diff --git a/adafruit_gps.py b/adafruit_gps.py
index 66d0eee..640aea9 100644
--- a/adafruit_gps.py
+++ b/adafruit_gps.py
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class GPS:
     """GPS parsing module.  Can parse simple NMEA data sentences from serial GPS
     modules to read latitude, longitude, and more.
     """
-    def __init__(self, uart):
+    def __init__(self, uart, debug=False):
         self._uart = uart
         # Initialize null starting values for GPS attributes.
         self.timestamp_utc = None
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ def __init__(self, uart):
         self.velocity_knots = None
         self.speed_knots = None
         self.track_angle_deg = None
+        self.debug = debug
 
     def update(self):
         """Check for updated data from the GPS module and process it
@@ -101,11 +102,13 @@ def update(self):
         sentence = self._parse_sentence()
         if sentence is None:
             return False
+        if self.debug:
+            print(sentence)
         data_type, args = sentence
-        data_type = data_type.upper()
-        if data_type == 'GPGGA':      # GGA, 3d location fix
+        data_type = bytes(data_type.upper(), "ascii")
+        if data_type == b'GPGGA':      # GGA, 3d location fix
             self._parse_gpgga(args)
-        elif data_type == 'GPRMC':    # RMC, minimum location info
+        elif data_type == b'GPRMC':    # RMC, minimum location info
             self._parse_gprmc(args)
         return True
 
@@ -115,15 +118,15 @@ def send_command(self, command, add_checksum=True):
         Note you should NOT add the leading $ and trailing * to the command
         as they will automatically be added!
         """
-        self._uart.write('$')
+        self._uart.write(b'$')
         self._uart.write(command)
         if add_checksum:
             checksum = 0
             for char in command:
-                checksum ^= ord(char)
-            self._uart.write('*')
-            self._uart.write('{:02x}'.format(checksum).upper())
-        self._uart.write('\r\n')
+                checksum ^= char
+            self._uart.write(b'*')
+            self._uart.write(bytes('{:02x}'.format(checksum).upper(), "ascii"))
+        self._uart.write(b'\r\n')
 
     @property
     def has_fix(self):
diff --git a/examples/computer_datalogging.py b/examples/computer_datalogging.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0e32132
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/computer_datalogging.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Simple GPS datalogging demonstration for use with a computer like Linux/desktop.
+# This actually doesn't even use the GPS library and instead just reads raw
+# NMEA sentences from the GPS unit and dumps them to a file.
+
+import serial  # pyserial is required
+
+# Path to the file to log GPS data.  By default this will be appended to
+# which means new lines are added at the end and all old data is kept.
+# Change this path to point at the filename desired
+LOG_FILE = 'gps.txt'  # Example for writing to local file gps.txt
+
+# File more for opening the log file.  Mode 'ab' means append or add new lines
+# to the end of the file rather than erasing it and starting over.  If you'd
+# like to erase the file and start clean each time use the value 'wb' instead.
+LOG_MODE = 'ab'
+
+# Create a serial connection for the GPS connection using default speed and
+# a slightly higher timeout (GPS modules typically update once a second).
+# Update the serial port name to match the serial connection for the GPS!
+uart = serial.Serial("/dev/ttyUSB0", baudrate=9600, timeout=3000)
+
+# Main loop just reads data from the GPS module and writes it back out to
+# the output file while also printing to serial output.
+with open(LOG_FILE, LOG_MODE) as outfile:
+    while True:
+        sentence = uart.readline()
+        print(str(sentence, 'ascii').strip())
+        outfile.write(sentence)
+        outfile.flush()
diff --git a/examples/gps_echotest.py b/examples/gps_echotest.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..450e6e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/gps_echotest.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+# Simple GPS module demonstration.
+# Will print NMEA sentences received from the GPS, great for testing connection
+# Uses the GPS only to send some commands, then reads directly from UART
+import time
+import board
+import busio
+
+import adafruit_gps
+
+
+# Define RX and TX pins for the board's serial port connected to the GPS.
+# These are the defaults you should use for the GPS FeatherWing.
+# For other boards set RX = GPS module TX, and TX = GPS module RX pins.
+RX = board.RX
+TX = board.TX
+
+# Create a serial connection for the GPS connection using default speed and
+# a slightly higher timeout (GPS modules typically update once a second).
+uart = busio.UART(TX, RX, baudrate=9600, timeout=3000)
+
+# for a computer, use the pyserial library for uart access
+#import serial
+#uart = serial.Serial("/dev/ttyUSB0", baudrate=9600, timeout=3000)
+
+# Create a GPS module instance.
+gps = adafruit_gps.GPS(uart)
+
+# Initialize the GPS module by changing what data it sends and at what rate.
+# These are NMEA extensions for PMTK_314_SET_NMEA_OUTPUT and
+# PMTK_220_SET_NMEA_UPDATERATE but you can send anything from here to adjust
+# the GPS module behavior:
+#   https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/datasheets/PMTK_A11.pdf
+
+# Turn on the basic GGA and RMC info (what you typically want)
+gps.send_command(b'PMTK314,0,1,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
+# Turn on just minimum info (RMC only, location):
+#gps.send_command(b'PMTK314,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
+# Turn off everything:
+#gps.send_command(b'PMTK314,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
+# Tuen on everything (not all of it is parsed!)
+#gps.send_command(b'PMTK314,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
+
+# Set update rate to once a second (1hz) which is what you typically want.
+gps.send_command(b'PMTK220,1000')
+# Or decrease to once every two seconds by doubling the millisecond value.
+# Be sure to also increase your UART timeout above!
+#gps.send_command(b'PMTK220,2000')
+# You can also speed up the rate, but don't go too fast or else you can lose
+# data during parsing.  This would be twice a second (2hz, 500ms delay):
+#gps.send_command(b'PMTK220,500')
+
+# Main loop runs forever printing data as it comes in
+timestamp = time.monotonic()
+while True:
+    data = uart.read(32)  # read up to 32 bytes
+    # print(data)  # this is a bytearray type
+
+    if data is not None:
+        # convert bytearray to string
+        data_string = ''.join([chr(b) for b in data])
+        print(data_string, end="")
+
+    if time.monotonic() - timestamp > 5:
+        # every 5 seconds...
+        gps.send_command(b'PMTK605')  # request firmware version
+        timestamp = time.monotonic()
diff --git a/examples/gps_simpletest.py b/examples/gps_simpletest.py
index 27b742f..e10bb23 100644
--- a/examples/gps_simpletest.py
+++ b/examples/gps_simpletest.py
@@ -18,8 +18,12 @@
 # a slightly higher timeout (GPS modules typically update once a second).
 uart = busio.UART(TX, RX, baudrate=9600, timeout=3000)
 
