only plot very simple, low-resolution maps. If you need more context -- including real-time traffic monitoring or data about local destinations of interest like restaurants and gas stations -- your tablet can supply the missing information while rendering easier-to-read, larger visual presentations of several different data layers.
Use your GPS to fix locations where the GPS unit itself lacks solid mapping capability. In a marine setting, for example, a handheld GPS might provide a fix over the water, but the device's maps won't tell you when you're about to run your boat aground. Instead, install chart-plotting software on your tablet that's compatible with National Marine Electronics Association standards, and let your handheld compute your location while your tablet serves up current marine charts. For example, iNavX for iPad and iPhone supports offline maps, and syncs with any GPS unit that can connect using NMEA protocols.
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