8/04/2011

Magellan Maestro 4370 4.3-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Review

Magellan Maestro 4370 4.3 inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
4350 vs 4370: The 4370's screen is higher res ad it's sold exclusively at Best Buy, otherwise they're exaclty the same. ...I haven't seen the two side-by-side.

Why I bought the Magellan 4370?: I spent a great deal of time researching all the units and I eventually narrowed it down to the Tom Tom Go, Garmin Nuvi and this one. On paper, they're very similar, but the Tom Tom's wikipedia-like Mapshare made it the early leader. The problem was after spending about 2 minutes playing with each of them,the Garmin clearly had the best interface, now making it the leader.After spending a great deal more time playing with the menus, I stumbled upon some POI features in the Magellan I couldn't live without.The ability to customize the on-map POI's was exaclty what I needed. I could choose to have my bank, and only my bank visible on the map. Same goes for my favorite restaurants, places to shop, etc. And when I'm on the interstate, I can easily find food, gas, and lodging at the next exit...without pushing a button.

What I'm using it for?: I'm somewhat new to South Florida, so between work and fun, I'm constantly looking for an impossible address, and then I'm hungry and/or need an ATM.Also, I go on many weekend trips.

Pros: Lane change is useful, 3d building are cool, one-touch is great, time to destination is a life saver, but the far-and-away best features are the POI's. I don't want to push buttons, I'm driving, I just want it to show me what's nearby. The Exit POI's are even cooler. Again, without pushing a button, I can see if the next exit has gas, food, lodging and/or car repair/towing services.I can't tell how many times I printed out google instructions, called someone to look something up for me or was hungry and no idea where to go.What took me so long to get a GPS?!I love this thing!

Cons: Needs to be reset far too frequently...stupid Windows OS. It's easy to reset and takes only seconds, but this shouldn't happen in a $400 device.As compared to the satellite images I'm used to using in Google, these maps look cartoonish and old (Google needs to make a GPS).Suction cup/install kit that comes with it looks like a small crane on your dash/windshield...hideous. And like my Sun Pass, it doesn't keep its suction forever.When driving in a parking lot, it thinks you're on the main road making it jump around like a crazed fool recalculating over and over again...very annoying.The map is rather accurate, but I've seen a few small mistakes...destination is actually on the other side of the road, you don't need to go all the way to the light and make a u-turn, destination is no longer there/map is now out of date, etc.The street names are mostly pronounced accurately, but sometimes they get butchered...more amusing than an issue.

Conclusion: Despite the cons, I love this thing and I can't stop raving about it. Like my first cell phone, how in the world didI ever live without one?

Wishlist for future GPS designs: Aside from the many POI's that show up as logos (likely due to Magellan selling advertising to these companies), I can't tell one POI within a category apart from another. i.e. All shopping POI's are blue with a shopping cart, no matter if I select "all," or just "Target." I wish I could customize them so that Target was red with a "T" and Walmart was blue with a "W." Maps should be satellite images instead of 1980's-looking computer graphics.I'd like to be able to touch an on-map POI and choose if I'd like to route to it.As it stands now, they're hard to touch, and when you do get them, you have to push another button at the top and then decide if you want to route there...still better than Garmin and Tom Tom. I'd like the clickable items I the menu to be boxed, so that they cover a larger area and are easier to click. i.e. Like the Garmin.

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Product Description:

Effortless navigation! The new OneTouch menu, featured on the Magellan Maestro 4370, gives you instant access to your favorite places and searches. Simply customize the OneTouch icons to display the points of interest you want easy access to--restaurants, banks, businesses, and so many more. OneTouch also saves searches. Program your favorite coffee shop to a OneTouch icon and you can easily search for that shop anywhere you are at the moment.


Advanced 2D and 3D navigation on a 4.3-inch touchscreen. Click to enlarge.
The Magellan 4370 also makes the perfect travelling companion with maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Getting to your destination is made easier with announced street names and directions, voice guidance, lane guidance, and 3D buildings to easily spot landmarks. Live traffic reports allow you to navigate around heavy or stationary traffic, while Pedestrian mode makes it easy to continue your route once you've parked the car.


With 6 million points of interest, the question isn't "how do I get there" but "where do I go next".OneTouch Menu
Easily bookmark favorite destinations and searches with personalized bookmarks so you can find them anywhere you travel. Find your favorite caf� or restaurant in any city with a single touch.


4.3-Inch, WVGA Color Touchscreen
Provides clear, crisp on-screen graphics and seamless touch panel control.


3D Landmarks
Navigation gets easier with easy-to-spot visual cues--in color.Spoken Street Names
Announces street names and directions at each turn, so you get a clear understanding of when to make the next turn while you keep your eyes on the road.


3D landmarks provide easy-to-spot visual cues, so you can get your bearings.
AAA assistance gives your location details and the AAA phone number.
Bluetooth Compatibility
Connect your compatible cell phone via Bluetooth and use your Magellan Maestro as a hands-free device: initiate and receive calls, send and receive SMS messages.Lane Guidance
Get a clear image showing you exactly which lane you should be in--ideal for complicated highway exits or intersections.


Live Traffic Capability
Provides you with real-time incident reports to the screen with alerts for slow downs, accidents, road closures, severe weather, and more. Should you come up on an incident, the Maestro 4370 will automatically prompt you to reroute when a quicker way is available.FM Transmitter
Hear voice guidance through your car's FM stereo with the built-in FM transmitter function. Allows you to connect without the nuisance of an auxiliary cable.Built-in AAA TourBook
No membership required� The Magellan-exclusive built-in AAA TourBook guide provides ratings and descriptions on AAA approved places to stay, play, dine, and save.


AAA Roadside Assistance
Screens gives your location details and the AAA phone number. In case of a flat tire you know who to call and what to tell them.


Gas stations, restaurants, hotels, ATMs, and millions of other destinations are searchable from the huge POI database.
SmartDetour automatically prompts you to route around sudden slow freeway traffic.
6 Million Points of Interest (POIs)
Gas stations, restaurants, hotels, ATMs, and millions of other destinations are searchable from the huge POI database.


QuickSpell
Auto-Complete feature makes it easy to enter destinations with just a few touches of the screen and even corrects spelling.Pedestrian Mode
Allows you to continue on your route once you've parked your car.SmartDetour
Automatically prompts you to route around sudden slow freeway traffic. Different detours are calculated using the same routing method that was used to create the route, and a list of alternate routes is displayed.Rechargeable Battery
Lets you navigate for up to 4 hours when power is unavailable.Automatic Re-Route
Missed a turn? Forced to detour? Automatic re-route quickly gets you back on track.Customizable Route
This method lets you select your preferred route from options displayed with driving time.Integrated Media Center
Insert an SD card into your Magellan Maestro with audio, video and picture files. Listen to your favorite music during navigation, and view pictures or watch video files while not driving.Watch Your Speed
Drive safe with the optional speed limit warning. A voice and icon will let you know when you are exceeding the speed limit.

What's in the Box


Magellan 4370, USB Cable, AC Adapter, FM Traffic Antenna, Windshield Mount, Cradle, Protective Pouch, Quick Start Guide, User's Manual



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