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Archive for October, 2008

Video reviews of the Magellan Maestro GPS Series. An inside look at this navigation device and important accessories. Discover what you need to know about Magellan’s car gps navigation systems.


Magellan Maestro 5310 Large-Screen Automotive Navigation

Magellan Maestro 5310 Large Screen Automotive GPS Navigation System
The Magellan Maestro 5310 delivers a superior navigation experience in an ultra-wide 5.0″ screen that offers large fonts and buttons that are very easy to see and touch. Advanced features include integrated live traffic alerts, a highly intuitive user interface that guides drivers to their destination via voice and on-screen prompts, pre-loaded maps of the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada, 6 million points of interest, and more.

What to Know About Magellan Car GPS Navigation Systems

I’ll be honest with you. Magellan car GPS navigation systems don’t get enough written about them from reviewers like me. With Garmin controlling almost 50% of the market share, and Tom Tom rapidly catching up with very aggressive pricing, sometimes Magellan gets lost in the dust.

But Magellan’s products are definitely worth considering when buying a GPS navigation system.

Magellan was one of the first companies to pioneer car GPS navigation. They offer an excellent range of products with some features that other companies such as Garmin and Tom Tom do not offer.

They don’t have as many models as Garmin, especially in the high end of the market, but what Magellan does have is really top notch.

If you’re in the market for a car GPS navigation system, then Magellan is something definitely to consider.

Let’s take a brief overview of their product line.

There are essentially three lines of Magellan’s car GPS navigation systems–the Maestro line, the RoadMate line and the Magellan Crossover. We’ll look at each of these three.

The Maestro line is Magellan’s more fully-featured models of car GPS systems.

The Maestro 3100 is their entry level unit in the Maestro line. It’s currently selling for about $150, and has all the features you would expect of an entry level unit. It can tell you where you are on an electronic map and give you voice instructions how to get where you’re going. It also comes with a large database of pre-programmed destinations, called Points of Interest, or POI’s.

At the other end of the price spectrum is the Maestro 4250, which sells currently for about $250. The Maestro 4250 is, to my mind, one of the best deals on the market. Besides doing everything a mid-priced GPS should do, Magellan has a deal with AAA where they have their Tour Book directly on the GPS device. This is for AAA members only, but what a great feature!

The 4250 also has a larger display than the 3100.

If you’re looking for a big screen, however, you might want to think about the Maestro 5310, which has a 5-inch screen. (All these dimensions are measured on the diagonal.) The 5310 is a newer model and currently sells for slightly more than $300.

If you just want basic navigation and are looking for a cheaper system, you might want to consider Magellan’s RoadMate line. The RoadMates are billed as being “budget” models, but they still have a lot of features. You can get the RoadMate 1200 for less than $120! Or you can go for the more feature-laden RoadMate 1412, which is currently selling for around $200, and has the larger screen.

Of special interest to active people should be the Magellan CrossoverGPS. The CrossoverGPS is the only GPS navigation system on the market that is designed for use in the car as well as for hiking or biking. It’s small enough to easily fit in your pocket, yet has enough power to do everything you need a GPS to do.

Right now the CrossoverGPS is selling for about $220. If you’re interested in on and off road flexibility, then the CrossoverGPS really needs to be on your list!

There are certainly more Magellan car GPS navigation systems than I’ve mentioned. But this article will at least give you a good overview.

I’m not saying that Garmin and Tom Tom are not good companies and don’t make great products. I like both of those companies! All I’m saying is that you definitely should include Magellan in your list of possibilities when you buy your next GPS.

To find out more about Magellan’s (as well as Garmin’s and Tom Tom’s) products, you need a good, informative website where you can browse individual models and check out their current prices.

To learn more about how to choose the best Magellan car GPS navigation system as well as Garmin’s and Tom Tom’s, check out my website.

Rick Cole is a true GPS enthusiast! Take a look at his website to find out more information about the best GPS systems!




