Tech Talk

Tags: best gps units, compare gps units ,magellan gps units

Size Matters: A New GPS System

By Oliver Hartman

Our cell phones send emails, record video, and search the web and our computers can make phone calls. Our gaming systems play DVDs, Blue-Ray discs, and allow us to play web video onto our TVs.

Similarly, GPS units have evolved into tools that do much more than guide us from point A to point B.

At a recent tech show, the Magellan RoadMate 9055 caught my eye. Not only does it have everything you’d expect from a portable in-car premium GPS unit (extensive mapping, spoken directions and traffic info), it also has a built-in microphone and speakers and Bluetooth technology that allows drivers to play mp3’s and make hands-free calls. And thanks to the A/V jack, you can even watch movies.

But...the really big news is the size. The 9055 is bigger than any of the others on the market—a 7" display screen makes it nearly 50% larger than any other portable in-car GPS unit offered by the top companies. I know what you’re thinking. How can you see around it? Not a problem. Magellan has a convenient extension mount and a large adhesive disk which allows the 9055 to be secured practically anywhere on your dashboard or windshield.

The company is banking on usability over portability. It is a bold stance, but a pragmatic one because when it comes to reading directions, size does matter. Not only that, using the entire device is easier from typing addresses, to reading POI information, and viewing maps. And since it makes phone calls and plays music, doing all of that is easier too. In fact, everything is easier to do because the larger screen is much friendlier for the user.

On top of that, thanks to Magellan’s exclusive partnership with AAA, drivers can have instant access to travel information because AAA Tourbook guides have been integrated into the Search. Let me give you an example. Say you are driving between Santa Fe and Taos and want to find a restaurant. Instead of relying on all possible search results, the RoadMate will display restaurants that have been reviewed and rated by AAA, which clearly has more credibility than the average Yelp reviewer. You can find hotels, bars, restaurants and points of interest. The service is free and you don’t need to be a AAA member.

If you are a AAA member though, you have the use of  an additional feature. There is a one-touch call option in the unit. So if you find your car overheating, you can simply press an icon and be connected to a dispatcher. With the “My Location” feature, you are shown your exact location so you can relay it to the operator easily. Even if you are seemingly in the middle of nowhere, there are longitude and latitude readings that will allow them to find you.

THE VERDICT

I’ve done my fair share of fumbling and bumbling on small keypads and touch screens and using a screen this big was almost childishly easy, in a good way. But it doesn’t change the fact you’re adding inches and weight for that ease of use. Not sure I’d pack the RoadMate for a destination I have to fly to, but certainly, if I’m driving from home, it makes sense. I also like how the additional features streamline what you need to travel with. I don’t need a separate hands-free phone device and I don’t need to have an in-car DVD player for passengers, because they are rolled into the GPS unit itself.

THE DETAILS

The RoadMate 9055 retails for $299. For more information or to purchase online, visit Magellangps.com.