Showing posts with label roadmate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roadmate. Show all posts

6/29/2011

TomTom ONE Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator Review

TomTom ONE Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I've been using my TomTom ONE for a week and a half or so and overall, I'm quite happy with it.Out of the box or after having been moved a significant distance while off, the unit takes about a minute or so at most to determine its position.From a warm start, it's usually a matter of seconds.

Route calculations are generally finished quickly, as are recalculations when you fail to follow the route.Since the shortest rout distance-wise isn't always the fastest, I've diverted from the TomTom's original route and it usually recalculated a new route within moments of me going 'off course.'

I've only run across a couple downsides to the TomTom ONE, neither of which is too serious.First, the maps (at least in the DC/MD/VA metro area) are a few years out of date.There are a number of roads which just aren't in the unit's database.Some streets 'lose' their name for some reason.For example, one section of a street on the map may be labeled as 'Main Street' and another part of the same street may be "Unnamed Road."City names can be kind of iffy as well.When trying to input a specific address, I've often had to resort to entering the address by zip code since the TomTom's map database considers my home to be in a neighboring city name-wise and it won't find my street name in the city in which I actually live.

The second thing that kept me from giving the device 5 stars is the client interface on the computer.The client is supposed to allow the user to access the ONE and perform certain functions on-screen, but apparently is missing some component to actually emulate the unit.I've not gotten a response from TomTom regarding the problem, but have read elsewhere online that they know there's an issue with the client.

Overall, the TomTom ONE is a very nice, basic navigation system.Updated maps and a fixed version of the PC client software will hopefully be forthcoming and would make it a 5 star product.

Click Here to see more reviews about: TomTom ONE Portable GPS Vehicle Navigator

Product Description:
Coming to the United States after making a splash across Europe, the TomTom ONE is a complete portable GPS vehicle navigation device with an incredible range of features. A sleek design, comprehensive wireless capabilities, and a sharp display combine to make the TomTom ONE a vital companion on the road. Like TomTom's other navigation systems, ONE gives you coverage in all fifty of the United States.


The TomTom ONE's 3D driving view offers a clear picture of the road and maneuvers ahead. See the ONE in detail.

TomTom PLUS services give you the latest traffic and weather conditions. You can also download additional city maps, voices, points of interest, and much more.

The device's icon-driven menu system makes using the ONE a snap. View larger.

Once you've input your destination, the ONE quickly calculates the best route. View larger.

You can even change your route to avoid traffic and roadblocks. View larger. But it's not just the broad geographical coverage that makes the TomTom ONE special. The user-friendly design also puts it a step above other navigation systems. The crystal-clear multicolor display makes for exceptionally easy viewing of maps, routes, driving directions, and other traveling information, such as mileage and distance. Measuring 3.5 inches, the TFT display offers a resolution of 320 x 240 to provide brilliant two- and three-dimensional graphics. The device also features 32 MB RAM and 380 MHz CPU, making it responsive and zippy. Using the USB port and the provided cable, you can use your PC to add your own points of interest.
ONE provides clear and accurate turn-by-turn voice instructions, so that you don't have to take your eyes off the road while your vehicle is on the move. Voice instructions are issued at a speed-sensitive volume, so as your vehicle's engine becomes louder or quieter as your speed changes, the volume adjusts itself accordingly, guaranteeing clear and easy listening. And because voice instructions are available in over 30 languages, just about anyone will find the TomTom ONE to be an invaluable system.
With its touch-sensitive screen, the TomTom ONE puts programming and operation literally at your fingertips to make sophisticated technology simple. The built-in database offers thousands of points of interest for you to use as destinations or reference points as you plan your trip. ONE will also provide a selection of available routes, giving you the option of avoiding toll roads or choosing between the quickest or the most scenic routes. The database includes zip codes to simplify your route selection, and for extra convenience, the TomTom ONE lets you save the addresses of frequent destinations, making route planning easier and faster than ever. Other display features include a compass mode to assist you with directional orientation, and an anti-glare screen for optimal viewing even in direct sunlight.
For additional navigational features to assist with trip planning, the built-in Bluetooth connection provides access to TomTom PLUS subscription-based services, so that you can tune in to the latest traffic and weather conditions, as well as download additional city maps, voices, points of interest, and much more.
Weighing less than 10 ounces and measuring 4.33 x 3.5 x 1.34 inches, the TomTom ONE can be easily installed in any vehicle. An included windshield suction mount holds it in place. Plus, with an operating temperature range of an icy -10 degrees to a sweltering 55 degrees Celsius (14 to 131 degrees Fahrenheit), the navigator is durable enough for New England winters or Arizona summers. The TomTom ONE is powered by an internal lithium ion battery that can be charged from your vehicle's cigarette lighter with the included 12-24V adapter.
What's in the Box
TomTom ONE device, suction mount, car charger, USB 2.0 data cable, and installation CD with connection software and manual.

