Magellan RoadMate 3030LM 4.7-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Lifetime Map Updates Included) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've had an older GPS for some time now that I haven't replaced because I could not find something that was enough of an improvement to justify replacing my older Garmin unit.
Finally I have discovered such a device.
This is an excellent step forward for a portable GPS. It acquires satellites quickly and is extremely quick to recalculate routes. I never thought I would need the wide-screen version, but now that I've used it, I am quite pleased with the additional view that it offers. Plus the maps are quite current for my area right out of the box. E.g. a gas station that just opened 2 months ago was on the POI for this device.
The screen is large and very clear. You have a large variety of customization options as well; from navigation and map settings/preferences, various auto-settings, and what actually appears on-screen to routing preferences and even keyboard layout.
The speech on this unit is quite clear and easy to understand at low or high volume. Unlike other GPS devices, this does not loose clarity when the volume is increased and I can clearly understand directions without the need to worry about my stereo volume.
Advance warnings of upcoming turns are well placed and as mentioned previously, recalculations are very quick. I missed directions and intentionally turned the opposite direction on the way home tonight and recalculations typically took place before I made it through the intersection.
Overall I'm very please with this upgrade and it was delivered next-day without issue. Packaging is solid and well designed as well.
If I had to rate anything below the five-star mark... it would be the touch-screen sensitivity.
The coming from touch-screen mobile phones and laptops, this screen could be a bit more sensitive. However, when comparing to previous GPS devices, it is NOT lacking. Perhaps my perception has just changed due the other devices. It could also be the initial placement in the vehicle. I'll work with this some more and update after a real road trip.
If you are looking at the map update for life option on this unit, please be sure to read the details of that offer in the bullet point in Amazon's listing or at Magellan's site, so that you know the terms of that agreement. Amazon did a good job of including relevant information in the second bullet point of their listing as well as providing Magellan's URL.
Overall though, this is not enough to drop this item from a 5-star rating. They did a great job on this GPS and you should have no concerns about the quality, ease of use, accuracy or speed with this model.

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The Magellan RoadMate 3030-LM offers all the extras, an exclusive ultra-wide 4.7-inch touch screen (17% larger than the standard 4.3-inch screen), free lifetime map updates, highway lane assist, OneTouch favorites and Built-in AAA TourBook.

Get free map updates! The RoadMate 3030-LM includes free map updates for the life of the navigator. Never again worry about finding the restaurant in a new part of town or locating the new parking garage. You will always have the latest available maps.

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!

Premium built-in maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico make this perfect for travel across the country or everyday commuting.

Perfect for road trips or just finding new places in town! Travel in style with the Magellan RoadMate 3030-LM, an easy-to-use premium navigator packed with features!

RoadMate 3030-LM Features
What's in the Box
Magellan RoadMate 3030-LM GPS Receiver; Preloaded Maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico; Windshield Mount; Vehicle Power Adapter; User Manual

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Magellan RoadMate 2000 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This GPS system is fairly cheap and does most of the things you would want a GPS unit to do - get you from point A to point B. Basically, that's all I really wanted when I bought this unit and I am happy to say that it has been pretty successful in doing that. I had a little trouble at the start because it wouldn't lock-in my route and always had "Proceed to Route" on the screen even though I was already on the road and moving to my destination.
Having said that, this machine has a few annoying issues. First, it sometimes just restarts automatically and could leave you hanging if you have to turn or something. Second, it gets lost when you are surrounded by tall buildings. Hence, you have to be sure that you know the turn-by-turn directions prior to entering business districts, etc. Finally, it's "shortest time" route may not be the optimal route every time. I went on a trip to Milwaukee to Chicago and the GPS took me through rural Northwestern Illinois, which increased the travel time home from 2 hours to 3 hours. I don't know what happened there, but be sure to check the route before you embark on a long trip (I learned this lesosn the hard way).
For city driving, I think this unit is fine. It has gotten me to most places without any real issues. It's also cheap, which is good for reluctant first-time buyers. After you get a GPS unit though, you will surely ask yourself why you didn't get one any sooner.

