Satellite navigation systems come in varied shapes and sizes and in an attempt to differentiate themselves every manufacturer brings out new products with unique features and design. Magellan with its in-car GPS system Roadmate 6000T makes it big. 

Physical

Magellan looks compact measuring 121.9 x 96.5 x 35.6 mm and weighs 307 g. It features a 3.5 inches diagonal touch screen with high resolution and the transflective TFT screen automatically adjusts to light conditions. It comes with built-in antenna and a handy SD card slot for storing unlimited data. The keypad consists of eight direct access keys in addition to power, repeat, volume and reset buttons. The operating range varies from 14 to 140 degree Fahrenheit.

Performance

Magellan Roadmate 6000T is the first satellite navigation to feature integrated receiver for LIVE traffic incident reports. The Bluetooth wireless technology allows making handsfree calls with your Bluetooth enabled phone. The microphone and built-in speakers make answering incoming calls easier.

You are never left alone with Magellan Roadmate 6000T. It guides you safely to your destination with turn by turn directions. With six million points of interest, the intuitive touch screen user interface allows you to enter or select an address. The points of interest include restaurants, gas stations, shopping centres and more, indicated by icons. You can get the phone numbers and detailed information just at the touch of an icon. You can save the points of interest in the address book to receive instant messages wherever you are. It comes with standard or “bird eye” 3D view that provides a clear perspective of the location.

Advanced Navigational Features

Magellan Roadmate 6000T not only comes with basic features, but with some higher end features as well.  It includes SmartDetourTM that directs you to an alternate route when there is snarl-up. The SayWhereTM text to speech announces street names, eliminating the need to gaze the screen as you drive. You can plan a trip with optimised routes using their Multi-Destination routing and Route Optimisation.

The entertainment features include MP3 player and a photo viewer. The rechargeable Li-ion battery enables enjoying entertainment on the move even if there is no power. The battery life lasts up to 4 hours.

Pros

• Intelligent Address Finder
• Unlimited Bluetooth Options such as setting an address book

Cons

• 10 individual unnecessary buttons when there is touch screen feature
• Lack of clear graphics for map setting
• Abbreviated Road Names

Verdict

Magellan Roadmate 600T comes with tempting specifications, and features such as address finder and Bluetooth are appealing. However, like all other products this road navigator is also packed with some drawbacks and ignoring them, it is easy to use and a perfect road companion.

Specifications

Physical Aspects

• Weight – 307g w/battery
• Size - 121.9 x 96.5 x 35.6 mm
• Display 3.5" diagonal touch screen: transflective TFT, full-colour, high resolution, backlit, automatically adjusts to light conditions.
• SD Card Compatible
• Antenna – built-in
• Eight Direction Access Keys, volume, power, reset and repeat buttons
• Operating Range – 14 to 140 degree Fahrenheit

Features

• Bluetooth Wireless Connectivity
• Turn-by-turn voice and visual guidance
• 27 European Country Maps
• Points of interest database
• 20 Channel SiRF Star III, WAAS/EGNOS enabled
• Compatibility: MP3 and WMA audio, JPEG, JPG and BMP images
• Live FM TMC updates
• Trip Planner
• Speed Camera locations for France, UK and Germany

Manufacturers designs distinct type of satellite navigation systems for distinct navigational needs. One of the widely popular designs is In-car navigations which have designed uniquely for fixing inside vehicles. Magellan RoadMate 700 In-Car Sat Nav is a latest product in this kind which can offer benefits like USB, NAVTECH European maps, navigation instructions, heading calculated compass, voice prompt, internal hard drive, touch screen, display illumination and 12 channel receivers.

Features and Technicalities
• Get high speed connectivity to other devices with the support of the integrated USB port this device in which NavTech European Maps have been preloaded.

• It has availed with street level database and the different acquisition times are listed as:
1. 120 seconds – Cold
2. 15 seconds – Hot
3. 60 seconds – Warm

• Navigational instructions can be viewed with the display which is embedded and the diagonal screen size is measured as 3.8".

• Get clear content with the resolution up to 320 x 240 pixels on the TFT display.

• Other Supportive Benefits
1. 12 channel receiver – To receive high quality signals
2. USB connector – To connect quickly with PC
3. 11 GB Internal Hard Drive – To store your POIs
4. Pre-loaded Maps – To find a location
5. Heading Calculated Compass
6. Embedded Aerial
7. Display Illumination

• Design
The outlook of the essential product is stylish and compact. The various aspects of the dimensions used for designing Magellan RoadMate 700 In-Car Sat Nav are listed as:
1. 5.1 cm Depth
2. 8.3 cm Height
3. 16.5 cm Width
4. 369 Grams Weight

GPS navigators are one of the wonderful achievements of science. Users can get quite a lot of advantages by using the device. Global Positioning System is shortly known as GPS which recognizes the signals received from the satellites. This identification is useful for finding an exact location of a place. Magellan eXplorist 100 Hiking (Without card) GPS Navigator is a hot introduction of the company. It offers numerous benefits like 9 direct access buttons, rubber cover, water proof, TruFix technology, internal menus and options, route planning, 4 navigation screens, 18 hours continuous usage and 4 MB internal memory.

Features
• Magellan has designed the useful product with the compact dimensions as 5.6 x 11.9 x 3.3 cm and 164.4 grams weight.

• You can use 4 MB internal memory capacity.

• Users can continuously use the device up to 18 hours. It is mandatory to use 2 AA batteries for this prolonged life.

• Manufacturer has made the unit like a mobile phone in design making it simple to hold on hands.