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5/30/2011

Magellan RoadMate 700 3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Magellan RoadMate 700 3 inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
It was a battle between the Garmin 2610 and the Roadmate 700. My main criteria is ease of use and accuracy. Actually, I bought this unit for my wife who works as a home visiting nurse. She has been relying on Thomas Guide Maps eversince. So, I want a GPS receiver that is very user friendly, that even a grandma can use. I compared the 2 units side by side at Fry's. I researched the whole Cyberspace for the best car navigation system to date, and I found the answer in the Magellan Roadmate 700.
POSITIVE: Wow! The crisp display and big screen was one of the factors that attracted me to the Roadmate. The Garmin LCD has 256 colors while the Raodmate has a TFT with 32,000 color capability. The roads are more easier to look at because of the color rendition. You can even adjust color settings to make it look like the Thomas Guide Maps.We've been using the Roadmate for about 2 weeks now and so far the WAAS is always active. This results in greater accuracy. According to my wife once she is in front of her patients house, the Roadmate acknowledeges that destination has been reached. It also tells whether the house is in the left/right of the street. This proved to be very valuable since she doesn't have to look left and right looking for the house. It recalculates routes very fast in case you miss a turn or exit.
Another thing, don't worry about the flimsy aircon vent mount, just call technical support and they send you a windshield gooseneck mount which is very nice. Now that's what I call customer service! It grips very firmly to the windshield like your rearview mirror. I think it is better than the bean bag dash mount.
The LCD display is very intuitive. It automatically zooms in while your getting near your destination, and it also shifts to 3D when your approaching a turn. When you lose GPS signal while your in a tunnel, the display automaticlly goes to the turn by turn mode so you can still be guided. The touch screen is amazing. Those using the old GPS units with buttons will want this unit.
I also like the route exclusion feature. For example, I always want to avoid the 91 freeeway because of the terrible traffic. You can customize it to always exclude it or you can just touch the 91 route in the turn by turn display and tell it to disregard that freeway, and alas! you are directed to take another route.
The unit also assigns up to 3 users, each user setting is customizable, just like when you log in Windows. Within each user you can save up to 100 addresses. Previous destinations are also saved automatically. This is comparable to the waypoint feature in the Garmin 2610.
The voice guidance is all you need! No need to look at the unit while you are driving. As of this time, we have not been misdirected by the vocal guidance on any route. But I will update my review if we experience such. This equals to SAFETY while driving.
For those worried that having a hard-drive in a portable GPS unit might be bad, the internal harddrive that comes with this unit is similar to the microdrive in compact flash cards. The unit is made for rugged use, unlike the ones on PC's.
Roadmate 500 vs 700? I'd say go for the 700. The fact that you don't have to buy additional CF cards in the future justifies the $200 hundred dollar difference. Not to mention that you still have to pre-authorize CF cards for $50 prior to use, although your first one is free.
Another bonus, the unit can be used for off-road driving! I hav'nt tested it but the Magellan website says it is capable of that. I have to call tech support to confirm.
NEGATIVE: BAD! The one thing that really bothers me is that there is no post-office listings in the POI. How can they forget the USPS locations. I occasionally look for post-offices while I travel. There is a mention here that the documentation is bad. That is quite true. If you are a non-technical type of person, the manual will suffice. For example, I want to know how to update the firmware and maps, there is no mention of that in the docs. Even though the Roadmate 700 comes with an internal hard drive, it still has a compactflash port, there is no mention of that in the manual if it is operable or not. It does not come with a USB cord nor an AC adapter like the Roadmate 500. How come? This is the top of the line unit.
The waypoint feature of the Garmin 2610 is preferred by experienced GPS users over the previous destinations feature of the Magellan.
The price of the Magellan 700 is several hundereds more compared to the Garmin 2610 but I think it's features justify the additional cost. What I have listed here is the positives and negatives based on 2-3 week use of the GPS. Hey! The positives outnumber the negs. I also agree with the other reviewers that this isn't a perfect unit, but to date it's the best you can buy.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 700 3 Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
This powerhouse GPS unit just keeps gaining in popularity. Recently bestowed the honor of being named one of "Oprah's Favorite Things for Holiday 2004" it's just getting better and better every year. With the previous version of the RoadMate 700 lacking in included accessories this years RoadMate 700 hits a home run as Magellan has wisely included in the package a windshield suction cup mount, a 12V DC vehicle power adapter, 110V AC power supply, USB data cable, universal cradle and of course a user's manual.
The Magellan RoadMate 700 offers a powerful dash-mounted navigation tool with turn-by-turn voice prompts, making it easy to get to new and unfamiliar locales anywhere in the lower 48 U.S. states and Canada (For a fee it can be loaded European maps using the Magallen web site and the included USB connection cable). It also features a bright color TFT LCD screen (2.25 by 3 inches), touchscreen input, WAAS reception (for 3-meter accuracy), and multiple ways to select your route and then view it on screen.
True View 3D navigation shows you the actual road layout.
The RoadMate 700 is one of the few GPS devices that's ready to go as soon as it's unpacked. Its whoppingly huge 20 GB internal hard drive comes preloaded with detailed road maps for all of the U.S. and the southern (most populated) section of Canada, so you won't have to fiddle with selecting map regions from a CD-ROM and having to transfer the data from a PC. If you keep your addresses on a PDA with IrDA capabilities then you'll enjoy the RoadMate's ability to upload the addresses wirelessly and point you right to your destination. In fact each of the 3 profiles that the unit keeps track of is allotted space for 100 addresses, making a total of 300 addresses available. Of course the most important address, home, can always be accessed with just a few clicks and from any menu and the RoadMate 700 will guide you back with ease.
You can also choose a map view, or the maneuver list.
If you are planning on using the RoadMate 700 with an older car--make sure it has a cigarette lighter power adapter, or leave enough time to charge it up in your hotel room or office with the supplied AC power cord. This also means that you won't be able to use the RoadMate 700 as a handheld device outside of your car. As for mounting, the included suction cup windshield mounting hardware is quite easy to use and allows you to mount the unit on any glass surface in your car. The RoadMate unit easily clips into the provided windshield bracket and can be tilted and turned with it's adjustable arm so you can see it easily and safely while you navigate. Quickly locate points of interest and amenities along your route. One of the benefits of the windshield mount is that because it's a suction cup mount you can move it in seconds from car to car with no problems at all. This newer suction cup based windshield mount is an improvement over the older three pronged mount that used to come with the RoadMate units. The older three-pronged mount was inserted into one of the middle air conditioning vents on your dash; the prongs are bendable to help you get the most secure fit, but never gave as secure of a fit as the windshield mount does.
But the RoadMate 700 shines as a virtual co-pilot. During our tests, it consistently acquired a satellite lock quickly (within a minute) and displayed our current position. From there, we searched through the vast library of POIs (points of interest) to find our destination (Seattle's baseball stadium). The RoadMate 700 has four different modes of getting you to your destination--shortest route, shortest distance, least use of freeways, and most freeways. Selecting shortest route got us to this venue using very practical directions that weren't far off from what we normally would choose.
If you're traveling to a destination that's not a widely known POI (such as a friend's home), no problem. You can enter the exact address into the RoadMate 700--using the touchscreen to tap letters and numbers into several search screens--to have it create a route. (You can also save 100 destinations in the address book.
QuickSpell minimizes typing.
The voice prompting was clear and audible (thanks to the two built-in speakers), and we were given ample warnings for upcoming turns. One of the RoadMate's nicest features is the Repeat button (which is smallish, but the only button found on the top of the device). If you miss a turn instruction, press it to repeat the previous voice prompt. Of the three view modes, True View was our favorite--it displays a 3D street-level view that helped us orient ourselves to our surroundings.
Overall, we were quite thrilled with the RoadMate 700's features: the color screen was bright and readable even in direct sunlight and the voice prompts were clear and not distracting to our driving. Best of all, the UI (user interface) screens are easy to navigate and--thanks to its large hard drive and map database--it's ready to go as soon as you open the box. While the price is not for the faint of heart, it will be a very valuable tool for many drivers (from business folk to parents) who need to get to unfamiliar locations quickly and smoothly. -- Agen G.N. Schmitz


