Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch, App Review
Magellan has worthy contender in the GPS sweepstakes
Just in time for the holidays! I was excited when Magellan announced a new iPhone GPS software product, and was eager to get it downloaded to test. I spent two days driving around (well, not the whole 2 days) and generally had a positive experience. Magellan has been around the GPS business for a long time, delivering the first GPS handheld unit back in 1989. They also pioneered the Neverlost system in Hertz rental cars. The company has a lot of experience getting travelers to their destinations on vacations, business trips, and for the holidays.
They've put quite a lot in this first version for the iPhone which they call the Magellan Roadmate 2010. It sells for US $79.99 [iTunes link] for a 'limited time', then it goes back to $99.99, and it's a 1.36GB download. The app has text to speech, lane assist, iPod control, and a pedestrian mode, which is a nice touch.
The maps, which are sourced from NAVTEQ, include the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.
As a bonus, iPod touch users can use this app with the optional Magellan Premium Car Kit with a built-in GPS receiver. The car kit hasn't been released yet, but it's imminent.
Driving around using it was a pleasant experience. The maps are clear and easy to read, and work in portrait or landscape mode. The maps change colors for a night view automatically. If you like the look of the dedicated Magellan units you'll certainly like it on the iPhone.
Text to speech is clear, and you can have the unit talk to you in a male or female voice. You can get a list of all the turns you will make on your trip, and you can turn on a feature that auto zooms the display as you approach a turn so you can get more detail at intersections.
Gallery: Magellan Roadmate 2010 screen images
Read on for more impressions...
The Roadmate software has a pretty good POI list, and integrates well with your contacts. Another nice feature is the 'One touch favorites menu' which allows you to save any destination to a button displayed on a scrolling page of options.
You can save your location easily by clicking anywhere on the map, and you can use that point to mark where you parked your car and easily return to it. It's a nice feature that I'd like to see more nav apps have.
The Roadmate also will give you a 3D presentation of buildings in the bigger cities. It isn't really needed, but I like it, and it could be helpful in some circumstances to recognize landmarks. If nothing else, it will impress your passengers.
Data entry is fast and easy, and the keyboard fills in what your are trying to spell, but the keyboard is not a QWERTY layout, which I think is a minus. It's alphabetical instead, and just not very comfy to use. You can see it in the gallery above.
A few times I think I got my turn announcements a little late, but generally it gave me good information. If you lose the GPS signal, a voice tells you that the signal is gone, which is better than trying to see a signal strength meter.
There is only limited zoom out. I'd like to be able to zoom out to see more of my route, but you can't do it from the map.
For a first-time entry this is a solid app. It doesn't have traffic info built in, but I understand it is coming as an in app-purchase.
Of all the apps I've used and reviewed, I think this app and the Navigon app have the best on screen presentations and are the easiest to use. Since the POI list is on the phone, and does not stream in as data, neither app is going to be as up to date as apps that connect to real time databases. On the other hand, having all the data on the phone means it will work well when you are out of cellphone range, and I think that's a more important feature.
If you're looking for something quick before you pile into the car for that big turkey dinner in another state, I'd put the Roadmate on my list. If they add traffic, and get rid of that horrible keyboard, the Roadmate will be almost perfect.
You can save your location easily by clicking anywhere on the map, and you can use that point to mark where you parked your car and easily return to it. It's a nice feature that I'd like to see more nav apps have.
The Roadmate also will give you a 3D presentation of buildings in the bigger cities. It isn't really needed, but I like it, and it could be helpful in some circumstances to recognize landmarks. If nothing else, it will impress your passengers.
Data entry is fast and easy, and the keyboard fills in what your are trying to spell, but the keyboard is not a QWERTY layout, which I think is a minus. It's alphabetical instead, and just not very comfy to use. You can see it in the gallery above.
A few times I think I got my turn announcements a little late, but generally it gave me good information. If you lose the GPS signal, a voice tells you that the signal is gone, which is better than trying to see a signal strength meter.
There is only limited zoom out. I'd like to be able to zoom out to see more of my route, but you can't do it from the map.
For a first-time entry this is a solid app. It doesn't have traffic info built in, but I understand it is coming as an in app-purchase.
Of all the apps I've used and reviewed, I think this app and the Navigon app have the best on screen presentations and are the easiest to use. Since the POI list is on the phone, and does not stream in as data, neither app is going to be as up to date as apps that connect to real time databases. On the other hand, having all the data on the phone means it will work well when you are out of cellphone range, and I think that's a more important feature.
If you're looking for something quick before you pile into the car for that big turkey dinner in another state, I'd put the Roadmate on my list. If they add traffic, and get rid of that horrible keyboard, the Roadmate will be almost perfect.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
amasiancrasian said 5:33PM on 11-25-2009
I agree, they need to remove that keyboard layout and stick with the default iPhone keyboard. It is unnecessary and is actually harder to use than the iPhone keyboard. Please remove it, or at least offer the ability to disable it.
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Andrew Warner said 6:28PM on 11-25-2009
Doesn't it seem like fewer features than Google's app and a much higher price?
Is this app only good because Google's isnt on the iPhone yet?
Reply
Kelmon said 2:51AM on 11-26-2009
That and it has the maps on your device. I'll keep saying this but under no circumstances will I trust my navigation to a cloud-based service unless cellular data services are available everywhere and reliably.
monte said 10:17PM on 11-25-2009
it has a qwerty keyboard in landscape mode. i own the ap. not bad for a v1.0
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Galley said 7:48PM on 11-25-2009
The 3D building feature is way cool.
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Kenny Ye said 8:22PM on 11-25-2009
The biggest qustion for double iPhone as a GPS device is whether you need the phone/data service to use the GPS. It is a big deal when you travel outside united states, say to Canada. I am glad that Magellan made it right.
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SIP said 10:42PM on 11-25-2009
Bummer -- UK/Europe version not on the UK iTunes Store yet...
Reply
Nick said 9:19PM on 11-26-2009
$79.99 is even too high for this.
For about $149 you can get a dedicated Magellan that has a larger screen, about 10 languages =, many more POI's and much more.
There is no point in turning your iPhone into a GPS at this price unless you find carrying a unit about 4 inches square a problem.
Until they make it $29.or less, forget it.
Even then, I would go with the Tom-tom.
I have a few Magellans, and they have not updated their POI's in over three years, even though they are still charging for them.
The last one I bought didn;t have a street that my last update missed, and that was over 3 years ago.
Now, they are trying to throw traffic on this units as if it is even close to accurate or even useful.
They all recalculate if you get lost, so if you are caught in traffic, just take an alternate route in the general direction.
The traffic option is a lame way to keep the price of these things up and it will only serve to kill them.
And why is the built in, new car version still $3K? They had better wise up, the money is gone.
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Kelmon said 2:53AM on 11-26-2009
Well, I guess we'll just have to wait for Magellan to get around to releasing the application for other locations.
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Summerofsam said 11:33PM on 11-26-2009
Has anyone heard of Navmii? It available on the app store with UK maps and I heard the US version is coming very soon. This app will beat all other gps apps by price and features and is supposed to even work with iPod touches! Save your money and check out Navmii.
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