• Route inverse feature allow you to reach your most liked location automatically.

• Never forget to get a rubber cover from the shop which is offered for protecting Magellan eXplorist 100 Hiking (Without card) GPS Navigator from shocks or bad weather.

• It has come equipped with water proof feature.

• You can get precision of 3 meters with the support of TruFix technology.

• Users can store a maximum of 500 interest points and 20 routes with the help of 'tracer function'.

• You can view internal options and menus while using the product. For accessing those menus or option, you have to use a joystick button.

• Four screens have equipped with the unit to indicate 4 essential factors like your position, direction, and distance and speed separately.

• It is simple to get a maximum of 14 parallel channels within 3 meters.

• Magellan eXplorist 100 Hiking GPS Navigator will automatically upgrade within one second.

• Route planning and recording are the vital advantages of the product.

• Save a maximum of 3 route file which may contain 20 routes and 500 way points.

• Manufacturer has embedded a 2.25 inches backlit screen to show information’s like state of satellites, map, position and compass. You can view clear images on the display using 122 x 160 pixel resolutions.

To assist you just like a tourist guide for navigational assistance, manufacturers have introduced GPS navigators into the market. These navigators are various in kind. You can get handheld GPS navigator, In-car navigators and portable navigators. Magellan 3000T In-Car GPS Navigator has come with the advantages like MP3 playback, Traffic Master, USB, SD card slot, post code search, integrated rechargeable battery, touch screen input, 4 routing options, 3D view, QVGA screen and optimised addressed book.

Magellan is the authorized manufacturer who has launched the product with MP3 playback and picture viewer. You can view high quality images and favourite music. It has come featured with RDS TMC TrafficMaster data using an optional accessory called 'traffic kit'. It is simple to transfer data using USB data. You can expand the memory using the SD card slot.

You can find an exact location just by giving postal code of the area. Manufacturer offers rechargeable battery which offers life up to 6 hours. Users can get a headphone socket and speaker with the package. Touch screen technology is adopted in the display screen of the device. Magellan 3000T In-Car GPS Navigator promptly indicates you with visual guidance as well as voice guidance. Multi-destination routing can be made by the unit using plan trips. You will get a maximum of 4 routes to a destination and it is your choice to select the route in which you need to travel. Maps can be viewed in 3 dimensional modes.

SmartDetour feature helps you to suggest rerouting in roadways. If you increase the speed of your car above 75 km per hour, the volume level will automatically be increased as it features with 'smart volume' option. It has a display to view routes and maps of roadways. The QVGA screen is made in 3.5 inches size and 64,000 colours. A hard disk has equipped with the device which has storage capacity of 4 GB. You can view the maps of 27 European countries.

Magellan 3000T In-Car GPS Navigator has an address book in which you can store a maximum of 200 addresses. It is mandatory to supply 12 volts AC power to get battery power from Li-Ion rechargeable batteries. You can continuously use the device up to 6 hours. The product is availed in the market with the following dimension as 121.9 x 96.5 x 35.6 mm as W x H x D. Manufacturer has made the device with 244 grams weight.

This model from Magellan GPS System is a must-have for people who love the outdoors. This pocket size, egg shaped, rugged GPS system has features like a 3-axis compass, barometer, altimeter and a thermometer which will surely appeal to all the adventurers out there.

Display and Design

This one is as tough as they come with weather proof, water proof and shock proof hard rubber packing which adheres to IPX -7 standards. The display supports 16 colours with backlight and gives you clear and sharp displays in all lighting conditions and at night. The eXplorist has a joystick which makes it easy to navigate through the menus. The Li-ion rechargeable battery on this model keeps it powered up for 17 hours straight before the next recharge.

Navigation

The eXplorist uses TrueFix GPS technology with 14 parallel channels. The WAAS/EGNOS Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems support ensures fast fixes and accuracy up to 3 metres. The Navigation on Magellan is very easy even for first timers with four screens of easy to read information and an on screen keyboard to key in the destination. Besides, the joystick based interface ensures that you reach all the essential option in one press. This model has 8 MB for in-built memory for maps and 8 MB of additional memory which allows it to store 5 track logs (2000 track points), 20 routes and 500 waypoints. Slot in an SD card and you can store huge amounts of tracking and routing data and you need not delete anything to make way for something else. You can add street maps, detailed maps etc. using the Mapsend facility on to the external SD card. You can also download geo cache co-ordinates for accurate navigation using the Geo Cache Manager and easily organise them using a PC-style interface.

The Area calculation feature allows you to calculate the area covered by three waypoints or POIs easily. The three-axis compass always keeps you on track irrespective of the location. The thermometer and barometer makes it a pocket sized weather station and the Barometric Altimeter will show you the elevation of your position with history along with a pressure profile.

Connectivity

The eXplorist features a high speed USB slot for PC Connection and an SC Card slot for unlimited memory expansion.

Verdict

The eXplorist is one of the best outdoor GPS packages available in the market. It is one mean machine with an all-weather, shock proof exterior and loads of useful features. So if you are a person who loves adventures, the eXplorist will ensure that you are on track anytime and anywhere.

You may also be interested in reviews of other GPS Navigation System Models:

• Magellan eXplorist 400 GPS Systems
• Tomtom Go 510 Sat Nav Systems
• Acer P610 Car Navigation Systems
• Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket Loox N100 Reviews
• Garmin iQue 3200 V7 Portable GPS System
• Medion GoPal 210 in-car Navigation
• Navman N40i Satellite Navigation
• TomTom Rider Car Sat Nav System
• ViaMichelin X-950T GPS Navigators