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5/14/2011

Magellan RoadMate 1412 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Magellan RoadMate 1412 4.3 inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Pros:
4.3 screen, slim design, good build quality, nice screen, nice graphics, text-to-speech works well, acquire signal fast, uses Navteq map and routing works the way you would expect if you didn't have a GPS and had to map the route yoursself, no round-around routing, has 4 routing options, fastest, shortest, maximum freeway, minimum freeway, a compass is built-in and shown in the upper left corner, plenty of POIs, 6 million of them, good quality windshield mount

This model locks in signal EXTREMELY FAST and it works indoors too
The first time you use you may notice some screen sluggishness but after that it's very responsive, my take is that it might have to do with some kind of first-time initialization

Cons:
No home AC adapter, only car adapter, windshield mount arm is a little short, a bit heavier than most other GPS but probably due to the case but this should not be viewed as a negativeI picked this up at Costco with a $50 off coupon and at $150 this is one of the few GPS on the market that offer text-to-speech, Navteq map and 6 mil POIs. This model uses the Centrality Atlas III GPS chipset which is considered to be even better than the SIRF III chipset

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 1412 4.3 Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
The Magellan RoadMate 1412 is pocket-sized, ultra-thin, and stylish, and features an extra large 4.3-inch wide-format, full color interactive touchscreen. The expanded Points of Interest database offers 6 million built-in destinations for an incredible value. Find fuel, food, lodging, ATMs and hundreds of other businesses and services with a few touches of the screen. Plus, it includes built-in maps of the entire United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

Clear 4.3-inch WQVGA touchscreen shows your position, POIs, route, ETA and more on the interactive map

Use the intuitive menu options to pick your destination and choose how you navigate to virtually anywhere. If you want to stay on the freeway, avoid freeways, travel the shortest distance or arrive in the quickest time, your Magellan RoadMate enables you to navigate the way you want. You can even exclude specific roads or freeways from your route and also avoid toll roads.


SayWhere text-to-speech tells you street names with every turn-by-turn direction.


The advanced QuickSpell feature intelligently searches addresses and Points of Interest, offering you a simple list of available locations. It even checks spelling so you can enter a destination with just a few touches of the screen.


SmartDetour prompts you to route around sudden slow or stopped freeway traffic and automatically re-calculates the fastest detour.


The integrated rechargeable battery offers navigation for up to three hours. Search destinations, plan trips and enter addresses and personal Points of Interest from a meeting place, restaurant or anywhere power is unavailable.
Innovative easy-to-use interface makes it a breeze to find the route to your destination in seconds--without even needing to read the instructions.
Click to enlarge.



Adjustable mount for your windshield or dashboard.




Key Features Include

    Large wide-format color 4.3-inch WQVGA touchscreen shows your position on the map, route, destination, ETA, surrounding Points of Interest, signal strength, next maneuver, street names and more at a glance.
    6 million Points of Interest: Easily find what you need. Gas stations, restaurants, hotels, ATMs and hundreds of other businesses and services are intuitively categorized and searchable from the built-in POI database. Most include the phone number.
    Expanded NAVTEQ maps let you Travel the entire U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada with all the maps you need, pre-loaded on the included SD memory card.
    SayWhere text-to-speech lets you hear street names with every voice direction and have a clear understanding of when to make the next turn while you keep your eyes on the road.
    Bold, intuitive menu options make it easy to pick destinations and choose how you navigate, without even reading the instructions.
    Uniquely stylish and compact, it's easy to transfer your Magellan GPS between vehicles or toss it in a suitcase to take anywhere.
    Select the types of services and amenities you'd like to see and interactive POI icons appear on the map. Touch an icon for a nearby service to see address, phone number (when available) and get an instant route.
    Program any location into the "Home" button and find your way back from wherever you are.
    Enter destinations with a few keystrokes. QuickSpell searches locations and checks spelling to provide you with a simple list of available destinations.
    SmartDetour prompts you to route around suddenly slow or stopped freeway traffic and automatically calculates the quickest detour. No fee or subscription is required.
    Clearly see your surroundings in 2D or 3D with Birds eye 3D view.
    Never miss a turn with Auto re-route and quickly get back on track whenever you take a detour.
    Auto NightView controls color and contrast adjusting automatically for easy viewing at night.
    Choose the way you want to navigate to use the most freeways, least freeways, fastest time, shortest distance and avoid toll roads. Exclude specific streets or freeways after a route is calculated to get there the way you want.
    Multi-destination routing: Select up to 20 destinations and choose the order to plan a trip in advance and repeat the same trip again. Easily reorganize, add or remove destinations.
    Create and save personal Points of Interest for easy reoccurring trips.
    Navigate up to 3 hours when power is unavailable with its rechargeable battery:
    The Centrality Atlas III processor with integrated GPS receiver provides superior GPS performance for accurate and reliable positioning and navigation within three meters.