REFURBISHED Magellan Maestro 3140 Compact Bluetooth Automotive GPS System

This listing is for a refurbished Magellan Maestro 3140. Announcing the Magellan Maestro 3140 – a high-end unit at a value-level price. The Maestro 3140 features a 3.5″ color touch screen, and brings the best of the newly introduced Maestro line to a compact form factor that won’t break your budget. The Magellan Maestro 3140 at Tiger GPS is ultracompact yet feature-rich, with a top-of-the-line SiRF GPS chip, traffic capability, Bluetooth, text-to-speech voice prompts, AAA Guide Book information, and a bright and easy-to-use color touch-screen interface. The Maestro 3140 is truly master of its domain of entry-level GPS. There’s also the Maestro 3100 (click here), an entry level unit suitable for basic navigation needs.

Magellan Maestro 3100 Auto Bean Bag Dash Holder with Car Charger
Magellan Maestro 3100 Auto Bean Bag Dash Holder with Car Charger – Uses Gomadic TipExchange

Our New Gomadic Bean Bag & Windshield Car Mount allows you clear visibility and finger tip access to your device in an attractive; streamlined package. The Gomadic Windshield Mount promotes reliability along with style and ease. The Bean Bag & Windshield Auto Holder is also the only mount on the market with a lifetime warranty and keeps you in touch on even the longest road trip. Here are just some of the highlights of this holder.


Thinking about purchasing the Garmin Nuvi 350 GPS? Watch the video reviews below and read what others have to say about this portable gps model. You’ll get the good, the bad, and the ugly on the Nuvi 350.

 

The pull of any GPS system is to make preparing for a trip less of a palaver. No trunk load of maps to pack. No laying forests to waste with all the map printing. A Godsend for those of us who are map-reading-challenged, anyway.

The question is, how well does the Garmin Nuvi 350 take on map-reading and directing duties?

Very well indeed, you’ll find, when you look at what this nifty little number can do:

  • The Nuvi 350 is very sensitive and will lock unto satellite signals even indoors. Lesser GPS require you to stand outside or hang out of the window.
  • Once it’s locked on, the Nuvi 350 does not let go of its satellite lock.
  • And it takes you where you’re going. The right side of the street, and up the drive.
  • The Nuvi 350 is small enough to sit comfortably on your dashboard, without getting in the way.
  • It’s small enough for you to comfortably slip it into your pocket when you leave the car.
  • Being small does not make it hard to read. Oh no. Because its face is virtually all screen, the display is no problem to read.
  • You work this GPS not with buttons, but by touching the screen. Which makes it easy and flexible to use – even while driving.
  • It calls out directions so you don’t have to keep peering at the screen.
  • And, if you enter the names of places along your route, it will tell you those names as you arrive at them.
  • This GPS very quickly recalculates and gets you back on track, if you make a wrong turn or miss the turn altogether.

So the Garmin Nuvi 350 may not be the GPS with the most bells and whistles, but it is extremely accurate, and reliable.

For you, it could indeed be the best GPS unit for car trips.

There is a lot more to the Nuvi 350. Why not have a quick look at Tessa Green’s Garmin Nuvi 350 Review to discover its guilty secret (hint: to do with having fun), and lots more – both good and bad?

Garmin nuvi 350 GPS Receiver

Garmin nuvi 350 GPS Receiver

Introducing the nüvi: A versatile travel assistant that’s approximately the size of a deck of playing cards. The nüvi is a portable GPS navigator, traveler’s reference, and digital entertainment system, all in one. High-sensitivity integrated GPS receiver by SiRF. North American versions includ




While the Garmin Nuvi 350 may have received over a thousand five star reviews all over the internet, it’s still got plenty of problems. Not every GPS is right for every person. While I’m sure you can find plenty of reviews on how great the Garmin Nuvi 350 is, let’s just take a second and honestly highlight some of the major flaws with this unit.

