Showing posts with label vehicular gps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vehicular gps. Show all posts

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Goodyear GY 145C 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Goodyear GY 145C 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
THIS MIGHT WORK IF IT HAD ALL THE THINGS IT NEED TO WORK NO MAP CARD COMES WITH IT

Click Here to see more reviews about: Goodyear GY 145C 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Goodyear gy 145c 4.3-inch mobile GPS unit (gy145c; with text-to-speech feature and maps of 48 us states and canada)

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Click here for more information about Goodyear GY 145C 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Magellan RoadMate 1340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Magellan RoadMate 1340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)

SEE 8-29-09 UPDATE AT BOTTOM OF REVIEW:
I recently purchased a Magellan Roadmate 1340. This is one of the first new releases by Magellan since they were acquired by MiTAC (parent company of MIO)
I am using the Magellan 1212 as a basis for comparison, since I have been using that for the past 3 months and been very pleased with it, other than some occasional routing quirks.
The 1340 is very similar, but does add some significant extra features and improvements, for relatively little price difference:
1) "One Touch" Favorites menu offers quick access to many of the most used features and shortcuts.
2) Customizable route method lets you instantly view and compare and select the shortest distance, fastest time, most use of freeways, or least use of freeways to customize your route.
3) The AAA TourBook is a nice addition that provides ratings and descriptions on AAA approved places to stay, play, dine, and save.
4) Several other features such as Highway Points of Interest have more conveniently positioned shortcut buttons.
5)A new "Highway Lane Assist Signs" feature 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.
That being said, the 1340 has 2 "glitches" that need to be corrected by Magellan:
First, in any kind of sunlight, the screen is very difficult to see! The 1212 is very visible in all kinds of light, but the 1340 almost seems as if there is some kind of coating on the screen that makes viewing very challenging in sunlight. I contacted Magellan support, and they indicated they were aware of this issue and would hopefully have a fix available at some point.
Second, of less importance but still a step down from the 1212 is the voice clarity on text to speech. When the voice announces the street names, the names are slightly "fuzzy" or "garbled". This is not a "deal breaker", but definitely does not have the excellent clarity of the 1212.
I tried 2 different units, and they both have the same problems in these 2 areas. In summary, I think the added features make the 1340 a better unit than the 1212, and an excellent value for the money. However, if these shortcomings could be corrected, it would be a GREAT unit!
UPDATE (5-19-09)

I contacted Magellan support about these issues a couple of times and they said they were aware of the issues and that hopefully a "fix" would be issued. Yesterday, a firmware update (to version 1.10) appeared on the Magellan website and I downloaded and installed it, thinking it was to correct the brightness and sound issues. However, I did not notice any difference in either problem, so I emailed Magellan support. They said that the update was to correct another issue, and did not address the brightness and sound problems. They acknowledged that "you are correct that there is a significant difference between" the 1340 and 1212, but could not tell me for sure when or if another update will be issued to correct these known problems!
UPDATE (8-28-09)
After it became apparent that Magellan was not going to do anything to correct the visibility and sound problems (which have also been stated by many others here and on other review sites), I decided to return the 1340 and go back to the Magellan 1212. True, the 1212 does not have some of the new features that the 1340 has, but to me, the screen brightness and very clear text to speech makes up for it! (There are also several features that I like better on the 1212 than on the 1340.) I got a recertified 1212 on another site for $65 (Dell just had it for $80) Then, there was a firmware update on Magellan's site.....and you can order the spring 2009 map update for just $10 shipping. So, for $75 total, I have a great GPS that is totally updated, and although lacking a few features, more than makes up for it in quality of performance!
I noticed that a couple of people indicated that they did not noticed the sunlight visibility problem. I cannot understand that, but when I got the 1212, I compared the 2 units side by side and the difference is VERY evident. Even in the shade, when I previously thought the 1340 was "OK", it had a much more faded, dull look than the 1212!


Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 1340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

The Magellan RoadMate 1340 device boasts the acclaimed OneTouch menu, a 3.5-inch color touchscreen, and an ultra-thin design. Preloaded maps and points of interest for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico make the RoadMate 1340 ideal for both business trips and vacations. Easy-to-use premium features give you confidence on the road and deliver a powerful navigation experience.