What's in the Box
Magellan RoadMate 1412 4.3-inch widescreen portable GPS navigator, adhesive disk for dash mounting, basic cradle, swivel mount, vehicle power adapter (12-24 watts), quick reference guide and CD, alcohol pad



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4/15/2011

Magellan RoadMate 5045 5-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic Review

Magellan RoadMate 5045 5 inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I previously had a Magellan Maestro from 2006 but it recently was stolen. I loved the unit and wanted to replace it. When I found this RoadMate for under $200, I thought I would give it a try. I have several observations:
1. 2010 maps provide a lot better navigation experience than the old ones from 2006.
2. RoadMate has a comparatively huge display that is very appealing
3. RoadMate does not support voice command, while Maestro did/does. However, I was never able to train the voice command system to consistently accept my voice commands. Not only do I not miss this feature, I somewhat prefer not having voice command, obviating any temptation to use it.
4. RoadMate traffic alerts work well, especially since unlimited usage is included at no charge, ever. A small triangle display shows a red border when an incident exists en route or near. There is no audible announcement. One must tap the icon to see a summary. Often but far from always, at least one alternative route will be offered. Simply tap the appropriate "detour" icon to change to that alternative route. One must tap the "Report" button from the summary screen to see a map indicating all incidents. That is slightly tedious, but I cannot think of a more efficient way to do it. The major downside is that sometimes I have run into traffic jams that were not reported. I don't think I can legitimately blame the unit for that. Overall I find the traffic feature useful and intuitive.
5. This unit gives audio directions along with the visual. The audio is much less verbose than the Maestro, and therefore I find it greatly improved. It also is a lot smarter about calculating routes. Older maps often routed me circuitously. This unit almost always chooses sensible routes.
6. Use the auto-expand feature to better select the proper lanes through an intersection, turn, or other situation, such as a freeway split. This is a big improvement over the older models.
7. Overall, navigation is greatly improved. The timing of audio cues is much more appropriate. For example, the chimes indicating a turn come only after passing the last possible wrong turn. Still, they keep up. For example, I have made three quick freeway ramp changes, one after another, and the lane directions were still in time to be followed.
8. Magellan and AAA data bases for "points of Interest" are separate and often must be queried separately to find all "hits". This is only a slight inconvenience, noticeable mostly when using "Search by Name". The "one touch" feature is nice, but actually I have little use of it. If you have many many addresses, it could be very useful. I also like the address book having a lot of new features where a lot of information can be entered. All good stuff.

Overall, I rate this an excellent unit at the price point of under $200. I would purchase it again preferentially over the $350 Maestro. Then again, I don't use voice command.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 5045 5 Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic

Product Description:
The RoadMate 5045 is perfect for larger vehicles, including SUVs, RVs, and trucks. The large 5-inch screen is 35% larger than a standard 4.3-inch screen. You won't have to worry about finding your way with the RoadMate 5045.
The Magellan RoadMate 5045 premium features include lifetime traffic alerts, highway lane assist, OneTouch favorites, highway exit POIs, and built-in AAA TourBook.


Magellan has partnered with the most trusted name in travel--AAA. Only Magellan products include the built-in AAA TourBook with Diamond ratings and descriptions on AAA-approved places to stay, play, dine, and save.


Personalize your travel experience with the OneTouch menu of your favorite places and searches. Bookmark your favorite coffee shop, restaurant, gas station, or bank to find the nearest location, anywhere you travel!


Enjoy subscription-free lifetime traffic alerts available at any time! Premium maps of the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico make this perfect for travel across the country or everyday commuting.


Perfect for large or small vehicles, the Magellan RoadMate 5045 is a premium navigator packed with features!

Features




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3/28/2011

Magellan RoadMate 1445T 4.3-Inch Widescreen GPS Navigator with Traffic Link Receiver Review

Magellan RoadMate 1445T 4.3 inch Widescreen GPS Navigator with Traffic Link Receiver
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Good thing Amazon provides a 30 day return policy. I bought this unit because I had great experiences with my 5 year old subscription based Magellan GPS.But right out of the box the Traffic Link did not work.I called Magellan's tech support to figure out the problem.After 90 minutes of trying to explain to someone across the globe that traffic coverage should be pretty solid in Los Angeles and I was getting no signal - only the message "acquiring signal" they agreed to replace the Traffic Link.About a week later it showed up via FedEx Ground.Once again, excited I plugged the unit in and headed for a 200 mile day trip in LA.NOT ONCE did it ever acquire the signal. I called Magellan and once again spoke to someone across the globe who apparently never heard of Los Angeles or the awful traffic here.They kicked me around for another 90 minutes to arrive at a supervisor who said I had two options - send it in to Magellan for repair - at my cost - or return it to the retailer I bought it from.
If the Traffic Link would have worked with either adapter I would have kept the unit.It's boxed and ready for drop off to return to Amazon.
Be very careful.If it doesn't work out of the box then return it immediately to Amazon.Do NOT mess with Magellan. I wasted 2.5 weeks of waiting and 3 hours on the phone with them. Don't you have better things to do?

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 1445T 4.3 Inch Widescreen GPS Navigator with Traffic Link Receiver

Product Description:

The premium 4.3-inch Magellan RoadMate 1445T GPS navigator boasts free, live traffic alerts and the exclusive OneTouch favorites menu. The included Traffic Link service provides free lifetime traffic alerts. Preloaded premium maps and six million points of interest for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico make the Magellan RoadMate 1445T GPS product ideal for both business trips and vacations. Easy-to-use premium features give you confidence on the road and deliver an exceptional navigation experience.