First and foremost, if your reason for using a GPS does not include a car, then stop reading right now, and start looking for a different GPS. The Nuvi 350 is primarily meant for navigating in an automobile. That’s not to say you can’t take it on a hike with you. It does have a built in battery. It’s just there are other GPS units designed specifically for non-automobile travelling such as sailing, hiking, or motorcycling.

The built-in lithium ion battery is not user serviceable. Meaning, that when the battery dies a few years down the road (no pun intended), you’ll have to ship it off to Garmin and have them replace the battery. As if the inconvenience of not having your GPS while it is being “serviced” (10-14 days) is bad enough, it will cost you about $80 plus shipping to have Garmin do the work. Extremely inconvenient, but not as expensive as it used to be. When the Nuvi 350 first came out Garmin was charging about $250 to replace the battery. While you may luck out, and get an original battery that lasts longer than the GPS, it’s a bit of a crap shoot. Of course, if your the type that doesn’t mind ignoring “do not open” manufacturer labels, you can probably find a 3rd party replacement battery, and do the work your self.

Based on the customer feedback I’ve heard, about 1 in 10 Nuvi users have some sort of major navigational problem while navigating with their Nuvi 350. That includes, sending users in the wrong direction, picking a route that is not the quickest one, losing satellite signal during a critical navigation point of a journey, or simply not being able recalculate a new route in a timely fashion. While navigation failure is not always the fault of the GPS, the smart consumer should keep a few points in mind when setting their expectations as to what the Nuvi 350 is capable of. While navigational software has come a long way, it’s no where near as good as it will be in a few more years. In other words, there’s plenty of room for improvement. Things change a lot. New roads, subdivisions, bridges, shopping plazas, office buildings, points of interest etc etc etc. A GPS unit like the Nuvi 350 is only as good as it’s database. It’s an enormous job to keep track of all that.

As a side note, there is one practice that could potentially save you a lot of grief as a GPS user. I’m a part time sailor, and a big fan of GPS devices. I use one extensively when I go sailing on long trips. But, I would never dream of sailing any significant distance without proper paper maps / charts. I don’t care how many bells and whistles your brand spanking new GPS has. It’s probably going to fail at some point. Always carry a paper map of any unfamiliar areas you may be travelling to. Don’t rely 100% on your Garmin Nuvi or any GPS to tell you where you are, or how to get somewhere else. It’s just common sense.

If you’ve read this far, I obviously haven’t scared you off from using a Garmin Nuvi 350. At the very least, you should consider some other nice GPS navigators. It’s always good to be informed, and have a few choices for comparison. It’s the best way to make an educated decision.

Deluxe Kit for the Garmin Nuvi 350 includes a USB cable with Car and Wall Charger

This item is available exclusively through Gomadic Corp. Gomadic products are custom designed by Gomadic engineers and are built using carefully selected high quality components. Only Gomadics products use our unique TipExchange technology which provides an inexpensive way to convert your charger to support a new mobile accessory. In addition, this product, like all Gomadic products, is backed by a lifetime warranty. WARNING: Please note that this product is sold only through Gomadic Corp on Amazon. Other Amazon sellers that may be advertising on this listing, are selling non-Gomadic imitations which are different than the item description and are not covered under Gomadics lifetime warranty.


Deluxe Kit for the Garmin Nuvi 350 includes a USB cable with Car and Wall Charger – Gomadic Brand w/


09
Oct

MacBook Air Reviews on Video

Posted by William in Computer Reviews

Amazingly thin at just 0.16 inches at its thinnest and 0.76 inches at its thickest point, the MacBook Air weighs just 3 pounds.

Macbook Air13.3 MacBook Air 1.8GHZ 2GB RAM 64GB Solid State Drive with External MacBook Air SuperDrive

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Macbook Air Premium Leather Flight Jacket with Backpack13 MacBook Air Premium Leather Flight Jacket with Backpack Option – Black

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MacBook Air 1.6GHz 2 GB RAM 64GB Drive13.3 MacBook Air 1.6GHz 2GB RAM 64GB Solid State Hard Drive

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