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I'm thinking about buying a MagellanŽ RoadMateŽ 1200 entry-level GPS navigator. Does anyone here have any experience with that model?
I don't need any 'advanced' features like Bluetooth, a MP3 player, etc. (To be truthful, I don't really need a GPS either but, what can I say, I'm a gadget freak.) The 1200 seems to be about as basic as they come.
I'd be grateful for any insights you can provide about this GPS navigator – positive or negative.
Birnam wood is come to Dunsinane
Well, I went ahead and bought one. It was dirt cheap, and I didn't have any high expectations, but it actually seems to be quite nice. It even managed to locate Åsnorrbodarna, which is quite a feat!
I'm going to try it out for real on Sunday.
Birnam wood is come to Dunsinane
Sounds like funI want one for my little 1.5 TD now
It actually worked quite well. The maps have an impressive level of detail, the screen is easy to read and the little gadget seems quite accurate (although the elevation numbers should be taken with a big pinch of salt).
There appears to be some large gaps in the place name database, though. Although my tiny hamlet was known, some far bigger places weren't. That makes the route planner unusable for many destinations.
The user interface is simple and easy to use, and the whole thing is small enough to slip into your jacket pocket as you leave your vehicle. The window mount was very stable and showed no signs of vibrations even on really bad roads. The power plug for the cigarette lighter has a very bright blue indicator light, though, that is somewhat annoying in the dark.
The quick reference guide says the database contains all known locations of automated speed traps. I haven't been able to confirm that yet, since I haven't been driving on any road that has them. Unlike my dad's more expensive navigator this one doesn't show the speed limits, although it does show your current speed.
The bottom line is that this gizmo seems to be well worth its low price, if all you need is a basic GPS navigator.
Birnam wood is come to Dunsinane
I have a TomTom One, which was pretty cheap (though techy gizmos are always really expensive out here in Oz). I've been happy with it so far, bar a couple of navigational glitches (which is more down to the maps than the device itself). It's very easy to use and so far has found everywhere I've wanted to go.
Having bought one I find I don't actually use it very much though!
We also bought a TomTom One about a year ago. A big reason we went with that is it had both European and North American maps preinstalled so we wouldn't need to purchase other maps when we move back to the states. We bought it for road trips and we've taken many since and it's been pretty accurate. The only place we had an issue was in a very remote location in Ireland. The maps weren't very up to date for that area.
Sara
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