FEATURES


Exclusive OneTouch Favorites Menu
Easily bookmark favorite destinations and searches with personalized bookmarks so you can find them anywhere you travel. Find your favorite café or restaurant in any city with a single touch. The Magellan RoadMate 1445T device definitely delivers "Your favorites at your fingertips."
Exclusive AAA TourBook Guide
No membership required... Invaluable to anyone who travels, the AAA TourBook guide information on all 50 states and Canada is built into your Magellan RoadMate 1445T and provides ratings and descriptions on AAA approved places to stay, play, dine, and save.
4.3-inch Touch Screen
The wide, ultraslim 4.3-inch color touch screen is perfect for everyday travel. Click to view full-size image.
6 Million Points of Interest (POI)
Easily find whatever service you need. Gas stations, restaurants, hotels, ATMs, and hundreds of other businesses are intuitively categorized and searchable from the built-in POI database.
Highway Lane Assist
Realistic highway signs point you in the right direction when approaching interchanges and exits, and ensure that you'll choose the correct lane well before your next turn.
Highway Exit POI Search
Search for gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more near upcoming highway exits.
QuickSpell with SmartCity Search
Enter destinations with only a few touches. QuickSpell with SmartCity search helps you quickly enter addresses and narrow location searches, making destination entry easy.
Multi-destination Routing
Plan a trip with multiple stops in the order you want or optimize it for the most efficient route. Easily reorganize, add, or remove destinations.
Spoken Street Names
Hear street names and directions for a clear understanding of when to make the next turn while you keep your eyes on the road.
Premium Maps
Travel the entire United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada with all the maps you need, pre-loaded on your device.
*Lifetime Maps entitles you to receive up to four (4) map data updates per year, for the life of the GPS receiver or until Magellan no longer receives relevant map data. Visit MagellanGPS.com for complete details.What's in the Box
Magellan RoadMate 1445T GPS Receiver; Pre-Loaded Maps of United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico; Windshield Mount; Adhesive Disc for Dash Mounting; Vehicle Power Adapter; USB Cable; User Handbook; User Manual on CD-ROM

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3/24/2011

Magellan RoadMate 1440 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Magellan RoadMate 1440 4.3 inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I am very happy with the Magellan RoadMate 1440, it's just such a good GPS Navigator with all the bells and whistles!

The 1440 is very accurate at saving you time during trips, you can set it up to give you the fastest route or the shortest distance to your destination, which in many cases, is not the same route.

The highway lane assist is one of those features that you might not think you need until you start dealing with lower end GPS units that don't offer such features. Take it from a guy who used to own a tomtom One 3rd edition! This feature helps you make sure that you are choosing the correct lane to exit during a freeway interchange. You'll be glad you have this feature, trust me!

Just in case you were wondering, this unit is also compatible with the "Magellan Traffic Link" (sold Separately) which gives you FREE real time traffic alerts in exchange for small banner ads such as "AM/PM too much good stuff!" displayed on the top of your screen. a small price to pay for such a great service! In case of a traffic jam, a small timer will appear right next to the traffic warning sign, which tells you how many minutes it estimates you will be stuck in there. Click on the warning sign and it will give you a second route to follow. It will compare both routes for you and give you an estimated arrival time for each one. At this point you can opt to avoid traffic or deal with it. This is one of the best features of this unit and a must have for people who have to deal with hours of traffic on a daily basis! (yes, I live in California and traffic jams are a part of my life)

I purposely "got lost" many times to test how accurate the unit was. I would assign a "point of interest" and make the wrong turns just to see how long it would take it to catch up to me, let me tell you it's fast! in most cases it will have a new route to follow before I even hit the next intersection.

It comes with TTS (text to speech) which means it actually tells you to "turn right on Magnolia" as opposed to "turn right in 30 feet", this is a nice feature to have, but it was a must have feature for me, since my previous unit didn't have it.

One odd thing about the 1440 is that when you save a new address to your address book, it automatically assigns it to "Home" in many cases I was trying to add a place of business and it didn't give me the option to do so, it has the "Business" space but you need to add a home address before it lets you add the business address, so everytime I click on "work" it shows me a little picture of a house as opposed to a picture of a building. Nothing big really, I'm sure they can fix that with a firmware update.1440 vs 1470

I also tested this unit against it's bigger brother, the Magellan RoadMate 1470 displaying a 4.7" screen. If you are like me and are looking at this item, you probably have been switching screens between this one and the 1470!

Looks: The 1440 seems to be a little thicker than the 1470, not a big difference, really. The 1470 feels smoother and it has rounded edges as opposed to the square look on the 1440. The back on the 1470 is silver, the back on the 1440 is black.Display: The 1470 screen has richer colors than the 1440, at their higher settings, the 1470 is just a little brighter than the 1440, still the 1440 screen is just as bright as you need a GPS screen to be.

Response time: I tested them in situations such turning them on/off, missing my turns to see how fast it would relocate, assigning destinations and looking up Points of Interests, The 1440 responded from 1-3 seconds faster than the 1470 model. Might not seem like much of a difference, but when you're on the road, just a few seconds might make you miss your exit!

Features: they both have the exact same features, nothing different here.

Sound: The 1440 has a slight louder speaker than the 1470. Both units are great, differences were very minimal. This choice is mostly determined on how big you want the screen and how much you are willing to pay for the difference.

I hope that this review helps you make a better buying choice!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 1440 4.3 Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
The Magellan RoadMate 1440 device boasts the acclaimed OneTouch menu, a 4.3-inch color touch screen, and an ultra-thin design. Preloaded maps and points of interest for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico make the RoadMate 1440 ideal for both business trips and vacations. Easy-to-use, premium features give you confidence on the road and deliver a powerful navigation experience.