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Small, powerful and affordable, with a SIRF StarIII chipset for quick GPS signal acquisition, the Magellan RoadMate 2000 makes it easier than ever to get where you need to go. Simple touch-screen menus and 40 built-in, interactive maps of the contiguous United States let you select virtually any destination and enjoy voice and visual turn-by-turn directions as you drive. This advanced vehicle navigation system features a 3.5-inch color touch screen display that you can use to enter an address or select a point of interest. You'll instantly receive the best route using the shortest time, shortest distance, most freeways or least freeways-- it's all up to you. And nearly 1.3 million pre-programmed points of interest enable you to quickly find gas stations, airports, hotels, restaurants and much more.Convenient and easy to use, the RoadMate 2000 gives you one-touch access to detailed information about a destination, including phone numbers when available. Simply touch the icon on the screen, and you're ready to go. You can also save your own personal points of interest to quickly navigate to frequent destinations. When time is of the essence, take advantage of some of the RoadMate's advanced features, including helpful technology that routes you around sudden slow freeway traffic, a multi-destination routing option, QuickSpell software to quickly enter your destination, and a 3D "bird's-eye" view to clearly see your surroundings. You can even select up to 20 destinations in advance to plan out where you need to go.Great picture quality is a guarantee, thanks to the integrated ambient light sensor, which adjusts color and contrast for easy night viewing. In case of an emergency, you'll never have to worry about being stranded; just one touch displays your exact location so you can quickly advise roadside assistance or emergency services.The RoadMate 2000 also comes with a high-impact plastic case that protects against marks and scratches while the built-in battery delivers continuous use for up to three hours. Easy to transfer between several different vehicles, with 4 GB capacity and optional SD card expansion, this system is ideal for business and personal travel.

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TomTom ONE 130S 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Box Version) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)PROS: I got mine for $50 so can't complain. I like it for it's portable size and GPS nav works as expected. It's definitely worth the money.
CONS: I have two annoyances:
1) When you are in the countryside, you have to zoom in to see the smaller roads - even if there are no other roads around. This filtering is useful in cities when you got a lot of roads and makes sense to focus on bigger ones, but in countryside when you have few roads this is counterproductive.
2) The unit turns itself ON by itself. I charge it, turn it off to store. A few days later the unit comes on by itself and drains the battery down. This is a design flaw and i've seen many user complaints about this.

Click Here to see more reviews about: TomTom ONE 130S 3.5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator (Box Version)

The TomTom ONE 130-S is easy-to-use personal navigation. TomTom's award-winning software means effortless navigation from point A to point B. Switch on and go right out of the box. Just enter the address on the touchscreen and start driving anywhere in the United States or Canada. TomTom guides you door-to-door with turn-by-turn spoken instructions including street names. And 3D graphics help guide you to your destination, worry free.

The ONE 130-S is preloaded with millions of points of interest to enhance your traveling experience--easily find your favorite gas stations, hotels, restaurants, and more.
TomTom has the most accurate maps, and with TomTom Map Share technology, you instantly can modify street names, street direction, points of interest, and more on your own device.
And with the "Help Me!" menu, added safety features enable you to easily access local emergency providers, such as police, fire stations, and hospitals. The "Where am I?" feature pinpoints your exact location to give to emergency providers.
The Fold & Go EasyPort mount folds flat against the device, making it easy to take it with you from car to car.
No activation, no monthly fees.
Go confidently.
ONE 130-S Features
Maps of United States and Canada with TomTom Map Share
Spoken Street Names
Fold & Go EasyPort Mount

