digital compasses

I bought mine at Harmony Computers for $1050 in January 2004, but they don't sell it that cheap anymore. I find this thing indespensible. I work in the film business at different locations all over Los Angeles, and we usually get directions to the location, but never back, and sometimes their directions are terrible. I can relax on the way to work knowing I won't get lost, and I just punch up my home address when I 'm ready to go home, and I easily find my way home. It's saves huge amounts of time and aggravation for me.

I called customer service and got the gooseneck windshield mount, and it functions OK, but I found a much burlier alternative suction cup mount at www.autonav2000.com that they make for the Magellan. I also purchased the external antenna, just so that I know I'm getting the best possible reception, and I almost always have the blue WAAS indicator on, even in downtown Los Angeles amongst the tall buildings.

The Positive:
-Easy input of addresses (I do it while driving sometimes. Really naughty, but easy)
-Fast route calculation and recalculation
-It tells you how long till you arrive, so if you're running late, you can give a fairly accurate estimate of arrival by phone.
-Easy to read display, even when the sun is shining directly on it
-Pleasant male voice
-TONS of color display options. I use white on black, so it doesn't light up the cockpit at night.
-Easy detachment of device when parking somewhere dodgy
-Easy to find the nearest gas station. DO NOT ENTER A STATION NAME (just press OK), and you will be given the list of all the different gas stations, starting with the closest one. Works with all points of interest.
-You can easily move it from car to car, and impress all of your friends and use it in rental cars all over the US and Canada.
-If you windshield mount it, the stock antenna works just fine.

The not so great:
-USB cable to update is not available yet, but there's a firmware update available on the Magellan site. Help!
-Occasional lock ups and delays in satellite acquisition. New firmware supposedly rectifies this.
-Saved addresses not automatically alphabetized. That would be a nice option.
-Proper vehicle mounting is going to cost you at least $100. Most of their mounting options for less are junk.
-Occasionally, the numerical address is off by 50-150 feet. Not much of a problem, unless you end up getting out in front of a Latino gangster's crack house looking for your white friend. Already happened once...

That all said, I LOVE this device. Everyone I show it to is amazed by its usefullness. With the external antenna, I've always got great reception all over Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Even dirt roads with names are shown. I've saved so much time not trying to write down tedious directions over the phone, and it's nice always knowing what street you're on. You won't regret this device, if you get the external antenna and burly windshield mount. Also, just buy an AC cigarette lighter adaptor to use it in the house and input addresses at home. Do not buy the Magellan Roadmate Case for $45, it's a waste of money and it's stupidly designed.

Eversince I used the Hertz "Never lost" navigation system in a rental car, I have been wanting to own one but at that time it wasn't available in the market . I remember, with a GPS, how easy it was for me to reach my destinations in Houston metropolitan area. An area I had never been to before. First I thought to use HP Jornada 720 for navigation but lack of compatibility was the issue. Also I didn't want too many wires around the dashboard in my car.So I dropped the idea of using a handheld pc as a gps. I started doing some research and found out that there are two GPS (Garmin Streetpilot 2610 and Magellan Roadmate 700) that dont need an installation, rather could be used with cigarette lighter. Both are portable and could be moved from one vehicle to the other. I liked the idea but could not decide which one suits my needs better. Luckily we are living in an age of information, so I was able to read a lot about these items on the internet. Garmin being couple of hundred dollars cheaper and also BestBuy had one on the display where I could actually see, touch and feel it. Unfortunately, Roadmate was not on the display like BestBuy had Garmin. Anyhow I read several reviews and could make a comparison. I am sharing my views here so that reader could get some feedback. Magellan Roadmate 700 is WAAS enabled while Garmin SP2610 is not. WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) is more accurate to locate your position. Magellan RoadMate 700 has built in 10 GB hard drive . Maps of both USA and Canada are already loaded on the unit so you dont have to load them or worry about buying expensive flash cards. Roadmate 700 has little larger screen than the Garmin and that makes a difference and resolution is also good. Roadmate 700 is easier to operate than Garmin sp 2610.Voice prompts on Roadmate are very clear and pleasant. Roadmate 700 also shows a 3D heavy arrow before the turn which is good. These are the positives in the favor of Roadmate. Lets talk about some negatives. Roadmate does not have a good mounting design. Car vents are used to mount your unit. What if you have heat on . I think that wouldn't be good idea for your unit . It may also come apart and fall on the floor. Another negative about RoadMate 700 is that it does not come with AC adapter or USB cable. Also the price is higher than Garmin SP2610. Taking into consideration the pros and cons I picked the Magellan Roadmate 700. Yesterday I picked a unit at BestBuy with a 4 year warranty (US$39.99). It took me few minutes to set it up and turn it on. I was in Manhattan NYC. I drove back to New Jersey and it performed very well. I made a wrong turn and RM700 recalculated the route right away and put me back on the track. What a relief. Let me mention here about Roadmate 500 that does not come with a built in Hard drive. With RM 500, you have to buy additional memory cards. You will be required to get it activated from the company for additional cost. You will have to download the maps of distant areas you plan to drive to.That is the reason I did not buy RM 500. I am pleased to have Magellan Roadmate 700. I will keep you posted with additional findings in future. Drive safely. Peace and Love.

My wife purchased the Magellan Roadmate 700. I have the Garmin Streetpilot III in my car. I was very angry with her for purchasing another GPS since we already owned one. She said it was easier to use than my Garmin. I took her Magellan GPS for a day to prove her wrong and had to eat crow. I really tried to make it worse, but it was just so accurate and simple to use. The Magellan Roadmate 700 came preloaded with the entire U.S. map. I had to purchase maps to download into my Garmin. Every time I go out of state I have to download the new area into my Garmin. The Magellan already has it loaded. The Magellan was very user friendly. The touch screen was a breeze to navigate with. It was just simple. Plug it in and go. Needless to say she wants her Magellan back. This is a great product. I had heard it advertised on the Glenn Beck radio show and it is everything they said and more. I highly recommend this GPS product.