Easy-to-use, premium features give you confidence on the road and deliver a powerful navigation experience. Click to enlarge.
OneTouch favorites menu affords instant access to your personalized bookmarks of favorite places and searches anywhere you travel.Click to enlarge.
AAA TourBook provides ratings and descriptions on AAA approved places to stay, play, dine, and save. Click to enlarge.
Highway lane assist signs show highway signs to point you in the right direction when approaching interchanges and exits.Click to enlarge.
Multi-destination routing with route optimization lets you plan your trip with multiple stops in the order you want or optimize a trip for the most efficient route, helping you save time and money. Click to enlarge.
QuickSpell with SmartCity search narrows your address and city searches, making destination entry easy. Click to enlarge.
The Magellan RoadMate 1440 includes many premier features, starting with Magellan's exclusive OneTouch favorites menu, QuickSpell with SmartCity search, and highway exit point of interest (POI) search, to name a few. Magellan's attention to detail delivers a superior user experience.
Intuitive and robust navigation
The RoadMate 1440 lets you bookmark your favorite destinations and searches with the OneTouch favorites menu so you can access them anywhere you travel. With a single touch, find your favorite cafe or restaurant when you're traveling within any city.
QuickSpell and Smart City search help you quickly enter addresses and narrow your address and city searches, making destination entry easy. Multi-destination routing with route optimization lets you plan your trip with multiple stops in the order you want or optimize a trip for the most efficient route, helping you save time and money.
Safety first on the road
You can keep your eyes on the road as you drive because spoken street name guidance announces the street name along with audible turning cues. Highway lane assist offers visual aids to point you in the right direction and ensure that you'll choose the correct lane well before your next turn.
Should your vehicle unfortunately break down as you travel, the AAA locate screen provides your location so help will know where to find you. Get support fast with the AAA Member Roadside Assistance1 phone number and your location displayed on the RoadMate 1440 screen.
Ready to roll
You're ready to travel with preloaded maps and points of interest for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico that make the Magellan RoadMate 1440 ideal for both business trips and vacations. (Mexico map activation available for purchase on www.magellangps.com).
With millions of points of interest at your command you can easily locate gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, coffee shops, and much more. If you need more information or you want to save money, select the AAA search menu after your search entry. AAA TourBook provides ratings and descriptions on AAA approved places to stay, play, dine, and save.
When you're traveling down the Interstate and need to find gas, food, or lodging in a hurry, touch the highway exit POI icon to see which upcoming highway exits have the services you need.
Do you often find yourself tied up in traffic? The RoadMate 1440 is Traffic Link compatible, offering live onscreen traffic-incident reports. (The Traffic Link accessory is sold separately).
Turn it on and go!
The Magellan RoadMate 1440 is loaded with premier features you'll need to get you where you want to go.

Magellan RoadMate 1440 Features


    OneTouch favorites menu affords instant access to your personalized bookmarks of favorite places and searches anywhere you travel. With a single touch, find your favorite cafe or restaurant when you're traveling within any city.
    4.3-inch color touch screen provides powerful navigation that's easy to view and use.
    AAA TourBook provides ratings and descriptions on AAA approved places to stay, play, dine, and save.
    AAA Member Roadside Assistance gets you help fast with a toll-free member service number to assist you in finding an AAA approved tow truck or repair shop. The menu also shows your exact GPS location so you can provide precise information to your location.
    Highway lane assist signs show highway signs to point you in the right direction when approaching interchanges and exits, and ensure that you'll choose the correct lane well before your next turn.
    Spoken street names and directions so you can hear and see where you need to turn next.
    QuickSpell with SmartCity search narrows your address and city searches, making destination entry easy.
    Multi-destination routing with route optimization lets you plan your trip with multiple stops in the order you want or optimize a trip for the most efficient route, saving you time and money.
    Preloaded maps give you information and directions as you travel the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. (Mexico map activation available for purchase on www.magellangps.com).
    Millions of points of interest (POIs) help you easily find gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, coffee shops, and much more.
    Highway exit POIs search shows you gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more near upcoming highway exits.
    Branded POIs display your favorite coffee shops, restaurants, and more by their respective logos.
    Traffic Link provides live, onscreen traffic notification updates. (This accessory is sold separately).
    Customizable route method lets you select the shortest distance, fastest time, most use of freeways, or least use of freeways to customize your route.
    Address book enables you to create and store contact information.
    Auto night view adjusts your screen's color and contrast for easy night viewing.
    Automatic re-route lets you quickly get back on track in case you missed a turn.
    Plan route on map by simply touching a destination on the map screen and then directly routing to it.
    Rechargeable battery gives you the freedom to drive wireless or plan your trip when your vehicle's engine is turned off.

What's in the Box
RoadMate 1440 GPS receiver, Pre-loaded maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, Windshield mount, Adhesive disc for dash mounting, Vehicle power adapter, User handbook, USB cable, User manual on CD-ROM


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3/06/2011

Magellan RoadMate 1212 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Magellan RoadMate 1212 3.5 inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I purchased the 1212 from a big box store recently and so far I like it. It is very easy to use and the interface (Windows CE Core 5.0) is easy to use and the voice direction is clear and easy to understand. There are a few quirks though....
1. Sometimes the system lags when you press a button and you have to press it again or wait.
2. If you enter into a submenu from the map or route screen it is difficult to get back to the original map menu. Though the system seems to still keep you on track and let you know about turns etc...
3. The included software link and software on the installation package are not very useful. You get a standard PDF version of the user manual which contains a good amount of information on the operation of the product and was useful. The software POI (Points of Interest) editor allows you to enter additional points of interest and upload them to the GPS. Only one problem with this software. Unless you know the longitude and latitude coordinates of the place you want to add you won't be able to and the software is very basic in that you can only enter known information and there is no way to look it up or select it. Other software Vantage Point and Mapsend and mapsend manager are not for this unit and therefore do not work.
4. This may not be a problem with the routing algorithms of the software but it insist that I take a turn into a oneway street to get to my house which is not possible. On the upside is that if you turn around and go another direction the unit quickly calculates a new route for you. Same thing it does if you miss a turn. As a side note: the maps for this unit according to the magellan site are from 2007 and the site lists the unit as a new product and there are no updates for it. I have not contacted magellan asking them about an update but the other products seem to have one so eventually we'll see one for this one.
In the box:
The unit comes with a suction cup windshield attachment kit and a power cord to plug into your car lighter. If you want to connect it to your PC you will have to purchase a separate usb to usb mini cable.
Some other neat features it has..