All TomToms Feature
Plug & Go--Works right out of the box.
Preloaded Points of Interest--Easily find millions of gas stations, restaurants, hotels, and more on your route.
30-Day Latest Map Guarantee--Up to date, off the shelf.
TomTom Map Share--Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share.
Help Me! Emergency Menu--Easily access local emergency providers, such as police, fire stations, and hospitals.
TomTom HOME--Always up to date.
Traffic Ready--Optional RDS-TMC traffic receiver accessory keeps you up-to-date on traffic events to minimize potential delays.
Fuel Price Service (optional)--Know more, pay less.
Why TomTom? TomTom believes that personal navigation should be as easy and safe as possible. TomTom develops smart technology that gives you straightforward solutions, innovations to make life easy.
Easy to Use
Award-winning navigation software
Plug & go

Best Maps
30-Day Latest Map Guarantee
Modify your own map and benefit from others' verified changes with TomTom Map Share

Best Routing
QuickGPSfix
Traffic ready

Leader in Safety
Help Me! emergency resources menu
Safety preferences menu

About TomTom Founded in Amsterdam in 1991, TomTom has established itself as a global leader in navigation by being an innovative company with a strong brand, clear customer focus, and high-quality products and services.
TomTom is a leading navigation solutions provider with navigation products sold in 30 countries and in over 20 languages. To further its commitment to car navigation, TomTom acquired Tele Atlas maps in 2008 so that the company can continually provide the most up-to-date maps and intelligent routing.
TomTom has its own mapping company!
Did you know that every year, roads change by up to 40% in high-growth areas? Tele Atlas manages this by using the world's most comprehensive systems to identify and incorporate these changes into our maps with unprecedented levels of speed and accuracy. All TomTom devices benefit from the Tele Atlas advantage--more coverage, more points of interest, and more freshness and accuracy.
What's in the Box ONE 130-S device, Easyport mount, USB Car Charger and USB cable, documentation

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Magellan RoadMate 3055 4.7-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this GPS a few months ago from Amazon after spending quite a bit of time looking at units from Magellan, Tom Tom, Garmin and Motorola. I like gadgets, but am generally not an "early adapter." So I was a little hesitant to buy this unit, since it is a new model and I could find no reviews online. But I liked the features and the price, so I took the risk and bought it.
I am quite happy with the unit. The screen is big and bright and it is quite easy to use. My wife, who is not the most tech-savy, was able to operate it with only minimal pointers from me. Her mother who used it while visiting also found it very easy to use. It acquires satellite signal quite rapidly and it's directions generally make good sense (although it occasionally picks routs I would not choose, but still got us where we were needing to go). It tells us which lane to get into in plenty of time.
The main feature that influenced me to purchase it was the free traffic info. Other units charged a fee, or had pop-up advertisements for their traffic service, but it is included with this Magellan for free. The other thing I like is that it comes pre-loaded with about a zillion restaurants, hotels, gas stations and other points of interest. This comes in very handy when traveling - it has several times helped us find places to eat when we were in new places.
I've only had 2 problems. First, you must cancel your current trip before you put in a new destination. I discovered this after putting in a new location after getting to my first, but it kept telling me to make a u-turn and go back. If you don't cancel the first trip it won't accept the second location. The other problem I have with it is if I take an alternate route to the one it chooses, it has a very hard time accepting the new route. It will keep trying to make me turn to pick up it's preferred route for quite awhile. Eventually, it does seem to give up and recalculates the new route.
So, I would not hesitate to recommend this GPS.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan RoadMate 3055 4.7-Inch Widescreen Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Lifetime Traffic

The Magellan RoadMate 3055 offers something extra with an exclusive ultrawide 4.7-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, lifetime traffic alerts, highway lane assist, OneTouch favorites and Built-in AAA TourBook.
The Magellan exclusive, ultra-wide 4.7-inch touch screen stands above the rest at 17% larger than a standard 4.3-inch screen. Enjoy hands-free calling and a noisecancelling microphone with advanced Bluetooth technology.

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 United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico make this perfect for travel across the country or everyday commuting.

Perfect for the everyday commuter or business road trips! Travel with confidence using the top-of-the-line Magellan RoadMate 3055, an easy-to-use, premium navigator packed with features!