The Magellan RoadMate 1340 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 1340 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 SmartCity 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, have the device optimize your 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 Assistance phone number and your location displayed on the RoadMate 1340 screen.
Ready to Roll You're ready to travel with pre-loaded maps and points of interest for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico that make the Magellan RoadMate 1340 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 1340 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 1340 is loaded with premier features you'll need to get you where you want to go.

Magellan RoadMate 1340 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 touchscreen 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 services 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 about 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, you can have the device optimize your trip for the most efficient route, saving you time and money.
Pre-loaded 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 POI 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 wirelessly or plan your trip when your vehicle's engine is turned off.

What's in the Box RoadMate 1340 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; and user's manual on CD-ROM.


Buy NowGet 50% OFF

Click here for more information about Magellan RoadMate 1340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Friday, June 24, 2011

Magellan RoadMate 1210 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Magellan RoadMate 1210 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I was provided an evaluation unit of the Magellen Roadmate 1210 Portable GPS Navigator. This is not my first experience with a portable GPS unit, I have been using a TomTom One for a couple of years.
Upon opening the box, you will find the GPS (pre-loaded with maps of the United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico), vehicle power adapter, windshield mount, adhesive mount for your dashboard, and a small instruction booklet. It comes charged, so that you can immediately begin using it. Once you have entered your home address, you are basically ready to go. I don't think that you can get a simpler setup.
This is a fairly thin unit and the screen, at 3.5", should be good enough for a lot of people. The windshield mount is excellent; once attached to the windshield, it is impossible to move the mount. And the GPS remains in place, benefiting from a very good attachment to the mount, yet the unit can be adjusted quickly and easily. You will not need to worry about the GPS moving during normal driving, either from the mount or the attachment. Entering destinations is very fast. As you begin to type a city, the Magellen begins to guess your destination. You do not have to change states, like on other units. If you want to go to, say, "Dearborn, Michigan," start by typing "dearb" it will fill out the rest, showing you "Dearborn, MI." It tries to auto complete the street, as well. Another feature of this unit is that as you type a destination, it removes letters from the keyboard, which makes entering the remaining data easy. It is also a little unnerving as it auto completes the names (as in, "how does it do that?"). For the mounts and the software alone, this is an extremely good unit. The default maps are much more up-to-date than I expected. Recent road additions (within the last year or so) in my area are reflected in this unit.
It is not without its issues, however. If you want to take advantage of map upgrades, or to add new maps and Points of Interest (POI), you will have to purchase a special USB cable ($15 list). If you want to get live traffic, that is also an additional cost for the vehicle adapter ($80 list). However, you do receive traffic updates for "life." While traveling, you will notice that the map "jumps." It may be to poor signal strength or a peculiarity in the software, but if you are really watching the travel indicator, you will see that it leaps ahead at times. Also, I noticed that street names pop in and out of the map as I was driving. The keyboard drives me crazy. I looked through all of the settings and could not discover how to change it from "ABCDEF" to "QWERTY." For a person that lives on a computer, it is very frustrating to have to type on an unfamiliar keyboard. Not having a way to change it to the way I want to type makes entering destinations "challenging." Finally, this unit takes a while to boot up. I think that it takes somewhere between 30-40 seconds to start up. And once it does boot up, you will want to wait for it to find a signal. Many is the time where I entered my destination, started on the trip, and waited for the GPS to get a signal and catch up to me.
For the price point, this is a very good portable GPS. Just be prepared to purchase additional cables to get the full features of this unit.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 1210 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

The Magellan RoadMate 1210 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 1210 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!

The Magellan RoadMate 1210 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 1210 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.
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 1210 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 1210 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 1210 is loaded with premier features you'll need to get you where you want to go.

