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Never Get Lost Again -
Map Reading is a Thing of the Past
by: Niall Kennedy
Do you spend lots of time planning routes
and checking maps on the road. You don't have any more with a Magellan RoadMate.
I work in the film industry, scouting
locations for possible shooting. These can be in built-up urban areas and remote
locations all over California.
I often had problems finding my way, even
with detailed instructions. I spent as much time parked and reading maps than I
did driving.
Then I bought a RoadMate and within hours I
felt I would never get lost again. The RoadMate works right out the box, no
complicated set-up and no downloading information - perfect for a technophobe
like me!
Now I don't waste time scribbling
instructions. I switch the unit on when I get into the car and within seconds it
has a fix on my position (even in the car port).
I have my contact give me the address or
even a landmark close by, and type it into the RoadMate. Just like that, it
finds my destination. And if I'm going to be going to that destination again I
can save it in the memory for future use.
It offers 4 modes - the first time I tested
it out I chose "shortest route" from home to office, and it displayed
almost exactly the route I'd have chosen.
You get yard by yard voice instructions (so
you don't have to look at the screen as you drive) and it corrects directions
immediately if you take a wrong turning, and there's a handy "Repeat"
button to get an instant repeat if you didn't hear an instruction.
If you need a visual representation of
where you are, there is a useful "3-d" view, down to lamp-posts and
garbage cans. The screen is easy to read, with views designed for use in both
light and dark conditions.
The helpful voice will even give you a
countdown of yards before you reach your destination, even if that destination
is a remote dirt-track.
I can guarantee that the RoadMate has saved
me countless hours and frustration from reading maps and getting lost.
When I'm returning home, I choose my
address from those stored in the memory, and off I go. If I've noticed any roads
I want to avoid on the way, traffic jams for instance, I can specify avoiding
them, and the RoadMate has new directions for me right away.
All in all, it's a tool I wouldn't want to
be without.
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