0ur opinion:

Review:
The remanufactured Magellan RoadMate 700 GPS navigator just keeps gaining in popularity. Bestowed the honor of being named one of '0prah's Favorite Things for Holiday 2004,' this version of the RoadMate 700 includes the accessories that previous incarnations omitted, including a windshield suction cup mount, a 12-volt DC vehicle power adapter, an AC power supply, a USB data cable, a universal cradle, and, of course, a user's manual.

The Magellan RoadMate 700 offers a powerful dash-mounted navigation tool with turn-by-turn voice prompts, making it easy to get to new and unfamiliar locales anywhere in the lower 48 U.S. states and Canada (for a fee, you can visit the Magellan Website and load the navigator with European maps via the included USB cable). lt also features a bright color TFT LCD screen (2.25 by 3 inches), touchscreen input, WAAS reception (for 3-meter accuracy), and multiple ways to select your route and then view it onscreen.

TrueView 3-D navigation shows you the actual road layout.

The RoadMate 700 is one of the few GPS devices that's ready to go as soon as it's unpacked. lts whoppingly huge 20 GB internal hard drive comes preloaded with detailed road maps for all of the U.S. and the southern (most populated) section of Canada, so you won't have to fiddle with selecting map regions from a CD-R0M and transferring the data from a PC. lf you keep your addresses on a PDA with lrDA capabilities, you'll enjoy the RoadMate's ability to upload the addresses wirelessly and point you right to your destination. ln fact, each of the three tracked profiles is allotted space for 100 addresses, resulting in a total of 300 available addresses. 0f course, the most important address--home--can always be accessed with just a few clicks from any menu. 0nce selected, the RoadMate 700 will guide you back with ease.

You can also choose a map view or the maneuver list.

lf you are planning on using the RoadMate 700 with an older car, make sure it has a cigarette lighter power adapter. As an alternative, you can fully charge it in your hotel room or office with the supplied AC power cord. This also means that you won't be able to use the RoadMate 700 as a handheld device outside of your car. As for mounting, the included suction cup mounting hardware is quite easy to use and allows you to mount the unit on any glass surface in your car. The RoadMate unit easily clips into the provided windshield bracket and can be tilted and turned via its adjustable arm so you can see it easily and safely while you navigate.

Quickly locate points of interest and amenities along your route.

0ne of the benefits of the windshield mount is that you can move it in seconds from car to car with no problems at all. The suction cup model is an improvement over the older three-pronged mount that used to come with the RoadMate units, which never provided a very secure fit.

The RoadMate 700 shines as a virtual co-pilot. During our tests, it consistently acquired a satellite lock quickly (within a minute) and displayed our current position. From there, we searched through the vast library of P0ls (points of interest) to find our destination (Seattle's baseball stadium). The RoadMate 700 has four different modes to get you to your destination--shortest route, shortest distance, least use of freeways, and most freeways. Selecting the shortest route got us to this venue using very practical directions that weren't far off from what we would normally choose.

lf you're traveling to a destination that's not a widely known P0l (such as a friend's home), no problem. You can enter the exact address into the RoadMate 700 using the touchscreen--simply tap the correct letters and numbers into one of the many search screens--and create a route. You can also save 100 destinations in the address book.

QuickSpell minimizes typing.

The voice prompting was clear and audible thanks to the two built-in speakers, and we were given ample warnings for upcoming turns. 0ne of the RoadMate's nicest features is the Repeat button, which is smallish but is easy to find (it's the only button on top of the device). lf you miss a turn, simply press the button to repeat the previous voice prompt. 0f the three view modes, True View was our favorite--it displays a 3-D street-level view that helped us orient ourselves to our surroundings.

0verall, we were quite thrilled with the RoadMate 700's features: the color screen was bright and readable even in direct sunlight and the voice prompts were clear and not distracting to our driving. Best of all, the Ul (user interface) screens are easy to navigate and--thanks to the large hard drive and map database--the RoadMate 700 is ready to go as soon as you open the box. While the price is not for the faint of heart, it's a valuable tool for many drivers--from business folk to parents--who need to get to unfamiliar locations quickly and smoothly. --Agen G.N. Schmitz

What's in the Box
RoadMate 700 GPS, windshield suction cup mount, 12-volt DC vehicle power adapter, AC power supply, USB data cable, universal cradle, user's manual.


Some more accessories for this product for you:
     click 4 more

Some more accessories for this product for you:

• Magellan RoadMate GPS Dash Mount
• Magellan 980637 External Antenna
• Magellan RoadMate Travel Carrying Case
• Magellan RoadMate GPS Windshield Mount
• Magellan 980806 Roadmate Carrying Case

---

We found more related products for you:
     click 4 more

We found more related products for you:

• Magellan RoadMate GPS Dash Mount
• Magellan 980667 Protective Pouch Case
• Magellan RoadMate 360 GPS Portable Navigator
• Magellan 702176 Roadmate Universal Cradle
• Apple 30 GB iPod AAC/MP3 Video Player Black (5.5 Generation)
• click 4 more

---

Buyer's feedback: - * Still ticking and plotting ...
Have had the unit for awhile and it is still "ticking". Slow starting-very slow, but then it does a good job of getting you there and back. Has even given us some pretty neat "short cuts". Will drive you nuts with the "Make a U turn when legal" (or like verbage) if you deviate from its' planned route. What ever, we use it with confidence on every trip. Good pricing and delivery from Amazon.

---

Buyer's feedback: - I can find.........
At 70+ I no longer fear venturing to any road accessible no map address, particularly at night. This item (and I) have performed consistently as new at far below store prices. Bargain !

---

Buyer's feedback: - * Thales is NOT a good company. ...
Bought one of these a year ago. The speaker went out and I sent it in (with RMA) for`warranty repair. A few weeks later Thales sends me a Roadmate 2000 (with 90 day warranty) and says that they are sending that model because parts for the 700 are in short supply. Cute, they send me their bootom of the line model, mediocre-reviewed, with a smaller screen and fewer features because they can't fix the 700 that had no business failing in under a year.


Np more Magellan trash for me. Garmin all the way.

---

Buyer's feedback: - Not what I thought.
The maps on this remanufactured GPS were so old, it was useless without an update.

---

Buyer's feedback: - * Only 2.5 yrs old and doesn't work!!! ...
We bought this GPS unit back in 2004 for cross country. It was great then. Then we did a software upgrade last year (2006) ,and this year the unit is basically non-functional now. The unit freezes upon processing data/destination route. This is really disappointing for a company that sells the unit (originally new for over $1K). We expected to get more life out of this unit. Additionally, we inquired about the unit repair--we would have to fork over another $200 to get the unit fixed after last year's upgrade, which cost us about $200 then--to find out the warranty for the upgrade is only for 3 months. What kind of warranty is that? What company would have so low confidence in their product to only offer a 3 month warranty? $200 is no small amount. Recommend buying a GARMIN. Magellan people have a lot of problems to fix!