Magellan RoadMate 1210 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.
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 1210 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


Buy NowGet 37% OFF

Click here for more information about Magellan RoadMate 1210 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Magellan RoadMate 1340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator. Review

Magellan RoadMate 1340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Recently picked this unit up for a very reasonable price of $40.00 for the refurbished unit.
It arrived quickly and after fully charging it. I went to their website, and registered the unit. They offer 30 days updated map. It is a 2gb download though. I let it run for an hour and I now have the latest map. This is the way to go, just buy a replacement GPS every year. why pay $80-99 dollars for a map update?
In case you're worried about it being free, it is. They do not care if the unit purchased is new or refurbished.
I did have to call the 1-800 number to get them to activate the free map update, but the guy was nice and didn't require me to fax or mail in the receipt.
This models LCD screen isn't nearly as bright as my older maestro 3225. But it's adequate. I don't use this on my windshield because you're not suppose to in California. I find that with the mount attached, it fits neatly in my cup holder, and I can hear the girl giving directions. Good enough for the money and I love the small size. The spoken streets isn't bad either. It's not as fancy as some Tom Toms where you can get Mr.T's voice navigation, but those audio packs cost nearly as much as the unit itself. I like these portable gps better than the one built into my car, those are DVD based and a little slow to respond, also you can't use them while the car is driving(locked out). The cost to replace the Map DVD in my Prius is $250 dollars. Ouch. Interestingly the DVD map update they sell is over 8GBs of data, where as the portable unit here is only 2GB. This one does have a built in micro-SD card. you can "back up" your address book but maybe in the future when the map data is larger it's useful. These units get lower cost every year, because most phones now have some kind of gps built in, like my iphone 4. Still I like having a separate GPS, the phone does compliment it nicely when you have to google something. The display refresh feels faster than my older 3225 Magellan.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 1340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

This is a refurbished GPS. Refurbished generally means that the unit has been returned to the manufacturer, who brings the navigator back to like new conditions. Some GPS may contain cosmetic blemishes.

The Magellan RoadMate 1340 device boasts the acclaimed OneTouch menu, a 3.5-inch color touchscreen, and an ultra-thin design. Preloaded maps and points of interest for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico make the RoadMate 1340 ideal for both business trips and vacations. Easy-to-use premium features give you confidence on the road and deliver a powerful navigation experience.

The Magellan RoadMate 1340 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 1340 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 SmartCity 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, have the device optimize your 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 Assistance phone number and your location displayed on the RoadMate 1340 screen.
Ready to Roll You're ready to travel with pre-loaded maps and points of interest for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico that make the Magellan RoadMate 1340 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 1340 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 1340 is loaded with premier features you'll need to get you where you want to go.

Magellan RoadMate 1340 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 touchscreen 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 services 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 about 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, you can have the device optimize your trip for the most efficient route, saving you time and money.
Pre-loaded 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 POI 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 wirelessly or plan your trip when your vehicle's engine is turned off.

What's in the Box RoadMate 1340 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; and user's manual on CD-ROM.


