The biggest advantage of having a separate unit is that the GPS device has its own battery and doesn’t drain your smartphone battery. This is particularly interesting if the GPS device has data logging capability and stays on all the time, since it’s much easier (needs less signal power from satellites) to maintain a lock than to acquire a new one, so its quite possible to get a location if the GPS already had a lock, while it may take minutes or even hours to acquire one.

There are other similar devices that are much cheaper:

Bushnell Backtrack (http://www.bushnell.com/products/gps/backtrack/)
Grand daddy of cheap simple waypoint finder gps devices. Larger than keychain.

Navin miniHomer (http://www.semsons.com/namiwagpspof.html)
Less than half the cost, waterproof, supports datalogging. User interface isn’t as simple though.

GlobalSat GD-101 GPS Director (http://www.semsons.com/glgdgpsdi.html)
About half the cost, waterproof. User interface isn’t as simple and its a lot larger than keychain size. GlobalSat’s is not a newcomer to GPS devices.

Navibe BackTrack GPS (http://www.buygpsnow.com/Navibe_BackTrack_GPS.aspx)
Less than half the cost, waterproof, temperature. User interface is not as simple and its a lot larger than keychain size. This is a rebranded QStarz QFinder GF-Q900, QStarz has been around the block too.

An alternative idea: GPS tracker. You can get a GPS tracker with cellular interface for roughly $150-$200. You can send it a message and get back its current location. Never have to remember to hit a button when you leave the car (on the other hand, maybe car is in poor cell signal area), but you need a second GPS device to find your car, but that device could be your phone (but then, maybe poor GPS reception won’t allow your phone to acquire a lock).

@Andrew – Point taken. Although, I think if you park in an underground car park or multi story you’d have a better idea of where you parked as most floors are numbered. Plus, they’re typically not as large/wide compared to a normal outside car park, where it would be much harder to locate your vehicle. I do think the ECCO would struggle underground though, for sure!

@gheymann – At the moment, I’m not an Android, or iPhone owner… Blackberry yes, so unless there’s a BB app I can use that would save some $$’s then I’d opt for this.

@Damian – Although I haven’t reviewed it, I’m guessing it may lock onto to a GPS signal pretty quickly… plus, I have kids and have to sort out a few things before I get out of the car anyway, so by the time I’m ready to go shopping or whatever, the signal will be locked in. I guess everyone is different though!

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