You really do just turn it on and go
I'm as cynical as the next guy, but having heard all the hype about portable GPS units and having seen them in countless Hertz rental cars over the years, it was time to see if they really work. I selected a Magellan RoadMate 700 based on what I had seen at several media briefings and installed it in my wife's Saab 9-3.
This was a huge act of faith on my part, since I was confident the Magellan would work just fine, but did not have any confidence that my wife would either like or even appreciate my valuable addition to her wheels, since she is notoriously vocal in her dislike of technology unless it works perfectly the first time and every time. Which has not been the case with our home computers, despite my enthusiasm for our four Macs.
The brightly lit touch screen makes the Magellan a cinch to program. You just punch some letters to identify your destination and it calculates your route in a few seconds. The great thing is that all the maps are preloaded into the unit, unlike some less expensive products that require downloading from a computer. The GPS antenna is built right into the back of the unit.
My wife happened to have to locate a photo lab in the area that she had never been to before, so it was a great opportunity to test the unit. I rode along, half expecting the usual lecture on how useless most of my electronic "toys" are except for a dedicated enthusiast like myself.
Well, a miracle happened. The Magellan guided us from the moment we left our diveway, gently nudging my wife along with perfectly times voice prompts (I selecteda female voice, but a male voice is available) and chimes to let you know when to turn. A real bonus were the different Route Methods available; my wife loved the "Least Use of Freeways" option since she avoids the interstates if she can.
The 700 holds up to 50 previous destinations, so you don't have to put the same address in twice. The screen is quite bright and dims at night. The box includes a windshield mount that worked quite well for us.
After a month of use, I'd be hard pressed to name another gadget that has worked so well, right out of the box, and has earned me lots of positive comments from my entire family...my preteen and teenager enjoy programming the addresses when they have to locate a schoolmate's house or a school outside our area.
The 700 is a bit pricey at $1,200 or so, but is a great value when compared to the factory-installed systems that may be more integrated into the dash, but don't have the Magellan's excellent interface and ability to go from car to car.
This was a huge act of faith on my part, since I was confident the Magellan would work just fine, but did not have any confidence that my wife would either like or even appreciate my valuable addition to her wheels, since she is notoriously vocal in her dislike of technology unless it works perfectly the first time and every time. Which has not been the case with our home computers, despite my enthusiasm for our four Macs.
The brightly lit touch screen makes the Magellan a cinch to program. You just punch some letters to identify your destination and it calculates your route in a few seconds. The great thing is that all the maps are preloaded into the unit, unlike some less expensive products that require downloading from a computer. The GPS antenna is built right into the back of the unit.
My wife happened to have to locate a photo lab in the area that she had never been to before, so it was a great opportunity to test the unit. I rode along, half expecting the usual lecture on how useless most of my electronic "toys" are except for a dedicated enthusiast like myself.
Well, a miracle happened. The Magellan guided us from the moment we left our diveway, gently nudging my wife along with perfectly times voice prompts (I selecteda female voice, but a male voice is available) and chimes to let you know when to turn. A real bonus were the different Route Methods available; my wife loved the "Least Use of Freeways" option since she avoids the interstates if she can.
The 700 holds up to 50 previous destinations, so you don't have to put the same address in twice. The screen is quite bright and dims at night. The box includes a windshield mount that worked quite well for us.
After a month of use, I'd be hard pressed to name another gadget that has worked so well, right out of the box, and has earned me lots of positive comments from my entire family...my preteen and teenager enjoy programming the addresses when they have to locate a schoolmate's house or a school outside our area.
The 700 is a bit pricey at $1,200 or so, but is a great value when compared to the factory-installed systems that may be more integrated into the dash, but don't have the Magellan's excellent interface and ability to go from car to car.
posted by TechnoDad at 8:32 AM
1 Comments:
Hey everyone! Cool site! The customer support seems good and the technology jobs are endless. Maybe I will have a better directmatch searching for human resources
since my keyword "customer care jobs" did not fit as intended.
Glad I found you! Keep on keepin on!
Post a Comment
<< Home