-You can edit (from the unit) and add your own points of interest.
-The unit contains a SD card that you can backup and restore saved information on.
-the unit can be carried with you around town and so if you are walking it will tell you where you are, direction etc...
- the screen has "+" and "-" buttons to easily adjust the topview detail. again the lag sometimes hits here.
-It is sensitive to where I am moving and even vertical direction when moving around just inside my home office here.
-If you touch and drag your finger on the screen it will move the map accordingly though with a slight lag.

When purchasing this unit I also looked a the comparable Tom Tom 130, I chose this unit because the text talk (where it speaks the street, destination and road names). The tom tom unit had that as an add on for ~$100
All in all for the less than $200 that I paid for this unit I think I got my money's worth and I like the unit so far. Only time will tell if my needs out grow or the maps become dated too quickly.
I you are looking for a unit under $200 and are willing to put up with its little quirks then you will be quite happy using this little gem.

One thing you might consider before purchasing any GPS unit is to figure out where you want to install it. I have not found the perfect position but I am thinking that on the drivers side near the door on the windshield near the dash. So I would have to operate it left handed. But that seems the most out of the way. I also tried installing it way up by the rear view mirror but it seems a little close to my head to read easily. The windshield attachment is fully adjustable and is about 6 inches long fully extended.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 1212 3.5 Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
Affordable, thin, and amazingly easy to use, the Magellan RoadMate 1212 enables you to find virtually anywhere in seconds without reading the instructions. The sharp 3.5-inch color touchscreen adds pleasure to driving. See your position on the interactive map, plus distance to the next turn, distance to destination, estimated time of arrival, street names and more, all at a glance. The simple touch-screen menu presents easy options! Voice guidance offers worry-free driving with spoken turn-by-turn directions so you can keep your eyes on the road.

Clear 3.5-inch QVGA color touchscreen shows your position, POIs, route, ETA and more on the interactive map




Easily find your way around town with built-in maps of two North American countries and Puerto Rico. 6 million pre-programmed Points of Interest (POI) enable you to search and select nearby services, and recreation and business locations. Find gas stations, restaurants, hotels, ATMs and more. Phone numbers are included (when available) so you can call ahead for information and reservations.


The Centrality Atlas III processor and built-in high-sensitivity antenna provide the fastest position acquisition in the industry for reliable navigation. QuickSpellTM intelligently searches and checks spelling so you can enter your destination with just a few touches of the screen. SmartDetour prompts you to route around sudden slow traffic.


The integrated rechargeable battery provides navigation for up to3 hours when power is unavailable.


Thin, elegant and completely mobile; take your Magellan RoadMate anywhere for easy, accurate navigation.
Innovative easy-to-use interface makes it a breeze to find the route to your destination in seconds--without even needing to read the instructions.
Click to enlarge.



Adjustable mount for your windshield or dashboard.




Key Features Include

    SayWhere Text-to-Speech that clearly announces the street name of your next turn.
    3.5-inch QVGA color touchscreen that shows your position, points of interest, route, estimated time of arrival and more on the interactive map.
    Built-in pre-loaded maps enable you to navigate the Unites States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
    6 Pre-programmed million of Points of Interest (POIs) make it easy to find gas stations, restaurants, ATMs and more. Search by name or category near your position or near any city.
    Thin and stylish--Combines style and functionality in a pocket-sized design.
    Innovative and amazingly easy-to-use, route to your destination in seconds without even needing to read the instructions.
    Touch an onscreen interactive POI icon for a nearby destination to see name, address, phone number (when available), and get an instant route.
    QuickSpell, predictive spelling, guides in you address entry by eliminating irrelevant characters as you type.
    SmartDetour automatically prompts you to route around sudden slow traffic.
    Centrality Atlas III Processor provides superior GPS performance and navigation.
    Rechargeable battery lets you navigate for up to 3 hours when power is unavailable. Recharges while driving via the included vehicle power adapter.
    Automatic re-route never lets you miss a turn and quickly get back on track whenever you take a detour.
    Customizable route method help you select Fastest Time, Shortest Distance, Least or Most Use of Motorways, and Avoid Toll Roads.
    Create and store personal Points of Interest for easy reoccurring trips.
    Auto night view adjusts color and contrast for easy night viewing.
    SD-card compatibility so you can back up your address book.

What's in the Box
Magellan RoadMate 1212 receiver, vehicle power adapter, adhesive disk for dash mounting, windshield mount, basic cradle, preloaded map on SD card, user manual on CD-ROM, quick-start guide, reference manual



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3/05/2011

Magellan RoadMate 1220 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Magellan RoadMate 1220 3.5 inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Competition is good and I am happy to see another respectful contender in the GPS navigation arena. But competition is competition, so for the purpose of this review I have borrowed my wife's Garmin Nuvi and ignoring other drivers raced eyebrows, drove around for several weeks with two GPS navigators.

First, what I really like about RoadMate:
- it is small and slick and fits into my shirt pocket
- it has three hours of battery life
- it has fast and very well organized user interface
- its address input feature is just great; in general I am able to enter a destination address in RoadMate two times faster than in Garmin.
- RoadMate shows exit services and has lot of useful location-sensitive information only a touch away
- it has a pretty loud speaker
- it finds satellites faster than Garmin and loses them less frequently
- when building the route, it allows you to select several travel options for that route (fastest, shortest, most highways)
- it understand multiple intermediate points and optimize the route among them

Now, things I am not particularly fond of:
- the screen is two times dimmer than Garmin's screen, but still perfectly usable
- it takes RoadMate 35 seconds to start up (Garmin's startup time is 20 secs)
- it never bother informing the driver when it lost satellite reception, conveniently freezing the display with no further directions
- it never informs the driver about missing a turn, recalculating the route in silence (now I appreciate Garmin's "recalculating" message)
- the map has bugs and is not yet upgradeable (I hope this is temporary)
- no maps for countries other than USA and Mexico are available (I hope this is temporary too)
- the so called 3D map is hardly 3D and has limited zoom capabilities
- the text to speech system suffers from chronic tonsillitis and is sometimes difficult to understand