RoadMate 3055 Features

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Magellan Maestro 5310 5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Just to clarify: I own this unit and while it's exactly what I was looking for (needing neither Bluetooth nor Voice Command) I can clarify the inaccurate information stated above - the 5310 has neither of these features. The Magellan Maestro 4050 4.3-Inch Widescreen Portable GPS Navigator has both features available for those who are interested. It is possible that we'll see Voice Command came out as an upgrade for the 5310 as it did for the 4050, but it's not there now. That said, this is a great little unit with a large, easy-to-read screen, great AAA extras, good maps and a very intuitive user interface. I'd highly recommend it and at $350 Amazon has one of the best prices I've seen (it's $500 elsewhere).

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan Maestro 5310 5-Inch Portable GPS Navigator

The Maestro 5310 delivers a superior navigation experience, in an ultra-wide 5" screen that makes it easy for customers to enter their destination and go. With large icons and buttons, it is now easier than ever for drivers to get to their destination. Advanced features include integrated live traffic alerts, a highly intuitive user interface that guides drivers to their destination with on-screen prompts, 6 million points of interest, and more. Built-in Navteq Maps includes pre-loaded maps of the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. The included Live Traffic Alert service comes with a free 3-month subscription, and provides both real-time traffic updates, and reroutes drivers when an alternate route is available.SmartDetour prompts drivers to route around heavy or stopped freeway traffic Exit POIs make it easy to access commonly used POIs while driving on the freeway AAA TourBook travel information for the United States and Canada AAA member Roadside Assistance details AAA Show Your Card & Save member discount locations Atlas III GPS Chipset 5-10 meters GPS Accuracy 1900mAH Li-Ion rechargeable battery, up to 3 hours Route Calculator Methods -Fastest Time, Shortest Distance, Least Use of Freeways, and Most Use of Freeways Option to Avoid All Toll Roads Basic VantagePoint Support Dimensions -Height 3.61 x Width 5.64 x Depth 0.79 (9.18x14.34x2.03cm) Weight -6.9 ounces (196 grams)

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

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I had really high hopes for this GPS. I shopped for quite awhile and owned a Garmin that was due to be updated but decided to replace the unit rather than pay to upgrade. After reading a lot of reviews of the Garmins with quality control issues I opted to give Magellan a try. I have owned the unit around 2 months. I took a trip from Indianapolis to Santa Fe, NM and used the unit the entire time. Last weekend I drove from Indy to Chicago and back again. I guess I have used it about 3000 miles and here is my impression.
First the bad points:
1. The unit will power down occasionally. It has happened to me 4 times so far.
2. The spoken directions ie.."Turn right" are crystal clear. The problem is when it says the street names. The street names are muffled. Usually I can understand what it says but other times I have to look at the screen to figure out what street it is talking about.
3. I put in a route to take me home from a casino near Chicago. It said there were roads that were closed in my route. A road closed icon even came up on the screen. I thought OK it will just route me around the closed road. Well I got up to where I could see the barricades and it told me to turn on the road it knew was closed. I went on past the closed road of course and it recalculated a different route it took a lot longer to go that way. It would have been quicker to go back the way I came in which would have been back tracking a little bit but the unit was not smart enough to realize this.
4. I was almost home the other night and knew what exit I needed to take on I-65. It was telling me to go 1.3 miles further then take that exit. I didn't even think there was an exit 1.3 miles further on the interstate so I took the exit that I knew was right and I checked when I got home and there wasn't another exit for around 10 miles. This makes me wonder how often it sends me on a wild goose chase in areas that I am not familiar with. Ignorance is bliss I guess.
5. Sometimes the auto zoom will zoom out so far it looks like a satellite view. And to top it off this happens when you are in a really congested areas where you really need a lot of detail. It happened to me once in Oklahoma City and Chicago.
6. When typing on the keyboard the unit pauses and hangs up causing you to have to press the same key a several times before it registers. This makes entering an address frustrating and time consuming.
7. Adds show up on the screen while you are driving. I understand that the Garmin adds only show up when you are stopped. I didn't find the traffic alerts helpful. It has an icon on the screen that turns red when there is trouble ahead. Instead of just automatically rerouting you it requires you to click on the icon and then it will give you alternate routes. You select the one you want and then it will take you on your new route. You have to do this while barreling down the interstate at 75mph. Kind of defeats the purpose if I kill myself in the process. I just wished it knew which route was the least congested and route you to that one automatically.

