Magellan Maestro 4250 4.3-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I spent a lot of time researching a GPS unit to purchase. I "settled" for the Magellan 4250 because I couldn't justify the additional $100-200 to purchase a similar Garmin product and I stayed away from TomTom because a retail store rep mentioned that those units were returned pretty frequently.

I took this unit with me to Las Vegas and it got me from point to point without issues. Directions are clear and the interface is pretty straight forward. Entering addresses is quite easy, route calculation is reasonably fast. It has a day/night mode and is quite visible even in direct sunlight. My only complaint with the screen is that the unit is still too bright when in night mode and the brightness is set to the lowest level.

I used the Trip Planner to enter multiple destinations for my trip up to Vegas. This made going from one point to the next easy as I didn't have to make any address entries or search for a POI. I just click on Guide Me, select the destination from my saved Trip and I'm on my way.

POI was very useful. You can search POI by Name, Category or AAA TourBook and then search near you, in a city or near an address. I like the breakdown of POI Categories, very user-friendly. If you have a Bluetooth compatible phone, you can contact the POI if they include the phone number. Just select the phone number and you'll be connected via the built-in speakerphone, which works pretty well. A feature that I didn't think I would use is the ability to choose what POI icons (coffee shops, shopping areas, gas stations, atm/banks, etc.) appear on the map. I found this feature quite useful in searching for a nearby coffee shop.

AAA information is great, I actually used this to find a nice breakfast restaurant. It gave me the restaurant hours, diamond rating and dress attire. Additional AAA TourBook information include these categories: Accomodations, Restaurants, Destinations, Attractions and Events. I found the Events outdated, but I was told by a Magellan sales rep that AAA will be releasing quarterly updates. As of this review, AAA still has not released any updates, they hope to have it up sometime in late 2007. Looks like they are waiting up to the last minute.

AAA Members have additional benefits, see AAA's website for more details. One notable benefit is an extra year warranty.

The Voice Command feature is a nice extra, but it will most likely go unused.

Bluetooth was not compatible with my phone (Cingular 8125), however, I was able to test it using the Sony Ericsson W800 and it worked flawlessly. When you receive a text message an icon appears on the map and you can read the message directly on the screen. The same goes with phone calls. The only downside is that you can't import your contact list.

Live Traffic information is free for 3 months and it looks like $40 per year subscription, quite reasonable. When you have the unit plugged into the FM power/receiver, you'll see an icon on the bottom right hand of the screen indicating traffic status, or if there are any issues on the way to your destination. I have yet to determine how fast/accurate the traffic updates occur.

A nice feature with this unit is that once you have entered your destination, you can look at the direction list and if you see a street that you don't want to include (let's say because you know it has heavy traffic), select that direction/step and you can exclude this from your route. Nifty.

If you are into customizable icons/voices, they are not built-in.

Overall, I am very happy with this purchase and would gladly recommend it to family, friends and strangers reading reviews on Amazon.com.

Job well done Magellan!

*** 2007-11-29 Update****

I've had the unit for about a month now. I have additional comments.

Auto Detour: If you are in traffic, the unit will suggest a Detour. I've only used it once, but it came in very handy.

Traffic: I've come to the conclusion that this is pretty accurate, though I wish there was an option to use the Auto Detour feature before actually hitting traffic.

Exit POI: While on the freeway, I can check to see freeway exit Restaurants, Lodging, Gas Stations and Auto Service Shops. The unit displays the distance to each Exit POI.

Voice Command: I didn't think I would use this much, but with proper annunciation, I found it more convenient to say "MagellanGo Home" instead of pressing the options on the screen.

Size: Since this is my first GPS unit, I may be taking it's size for granted, but I like that I can fit it in my jacket pocket.

Customer Support: When I first got this unit, I couldn't register the product, so I called Customer Support. They were very helpful in helping me register my product. I also had to call them a second time to get assistance in activating my Traffic Subscription, again they were very helpful and was able to resolve my issue.

My Complaints:
- At times the unit is a little slow to respond when an option is selected
- There is no quick/easy way to add a POI by name to the Trip Planner
- Text to speech doesn't always come off well (i.e. Los Angeles/CA-60 W is read "Los Angeles Forwardslash C A Dash Sixty W")
- Searching for a POI by name takes about 15 seconds
- I upgraded my phone to the AT&T Tilt, Bluetooth usage is limited to making and receiving calls

That's about it. I still recommend this unit.

*** 2008-07-30 Update****

I upgraded the firmware on my unit to version 4.60 and I felt the need to update my review. Magellan has improved quite a few things:

- Improved visual cues on the map makes navigation easier
- Bluetooth connection is now automatic, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a call from a friend without having the need to re-connect my Tilt. I was even more pleased when I was able to dial a POI phone number without re-connecting. (Still no SMS or Contact support for my Tilt, but that is probably an OS issue)
- Map scrolling is faster
- Re-route calculation is noticeably faster
- Magellan even fixed the text to speech issue I mentioned in my last update

One of the features I wish Magellan would improve is the time it takes to do a POI Search By Name. I use this feature quite a bit and waiting the 15 to 20 seconds to display a result set just seems too long.

I'm pretty sure there were other improvements that I haven't seen, but the fact that Magellan has released at least 2 firmware upgrades since I bought my 4250 states that they are committed to improving the user experience for their products.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "Job well done Magellan!"

*** 2009-07-12 Update****

Magellan released yet another firmware update, version 4.86, and I have to applaud them for their latest fixes/additions:

- POI Search By Name time has finally been reduced! I searched for a store (whoselogo resembles a bullseye) and search took 4-5 seconds, very fast! There are still times when it takes around 10 seconds, but that didn't happen too often.
- Map drawing speed has also been increased when you scroll around, it is quite noticeable.
- Voice Command is more responsive.
- Lastly, Magellan added 2 new turn chimes, one for a left turn and another for a right turn. Very nice.

Alright, consider this my last review update (unless Magellan releases another firmware upgrade). I officially have no more complaints.

Thanks Magellan!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan Maestro 4250 4.3 Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
Maestro 4250

Say a command and enjoy hands-free control of your Maestro! Make phone calls with your Bluetooth-enabled phone. Get LIVE traffic reports! Maps of the U.S. and Canada, 6 million points of interest (POI) and AAA TourBook information enable you to easily find destinations. Use the intuitive menu on the 4.3" wide color touch screen and get an instant route with voice guidance.

Features:

Voice command: Voice Command & Control enables hands-free operation. See video.

Sophisticated and simple: Amazingly easy-to-use, route to your destination in seconds without even needing to read the instructions.

Ultra-thin & stylish: The thinnest personal navigation device available combines style and functionality in a pocket-sized design.

4.5" WQVGA color touch screen: The large touch screen shows your position, Points of Interest, route, ETA and more on the interactive map.

Hands-free phone calls: Bluetooth® wireless technology and built-in microphone enable you to make calls using your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone.

LIVE traffic capability: Integrated traffic receiver sends real-time incident reports to the screen with alerts for slow-downs, accidents, road closures, severe weather and more. Maestro automatically prompts you to reroute when a quicker way is available. A FREE 3-month service subscription makes it easy to avoid traffic. (Requires activation. Fees apply after introductory period.)

AAA TourBook™: Built-in guide gives you instant access to AAA approved and rated lodging and restaurants, recommended attractions, discount locations and roadside assistance.1

Pre-loaded North American maps: Built-in maps enable you to travel all 50 United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.

6 million Points of Interest: Pre-programmed POIs make it easy to find gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, coffee and more. Search by name or category near your position or near any city.





Want to read more honest consumer review about Magellan Maestro 4250 4.3 Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator now ?