Now for real problems:
It is sad when an almost perfect design is nearly destroyed by two drawbacks. Each problem may be relatively minor, but their combined effect is disastrous.
The first small, annoying bug: when the unit zooms into the map at an intersection, it never returns back to the original zoom. This means that after the first turn you get maximum zoom and unless you adjust it manually while driving, you have no clue as to what lies ahead.
This problem alone could be OK if not for numerous bugs in voice prompts. This is the part where improvements are overdue.
RoadMate voice guidelines software is way behind the competition. It may tell you to "stay on the current road" several times and then suddenly tell you to take exit. It may bother you with multiple advices to "stay on the current road" without any visible reason. At the fork it may or may not tell you whether to keep left or right. It may prompt you to take a "slight turn" just because road bends but sometimes it really means a turn. Even worse - if right exit happens to bend to the left, the unit sometimes tells you to take a "slight left turn".
To be frank, voice prompts are usually correct, but bugs mentioned above are too often. In the end I just want to see the next turn at the unit's screen.
It all boils down to the simple question - would you turn your attention to the road and rely on buggy instructions or start adjusting zoom level at 3.5 inch GPS screen?

In comparison, Garmin unfailingly starts prompting you for any turn enough in advance to let you make any necessary changes, and keeps reminding you of the turn. It almost never makes mistakes in voice instructions. It always tells you whether to keep left or right. Also, Garmin always zooms out to show the next turn (unless the next turn is a few hundred miles away).

Well, RoadMate is not a terrible GPS system, but in light of other choices, I would not necessarily recommend this one.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 1220 3.5 Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Product Description:
The Magellan RoadMate 1220 device boasts the acclaimed OneTouch menu, a 3.5-inch color touch screen, and a pocket-size design. Preloaded maps and points of interest for the contiguous 48 United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico make the RoadMate 1220 ideal for around town and vacations. Easy-to-use features give you confidence on the road and deliver a rewarding navigation experience. Turn it on and go!


Turn it on and go! Click to enlarge.
OneTouch favorites menu affords instant access to your personalized bookmarks of favorite places and searches anywhere you travel. Click to enlarge.
Multi-destination routing with route optimization lets you plan your trip with multiple stops in the order you want or optimize a trip for the most efficient route, helping you save time and money. Click to enlarge.
QuickSpell with SmartCity search narrows your address and city searches, making destination entry easy. Click to enlarge.
Preloaded maps give you information and directions as you travel the contiguous United States, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
The Magellan RoadMate 1220 includes many premier features, starting with Magellan's exclusive OneTouch favorites menu, QuickSpell with SmartCity search, and highway exit point of interest (POI) search, to name a few. Magellan's attention to detail delivers a superior user experience.
Intuitive and robust navigation
The RoadMate 1220 lets you bookmark your favorite destinations and searches with the OneTouch favorites menu so you can access them anywhere you travel. With a single touch, find your favorite cafe or restaurant when you're traveling within any city.
QuickSpell with Smart City search help you quickly enter addresses and narrow your address and city searches, making destination entry easy.
Multi-destination routing with route optimization lets you plan your trip with multiple stops in the order you want or optimize a trip for the most efficient route, helping you save time and money.
Safety first on the road
You can keep your eyes on the road as you drive because spoken street name guidance announces the street name along with audible turning cues.
Ready to roll
You're ready to travel with preloaded maps and points of interest for the United States and Puerto Rico that make the Magellan RoadMate 1220 ideal for both business trips and vacations.
With millions of points of interest at your command you can easily locate gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, coffee shops, and much more.
When you're traveling down the Interstate and need to find gas, food, or lodging in a hurry, touch the highway exit POI icon to see which upcoming highway exits have the services you need.
Do you often find yourself tied up in traffic? The RoadMate 1220 is Traffic Link compatible, offering live onscreen traffic-incident reports. (The Traffic Link accessory is sold separately).
Turn it on and go!
The Magellan RoadMate 1220 is loaded with premier features you'll need to get you where you want to go.

Magellan RoadMate 1220 Features


    OneTouch favorites menu affords instant access to your personalized bookmarks of favorite places and searches anywhere you travel. With a single touch, find your favorite cafe or restaurant when you're traveling within any city.
    3.5-inch color touch screen provides powerful navigation that's easy to view and use.
    Spoken street names and directions so you can hear and see where you need to turn next.
    QuickSpell with SmartCity search narrows your address and city searches, making destination entry easy.
    Multi-destination routing with route optimization lets you plan your trip with multiple stops in the order you want or optimize a trip for the most efficient route, saving you time and money.
    Preloaded maps give you information and directions as you travel the United States and Puerto Rico.
    Millions of points of interest (POIs) help you easily find gas stations, restaurants, ATMs, coffee shops, and much more.
    Highway exit POIs search shows you gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more near upcoming highway exits.
    Branded POIs display your favorite coffee shops, restaurants, and more by their respective logos.
    Traffic Link provides live, onscreen traffic notification updates. (This accessory is sold separately).
    Customizable route method lets you select the shortest distance, fastest time, most use of freeways, or least use of freeways to customize your route.
    Address book enables you to create and store contact information.
    Auto night view adjusts your screen's color and contrast for easy night viewing.
    Automatic re-route lets you quickly get back on track in case you missed a turn.
    Plan route on map by simply touching a destination on the map screen and then directly routing to it.
    Rechargeable battery gives you the freedom to drive wireless or plan your trip when your vehicle's engine is turned off.

What's in the Box
RoadMate 1220 GPS receiver, Pre-loaded maps of the contiguous United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, Windshield mount, Adhesive disc for dash mounting, Vehicle power adapter, User handbook


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