The only good point for me is the screen is big and easy to read.
I am going on another trip next week. I am going to take it to Las Vegas and drive to Tucson, AZ then to San Diego and then up to LA then back to Vegas. If it performs any better I will update my review.

All of the other reviews were so positive but I am really disappointed in it's performance. Perhaps the others just haven't used it as extensively as I have. I am probably going to replace it with a Garmin. Even my old Garmin is light years ahead of this unit.Update 11-16-10
Just got back from another long trip. I had my mother along and she is around 70 years old and not very tech savvy. By the end of the trip she was making fun of the GPS unit wondering how bad it was going to screw up every time I turned it on. This unit is not able to do basic routing about half of the time. I don't understand all of the positive reviews. The phrase I hear in my sleep at night is "When possible make a legal U turn." because that is what it says more often than anything else. I wish I could return to Amazon but its been too long. Save your money and buy something else. You have been warned.

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

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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Magellan RoadMate 1420 4.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Let me first say that I picked this up as a Deal of the Day for $79 and overall, I'm pleased. For what I paid, I think I received a comparable product. Once received I downloaded the content manager from Magellan, installed in on my PC and once it fired up, it told me I had a new software version and maps to install all for free! Very nice.

This thing is super thin, fast to pick-up satellites, and comes with everything you need right out of the box. The battery can last 2 hours on a full charge (which takes 4 to 6 hours). The large screen is very, very nice and the colors are vibrant. It's also very easy to read the street names as you drive by them. I was pleasantly surprised to see the names of lakes and parks on this unit as I drove by them.
Now for the not so good. The voice prompts can get kind of "warbled" at times. Hard to describe, but my family made fun of the voice on several occasions on a trip of about 140 miles recently. The maps while, vibrant, don't look very professional. The streets for turns have jagged lines, a circular turn is by no means circular according the the Magellan maps...more like a diagonal, then another diagonal etc. It looks odd, and not a huge deal, but it could be cleaner. No speed limits on interstates or freeways or highways. I didn't know this going in, even the Magellan product for my iPhone has speed limits and that only cost $49. So I assumed this would as well and once you have it, you really miss it. Also, this unit never picked up the correct time zone for me out of the box. I waited and waited and it never moved, so I had to manually go in and set the correct one. The manual says it gets it from the satellites, but it didn't get the right one :)
Perhaps the biggest let down on this unit is how far behind it lags in real time. I can be 2 even 3 seconds past a street and the unit will show me just crossing it. I understand it can't be exact real time, but 3 seconds seems to be a little much. I've made turns and it reports, take next right...that is annoying. I can be stopped at an intersection and this thing shows me fairly far back from it...even when I'm the the first one at the light. Are all GPS units like this, or does this seem to be just a Magellan thing?
All in all, for $79 I probably won't return it. It will get us where we want to go and while I'm no perfectionist, it could be a little more accurate. Only 3 stars since their iPhone version is actually better than this one and costs nearly $60 less than the retail listed here.

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Navigate in style with the new, ultra-thin Magellan RoadMate 1420 GPS device with a large 4.3-inch color touch screen. Premium features include: OneTouch favorites menu, built-in AAA TourBook and Member Roadside Assistance, QuickSpell with SmartCity search, highway exit POI, spoken street name guidance, plus so many more!

With the features you need and the unique ability to make it your own, the Magellan RoadMate 1420 navigator delivers the powerful navigation experience that you've been wanting.

Features

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