Buy Now

Click here for more information about Magellan RoadMate 1340 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Magellan RoadMate 300 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Magellan RoadMate 300 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I bought the Roadmate 300 to help navigate my drive from San Francsico to Las Vegas for the CES 2005 show. At first it took a long time to get a signal but after it got hold of our location, it worked great. The first time you use it it will take a while for a signal...about 15 minutes sometimes. Also if you turn it off and take it to another place far away and then turn it on, it will take a while to find you. If you leave it on everywhere you go then it finds you fast because it knows where it left off.
To solve this long signal delay problem I have experimented and found that if you go to Options and then specify your general current location to the device, the satellite will pick up the signal quite quickly. Basically if you turned the device off and moved to another place far away before turning it on again, it has a harder time finding you so you can help it by telling it where you are: I do this by hitting the Options button and going into the menu to set the general current location like a street intersection, etc. I believe it is labelled "SET GPS LOCATION" or something like that (have to double check). Then I type in the street intersection or an address I am close to and
it seems to pick up the satellite signal rather quickly afterwords. I guess it is because you have given it a general location for it to find you again after the long move or change of location while it was off.
It took me to Vegas with no problems and the points of interests listed Chinese restaurants in the area when my parents wanted to have some Chinese for dinner instead of Vegas buffet. :) Really cool.
There is room for improvement in this technology but for navigating and getting you there it is great!
The suction cup stays on the windshield and is very strong but the device is a bit tough to remove when you want to hide it when parking. The mounting plate is hard plastic with a tight fit grooved design so it requires two hands and a relatively forceful slide to get it off the gooseneck. This can be improved to be an easier release in the future (Hey Magellan, hire my company to design your next product casing, I'm an industrial designer ha-ha! www.metaformusa.com.
I took some wrong turns and it always recalculated and got me back on track. Sometimes it does take a round about way to get somewhere but in general you will never get totally lost again with this in your car.
Sometimes the touch screen will require you to press it twice as it doesn't register. Sometimes the device does not ask you to resume the trip if you stopped and turned the car off when getting gas or stopping for a rest (but I just use "Previous Destinations" button to select it again..a few times I had to re-enter my final destination. But that is a minor software glitch to me since the important thing is if it gets me to where I want to go safely and accurately.
I got a 256MB SD card to load the entire West Coast into the device but sometimes it is hard to quickly get the address I want as it begins to list a whole bunch of cities. I would take their advice next time and just load the cities I will be travelling to. I just got lazy and selected entire states...took a while to load all that data into the device from my PC but it is not something I have to do all the time so that's OK.
I would recommend this product to anyone who wants to do away with reading maps and stressing out on a trip to unfamiliar territory. So far I have been relatively satisfied with what it can do. As the technology evolves I am sure all the issues I mentioned will be resolved but for now it does its job quite well and I am able to find and drive to places without much headache or fear of getting lost.
March 2006 - Review Update: The updated software downloaded from the Magellan website seems to have improved the signal finding capabilities dramatically. I no longer experience the long waiting I used to in finding satellites. It is much better now.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 300 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Building on the success of the RoadMate 500 and 700, Magellan's RoadMate 300 is a powerful GPS navigational tool that can easily guide you on your next automotive adventure. The system makes navigation easy and fun, with friendly voice prompting, preloaded maps of major North American roads, turn-by-turn guidance, and the latest touchscreen technology--all at a great price.
Features The RoadMate 300 is billed as the first vehicle navigation device made for everyone, but that doesn't mean Magellan has scrimped on features. Designed from top to bottom for simplicity and ease of use, its user interface is the same as that found in the Hertz NeverLost system and the RoadMate 700.It uses powerful, 14-channel GPS positioning that's accurate to within three meters thanks to Magellan's TrueFix technology. Turn-by-turn voice prompts guide you on your way and automatically recalculate your route when you get off track, while intelligent routing lets you plan a trip based on shortest travel time, most or least use of freeways, or avoidance of tolls. Meanwhile, the locate feature displays your current location and allows you to save it to the address book. Finally, you can select destinations by entering an address or intersection, selecting an address from the address book, touching a point on the map, or by choosing from more than 1.7 million points of interest like airports, gas stations, and restaurants. All of these features make the RoadMate 300 a snap to use right out of the box.
Design Weighing in at just under nine ounces and with an integrated GPS antenna, the RoadMate 300 is compact and portable. The tough, rubberized exterior is built for abuse, while the 3.5-inch TFT color touchscreen makes address entry easy--no need for an awkward stylus. The intuitive keypad is backlit and highly visible, night or day. A headphone jack lets you catch the next turn command in a car full of noisy kids.
Connectivity and ExpansionWhile maps of major North American roads--including those in Hawaii and Puerto Rico--are stored in the unit's 128 MB of internal memory, you can add more detailed maps of specific areas to your available internal memory or through the SecureDigital card expansion slot (SD card not included). Using your Windows PC and a USB connection, the RoadMate 300 can be loaded with predefined routes from included trip-planning software, or you can load addresses from your Outlook contact list for easy mapping of the locations of clients, coworkers, and friends. You can also play back and view data from trips you've already taken, or have the unit speak in one of six languages in addition to American English: French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, or British English.
What's in the Box The Magellan RoadMate 300 unit with integrated GPS antenna, PC software, a quick-start guide, a basic reference guide, a complete manual on CD, a USB cable, a cigarette-lighter adapter, and a windshield mount.

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Magellan RoadMate 300 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

Saturday, March 26, 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

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.




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.

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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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

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!

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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