Also see pictures and the extended review of VZ Navigator and Motorola v325.

I've owned a GPS unit for years. I drive around a lot, for both work and play. I need a cheap and easy way of figuring out where I am and where I'm going. Sure, I know well-meaning purists ask, "Andy, have you heard of a MAP?" But being a techie on the move, I need more. I want constant updates of where I am, what direction I'm heading, and specific instructions of how to get to my destination.

My GPS sometimes fits the bill, but is still limited. Screen size and quality are poor. It's twice the size of a cellphone, so carrying it is cumbersome. It tells me where I am, but can't easily tell me how to get to another location, unless I want to drive my car in a straight line, ignoring roads and plowing through houses and other expensive structures. It can only hold small maps of an area, and changing those maps requires a computer and lots of time.

I also have a cellphone. Constant communication is a good thing, allowing us to keep in perpetual contact with others, and increasing productivity, convenience and safety.

It was only a matter of time before a cellphone was combined with a GPS. In the race of combining cellphones with GPS functionality, Verizon blew across the finish line way ahead of the pack.

Yes, new gadgets are always fun to play with, but Verizon's VZ Navigator service is not your usual technology done a little better than what came before. This is something new, a blending of two existing technologies. When combined, they provide a tool arguably greater than the sum of its parts.

Currently available from Verizon on the Motorola v325 (soon available on most new Verizon phones), the VZ Navigator service seamlessly blends a cellphone with GPS technology, and gives functionality beyond many current handheld GPS units.

VZ Navigator can be used like those expensive specialty GPS units mounted in cars. You're given a constantly updating map of where you are and where you're going. Use the onscreen arrows and distance information to find out when and where to turn. Or just listen as it talks to you, with instructions like "Merge left on US-52 North for 33 miles." It displays mileage, street names and highway exit numbers for each step of your journey. For those interested in map navigation and geocaching, you can still get information like latitude, longitude and elevation.

The combination of cellphone and GPS is a checkmark on my list of technological innovation and progress. Science fiction stories are often filled with handheld do-everything computers, allowing the user to send and receive helpful information at will. Sound familiar? The beauty here is the science fiction became science fact. The VZ Navigator service is a technological step forward, making our lives easier and safer. Here's to continued innovation.

The VZ Navigator service is $10 per month, in addition to Verizon's phone and airtime costs, and works within Verizon's National Enhanced Service areas.