+# for a computer, use the pyserial library for uart access
+#import serial
+#uart = serial.Serial("/dev/ttyUSB0", baudrate=9600, timeout=3000)
+
 # Create a GPS module instance.
-gps = adafruit_gps.GPS(uart)
+gps = adafruit_gps.GPS(uart, debug=False)
 
 # Initialize the GPS module by changing what data it sends and at what rate.
 # These are NMEA extensions for PMTK_314_SET_NMEA_OUTPUT and
@@ -28,22 +32,22 @@
 #   https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/datasheets/PMTK_A11.pdf
 
 # Turn on the basic GGA and RMC info (what you typically want)
-gps.send_command('PMTK314,0,1,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
+gps.send_command(b'PMTK314,0,1,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
 # Turn on just minimum info (RMC only, location):
-#gps.send_command('PMTK314,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
+#gps.send_command(b'PMTK314,0,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
 # Turn off everything:
-#gps.send_command('PMTK314,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
+#gps.send_command(b'PMTK314,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
 # Tuen on everything (not all of it is parsed!)
-#gps.send_command('PMTK314,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
+#gps.send_command(b'PMTK314,1,1,1,1,1,1,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0')
 
 # Set update rate to once a second (1hz) which is what you typically want.
-gps.send_command('PMTK220,1000')
+gps.send_command(b'PMTK220,1000')
 # Or decrease to once every two seconds by doubling the millisecond value.
 # Be sure to also increase your UART timeout above!
-#gps.send_command('PMTK220,2000')
+#gps.send_command(b'PMTK220,2000')
 # You can also speed up the rate, but don't go too fast or else you can lose
 # data during parsing.  This would be twice a second (2hz, 500ms delay):
-#gps.send_command('PMTK220,500')
+#gps.send_command(b'PMTK220,500')
 
 # Main loop runs forever printing the location, etc. every second.
 last_print = time.monotonic()
@@ -71,8 +75,8 @@
             gps.timestamp_utc.tm_hour,  # not get all data like year, day,
             gps.timestamp_utc.tm_min,   # month!
             gps.timestamp_utc.tm_sec))
-        print('Latitude: {} degrees'.format(gps.latitude))
-        print('Longitude: {} degrees'.format(gps.longitude))
+        print('Latitude: {0:.6f} degrees'.format(gps.latitude))
+        print('Longitude: {0:.6f} degrees'.format(gps.longitude))
         print('Fix quality: {}'.format(gps.fix_quality))
         # Some attributes beyond latitude, longitude and timestamp are optional
         # and might not be present.  Check if they're None before trying to use!
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 8b13789..f6c1a1f 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-
+pyserial